Transformers!!

I just watched Transformers during the weekend and I only have one word for it...CUN!!!!
Hehe....really impressive lar...
You know me, I am never one for Sci-fi and I am not interested at all...and I went for the movie without any expectations despite the fact that I know this cartoon from my childhood.
I decided to go for the movie(you know the stubborn me will never go for anything that is not within my interest:p) because of the various good reviews I heard from everyone.
My bro even told me that some of his colleagues who went for the movie even ended up in the hall where everyone stood up and clapped at the end of the movie....amazing!!
I initially thought it was mere exaggeration but hey, I was also really impressed and really enjoyed watching the movie!:)
I will write up a short review soon...and hey, I am transformed into a Transformers fan now...hehehe!!!
Okay, that's all for now, will be back with a review on Transformers....
Angelstar, roll out!:)

Effects of the word "Delay"

Hmmm... I noticed that this word has a profound effect on people...or to be precise; working people....haha....
If you mentioned "Oh, this was delayed because...."
Or if you position it in a way that they were the cause of the delay.."This was delayed because you haven't...."
Aha...that'd get their attention!
Been there, done that..and trust me, it works!;)

AAARRRGGGGHHHHH

I don't know what got into me...don't ask...all of a sudden I feel like shouting AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH and wishing that it echoes back at me...."AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
I just got the reply to my email from this manager...after weeks....delayed my process...
And I just attempted to recall my email to my housemates; just on purpose and I knew that they read it...
and and and and....there's so much more...how do I breathe...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!

Are you in the right place?

Okay, there's been lots of words and writings in my blog lately...haha, or what someone calls "wordy" and "lengthy"....I found something cool sent from a friend in Singapore...it's a comic strip with a moral of the story...hehe, reminds me of Tan Ah Teck from Under One Roof:p

Enjoy:)

AND...the MORAL of the story is....

Dog eats dog world

I was talking to an old friend the other day, and it was just a casual conversation which pops up to about working world and also working with a diversity of people, coming from all walks of life.
And I mentioned that sometimes in this world, you may be nice to people but that is not a favour for nice returns.
You may not want to hurt people; but people still want you to be hurt.
How ironic this world is, isn't it?
When you are working, self-interests prevail and individualism sets in...people are only interested in their self-benefits and will do anything to set that as a priority.
In school, yes, we are still interested in our own academics but that doesn't stop us from working with other and watching for each other's back.
I used to hear from bestie and a couple of friends about their fields; advertising,marketing, sales, management, stocks, IT etc....that those were really vicious world.
Yeah...even IT and no shock that even engineering and medical world are subjected to all these cruel realities.
Everyone is out there to fight and they will resort to ultimate and even the lowest tactics to win their way.
No joke....and if you are nice, well, you don't call that nice in the working world, they call you naive and dumb...
I have seen all these unmasked faces and I am truly saddened; maybe I am indeed a dumb girl...
I still remember when I joined this engineering team; one of the first few words my boss uttered to me were, "You cannot be nice nice Christy anymore; need to be really cold and cruel..."
Those words are still ringing in my ears....
Sometimes, I feel hurt too and saddened by this fact....no one can be trusted....:(
People come and go in your life, but how many truly leave a footprint; well, I guess now we see the true meaning of this.....

Blessed St Anne's Feast Day

Yesterday, the 26th of July was the Feast Day of St Anne; mother of our holy mother Mary.
I used to think of St Anne as our Holy Grandmother; being a kid back then:)
Anyway, this is nevertheless a joyous occasion and one that is observed by most Catholics; in fact, did you know that the feast of St Anne was made popular by the East instead of West?
And our good ol' St Anne's Church in Bukit Mertajam is one of the most famous churches dedicated to this saint in the whole world?
I have written about this church in one of my blogs and you can look it up if you are interested:)
I may be heading over to the mainland to pay homage to the blessed "Grandmother" this weekend:)
And to the rest of you guys, Have a blessed St Anne's feast and may the holy Grandmother bless you all!~

I Give up

I waited to get home yesterday; anxiously and worried about the reaction from my housemates..hehe, being the worry wart me:p
And they were all home late (I was wondering whether they were mad and avoided me?...)
Then we didn't really speak to each other; perhaps it was awkward to talk about it and then, I went to bed early.
I woke up this morning; and was in for a shower and I stopped, right in my tracks in the bathroom; as I saw there were hair...or should I put it; a bundle of hair...a massacre of "self-suicidal/kamikaze" cells from the top of the head on the floor in the bathroom particularly near the drain area.
Okay, I spare all the visual details...
Seems like they don't get what I was saying.....and then, I saw that rubbish were not thrown (the other housemate) and etc.
So just a brief morning (less than 30 mins as I prepare to get to work), nothing practically changed.....
I start to wonder; did they get/read my email?
Maybe they did for the former; but for the latter, I doubt it now...
Or another way, maybe they did both...but the latter latter, maybe they ignored and deleted it...
OR OR.....they totally didn't understand....it was too long....they were too lazy to read it...
OR OR OR....simple, they didn't understand English!!!
Man....should I be learning some other language?
I thought this was a civilized language and I have put it in the mildest manner possible...still too hard to comprehend?
Hmmm.......maybe I should do the following:
1. Learn some native language which can be helpful (Balinese, Javanese?) and try it out again?
2. Just ignore and participate in the remake of Hideo Nakata's movie with the effects of hair massacre in the house!
3. Continue to do my own stuffs and perhaps, spot an opportunity to be featured in an episode of Kim and Aggie's "How Clean is your House?" (I will get a house makeover for free then:)

Sighhhhhhhhssss......you guys tell me what to do next.....

P.S.: Maybe I should wait for weekend, they may be just too tired after work yesterday....and I should go sign up for Balinese 101 in the meantime....in case...

Ergonomics...NO Joke

I am not sure how many of you out there are aware of ergonomics terminology and also the definition of it...
It's basically, a disorder which can come from your environment (work, home, sitting position, etc) which can lead to major discomfort.
For IT folks, I am sure you guys have heard of the disorder called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome...which affects the nerve from the wrist and the hand, etc...causing a tingling or burning sensation at the stages.
This is no joke; I have done a presentation sharing in one of my staff meetings to talk about the ergonomics related issues and disorders and also recommended remedies or workouts to relax ourselves after long hours in the same position or bending our wrist at an awkward position ....I will share on more of this in my blog soon...don't wanna scare you out of nothing...
But those who are exposed to the computer, typing for long hours are at risk...and if your jobs require you to be in one position for a long time....
And hey, if you think this is a small thing, think again, because this can cause major dysfunction in your body and limbs....no joke!
I am feeling worried too...recently I also experienced discomfort...hope everything's fine:S

