My Old Thingamajigs....

After my post on my new FM modulator, I received a lot of flak from friends about how archaic I was.  Even my "aunty" friend, WL, claimed that she bought this device many moons ago for her daugther.  She concluded that I was even more of an "aunty" than her since I only discovered this gadget recently. Wow, that stung.  And with Information Technology being my rice bowl, this called for drastic measures.  So, I decided I needed to do a proper review of my stuff to see whether it really is time to ditch some.

1. My cassette player

This is a no brainer.  The technology may be irrelevant but I have too many good cassettes invested to throw this away.... I mean, come on....can I throw away my Def Leppard, my Pretty Woman soundtrack and my Jackie Cheung??  That's my whole secondary school, college and university-related nostalgia right there.  Verdict : KEEPER!

2. My TV

Technically, this TV is not mine but my Mum's.  Though it's heavy and not very "sexy", at least the people on screen don't look like they've been squished and stretched out like how they appear on plasmas and LCDs.  And since Mum is not a fan of watching squished Korean actors in her favourite serials, this is another no-brainer.  Verdict : KEEPER!

3. My phone

My wonderful Nokia has served me well in it's ten years of service.  It has survived numerous crashes where its body parts have ended up in pieces across the floor.  And yet, all I had to do was plug it all back together and it still worked like a charm (let's see you to do that with your "smart" phones....) It keeps me connected, and yet protects me from the horrible fate of being online all the time, being expected to attend to email, video calls and to work endlessly on Microsoft Office meeting crazier and crazier deadlines.  Sure, there are inconveniences.  Like when I travel, I don't have the internet and all its information at my fingertips.  And I can't play music.  But hey, that's all part of the travel experience anyway - getting away from it all.  I guess you can tell where this is heading.  Verdict : KEEPER!

4. My car

They don't make them like this anymore.  Seriously.  The Proton is nearly 20 years old and still going strong.  Of course, there were times when I really did think I may have to dump a fortune on a new car.  Like that time when the radiator kept heating up and had to be replaced.  Or the time when the air conditioning bombed out and had me sweating buckets (which was pretty embarassing when I had to turn up at meetings looking like I just ran a marathon).  Or the time when the rust holes went straight through the roof and I had to contemplate sticking an umbrella through it everytime it rained.  But in the end, a little maintenance, a still affordable amount of money, and one accident (which resulted in me having very new-looking passenger side doors and no rust holes!) is all it took to get it back up fit and fighting.  The only grouse is that I can't drive it out of town for fear the engine will finally run its course.  So,.... verdict ?  KEEPER!  (at least till I strike my Big Sweep millions!)

Now, before anyone gets the idea that all I have are OLD things....I do have a nifty little digital Panasonic Lumix camera, AND a pretty decent laptop AND of course, my state of the art Kenwood mixer.  AND I'm even thinking of investing in a digital scale for my baking and cooking.  So, not THAT aunty after all right??

My New Thingamajig....

This is my new thingamajig. 

If you can overlook its slightly obscene shape which brings to mind a certain part of the male anatomy, it really is a nifty little gadget.  Technically, it is called an FM modulator.  I got introduced to its existence one fine day while getting a ride in a colleague's car.  Noticing this curious looking object sticking out of the dashboard, I naturally asked the owner what it was for.  Whaddya know?  The FM modulator can bascially play MP3 files off your thumb drive or SD card via the car radio when you tune it to one of the available radio frequecies!  To say that I was gob-smacked that such technology existed does not adequately express how amazed and excited I was.  OK, OK.  I admit.  I work in the IT line but I am not exactly the most tech savvy person around.  My phone is a Nokia antique from 10 years ago (that's another story), I still have a cassette player in my room and there is nary an X-box or PS3 in sight in my house.

Anyway, let me put into perspective why I was so excited.  I drive a Proton Saga that rolled out of the assembly line more than 15 years ago and it does not exactly come equipped with fancy accessories.  Though I love the Proton (again, another story here), I had to live with a crackly radio, spoilt cassette deck and no CD or MP3 player for quite a while.  So, the discovery of the FM modulator opened a whole new world of music for me when I drive.  Not too long after that Eureka moment, I got my gagdet at the Jusco store.  Please also let me state clearly here that in my defence, I didn't notice the obscenity while it was in its packaging.

