RON97 Petrol To Increase By 15sen On Dec 1st

This is bad news. Apparently, RON97 petrol will increase by yet another 15sen to RM2.30 per litre from Dec 1 onwards. The good news is that RON95 is expected to remain at RM1.85 per litre though we cannot confirm this until an official announcement is made later today. This increase follows an increment of 15sen just a month ago.

My car is old and I can still run it on RON95. However, I know that some newer cars, especially performance cars, will only run efficiently on RON97. Too bad for them. Even so, I can't help but wonder when the G will "touch" RON95. It can't stay at RM1.85 forever while RON97 keeps increasing in price, right?

I remember reading about the owner of a Nissan Fairlady who says that his gas bill is getting higher and higher as the price of RON97 increases since his car cannot run on RON95. I feel for him. Selling it may be a solution but then who would want to take over this expensive baby?

Holiday Food

I have been traveling so much this year that despite the hectic schedule, where I rush to meet my public transportation like buses, trains and the LRT, I have put on weight. i think it's because of the food that i eat when I travel, which are commercial food and sometimes even "rich", especially when friends treat me to meals at high-class eateries. Back home, I hardly have the chance to eat out as I only have home-cooked food, where I observe a diet of less oil, sugar and salt.

Now that a wedding dinner is coming up and I have to buy a new dress for it, I am worried that I would not be able to carry my dress well because of my tummy. SIGH.... my spare tire seems to have expanded. I wonder if even the best diet pills could help me get rid of it within these few days. The dinner is this Saturday!

Another Round of Penang

Our visit to Penang was too brief and I feel as if I have spent too much money and not getting anything from that trip. Of course, I have some photos to show, and ate some Penang food, but Penang is an island that has so many things to offer, a few hours there is really not sufficient. Besides, we spent hours on the road, more than the time spent on the island itself.

I plan to visit Penang again, this time, by myself. I have a friend in Penang who said he could pick me up at the bus station and send me to my hotel. I plan to give myself five days on the island, which I think should be enough to go to a few Penang attractions, though of course, if I could afford the time and money, two weeks is ideal.

Travelling with the family is really not conducive, especially when none of them are bloggers. They won't go out of the way for me to see places, which make my trips with the family not very fruitful. Oh well, this December sees me going to KL again so maybe Penang, Round 2, will have to wait till next year.

Driving While Intoxicated

A friend told me that since he has stopped clubbing earlier this year, his partner in his weekend alcoholic binges has been having a difficult time. According to my friend, the guy has been driving out again after being fleeced by cabbies. That is totally not a smart move because if he intends to drink, he shouldn't be driving. I heard that he has already crashed his car twice!

Driving while intoxicated is an offence and he could be charged if he is pulled over by the police. It would not be easy for him because we don't have lawyers as good as Houston DWI lawyers here, and so, fine could be hefty and he may even be jailed!

I don't think it's worth getting into such troubles and I can never understand why people find pleasure in alcohol. Anyway, he really should take a cab!

Men Prefer Women Who Live Within 50km Radius Only

I read on the Star online, according to Cupid Club organisers, local men prefer to date women who live within 50km radius from their home. 50km is like so near, no wonder they are still single. The organisers say the reason is that these men are thinking of the hassle of dating women who live far away, and the possible travelling to the wife's hometown after marriage, especially during festivals and other family celebrations.

i find this really funny because distance is no longer such a huge problem anymore compared to ten to twenty years ago since we now have highways linking almost all major cities in the Peninsular Malaysia and then we have the internet which helps improve communication. Well, there is also the mobile phone, though that is slightly more expensive.

Cupid Club organisers think this is the reason they are facing low participation from single men and women. Well, it could be other stuff too, like their high fees.

Self-Portrait (Samsung ST600)

One of the best features of the Samsung ST600 camera that caught my attention was the front LCD. Now that I have the camera and read through the manual, I found out that it is only good for self-portraits. It's because of the length of our arms. Like I said in my review of Samsung ST600 earlier, I can't use it to shoot the background. I think that if we have an "extended arm" like the Xshot, it would be different but I don't have it so I cannot try.

I have been taking quite a few self-portraits lately but I don't like them because I look "old and tired" and I see lines on my forehead. They are quite prominent and I will have to use anti wrinkle cream starting from now before they get deeper.

Every time I am outside and have opportunities to take some nice self-portraits, I just look hot and dirty. Maybe it's because my car doesn't have air-conditioner. SIGH!

Back From Penang

The family and I have just returned from Penang. I had wanted to go with them for a long time as we haven't been anywhere as a family for a long time because of the sick doggies, and then I spent a lot of time travelling alone and couldn't spare anymore money to give them a treat until now.

Oh well, although we spent a lot of time on the road, we didn't manage to see too many places. Penang is cheap but I don't like that most people speak Mandarin and Hokkien. Reminds me of Johor where I felt like a woman from outer space. And those dishonest hawkers and vendors would try to cheat us by giving us extra large bowls of food and called these 'specials" and charge us for them! Gah! These kinds of people are everywhere, I know, but then it happened to us when we were in Penang!