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

You know, the other day I was talking to one of my friends here in Penang (some time ago, this is an outdated post) and he happened to mentioned that I seemed to be really close to most of the people...and he was asking whether this gal or that gal is my bestie...
I just shrugged and told him that my bestie's in KL....far far away from me....
Oh? So you guys must be on the phone most of the time?
Nope....
Oh....MSN, yahoo?
Nope....once in a while, yea...but rarely...
Hmmm....then I bet SMS?
Nope too....
Hmmm....you visit her when you're back in KL only?
Not really...been a long time since I saw her.....
Wow....how long?
I can't remember.....
Okay.....how often do you go back to KL?
Not often....
Ah-ha....then it's your fault!
Not really....bestie's busy with her job...I've called/texted her and she's busy...understandable, her job scope....
Wowwww....then you call that besties ar??
Why not?
We have been doing that since high school....
Huh?
Did you know that we only meet in school....don't hang on the phones like those teenage girls for hours, don't even go shopping together, nor sleepover at each other's house...and we don't even call/meet during school holidays....
WHAT? Man....are you besties?
Of course, no match from any other besties that I know of so far....
Even our teacher said we talk too much.....and need to be separated....
Wow....I can't imagine...
But now, you guys are states apart....and you are still besties? Don't you find someone close to you here and I am sure she has friends closer to her there....
Yeah, we do...c'mon, besties do not mean we are BOUNDED to each other like a pair of biologically attached Siamese twins; sharing any internal organs that we can't tear apart from each other. I have my friends here and she has her friends there too...really close gal pals...we lead separate lives too basically....
And....
Well, we are besties just because we fit each other well....we can have many close gal pals...but nobody can click like we do and the confidante in each other...we only tell each other stuffs..and I mean, in details...we do tell other gal friends our stuffs, but the details; only my family and my bestie:)
Wowwww... sounds unique but yet, really, not just physical best friends...you gals seem to be emotionally bonded too...
Of course;) Not everyone can finish our sentences like each other or know what we think or want to say before we end our sentences, you know....
And it's funny how our friends often end up puzzled when we go..."You know...", "Oh my...I can't believe you mean"..."Exactly!", "But hey.......", "Ooo, I think so too:)"....
Hahaha.....so cool lar you gurls!!
Hehe.....
You must have missed her lots...
Yeah....tell me about it....
We're like sitting next to each other in class....and we always refer to each other for everything....we are partners in everything (debates, competitions), the moral support/mental cheerleaders...it may seem like we are competitors sometimes (guess sometimes we do) but we are definitely healthy; we like to excel but if the other didn't do well, we don't even want to rejoice anymore and brood together....sometimes, our friends just look at one of us and know, "Hey, it's not the right time to talk to them...."
Haha......funny lar you.....How I wish I have a bestie like that!
You gals really proved that distance relationships do not fail....
OF course NOT!
In fact, absence really makes the heart grow fonder:)

And this is not just for bestie alone; I do miss all my KL pals out there too! :)
I am thankful and happy that I manage to share my blogs with most of you so that you know what I have been doing here and that I am still so much into writing:D
Thanks for all your support....(seems like an awards speech now:p)

An email to housemates...

I did a crazy thing today; okay, maybe not SO crazy...
But I actually typed up an email to my housemates (the main tenant and also the bf of the other gal - we are all in the same company anyway) ...
I know you may think that this is crazy...why can't we talk in the house?
Haha...well, apparently, everyone is kinda busy and somehow our schedules never seem to meet anyway thus the minimum time we get to see everybody in the house and me, I sleep so early and get up early; while theirs? The total opposite...so, since there's so much to say and no time to meet, I decided to finally write this email...
Wanna know what I wrote about?
Okay; just a gist...
I was actually talking about the condition of the house and mainly housekeeping...
Recently the house has been quite dirty and well, pretty messed up; despite the empty halls without any major furnitures. But key thing is; nobody has been making the effort to contribute to keeping the house spick and span.
Previously the other housemate only worked on weekends (part-time) after her graduation and she was the one maintaining the cleanliness.
The master tenant; she rented the house out to us and she told us to take care of the house.
Anyway, I was in silent observation for more than a month and I am not the cleanest person; but sometimes I can be quite fussy about cleanliness...but not compulsive type:p
I can be a freak and I hate untidy situations...
And so, I have been trying my best to keep the house clean...
You know, keeping your own room clean is one thing; but if the external is sticky, you may chance upon bringing it back to your room, get what I mean?
Anyway, so, I have been doing minor things; sweeping, cleaning...and now, I feel tired; coz I also have to work...all of us have our own schedules and tiring days after work...
And when you have been doing all the work, you feel tired.
I don't really mind; but the very least is; maintenance is a joint effort; I am only 1 person...
It was beginning of a bad situation; the floor has come to a state where you feel that the grounds are "sticky" and you sort of have to walk on tiptoes...okay, maybe not THAT bad yet...but you get what I mean.
1. Floors were not mopped nor swept...I came back from KL and cleaned up the hall on Sunday and by Tuesday, they are all dirty and "sticky" again...sighs...
2. Bathroom
3. Kitchen and washing area....not wiped after I threw away my old ragged cloth...:(
4. Laundry area - near the kitchen...also messy sometimes with puddles after using the washing machine.
Sighs...

I put it in the mildest manner to list out the stuffs I noticed around the house and shot the mail to both of my housemates (and bf to convey) and I haven't received their replies yet.
Do you think I am too nosy?
I felt awful now; have I offended them in the process?
I don't know; but I do hope there's an improvement...it's pretty bad not to take care of others' house (we rented it) and it's our responsibility to maintain the house's good condition...
And most of all, don't everyone want to live in comfort?

No one at work?

Did my company decide to declare an impromptu day off today?
I came into the office this morning and to my surprise, I haven't seen anyone (particularly from my own team) at work yet...
Hmmmmm.....
Is it because of the rain?
Because of the clouds?
Because of the comfort of the bed?
Or am I too early?:p
Wei...it's almost 7.30a.m ler....most of the team's colleagues are here by 7....
Maybe the weather's the culprit.....and people, wake up!
It's just Thursday; not Friday yet:)

MSN unstable today?

I am not sure whether any of you facing the same problem; but somehow I couldn't login to MSN for more than 10 minutes.
The error message is always the MSN lost the connection....
I am not sure whether this is my network connection here at work; but don't think so...else I won't be able to access all the websites....
Hmmmm......
Why is it unstable...beats me...probably the server...

Harry Potter and the Price War

I read with interest a blogger's post on The Star blog which was titled, "Harry Potter and the Battle of the Bookstores" and couldn't help chuckling to myself on the catchy title.
To me, this can be a potential sequel title!
Hehe...I know I am a little cuckoo here...but hey, we have the whole list of titles of Rowling's book in a series which hit off with the main character's name and xxx.....
So, this is good!

Back to the price war among the bookstores and the two leading hypermarkets, it was actually not just the talk of the town but also a joke and a display of immature behavior.
It was a major blow to the enthusiasm and the excitement of the loyal readers who have been waiting for more than a year for this final instalment of the highly-acclaimed book series by the world famous writer (Now), JK Rowling.
I understand the slap that all those leading bookstores such as MPH, Popular, Borders had when an unexpected competitor comes up and slashed off the prices of this highly wanted book by almost 50% of their listed price.
And to make matters worse; not just 1 but 2 of the competitors of the same genre decide to do this and they are not even in the same line of industry; ain't that just a pain?
In retortion, these bookstores ganged up and decided to retract all their books on the shelves; after mass publicity on their events and the launch of their books, etc.
It was really a major decision which left all the readers disappointed after the elevated joy in anticipation of obtaining their favourite and most wanted book BUT also in missing all the fun and excitement of the events organized.

I am not going into factual analysis of the situation, since everyone has done so already through the media and how those bookstores should review their prices that the competitors can slash by almost 50%.
However, recent report in the news has revealed that those prices were indeed a loss to them but still, the hypermarkets will not retract.
And the fight goes on....
Anyway, pleased to know that it has finally subsided, with the bookstores taking a step back and restoring the books on the shelves for sale at even discounted prices of 20%!
Good move, and thank you!

Wonder whether it helps to know that in UK, the book is retailed at only 5 pounds....hmmmm...
Should it now be the battle of the Readers/consumers?
Too bad this is the last book; else, I am sure the titles alone can overflow the storylines:)

Speaking of which, anyone read the book yet?
I saw one of my friend's MSN status that many died but not the 3 main (Harry, Ron, Hermione)...now, that's what I call a major spoiler!!
*But I can't help seeing that status, right?...Bummer....

I HATE Durians!

There was this Durian lunch organized by the department team and it was in Kulim (that's why most of the people turned up in Kulim yesterday!)
Anyway, I of course declined the invitation which was sent out a week ago through email (Outlook).
And I was surprised by how many colleagues actually asked me whether I am joining yesterday as the whole office disappeared by lunch hour.

My Big Boss: Hey, you're not joining the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Big Boss: I know....I remembered:D
*Haha...just pulling my leg!

Colleague 2: You're not going for the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Haha....
What's so funny? *hmmm...

Colleague 3: You're not joining the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Haha...you hate durians? It's a Malaysian fruit!

And so, I was greeted by the same question by more than 5 colleagues whom I bumped into at the corridor walkway.
And this was the funniest one; coming from one of the highly qualified PhD holders...
You're not joining the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Hey, it's okay...you can still take the mangoes...
And there's other fruits there like mangosteens, rambutans what....

*Mutters to myself, I dislike them too and I am kinda allergic to mango...

Sighs, I should probably hang a banner on myself; on top of my ID "I HATE Durians"...considering the number of times I am repeating myself in one day:p

** NO Offense to Durian fans/lovers out there:)**

City Life => Impatience

I have noticed the fast-paced behavior exhibited by most urban folks; those who came from and was bred from the land of the skyscrapers and advanced infrastructure.
Of course, being close to home, I'd be referring to my own capital folks; the place where I came from and where I received my education.
I guess being in the city, we are used to the pace of life and we may not realize that it is indeed as fast paced as claimed by everyone.
It is when you step out of the city zone and retreat to another town that you start to complain that things are way too slow, and that people here are different.
I am not pinpointing here; neither am I discriminating against any side...be it from the city or even from other states in the country.
I attribute this more to the lifestyle and in a way or another, it has led to the birth of impertinence and impatience among the city bred folks.
However, I do see this as more of a matter of perception.
If you were to ask any city residents, they will just answer "They are too slow-lah, we get things done faster!"
But then from the other side of the globe, "We are used to this, will it hurt to wait for a shorter while?"

I have been in Penang for more than a year and I have met more than 5 KL city folks; apart from other states and I noticed that KL people are more adaptive and efficient.
*This is not a form of discrimination that they perform better*
But they do react and swirl in emotion much faster; and to get an answer without much hesitation.
In other words, sometimes, they turn out to be more frustrated and easily stressed when things don't go their way. Furthermore, another trait is they will not wait; there is no such thing as putting it off or holding on for a minute or two because they just do not want to waste time, hence the impatience breed.

Perception and lifestyle...really important, it tells you how much it affects a person's mindset.
Anyway, that being said, there is also a percentage of impatience channeled by some of the folks which is clearly depicted in our daily scenario of honkings, cursings, shoutings, fidgeting..now, that's a different story:p

Techno-tized

A colleague of mine IM me this morning, telling me that he helped me to straighten some of the posters on the notice board in the Kulim office.
(Remember I was part of this GPTW organizing fun activities-for-the-dept team in which I assume the PR role to publish communication posters, emails, designs, etc?)
Well, it was my task to maintain and update the notice boards (just like my secretarial job back in Prefectorial Board in Form 5..haha!)

Anyway, he took the liberty of doing me the favour (or so he says) of straightening the posters!!
I almost fainted...haha....
Isn't it meant to be straight? I thought it was disorganized?
.................
Or was it meant as an artistic twist?
Oops...
Not everything's meant to be straight; it't not ultimately artistic...there's factors like space, alignment, patterning, eye comfort....and also the attraction factor so that not everything in the office looks like some technical symposium poster out of Einstein's lab...
Ohhhh....
Then should I align them back to their original positions then?
It's okay, I will in Kulim tomorrow; I will remedy that..haha :D

I bet he's pulling my legs actually...but he sure is funny about it...
But it is a side of technical community; engineers, scientists, everything is either black, white, straight....sighs!
Thank God we have colors and also artistic people :)

Yeah...that's my colleague...the bunch of techno people I work with....:)

New car on the tow, and I am driving behind his row

I was driving home after work yesterday(well, duh, common:p) and I hit the bridge at a good hour - at least I don't see any major crawl.
Anyway, while I was on the bridge; traffic was a little slow and I was traversing/breezing through some of the cars when I end up behind this metallic green Toyota Avanza.
Okay, Avanza is not like a new Batman gadget that is so amazing and I have never seen it before; so that's not the point of my story:p
What struck me was that this was a new car....yeah, brand new and obviously being sent over to the island to the customer with the number plate hung loosely at the rear of the car.
So, while I was trailing behind this car; putting on my brakes whenever necessary since the driver in front of me was definitely doing so and driving rather slowly...I start to think...haha, usual me, thinking all the time.
What came to my mind was kinda funny; I was just wondering; what happens if someone hits the rear of this car?
I mean, may not be me; but you know everything is prone to accidents and with the constant braking and trailing behind all the cars on the bridge/road, what happens if someone bangs into the rear of this car?

Common scenario is the drivers get down and negotiate and you know, settle it man to man.
But in this case; this is not the driver nor the owner of the car but the middleman assigned to send it over.
Don't you think it's gonna be kinda complicated?
Furthermore, how do you explain to the customer who is eagerly waiting for his new car?
"Erm...sorry, I just crashed your new car?" (and he hasn't even set his hands on it yet!)
Haha....just food for thought....
or a penny for my thought...so that I can be rich!:D

Indecent dressing?