Neighbor's Wedding Dinner

My neighbor has invited my whole family to the daughter's wedding dinner next weekend and I tell you, I am totally not prepared for such social functions. I didn't even attend my friend's wedding dinner. I would need new clothes, new shoes, new bag, new hairstyle and a facial. In fact, I need a new ME. It has been such a long time that I have stayed away from all these, nothing that I own right now is suitable for "functions".

And I may have to take hydroxycut advanced diet pills just so that I could fit in to nice clothes and quit the habit of wearing baggy clothes to cover up my flab! I am just worried that I cannot be slim in time for the wedding dinner. Anyone has any ideas?

Getting Out

Once in a while, I feel really suffocated at home. I know that I have no place here but sometimes, it's tolerable, sometimes it is not. Although I can financially survive on my own outside of the family home, it would mean that I would not be able to support them. I know that many of my friends who are living on their own either do not have to support their families, do not need to, or don't earn enough to but I will feel bad.

Also, I need a reason to move, something more concrete, like a job. That would give me some sense of stability and also peace of mind too, knowing that my monthly pay cheque can cover my rental, food, accommodation, and other daily expenses.

But I know that I cannot drag my feet for far too long. It's been long enough and it's only killing me like this. Doing so wouldn't not mean that I am running away as it would be a well thought out and well-planned action. I just need to push myself to take the first step. Perhaps I am not as desperate to leave yet.

Stop Child Abuse!

Although I may not have children of my own, I am very aware of the world the children of our times are living in. I feel sad reading about them being abused, some are abandoned as soon as they are born! And there have been cases recently of kids dying at the hands of their caregivers. Imagine, these people are supposed to care for them and not torture, abuse and then kill them!

If it is possible, I would never want to see child sexual abuse. That's the most horrible thing that could happen to anyone, not only children but also adults. Even adults find it so difficult to cope with sexual abuse. It is many times more traumatic for children. They may not understand what's happening, but they grow up, scarred for life!

Stopping child abuse is not a one-person effort, that's why we have to join hands in stopping this atrocious act on children with education and out in extra effort in protecting them from the beasts of the world.

Of Windows, Doors & Patio Rooms

My friend, who lives with his mother, told me that his mother has engaged painters to paint the entire exterior of the house in time for the New Year. My friend is going to fork the bill and he is not happy about it. Not because of the money but because he had wanted a new "exterior" as he feels that it's high time getting those old windows replaced with new design windows that are energy efficient, reducing energy consumption in the long run.

According to my friend, he is having a difficult time looking for a local, trusted window replacement contractor. It is not like we live in Massachusetts where we could easily look up Harvey Window Replacement Massachusetts, well known for their durable windows, doors and patio rooms!

I told my friend to look at the bright side of it and with a new coat of paint, it means that he has more time to look for a contractor, or maybe even several to compare prices to replace all his windows and doors. Also, in the meantime, he could take some time to check out the website of Harvey Building Products and look at the many different designs of windows, doors and patio rooms and learn the advantages of different building materials.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Hybrid Cars

Car enthusiasts are all talking about hybrid cars. We now have more choices in the market. As a fairly new car owner, I too am caught up in the hype. The other day, I too went to a car exhibition where the Toyota Prius full hybrid car (third generation) was on display. The on-the-road price is RM139,000, if I am not mistaken. Hybrid cars are not something that I can own, actually, and in fact, if I have that money, or the ability to buy something of that price, I would rather buy properties.

And did you know hat batteries for hybrid cars could be staggering? It's about RM12,000 each currently. Although it is reported that such batteries can clock 500,000km before it needs to be replaced, the figure is still quite shocking, considering it has to be paid in cash, unlike cars that could be bought by taking out a car loan.

Anyway, cars are nice to look at only. I'd rather be driving my used car as it serves me well. Actually, my father and brother drive it more than I do! Well, unless I work for a company that gives me the use of a car....

Party Supplies For 1st Birthday

My cousin celebrated his daughter's first birthday yesterday. It was a family affair. However, he said he would like all of us to share in the joyous occasion and will be hosting a larger birthday party for her soon. I am so happy for the girl and because I have never attended 1st birthdays before, am wondering what kind of party setting my cousin has in mind.

I am going to let him know about Party Pro's excellent selection of party supplies for first birthdays and and I believe that going through what Party Pro has to offer can give him plenty of ideas of how he wants his daughter's party to be, a birthday party that both children and adults will enjoy.

My cousin will get to enjoy deep discounts on cute tableware patterns party supplies and he doesn't have to worry about not being able to get the huge amount of crepe streamers that he needs for a kid's birthday party!

I love the fact that we could easily order personalized party banners on Party Pro too. It means that we could easily match our party supplies with the banner since we will be able to shop for everything through one store. And did I already mention these are not expensive? Really, throwing a party should be a happy occasion that's easy on our budget. Party Pro helps to take the stress of organizing a party away and keeps our bank account healthy.