Ever been subjected to discrimination due to your dressing?
I am sure it is not an uncommon scenario...
I heard of this incident which occurred in Germany where there was this young girl of 20 who boarded a bus to get to work.
She took the seat behind the driver and throughout the journey, she could sense the driver's eyes on her.
Anyway, at one point of the journey, the driver slammed on his brakes and yelled at the girl, "Get off the bus NOW!"
The girl of course was stunned...
And the bus driver continued, " Either move to another seat or get off the bus....you are exposing too much cleavage and I can't concentrate on the road with you sitting behind me!!!"

Now, that's some story huh?
Talk about a bizarre world....

Allergic to my own house?

Yesterday wasn't really the best day...like I said, earlier in the morning, I had to travel "overseas" twice! (Really a damage to petrol consumption and mileage).
Secondly, I had sore eye....and had to ask permission from my boss to go check at the doc (no fooling around with eye matters).
Last week I had a sore left eye and this week; my right eye.
I asked the doctor and it was the haze; the main culprit which is causing my nose allergies which led to my eye as well ( why am I so sensitive???)

So, I then proceeded to ask him a couple more of "I don't get-it" questions
How come I have never had this inconvenience before this?
I have always been sensitive to the surroundings/haze but it's usually the skin or nose...
Okay, let me ask you a simple question...is your office undergoing any renovation?
Ermm....none that I know of...
Okay...
Oooohhhh, but the place where I am staying; there's lots of renovation going around....
It's a new area and most of the units are undergoing renovation before occupation
Aaaahhhhhh (the knowing ahs...)
That's the reason....
Huh?
The pollution and dust are the aggravating factors....
And since you are hypersensitive, top it off with the weather and the daily environment, you are the unfortunate victim of the consequences....
................
If you move out of that place, trust me, you will get better....
Huh?
I know, easier said than done...so, you will need to take good care and let's treat your nose allergies and some simple eye drops to treat the discomfort at the moment....
Okay, thanks doctor...

Hmmmmmmmm....so I AM allergic to my own house right now?
Sighs....what's the world to come when A House is not a home anymore....sad*:(

Touch n Go/SmartTag vs manual toll booth

I was just wondering about the effectiveness of Touch n Go and Smart Tag versus the normal manual booth where you wind down you windows and just hand over your money to the person at the toll booth.
Both TnG and Smart Tag are supposed to be the automated toll payment and yet, I don't see any shorter queue lines leading to the toll as compared to the manual ones.
And worse still, sometimes these queues stretch longer than the manual booths...
And NOT to mention the humiliation and horrible embarassment when the siren goes off at the Smart Tag line because the scanner did not read your tag information in time or when you are stuck at the TnG booth because there is a malfunction at the machine.
These are not uncommon scenarios...I think the frequency of the siren going off at the SmartTag line is almost every 3-5 cars...I don't know whether this is due to their system or just drivers who cannot understand when to flash and pause for the scanner to read (inadequate training?)
Guess technology sometimes can be more trouble than ease:p

*And this came from a technology person...haha, an ironic world!

Frequent Traveller

Yesterday was a crazy day for me....hmmmm...I drove early in the morning to Kulim (as usual on Wednesdays - Kulim days).
After an approximately ~30mins drive, I parked my car nicely and then went to the office.
Upon logging in to the system and launching my Outlook, I scanned my eyes through the emails and BAM!
I saw there was this training which I wanted to attend since last year and I had to be in Penang site for the training...bummer!
That only meant one thing; I had to leave Kulim to get back to Penang and fast; since the training starts early in the morning!
Sighs....
I packed my stuffs and hurried and drove back; only to be stuck in the traffic jam on the Penang bridge....driving back to Penang took me almost an hour!!:(

Sighs....felt like I wasted time travelling yesterday....almost 2 hours on the road..sighs!!
If only my miles travelled could be converted to my Frequent Flyer miles collection, I am one prioritized traveller due to my high frequency in travel for redemption soon then...
Brings a new meaning to the Frequent traveller, ain't it?:p

Harry Potter!

Yups, it is OUT there now...Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix! The fifth installation of the widely acclaimed creation by J.K Rowling:D
It's finally out in the cinemas....
I knew it was coming out but I was still surprised when I saw it in the newspapers the other day...and I was in Gurney Plaza on Saturday still! Aiks!
Blur me...I really lost track of everything....man.....

But anyway, it's still too pricey and too crowded to watch it at this time.....just like Transformers...most of my guy friends told me they are planning to watch it by the 3rd week it's released; pay less and don't have to make your way through the crowd.
Haha.....interesting!

At the same time, this weekend will mark the release of the final book of the famous Harry Potter series; the 7th book and the grand finale.
Titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, this book will tell of the fate dealing with the famous boy with the lightning shape engraved on his forehead with his fateful counterpart Lord Voldemort.

Ooooo.....but I don't know whether I will get to read it yet.....but they are all out now...
It is the time of the year when the Harry Potter fever is back!!

Stormy Sunday

Yesterday was another Sunday which was cloudy and rainy...hmmm, what's with the Stormy Sundays?
Hehe...fortunately I went to the earlier mass in the morning and then I went home to rest.
My housemate and her bf woke up at about 1.30p.m. and then left the house; it was a chilly weather yesterday; wet and gloomy but just the weather I love and I just read some books; watch TV and also tap my fingers on the keyboard and did some writing.
A weekend day which just went by through a simple afternoon without any agenda....
Simple but yet, happy:)

Updates on Uncle

Oh, by the way, my uncle's finally discharged from the hospital.
He got out of the hospital on Saturday; originally was supposed to be Friday but due to his bleeding from the nose; he was held back for supervision for another day.
I daren't call to initiate him to talk; as his was a microsurgery which went through the nose (don't worry, I will spare the gory details) and thus, for his nose to recuperate following the surgery, he had to breathe through his mouth while they stick something into his nose.
Therefore, he is expected to minimize the movement of his mouth and nose to avoid any injury (after all, the mouth and the nose are relatively near...they are connected to each other anyhow).
He had visitors flocking into his ward after his surgery and that got him all chatty and this led to bleeding from his nose.
He finally left the hospital on Saturday; I texted him over the weekend (coz I don't want him to talk) and he told me his nose is still bleeding :(

Anyway, he's recovering but he will still be required to go back for a couple of monitoring checks and also MRI.
I will continue to pray for him; thanks to all of you as well! :)

Manic Monday!

It's Monday again....
No blues this time; but seems that it's a really manic day today...haha!
My housemate didn't come back last night; while the other housemate's back home in the Lion City since Friday night and will be back tomorrow morning.
Today's the replacement holiday for the Penang Governor's birthday on Saturday for my company and as mentioned (ain't I long-winded?) , Kulim folks don't get the holidays unless you apply for leave.
I almost did; but didn't; remembered that I had a presentation (again!) on Monday to present to a couple of bosses from other groups on my trip to Japan and Korea.
(Yeah, and you thought travelling was fun...)

Well, just finished my presentation and it went pretty smoothly; though it raised some eyebrows; the same knits I have on mine when I talked to those Korean folks back then. Anyway, Monday, and I am at work...office seems quiet; guess lots of people also took the opportunity to take the day off and enjoy the holiday as our Penang colleagues.
I am done with most of my presentations and I am going to be all rushed up and worked up on something else.
So...Monday Monday Monday.....I hate Mondays....
But somehow, today doesn't seem so bad...haha...Am I just being too cheerful for words today?:p

Bloggers' blog

Beware of what you blog!
It seems that blogging will be a scrutinized activity from now onwards... according to sources published in the newspapers on Sunday.
Our Malaysian government is viewing blogging seriously now and will consider to take action against bloggers who criticize others openly in their blogs; subjecting them to the clause of defamation of others. In fact, quoting examples from their Western counterparts, they claimed that bloggers over there have been brought to court for publishing their thoughts which insult or in any way cause any damage to another's reputation.
What has come to the world of bloggers now?
Blogs were meant to be a private space for thoughts and opinions; a journal for our minds to speak as they think...but no, now, blogs will also be subjected to the law.
I wonder whether my food reviews and stuffs I talk about the food tastes and restaurant environments are defamation?
Anyhow, do beware....let's hope that all of you out there will not be as unfortunate as Jeff Ooi....
Blog.....but with caution:)

Public Holiday in Penang on Monday!

It's the Penang Governor's Birthday this coming Monday....and most of the working people will be given a day off in view of the celebration.
However, I am an unfortunate case...sighs....I fall under the Kulim site...Kulim headcount ar!!!
(Not that it's so unfortunate when it's the Sultan of Kedah's birthday:p )
My company has 2 sites in Malaysia; actually 3 but 2 up north and there's Penang and Kulim.
Although I work in Penang most of the days in the week, but my office is based in Kulim and as such, that's how I am considered as part of the Kulim folks...sighs, so sad lar.
But some of the people in Kulim will be taking leave on Monday; should I do the same ar?
Hehehe.....
Monday is also a Sunday in US time mar; so no important US meetings to attend....basically no impact right?:p

Hehe, I want holiday!!!~

Friday the 13th!!~

Whoa...in case anyone of you didn't notice, today's actually Friday the 13th...hehe
The last round I missed it and I was like saying to myself and my friend, hey, how could I not realize it was Friday the 13th!!
I was like working through the day and then at the end of the day, only I realize that it was the 13th!
Not that it matters but I just couldn't believe that I didn't even realize.....sighs.....work can be so dangerous to your mental health sometimes:p

Anyway, it's not really a big deal but it is a superstition in the West about this number 13; that it's an unlucky number and a bad omen....
They try to avoid number 13 as much as Chinese tries to avoid the number 4.....it's just that...there's origins of the story why they do that....
There's no 13th floor, room13, no one wants to wed on Fridays, etc and Friday the 13th is deemed the most unlucky day....due the fact that before the 20th century, the number 13 was considered unlucky and Friday itself is an unlucky day.
In fact, there were not really a lot of findings on why they were deemed unlucky; I will post more findings on this in my mystic blog soon...
But just a few bites for thought (sources from Wikipedia):
1. Lake Storm "Aphid", an out-of-season snowstorm that decimated the Buffalo, New York area took place on Friday, October 13, 2006.
2. The asteroid 99942 Apophis will make its close encounter on Friday, April 13, 2029.
3. Hurricane Charley made landfall in Florida on Friday, August 13, 2004.
4. Several tornadoes touched down in north Texas on Friday, April 13, 2007
5. Super Typhoon Man-yi passing very close to the tiny island of Okinawa, Japan on Friday, July 13, 2007

Haha....however, for Chinese 13 is deemed a lucky number; especially when pronounced...it means "alive everyday"....
Anyway, whatever it is, I believe it's all in the mind.....the more phobic you get, your mind plays mental games and that's where hallucinations and imaginations come in.....so, just stay put...and enjoy everyday to the fullest :)

Happy Friday the 13th!~
*I wonder whether it's any coincidence that it's cloudy this morning?:p*

There is a thorn within every flower

I just had lunch with 2 of my group colleagues after a lab tour this afternoon and initially our topic revolved around work and all about technology stuffs, etc.
Then it came to job scope, environment, lifestyle etc.
I heard their whinings and sarcasm about some of the things which they feel were unfair and unjust.
Well, seems that not everyone's having a smooth ride in their lives huh?
Life is just like that; there is a thorn within every flower...just need to learn how to deal with it; your choice of the positive or negative way....
*Winks*

Love is in the air

Just read LaydieBug's blog and am happy for my girl pal who has found her love.....way to go for Jes:)

And then Ken also just told me that I have another jee mui who recently just started a relationship (a couple of weeks ago).....am also happy for her that she has found her other half...

Love is in the air this July? Haha......
Most of them are getting attached.....hehe, I know everyone's really happy, that's the most important...it's really sweet to have the swept off your feet kinda feeling and how everything seems to be right...
And I am happy for you gals!!:)

Stories about admin

LaydieBug has been blogging about a Retro and weird admin she has in her office....
Coincidentally, I do have stories about my admin as well; for a long time...I just didn't want to seem like I am gossiping...(no offense LaydieBug, you are not gossiping).
Just that I never like to be judgmental...to me, it's just their own private and personal matters.

Okay, our department has 3 admins and this is one of them.
She came in about 2 years ago and it seemed that she was really unpopular until today....
I have heard every single person in the department complain about her and snort or grunt when they hear her name mentioned (no exaggeration).
She is not really organized and her coordination skills were so-so...she has been making a mess of most of her work...
There are even managers who were so mad at her....frustration and annoyance...
And furthermore, she can be quite impolite sometimes when talking to you especially when you are not a manager (quoted from my supervisor)
Furthermore, whenever you ask her for stuffs, she will always tell you that she is busy....
Sighs...and the list goes on.....

Anyway, yesterday during the fire drill, I overheard again, some people making fun of her and also chatty conversations; revolving her name...
She was on MC yesterday and everyone was saying that she's on MC every week; especially on Mondays. And she always works from home ....bla bla bla...
To me, sometimes it sound a little mean....
I am not being Miss Nice here...I have also had the bad side of her before....:(

All I can say is, perhaps she does have health problems...
I have heard that previously her mom and her son were both facing health problems; then her mom passed away early this year and then her son was often admitted to the hospital; which justifies her reason that she is often working from home.
Secondly, I think as a mother, she must be worried sick about her son's health and that must have affected her own health; thus explains her frequent Medical leaves....

I believe her own attitude towards people may have spurred the spite against her...
But whatever it is, I just know that it is not right to judge people if you do not want to be judged...I am sure that everyone has had those days when it's personal and you can't tell people about it....
Yesterday during the fire drill, even one of my colleagues, was making fun of her when the emergency team announced that we need to do a head count check to check for any missing colleagues and my colleague (putting on an act) went berserk and looked around frantically...
Where is *she*? Where is our admin?
Then everyone threw back their heads and laughed and then someone mentioned, on medical leave mar...
Then he heaved a loud sigh of relief " I am so glad to hear that she's safe"

Then some said...
I am going to work from home tomorrow boss
Why?
My wife is sick, I need to take care of her

All sorts of stuffs.....