Uncle Taxi Driver Maniac

The Star published the photo of the "uncle" taxi driver who sexually abused a few students on the pretext of giving them free rides in his taxi. So this is him, even with his face half closed, we can still roughly see how he looks like, right? I believe this is the first time that The Star has published his photo though the Chinese media published it a long time ago when news of his crime first broke out. If it did, I didn't notice even though I go through The Star online almost every day, a few times a day.

Anyway, there is no free lunch in this world. How can we take a cab and not have to pay? Of course that's not logical, right? But then again, this one taxi driver is giving all other honest drivers a bad reputation. I have a friend who is a cab driver too. He was a friend BEFORE he became a taxi driver. I feel for him.

Naughty Dog

A friend told me that she is having a difficult time with her neighbor who has been complaining that her dog has gone over to her compound way too often, wrecking her flowers and digging holes on the ground. As someone who has kept dogs for the better part of my life, I can certainly understand that those come as second nature to dogs and it's not easy to stop them from doing that.

My friend told me that because they live in houses that don't have fencing, unlike mine, unless she keeps the dog inside her house tied up all day long, she cannot stop the dog from getting out and about. She has built a doggie dog, you see.

The neighbor has put up no trespassing signs but it's not like the dog reads English! I guess there's nothing my friend could do but take the dog for walks with a leash. It wouldn't be good if the neighbor reports to the local municipal council!

Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple (Brickfields)

Temples are always great photography subjects. I think it's because of its grandeur and colours. When I was in KL a couple of weeks ago, my friend drove me to this Buddhist Maha Vihara temple in Brickfields, which is just nearby KL Sentral to take some photos with my then new Samsung ST600. So sad that since then, I don't really have time to play more with it!

Anyway, when we were there, no one was around; at least nobody that we could see. So I just snapped a few photos and left. We didn't even get down to pray or anything since I was rushing off to catch my train already. When we were there, I actually didn't know the name of the temple. I had to email my friend for its proper name. LOL

If you are looking for sample photos of the Samsung ST600, here they are, though because of space, I have to resize them to 800X450px for web publishing. I was using 10M widescreen and "normal" (as opposed to fine and super fine).

Repackaging & Rebranding

My friend, who runs a white coffee manufacturing company though not the most popular white coffee brand, told me that although he has a good product, and it is already established (you wouldn't believe there are so many white coffee lovers), sales are just not flying.

I think that he has priced his products very competitively but I think the problem lies with his rather unappealing packaging. Looking at it, I wouldn't even know what product I am holding, unless I look very carefully, and even have to spend time reading the label. If this is how I feel, I am sure this is what other consumers feel too.

I suggested to my friend to engage a well-known Marketing Company with a good track record to help him repackage his product or even rebrand it. Whatever they want to do, let them try. They are the experts, anyway.

My friend isn’t too keen with my idea. He’s from the old school of thought and doesn’t really believe in the power of strategic product marketing. I think it’s because he hasn’t tasted the effects of powerful brand marketing yet!

In any case, I told him to keep an open mind. This is money he must spend but it will return!

*** This post has been sponsored.

Plans For Early December

Before the month is over, my next weekend is fully booked. I will be going to Penang this week with my family but it will be just a short day trip as my father and brother have to be in KL the following day. Luckily I did not book accommodation or it would be wasted since we couldn't postpone either one of these trips.

Next week though, it's my turn to be in KL. Yes, I am purposely going to make a trip to KLIMS '10 which starts on 3rd till 12th December at PWTC. I haven't decided which day to go yet but of course, it will be a weekday when tickets are cheaper! LOL Well, if I could get a free pass, then well and good but then I really would like to be in the draw for a car! I know it's not easy to win but at least, I would be in the running for it!

And then there is also a horse show and an IT show in Ipoh. This means that I have to give MAHA 2010 a miss which will start this weekend at MAEPS in Serdang. Aiyoh, sad lah! All the good stuffs seem to be happening in KL!

Branding Oneself

I recently attended a social media conference in the capital city and one of the things that a panelist did was to brand herself. She is a novelist and her target readers are teenagers who don't have spending power but still these teenagers are buying books and merchandise from her, asking their parents for money, just because they MUST have these items. I find that very impressive.

It's difficult enough to popularize a product and a lot of products failed because they have a name that nobody can spell, remember and worse, pronounce. That's why I feel that the author had a great Branding strategy that she capitalized on and managed to make it work for her. She didn't even need to be drop dead beautiful! Of course, she is a talented lady in her own right but then let's be honest, not many good authors could achieve the kind of breakthrough she is enjoying. Can you imagine, she even has her own jingle!

I've shared this success story with a friend who is a fairly well-known local photographer and told him that like this author, he too could brand himself like how she did. Perhaps he would need a branding guru or something but the most important thing is the end result, isn't it?

*** This post has been sponsored.

Free Trips & Cruises

I have been checking up on the web and apparently, it's quite popular now for tourism boards, hotel and resort chains, PR companies and other entities in the vacation industry to sponsor bloggers on "press trips". HHmmm and quite a few bloggers have benefited from these free travels which they will then post on their blogs, though not necessarily in a positive tone only.