Anyway, I have really had those bad days from her; that sharp side of her tongue which sometimes can really make one cry....when all I did was ask her a simple question politely and she can snap back through those nasty emails, making it seem that I was prying into her work....:(
Really bad experiences.....
There was this once, she was like sending out an email to our organizing committee to ask about the presenter to Kulim for the departmental general meeting....and she kept asking our President whether there will be rep from our group to present...
Our President replied her and since it was a norm for chain mails and everyone sort of replied her, I also replied by saying that she can just get any rep from the team and in the meantime, just put the presenter's name as the team's name first.
Then my President sent her another reply to tell her that she will send XX to Kulim to present
And my admin shot back an email to me, with those people on the list
Next time, please check before saying anything.
Do not tell me what to do...

I was ^o^, and being the usual worrywart me, I thought I have offended her and I sent her an apology email
And this was her reply,
This time I will forgive you and forget about it. But sometimes words said cannot be taken back.
Never mind, it's ok.

Wow....suddenly it seemed like I have committed a crime!! :-(

Then in a recent incident, she sent out another email and mentioned that there is a list of people to collect the souvenirs from the company's Cooperation if they were a member and the list of members will be published soon.
Then a second email mentioned that some had already collected their stuffs...
So I was not sure whether I was a member as I thought sometimes this can be default...so I sent her a simple and short email asking how do I check whether I am a member
She replied...
They need to check themselves whether they are members or not; I do not go around tracking everything; who is member and who is not as I am very busy.
I thought my email is clear enough that only members; is there anything unclear in my email?

Oooops....I happened to mention about the Coop membership to other colleagues and they also said they weren't sure whether they are members and then one suggested that we should check with admin and after telling them my experience, my good friend Ken said, better check with our boss....
Yea....
At least our bosses do not scold us if we ask...
Ya......

Anyway, nothing serious lar....just some stories to share since LaydieBug has been going on about her Retro Colleague....
My story...just nothing but a bunch of blabber...hehe, I still do not find myself angered; only the first incident was a bit hurtful...but I still sympathize with her situation and I pray for her son's speedy recovery as well...
God bless!~

Cube Move & Fire Drill

I was busy yesterday morning; moving from my old cubicle to a new one...actually not really that far away lar...it's just an aisle away...
It was actually for the purpose of being at a nearer distance to my colleagues in the same scope...
Anyway, hehe, happy to have a new place also lar....but since our admin was on MC yesterday, I had to get the new keys from her tomorrow when I am in Kulim again....
And then, yesterday, there was a silly fire drill when everyone was doing their work quietly in the office....
It was so loud....and we went out; my boss carrying an umbrella as well....haha, coz last round, there was a fire drill when we were at the Penang campus and it was darn hot under the sun where we were led to that evacuation area.
After a short briefing and a round of congratulations that we took only 2 minutes to evacuate the building...
They also told us that the main purpose of the fire drill is to enable us to know the evacuation procedures and that this is what we should do when there's a fire....evacuate in this way.
In my mind, I was like saying, yeah right.....
No.1....Don't think everyone will leave their stuffs at their desk and run towards the nearest exit
No.2....Don't think anyone will assemble at the evacuation area when there's a fire. After grabbing your stuffs, you run to your car and LEAVE....

Haha, I always find this a waste of an effort:p

Good News!!

My Uncle has had his operation last night and it was successful!!
Praise the Lord!!
I was so happy to hear that!!
I haven't had the chance to talk to him yet; but this was already the Greatest thing I have heard...Thank you God for the success and safe operation!

Thank you to all of you who prayed for him and also your messages and SMSes and also emails to wish and your concern!
I have such great friends who really care about me...I am really touched, thank you so much!
So he's good now...I will call him after work today....:)
Praise the Lord!!

A quote for the day

" I cannot change yesterday. I can only make the most of today, and look with hope toward tomorrow"

Guardian Disney Redemption Promotion

Do you know about that 70th celebration promotion period at Guardian; where you collect the Disney stamps with every purchase of RM25 and above...and then at 25 collections of the stamps (fill up the redemption card), you can redeem a Disney character for free - mainly Pooh and his friends.
Well, it has spanned for a couple of months; initially I wasn't really interested but then I got the card and I was shopping for a couple of times there during their sales and promotion and eventually I accummulated an amount of stamps; sometimes even got from my family and others...
I was this close to redeeming the Pooh!!! Few more stamps to go....about 5 only...
**Oh, I didn't particularly shop at Guardian because of the stamps; I still compare prices and sometimes, I prefer Watsons since they have a better offer there...and prices are much lower too:) So, I am not a blind shopper with no common sense...just a disclaimer:)

And yesterday, I was shopping at Guardian and then paid up at the counter; and was surprised when the lady at the cashier didn't provide me with the stamps, as usual.
I asked her for it and she told me, "The offer period is over; it's now redemption only..."
I was ^o^ again.....what???!!!!
I am so close, I thought it ends this month???
Awwww......I am not getting my Pooh again....sad.....
*sobs*

Forget about Guardian, I am shopping at Watsons from now on.....

Money money money

I just went grocery shopping yesterday; had to refill some of the stuffs which were running out...
Ended up spending so much $$$......aiyo.....just when I was trying to save up for the month:(
Things are really getting expensive...sighss......
Money in your hand feels like they are evaporating......:p

Weekend stories....

How was your weekend?
It's always a relief when it comes to weekend, don't you agree?
This weekend, it was rather depressing for me though; probably the things I have on my mind and also, the weather was really gloomy.
It was a little hazy on Saturday; sun was clouded by the haze...
And yesterday, it was a gloomy Sunday...and a storm brewed up around 10am in the morning....
Wow....it was a really fierce storm though......
I was at the church, attending mass when there were continuous vibration from my tote bag; someone's calling me.
However, I was unable to answer the call as I was in the mass and secondly, there was confirmation ceremony which acquired the bishop's presence..it was a very sacred and important affair and it pays to be respectful during the whole conduct of the event.
Anyway, the minute I got out from the church, I called my housemate (it was her on the frantic calling list :p )
It seems that she locked her room door and left her keys inside; and she is locked inside the house.
She couldn't get out and she wants to go home to Ipoh yesterday; she just wanted to know whether I will home anytime soon.
I told her yes, I am on my way home....hehe :)
Poor gal....when I reached home, she was really relieved.....
Her bf was even telling me that she freaked him out when she wanted to climb through the balcony to her room....
I was ^o^ when I heard that and agreed with BK (her bf) that we should tie her up....hahaha:p
She had to engage a locksmith and she went out soon after on her mission...
She left after that for her hometown; after buying the 2 apples she and her bf purportedly took from the fridge....hehehe.... they were hungry when they woke up and since there were only apples and oranges in the fridge, they ate the apples; which didn't belong to them.
It wasn't mine either; so it's my Singaporean housemate's Sara's apples.
They bought it to replace those apples....so funny...haha:D

And I have been feeling exceptionally tired yesterday; though I loved the weather......
Oh...and I took some time to clean up my room; changed my bedsheets, and also reorganized my room (it's been driving me crazy)...haha, it's like a weekly routine to clean my room coz I can't stand tardiness.....
And...I also watched a couple of episodes of the series, which made me really sad....depressing series, with deaths and evil plots and betrayals.....life is so insecure when your family is going against you....sighsss.....

Anyway, that was my short weekend story....and I have called up Uncle and Daddy as well:)

Beautiful Girl...Suicidal

I heard this song on my way home from Kulim on Wednesday and I absolutely loved it!!

So cool...I got this cartoon from YouTube....NICE......

(Disclaimer...this is from YouTube)

[Chorus:] You're way just too beautiful girl
That's why it'll never work
You'll have me suicidal, suicidal
When you say it's over
[Sheek Louch:]
Let's Go
I can't believe you got me suicidal
Uh, can't sleep or eat
You got me reading the bible
And that ain't me, im OG
I've been in this game since 93
That aint me, that ain't shit
I workout hard i feel so weak
Ima fall back and let king speak
[Sean Kingston:]
See it started at the park
Used to chill after dark
Oh when you took my heart
That's when we fell apart
Cause we both thought
That love lasts forever (lasts forever)
They say we're too young
To get ourselves sprung
Oh we didn't care
We made it very clear
And they also said
That we couldn't last together (last together)
[Bridge:]
See it's very define
You're one of a kind
But you mush up my mind
You walk to get declined
Oh Lord...
My baby you're driving me crazy
[Chorus:]
You're way too beautiful girl
That's why it'll never work
You'll have me suicidal, suicidal
When you say it's over
[Sheek Louch:]
I swear it's her hair
Her skin that xxx
i'm inL-O-V-E it can be
I'm suicidal
she don't want me
And I know i'm just a thug
So don't mind me if I bug
First seen her in the club
Uh huh, I was wiped, (it was)
It was back in '99
Watchin' movies all the time
Oh when I went away
For doin' my first crime
And I never thought
That we was gonna see each other (see each other)
And then I came out
Mami moved me down South
Oh I'm with my girl
Who I thought was my world
It came out to be
That she wasn't the girl for me (girl for me)
[Bridge:]
See it's very define
You're one of a kind
But you mush up my mind
You walk to get declined
Oh Lord...
My baby you're driving me crazy
[Chorus:]
You're way too beautiful girl
That's why it'll never work
You'll have me suicidal, suicidal
When you say it's over
Damn all these beautiful girls
They only wanna do your dirt
They'll have you suicidal, suicidal
When they say it's over Now we're fussin'
And now we're fightin'
Please tell me why I'm feelin' slightin'
And I don't know
How to make it better (make it better)
You're datin' other guys
You're tellin' me lies
Oh I can't believe What I'm seein' with my eyes
I'm losin' my mind
And I don't think it's clever (think it's clever) You're way too beautiful girl
That's why it'll never work
You'll have me suicidal, suicidal, suicidal...

Very catchy tune...; a clever song...haha, I was laughing...
Initially I thought, this must be another mock version from the Djs on the Ben E King's Stand By Me...that was the tune of this song....
But the words that will hook your mind will be those, "Suicidal suicidal suicidal...."
Haha....listen to it and you will know what I mean:p (Hilarious but addictive :p )

http://hmblog.wordpress.com/2007/04/27/music-from-ti-sean-kingston-chingylil-wayne/
Links to other videos on the web:D
You're way just too beautiful girl....
hehehe....tell me what ya think!

Kovu-Beautiful Girls (Suicidal, Suicidal)-Sean Kingston

Dilemma...

I am really in a stressful situation now...
Am really depressed; I am sad and worried about uncle...
And really want to fly down to KL to see him, provide my support to him before, during and even after his operation...
I really want to!!

BUT, I have 2 major presentations next week and 1 training....all in the beginning of the week...
I am really devastated...
I can't delay the 2 presentations...
One was to my boss on Monday
and the other to my US boss on Tuesday morning....been re-scheduled a couple of times...I couldn't possibly push it off anymore:(

God, please help me....I really do not know what to do...
I am not finding excuses but I am really at a loss....
It's very hard for me to push it off....I feel guilty on both sides....
Please please tell me what to do..... *sobs*
*Tears*

Family Charity Carnival

My parish church in Penang; the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Greenlane, organized a Family Carnival which was meant for charity; it was actually meant for some fund raising for a new church in the Sg Ara district; in the Bayan Lepas territory.
There is not a single church in that vicinity and did you know that residents from there have to come this church in Georgetown; which is like the nearest church already?
That's why they are working on building a new church in Sg Ara...calling it the Divine Mercy:)
I dropped by after mass; just to take a look (didn't stay long due to the haze)

All the stalls were very well organized in the church's compound; it has a rather big compound actually (it is a cathedral and Penang's biggest church:)


The crowd was welcoming:)


Guess the weight of the cakes?


Good response; lines everywhere, waiting patiently for their food:D


Everyone left with something in their hands:D


Pizzas...


Great work done by all the active parishioners!~ Thumbs up!


Support the youth's stall...hehe, Taiwanese Bubble Drink...




Food everywhere...



Really great effort; I am sure they have collected a generous amount!~
God bless their kind heart and souls for the efforts/ hard work channeled into a voluntary and non-paying effort!
Most of all, may the church in Sg Ara be a huge success~

Goodbye my dear friend!!

I went to the airport on last Saturday evening to see a dear friend of mine off to further his studies in Australia....I shall refer to him by his nickname; Pamalite :)
A true genius and a shy guy whom I met in university; but back then we were more of the acknowledging type of friends (he knows my existence and vice versa).
It was until 2 years ago; when I came to Penang and started work in Kulim that I met him; while I was travelling on the shuttle to get to another building:)
It was a surprise....and I must say I was glad to have met him there as well; a company which sparked off our friendship until today....

I am proud to give this testimonial for a friend like him; someone who would never say no anytime or any place for any favour you ask of him...
He has been a dedicated car pool partner as well; and you always know that he is someone trustworthy that you can count on:)

He told me all the way about his plans and we even went together around Penang Island; scouting for the right institution and also the timeline for studies; helping each other out.
He took the English papers; and zoom, he was accepted by one of the top universities in Australia.
I am really happy for him.....



He officially resigned last month; and he had the time to send me a simple farewell poem; something different from the normal farewell emails I used to received (then again, this is an extraordinary friend anyway) and I must say, the email really left me touched...*sob*

I admit, our friendship might not be long,
The feelings of knowing you as if eons;

Though we cannot meet face-to-face,
I hope we can still be friends after today;

Remember to let me know if your around Adelaide,
I can always make a date, for a friend who as sweet as chocolate cake. J

With that said, I wish all the best in your future undertakings!