Bu then again, of course these sponsors will only look at bloggers who are already popular and have a healthy readership base. Then only will they get the exposure they seek for their tour packages, etc. And yes, this is also having in Malaysia.

HHmm I am so envious. I think I also want to set up a travel blog and work on it till it receives thousands of visitors daily and then I can go on free press trips like them. Meanwhile, it looks like I have to fork out my own money for my trips first. LOL

Controlling Anger

I read about a young Singaporean guy who stabbed his girlfriend to death when she wanted to leave him. The girl was only 18 then, and he was, I think, two years older. He is now just 24, and going to be hanged because of this murder.

My father used to tell us that if we can control our emotions, we can control our destiny and looking at this case, my father is spot on. If this young man could control his emotions, his anger, he wouldn't have to die for his crime. It's a life for a life and I know it's extreme but it does happen.

Those who are not in control of their anger should undergo anger management class like the Houston Anger Management therapy that I read recently, which is open to individuals, to couples and even to those who are more comfortable dealing with something personal like this with a group of people facing a similar problem.

Burning Flame 3 (2009 TVB Drama)

I didn't get to watch Burning Flame 1 and 2 yet because I couldn't find it anywhere so I didn't wait around and skipped to Burning Flame 3 instead. LOL Just as well since there's Kevin Cheng in 3! I don't find the drama particularly catching, since I started watching the drama weeks ago and till today, am only at episode 3! yeah, perhaps I'm busy and perhaps I'm sick but I know that if a drama is very interesting, I will always make time for it.

Kevin Cheng is once again so good looking! His voice is a little on the soft side, though, but at the same time, it's highly recognisable. Besides Kevin Cheng, I don't really like the other actors. Wong He always looks like he can't even open his eyes. Bosco Wong has a very poor voice and there is something wrong with his features. I think it's his mouth, I can't really pinpoint. As for Myolie Wu, she looks and acts the same in all her dramas! How can???

Anyway, this is going to be one long drama, with 32 episodes! I wonder if I could finish it before the year is over!

Cheap Air Fare To Paris

Gosh, AirAsia is seriously giving most of us an opportunity to fly. They are launching KL-Paris on 14th February, 2011 and from 22nd to 24th Nov, 2010, they are selling these tickets from RM499. Of course, this is just promotional fare without airport taxes, service fee, admin fee and 101 other fees yet but still, it's a lot cheaper than "normal" air fare to Paris.

I remember comparing air tickets to Paris, France a few months ago when my friend asked me to visit him before he leaves Paris for Seoul, for good and gives up his apartment, so no more free accommodation. Back then, the air ticket, one way was at least RM3000!

It didn't matter which airlines I went with. All the full-fledged airlines are THAT expensive. Moreover, even with free accommodation and sponsored meals, it would still have cost me about RM7000 just to visit Paris then. of course, I backed out. A friend told me that AirAsia would be flying to Paris later but then too late, my friend has already settled down in Seoul. SIGH!

Hip Recall Lawsuit

My mother has been going in and out of hospitals for the past year and a half. She keeps telling me that she is not feeling well. Except for "general weakness", the doctor cannot really pinpoint what is medically wrong with her. Perhaps it's psychological.

I met a patient at the hospital who underwent a hip replacement surgery recently and when I found out about this hip recall lawsuit, I thought about her. I wonder if she has used a defective hip replacement system by DePuy Orthopedics. Bad luck if she did!

Did you know that a total of 93000 hip replacement systems were recalled when it was reported that patients who used this suffered worse hip problems after their surgery that many required a second surgery? It's scary. I read that a Texas truck accident lawyer is taking up this case to seek compensation for affected patients. I'll try to "bump" into the lady and hopefully, can pass her the information, just in case she needs help.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949

Sick In November

I don't know why but it seems that I am always falling ill in November. It's probably the cold and wet weather but I always remember being sick in November because it's my birthday month. I read that people get depress when it's their birthday, I think it's because the thought that one is getting older and there are still so many things unaccomplished but being sick during one's birthday is a whole lot worse!

Although I know that I don't get enough rest and did not have enough of fluid, especially when I was travelling, it just irks me that all these effects rear their ugly heads in November. Aigh!! And this is one of the reasons why i hardly get to celebrate my birthday. I just hate to socialize, and I can't eat cake or take soft drinks. Sad, huh?

Married Life

I met my older cousin brother last weekend when he brought his family home to visit his mother. My cousin has moved to the capital city since getting married many years ago and since then, we hardly have the opportunity to meet. It's not that we were close in the first place but it was definitely warmer than now.

I was surprised that my cousin has put on a lot of weight; we joked that it's because his wife is good in cooking! Anyway, my cousin, who deals with home theater systems recommended me a set of home theater system speakers that my friend has been looking for. I, of course, took the opportunity to seek expert advice!

My cousin has two children and I feel kind of sad that I have never gone out of my way to create opportunities to meet up with them. I got quite a shock to realize they are now in their late teens already! I really should make more effort to get to know then. Living in different cities should not be an excuse since I travel to the capital city almost monthly!