I was stunned for a while; reading a simple poem amidst my normal overflowing emails on tasks, etc.

But I immediately recalled all those times and memories with this friend of mine and clicked Reply (instantly!) to respond to his poem; word by word:

I doubt it, was it not long
I thought it was way before Zion

I am really at a loss of words to say
If we can't make it face to face
Please let me know in any way
If I can ever ever pay
Though I know you can't stay
And it will be such a waste
That I can't see you on your flying day
But let it come what may
You're the friend who always amaze
And words are just my song of praise

Remember to write wherever you are
Malaysia or Adelaide near or far
I will never hesitate
To reply to this mate
And do call when you're back here
I will be ever happy to see my friend so dear

The star twinkling in the sky
We can see it up so high
On the day that you fly
I will wish for all that lies
In a bright future that is coming by

So long to you my friend
Bear in mind that this is not the end
I will keep in touch till as long as when
I am no longer a friend of this man

Your blog will be my fave
In the Favorites folder I will save
Don't forget to see what my blog paves
This is a promise we engrave
And with this I will wave
Goodbye to my friend before his flying day!!

So Long my friend; farewell, adieu....

You will have a great future;...hehe, the future Dr.??:D

Take care and catch up with you soon!~

GiiG Volunteer Day

Sorry for the outdated post; I was a volunteer for one of the outings organized by my company for a day out with orphanages from both Penang and Kulim.
It was actually a fun day at the Penang Butterfly Farm and then afternoon at the Penang Water Sports Centre; all along the hilly area and also the beaches; the ultimate treasures of the Penang island.
Left the company's compound at 8am; I chose to follow the bus instead of going on my own to pick up the orphans along the way and mingle with the other volunteers as well:)
The following were the pics from the day:)

When we reach the Butterfly farm; breakfast was provided to each volunteer and also the kid....
Some of the volunteers brought along their own kid :)
We will be in pairs and each pair will be assigned a kid to take care of:)
I was with my sista pal; Fadz....and we stood together in line :)

Rise and shine!!
Big kids lining up for the assignment :)

Here at the entrance, some of us just want to be in the pic:)


We were the first group to be led into this briefing and showcase; exciting huh?:D


Our facilitator from the Butterfly farm; a young girl in her early to mid-twenties?
Really brave!!!


She used her bare hands to handle all the insects....YIKES!!!
This is some weird stick/wood insect!!

Kids nowadays are really brave!!! :O



What is this next???

A praying mantis!!!
Okay, this is not really harmless; contrary to what you think.
The girl said this bites....:S



Next?
A Scorpion???!!! :O


Brave little girl...I have almost fainted....
You know, when they passed this thing around, I was really geli-fied....and then they passed from one another; at one point, it crossed the top of my head when they passed it and I was squirming all the way...
My "kid" (I was assigned a 16-year old girl) who was so unkind to laugh at me, but she was afraid herself and she pushed me....
*Sobs*


Next, as the kids crowd around her to keep the scorpion back while she takes out the next specimen, suddenly, we heard screams and the whole crowd shrunk back and ran scurried back to their seats.
I wondered what could have caused such commotion....
I soon knew why....this gal (she's insane) took out a snake!!!:O

Passed the snake from one to another...:S


These kids were too brave for words!!
I have almost fainted....this is freaky:S

The hero and heroine who had the snake around them....posed for a pic....
I can never do that.....NEVER!!


Say Cheese!!!


Me with the kids....that's my assigned kid on the left; in the White Pooh T-shirt...
(She was a bit sulky and wore a bored expression the whole day long...:(

Happy pic:)


As we exit the briefing hall, we were greeted by these specimens which showcases the breeding process of a butterfly...

Nice breeds...


Finally out to the open space...

Where you see butterflies flying around....

Enough of creepy crawlies...butterflies are better...

Although the fluttering of their wings also start to freak me a little:p

Look what I found!!
A big fat caterpillar!!


This is actually a lizard....huge:p

Fadz called it ugly...haha, and kept challenging it...coz it's locked in there and she's free outside...cute gal:D


Tortoise pond...


Yin Yang ducks....so loving :)


Mischievous squirrel


At the larvae area....




Some of the caterpillars


Fadz, our Kid and Me


Butterflies...beautiful...fly fly

High up in the sky...pretty flowers below them nigh:)


Lilies pond...


Koi Fish Pond...

These are the famous Japanese carps; really expensive...
Japanese really love them...
Even Chinese; believed to be a fish that can bring luck, wealth and prosperity...


Millipede!


Then we went into the Indoor Museum and Gift Shop....
The ever proud cameleon


Yikes, really gives me the creeps...

Colorful beetles....

Fadz thinks these are only good for one thing; BROOCHES!!
Haha....I had to drag her out...and then we saw some dead butterflies...haha, and she wanted a Rajah Brooke's brooch?
Do you know what's a Rajah Brooke? It's a very unique and rare species found in Malaysia and it's a true beauty...
I am sure butterflies experts will agree with me...

At one point in the museum, there was a power failure, and we were so shocked!!
It was due to the heavy rain out there....
Thank God we were already indoors; and among all the dead and preserved creatures!
Else, I don't dare to imagine if I was stuck in the dark and moist scorpion caves, the millipede sanctuary....Eeeeee!!!
And it didn't help that the Butterfly farm folks told me that some of the creatures do escape sometimes!!
Crying for help:(

And my kid; was really making us very sad lar....
First she ignored us...
Then when we talk to her, she either look away or snap at us....
Then she scared me endlessly throughout the trip; she knew i was scared of the insects....
And then she called Fadz names...called her stupid....when Fadz was just making jokes; asking those insects to smile when she tries to take their picture.
She was trying to make our day miserable...

The worst was when she kept asking us to buy her souvenirs; but we couldn't find anything
Then she gossiped about other people; calling our other colleagues idiots and stupid people
Then she even told us; making fun of another orphan who had Down Syndrome and called her names...

We were really shocked by her behavior...
I mean, we do understand that they were born deprived and that we should shower them with attention, love and extra care...but a girl at 16, she's behaving worse thatn the 6 year old kids....
We were really sad and hurt...
She kept blaming us for not buying her souvenirs...and told us about what others got...she does have a sister and she was so jealous of her sister's souvenir that she even threatened her sister.
Her sister was trying this act to play around with the string necklace strung around her neck; and she went to her, yanked the necklace and said to her sister in Hokkien,
"If you pull this anymore, I am going to just tighten it around your neck and choke you to death. You might as well die anyway, you are better off dead; I hate you as my sister"
I really can remember word by word because it really shocked me to the core....
I cannot believe my ears...and take note, I am definitely not making this up....
I just pray for her that she will grow up to be a better person.....and may she mix with the right company:)

These were some games at the Penang Watersports Centre...the beach area...





Some group photos at the end of the day!