Little India (Brickfields)

A lot of people are curious about the photo quality of Samsung ST600. Well, I've only owned it for about a week and actually used it for the first few days since I have been sick these past few days and have stayed at home hence not able to try it out in a real world environment.

However, of the many photos that I took, I would say that the quality of all of them turned out right even though I was only using Smart Auto shooting mode. Also, the photos shot with Samsung ST600 that you have seen on my blog here thus far were all shot with "normal" quality, but 10M widescreen. And as you can see, they are sharp enough and the colours turned out really well, even though I have resized the photos to 800 X 450px for the purpose of blog publishing.

In this post, I am enclosing two photos that I took of Little India in Brickfields which underwent a huge face lift and was launched by the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and India on27th October, 2010. I understand hat this is the "new" Little India. As I am not local, I have no idea where the "old" Little India is. Well, the new Little India is more convenient for me!

Business Conference in France

My friend told me that she has found a new job with an event organizing company. She said she is very busy planning and then putting events and meetings together, some which require her to travel out of the country. My, am I envious of her!

She said that it's not easy, though, because of the language barrier in some foreign countries. At the moment, her team is planning a business conference for a multi-national company and the client has decided on France. That's a tall order but my friend said that she is eye-ing Holiday Inn Meetings France because of prestige and solid reputation.

According to my friend, she is still waiting for the in-depth requirements of the client, like their preferred location, number of attendees and the number of days they would like the business conference to be held. And the bottom line is of course the budget, without which my friend and her team of colleagues are unable to take action.

Well, I think once they have the specifics, they can move quickly and secure the best location the client needs. I am sure, even though my friend is new in her job, she and her colleagues would make this assignment a success!

*** This post has been sponsored.

Review of Samsung ST600

So I have been using my new Samsung ST600 dual-LCD digital camera for a few days already and had taken it out of the house for a "field trip". Although I have been raving about its dual-LCD since the first generation of Samsung dual-LCD digital camera was introduced a couple of years ago and I finally have the latest model in my hands now, there are a few cons that I would like to point out, if you are thinking of buying a Samsung ST600 as well.

Although I have two batteries (original Samsung batteries), each one couldn't last more than 250 shots. I am using "10M widescreen fine" and only put on the front LCD off and on but still, the battery, which shows 3 bars when full, quickly runs dry. Going out of the house for four hours (only), I had to change my battery halfway.

When I was looking to buy a digital camera, I was very particular in the battery and wanted only those that run on AA batteries. Now, if I run out of battery outside of home, I can't buy AA battery packs from a convenience store. The battery charges inside the camera and while charging, I wouldn't be able to use it to shoot (photos or videos). Well, the good thing is that I wouldn't have to carry a charger but sometimes, it's better to use a charger so that I could leave a battery charging in the hotel room, for example, while I go out for a short while to shoot something.

A lot of people asked me if the front LCD really works. It does but because our arms are limited in length, all my shots of myself show my "big face" and very little of the background. So, if I were to take a photo of myself from head to shoulders, it wouldn't be a problem. However, if I wanted to take a photo of myself in front of, say, Eiffel Tower, it wouldn't be possible.

Also, since this camera uses MicroSD memory card, you would need a memory card reader/adapter. Another thing is the camera gets hot when I have switched it on for long minutes. Like smart phones, the heat makes it uncomfortable to use since it's something that has to be held.

In short, this is not a camera that I feel I could fully depend on. I don't believe I could go out for one whole day with this camera alone unless I get another four or five batteries, since I couldn't use it when charging, even if I have a car USB charger, but that totally doesn't make sense.

Door & Window Replacement

My friend told me that his mother, who is in her 70s, is finding it difficult to accept changes that he has made to the house. He has taken up DIY as a hobby lately, you see, and it is his ambition to renovate the entire house by himself. He says he derives great satisfaction from knowing that he could do that.

His mother, though, wouldn't let him "touch" her room. I think she doesn't trust his workmanship or maybe she doesn't like modern building designs. In any case, my friend is trying to make her see the benefits of a renovated room with a modern concept, with new window replacements, new curtains, new coat of pain and new interior decoration.

I have been looking for window replacement as well and my search brought me to a boston window replacement company that specializes in energy efficient windows. I tell myself that I don't want to be as dependent on energy as we currently are when I have my own house. I don't know how I would go about it. Perhaps energy efficient windows are the answer.

Harvey is a company in Boston that deals in windows, doors and patio rooms. Looking at all the designs that the company carries makes me just want to get everything changed! Although I am not able to afford a new home now, getting new windows and doors is certainly a good alternative!

*** This post has been sponsored.

The Temple of Fine Arts (Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur)

As you know, I went to KL on Thursday and every time I am down in KL for a day trip, I usually just hang out in Brickfields because it is near to KL Sentral and that is where I disembark. I spend a lot of time there either waiting for a friend to pick me up when I arrived, or before my train comes, sticking close to KL Sentral so that I won't get caught in traffic and miss my ride home.

This trip, I came across The Temple of Fine Arts and took a photo of it. I didn't manage to get more photos and from other angles as there were other vehicles and even a large rubbish bin blocking, unfortunately. I couldn't even see the signboard in front and only know it's the Temple of Fine Arts when my friend pointed it out to me.

My friend told me the building is very ugly and doesn't look artistic at all. It definitely doesn't give a clue of the "fine arts" that's supposed to happen inside. I wonder if there are shows during the day and if so, how much the tickets are. Maybe it would be good for me to go and attend a show or something instead of sitting at kopitiams. LOL

Unexpected Call From Insurance Agent

I received a call from an insurance agent a few days ago. Since I already have a policy with her company, she wanted to get me to upgrade my plan. Although I know that what I currently have is insufficient and I have every intention to buy a more comprehensive policy but with her unexpected call, I couldn't commit myself. They are asking me to double my monthly payment to them!

I decided to decline their "offer" and only decide once I have insurance quotes from a few companies. Yes, getting a more comprehensive policy will be more expensive but then, to double my monthly payment is a bit more than I am prepared to pay.

Hailam Kopitiam (Brickfields)

When I was in KL, yesterday, my friend took me to this kopitiam in Brickfields, that's near KL Sentral, called hailam Kopitiam. I remember that it is a "chain" of kopitiams like Ipoh Old Town White Coffee.

And this was what we had for lunch: kampung fried rice and otak-otak rolls and for drinks, special roast ice kopi-o and hot special roast coffee. I also packed something for dinner since my train ride home was during dinner time. It usually is. What I packed was toast bun rendang chicken. Looks yummy but the rendang chicken was slightly too salty for me. Besides, the minced chicken was not easy to eat on a train too!

As you can see, I took some photos of the food using my new Samsung ST600 camera! Wheee!!

The Definition of Beauty

I watched a program on Astro the other day, which showed African mothers forcing their daughters to eat and become fat, because being fat is beautiful and shows that the family is affluent. Some of these daughters, being force fed, even died, and the husbands think nothing of this practice.

I don't remember what tribe these Africans are from but I find it a bit strange that while the rest of the world are going to Africa to get their hands on hoodia that is a great ingredient to keep women slim, they want to be fat even though hoodia is just at their door step.

This is the same as people in the West wanting to be tan while people in the East, who are mostly tanned naturally, wanting to be fairer! Hahaha!

Guess Who Has A New Camera?

Me, Myself and IIIII!!!! LOL

Yes, and it's not any ordinary digital camera but the dual-LCD Samsung ST600! Yes, it's the latest Samsung dual screen digital camera and it's in Champagne gold! My favourite colour! Woohoo!

Yes, I love my new camera but I still think it's a bit extravagant to buy something so expensive but what can I say? It's already bought! So I guess there is nothing for me to do but learn to use it and make the best use of it!

I love that it has dual LCDs and it's perfect for camwhores, though I am not one but with this camera, I can take more photos of myself, though those will never be shown to the public! In short, I will be a closet camwhore! LOL

I played around with it a little but there are still so many features and functions that I have to learn and memorize their positions so that I could easily look for them when I need to!

Yahoo! I think I will make a short trip somewhere to try out the camera.

Finally Meeting Up

So I went to KL yesterday for one day and had the opportunity to finally meet up with a friend whom I have known on the internet for years. She is known as a "big" woman to me and so I was surprise to see that she is not as "big" as she looked in photos!

However, she told me that since joining "The Biggest Loser Asia" and failed to go through even the preliminary round, she decided that she didn't need fame and fortune to motivate her to lose weight. In fact, she has been trying out the best diet pills for women and have found some success with a couple of products. No wonder she isn't as big as I had the impression of her!

Well, now that I am back from KL, I have no idea when I will be going down to the capital city again. I may not have plans yet but maybe one day, something comes in by email and I would be taking up on that opportunity again!

Making Plans For KL

Yes, I had every intention NOT to get away from Ipoh this month because of the obscene expenses that I have ran up the entire year. I only didn't travel in January, April and October this year and I thought that I would just save more money this and next month so that I could go on a longer holiday and not just make day trips to the capital city which could be quite tiring but then last evening, a friend sent me an invitation to attend a conference for women netpreneurs and I couldn't resist. Signed up at the last minute and so, I am going to KL on Thursday. LOL

I'll have to go and get my train tickets in the morning. Being so close to the holidays, it will be crowded since everyone would be going to get their tickets too. I just hope that even if I have to wait for long minutes to be served at the KTM counter, I would still be able to get the tickets that I want, at the fare that I am willing to pay.

Since this trip is made in such short notice, I will have plenty of things to take care of before I leave. I am someone who doesn't like untied strings. Anyway, I will keep my expenses for this trip as low as possible though I may have to take the electric train home. That's RM30 gone already!

Happy Deepavali!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish every Hindu reading this post, Happy Deepavali and to everyone else in Malaysia, Happy Long Weekend! Yeah! Don't we just love long weekends?? Are you going to make a trip somewhere? I will just be staying home and maybe go and get some shopping done in the evening since I haven't been out lately. I don't like large crowds, anyway.

This month, I am not sure if I will be going to KL. I do hope to go but at the same time I am trying to save money. I have so many things I want to buy. A new "wardrobe" (not the physical cupboard but new clothes for a new image LOL), a new smart phone, a lighter laptop, a tablet and a GPS. HHmm if only I could also wish for a new car but that's too greedy already!

Also, I need to get my hair done and also facial. These are all long overdue. Sometimes, I couldn't find time, sometimes, I feel like spending a few hundred bucks to beautify myself is a waste of good money. Whatever it is, I need to take better care of myself. Nobody else will!

Anyway, with this post, I am enclosing a photo of Little India in Ipoh that I took yesterday when I went to Ipoh Old Town. See how congested the area was!

GeOasis Geothermal Systems

My sister told me that her electricity bill just arrived and she had a shock that it has increased by $50. It was previously $250. Whether it is $250 or $300, it is still extremely high. She said that it's because she always has the heater turned on during winter and the air-conditioner turned on during summer. These are monster energy consumers and it does not help that her house if large.

I told my sister that she has to seriously find a solution to reduce dependency on energy. Now, she may be paying $250 to $300 a month but what it tariff increases. What then? Can she afford to pay $500 a month just for energy?

I came across GeOasis this morning, a company that provides geothermal heating and cooling using solar energy stored in earth. When you understand the concept, you will think that it is a very simple mechanism but it is so useful and I personally think that every homeowner should consider installing the geothermal heat pump. It works two ways; keeping the house (or office) cool during summer and warm during winter.

As you can see, geothermal systems by GeOasis can help reduce electricity bill drastically, since it is using natural energy that is stored in earth.

Ipoh Curry Noodles & Old Town White Coffee

I went to old town in the afternoon as I had something to do and since I was already there, I took the opportunity to have a cup of Ipoh's very famous white coffee. The name of the coffee shop is of course none other than "Kedai Makanan Nam Heong". My cup of coffee was only RM1.30, not more expensive than other coffee shops. Don't know why it's more popular than other white coffee, though because I couldn't taste the difference. Of well, I have no expertise in coffee since I don't drink it too much but since I was already there, I just decided to take its "specialty".

After that, I went to a coffee shop off-Jalan Kampar called "Tim Shum Loong". Ipoh is also very famous for its curry noodles, though there are a few coffee shops that specialise in it. Tim Shum Loong is one of it. I actually didn't intend to have my curry noodles there but at Nam Heong also, where there is also a curry noodle stall but it was too difficult for my father, who was supposed to meet up with me there, to find parking that we made a move.

When I am in Ipoh, I rarely have the chance to eat out. This is an even rarer occasion where I eat out and have my camera with me. So I decided to do a food post! LOL

Gold Price Too High

Lawrence, my friend, told me that he wanted to buy gold to keep but was put off by its extremely high price. He told me that he bought gold bullion some years back and then did not follow the market, so he was quite surprised.

On one hand, he is happy that he has made a profit from the gold that he bought previously, on the other hand, he laments that he didn't buy more and had missed the boat this time. LOL I guess we can never win! I feel that he is lucky enough to be able to make a tidy profit from his investment in gold, and I think that even if he reenters the market now, he can still make some money. From what I read, there is still upside potential for the precious metal.

It is too bad that I don't have enough funds right now to invest in gold. If you have been following my blog, you would know that this year has been exceptionally poor for me where I just spent so much more because of one thing or another. SIGH, guess I too have missed the golden boat.

911

My sister sent me an instant message a couple of days ago to inform me that she is home from New York. She went to New York because she had to renew her Malaysian passport, which has expired for a number of years. I had no idea why she chose October to go to New York, but she said that it can no longer be delayed.

I asked her how was her trip since the family is looking forward to see her photos. My sister told me that her trip was "extremely bad". After reaching New York, she toured the city for a little while. The next day, she went to the Embassy to get her official stuff done.

Once that was done, she felt that her heart was beating too fast and she didn't feel well. She went back to the hotel with her husband. She thought that by lying down, the heart will normalize but it did not. It lasted for 17 hours!! The next morning, when she went to the bathroom, she fainted.

Her husband didn't know what to do, and thought that she died, with her eyes wide open but she was motionless. Luckily, he had the presence of mind to call 911. Paramedics came to the hotel room and according to my sister, they couldn't detect her vital signs from one of her arms. They managed to get her to Emergency. According to the doctor, she was suffering from low blood pressure and was severely dehydrated.

They ran blood tests on her and everything returned normal. After one day of monitoring, they let her go so that they could catch a flight home to Tennessee. My sister deduced that the reason she fainted was because she was still suffering from the effects of losing her baby in June where she lost a lot of blood. I hope that this was it and that she doesn't suffer any major health issues! Gave me a fright too!

Traditional Treatment For Chicken Pox

With the Prime Minister of Malaysia down (but not out) with chicken pox, the entire country is talking about it. People are saying that he is too old to be infected but there is no age limit. Did you know that the older one has chicken pox, the more dangerous it is?

Well, I don't have chicken pox yet and I don't expect to have because I took anti-chicken pox injections when I was a teenager. Back then, we had to take three jabs and each one cost RM150 or RM200. I really can't remember. My brother and sister also had their chicken pox prevention injections. I wonder why the PM, so rich and educated, did not take this chicken pox preventive jabs.

I read that there is a traditional treatment for chicken pox that is effective. A herb known as neem (Azadirachta indica) is a proven treatment. In Mandarin, it's called "ying lian" while in Tamil, it is called "veepelai". I have no idea what this leaf looks like. I just hope that my dose of anti-chicken pox will last me a lifetime!

Lice Treatment

When my friend told me about the trouble she went through trying to "cure" her children of head lice, I remember the time that I too caught head lice from a friend. It was horrible as my parents thought that the way to get rid of head lice was to shave my head bald. I cried my eyes out and the barber took pity on me and gave my young parents a solution. It worked, but took a lot of patience.

I found out about a company that provides Houston lice treatment discreetly and I know how such a service is so useful. Being infested with head lice has nothing to do with cleanliness but the social stigma is terrible. Whenever I see someone with lice, it still sends a shiver down my spine. I guess it was because of the thought that I nearly had to go bald because of it. 7 is just too old to be bald!

Sushi Origami

I had the opportunity to attend an origami workshop a few weeks ago. I have never been to anything like that but of course grasped at the chance to be introduced to foreign culture. Although I like craft, I am not creative, so going to a workshop, I was guided and it was easy to understand the basics of origami.

The workshop lasted about 1.5 hours only, though when you think of it, it's not that long because there were about 50 people and the instructors, 3 Japanese who came all the way from Japan to spread Japanese culture, had to wait until everyone is done with each step before proceeding to the next. All in all, we only managed to complete five figurines.

Besides learning about origami paper craft, I enjoyed looking at the origami works that were on display. I was so impressed by the creativity of the designers. Can you imagine, using just folded coloured paper, they could come up with so many different figurines? I may look like something simple but I bet it takes years for someone to master the art of origami, if it could be mastered at all. It looks like an art that ever revolves.

New Year Wedding Reception

When I received an invitation from a friend for her wedding reception that will be held on New Year's Day, I gave out a silent groan. I am never good at playing dress up and frankly, I have ran out of special occasion dresses to wear. it means that i would need to buy something nice and I did say that I am trying not to spend, didn't it?

However, being good friends that we are, there is no escaping this social obligation. Besides preparing my dress, I still have to think of a gift for her. My friend actually got married about a year ago but did not hold a reception. Her mother has chosen 1st of January, even though it's New Year's Day, because of the date, 1.1.11. Looks nice, doesn't it? I am sure the day will hold special meaning for the bridal couple!

Anyway, maybe I will come across something when I next go down to KL. I know there is an apparel sale right now at Berjaya Times Square. I have not been there yet and taking the monorail will also be a new experience in itself too!

Dumping Ground

I went to PC Expo 2010 over the weekend though I didn't expect to see anything new. I have actually visited a lot of such fairs, whether computer, digital products or other electrical and consumer electronic products and I see that everything is the same all the time; the same vendors, the same shoppers and almost the same products. in short, there aren't many surprises to look forward to.

During PC Expo 2010, I understand that the organiser is giving away iPads in a lucky draw, but I only found out about it when I came home from the Expo. Bah! I know it's a long shot but I still like to give myself that chance to win something. Anyway, my friend will be going to PC Expo at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre from 5th to 7th Nov, 2010, and I have told him to register my name for the lucky draw. He doesn't like giving out his particulars in such obvious exorcise to compile name list, but I like. And I hope I win!! LOL

Involuntary Weight Loss

My mother has been suffering from involuntary weight loss over the past couple of years and she is worried. When she found out that I have been reading up on lipofuze reviews, she thought that I am trying to lose weight. Actually, I was just researching on the product for a friend.

My mother has been seeing too many doctors these few months and it makes me wonder if she is really sick or if it's just psychological. You know, sometimes elderly people would feel insecure about their health and they need reassurance that only doctors could give.

In any case, I am observing her daily and although she has lost some weight, she is not really skinny so I would say she is still in an acceptable weight range.

Crystal Matching

I met up with my friend a few days ago, finally, after postponing for weeks (!) and asked him to do a crystal matching for me. He's a practitioner, you see, and since I have two crystals with me, it was a good opportunity for me to ask him to check their compatibility with me. Otherwise I would have to pay RM30! LOL

Like I said, my friend is a practitioner and what he did for me was to get a reading of my energy level without crystals or other interferences, like watches and hand phones that emit negative energy, and then match me with crystals that could raise my energy level or qi to the highest possible level.

According to my friend, my energy level that day was very high, close to 90%, but because I was carrying two mobile phones, like I always do, my energy level dropped to about 60%, which was still considered higher than the average person.

Using my crystals, and with the two phones on me, I could still maintain a fairly high energy level. Although negative energy from the two phones and positive energy from my crystals are balanced off, at least the overall effect is positive.

I've actually had my crystals for more than a year but have kept them in my drawer all along. Since they are beneficial to me, I guess I will make the best use of them and hopefully, they can push up my energy level.