Though it didn't come with any instructions, it was simple enough to set up.  All I had to do was plug in the SD card containing my music files into the slot. 

Then, I started up the car, pulled out that cigarette ligher thingy from the plug where you can charge your handphones, and plugged in the modulator.  Next was to select a radio channel, check the frequency, and tune the modulator to the same frequency.  My car was soon filled with my favourite sounds from Aerosmith, Matchbox Twenty and Annie Lennox.  Heaven!

Now, my fine friends who have been relentlessly telling me to ditch my car, since the Proton is now further upgraded with this latest add-on, why in the world would I ever need to buy a new car???!

You Know It's CNY When...

You know it's Chinese New Year when...
1. The rainy days stop and the blistering hot sunny days start
2. Your days become an orgy of pineapple tarts, peanut biscuits and mandarin oranges
3. Your waistline starts expanding at an alarming exponential rate of growth
4. Your eardrums are filled with the incessant chatter of relatives and kids, peppered by the occasional explosions of firecrackers
5. You forego washing your hair and sweeping the floor for fear that you will wash away all your prosperity and luck
6. You start calculating the net profit or loss for all the angpows you have given out compared to all the angpows you received and wondering whether it is ever going to even out (applicable for the married)
7. You start calculating the net profit for the angpows you have received compared to the net profit for the angpows you received last year and wondering whether it is ever going to cover the inflation rate (applicable for the singles)
8. Your fingers start itching for the feel of mahjong or cards and your mind is obsessed with whether the new red underwear this year is going to help you get revenge from your friends for the losses incurred last year....

Happy New Year everyone!  May you be bouncing with health, hopping with happiness, and multiplying your wealth like rabbits!

Keeping the Flame Alive.....Happy 2011

I've been neglecting this blog.  Shame on me.  When I started this way back in January of 2010, I told myself however busy I got, I would still find time to write and not let it fizzle out by year end.  Fizzling out is something I am frequently guilty of....

When I was much much younger, I had a foray into ballet - before you can say "Tu Tu", my swan lake ended before it even began.  It signalled the beginning of many unfinished ventures.  Piano died at Grade 6.  In my own defense, I did sort of get tricked into it.  My sister and brother started taking lessons and silly old me got lured by the tinkling of the ivory keys...No one said anything about the torturous exams I had to take!  Theory exams came with migraines and oral exams nearly induced heart-attacks.  Practicing scales was excruciating and my confused mind could only remember "Andante" and "Allegro" - don't ask me anything else....please.

Life after secondary school was filled with fleeting "romances" of the same kind.....Tai Chi?  Yup - swooping crane and all... Yoga?  Check! No one could surpass the perfection of my Corpse pose.... Latin dancing?  Even managed to complete 3 exams, but there just weren't enough tall, dark handsome Latino partners to keep the enthusiasm up.  My paper crafting hobby burned brightly for a while, and then died a natural death.  Determined to learn Mandarin, I invested in a huge dictionary and several children's workbooks, only to have them sit in my bookshelf gathering dust....the list goes on but I guess you get the picture by now.

This analysis of my pitiful history has made me renew my determination - especially to work at the original goals of my quest to find purpose, passion and pleasure.  So I'm going keep at it - this blog, my baking and cooking, my erhu, my fitness, my reading, my time with family and friends... anything and everything that will keep me optimistic and happy for my future.  And here's wishing you would be able to keep your flame alive too - it's a little late into the year, but have a amazing 2011 everyone!

Ten Little....

Gosh, did not realize weeks have passed since my last entry.  There's a reason for that which I hope to update you all in another post.  But in the meantime, I want to tell you about a terrible discovery I made recently.....While fussing with my hair in front of my bathroom mirror, I thought I'd pull out that one little white hair which I had, over a period of the past two years, learnt to accept as an inevitable part of the aging process.  But as I ruffled my fingers through my head looking for that piece of hair, I chanced upon not just one, not two, not even three...but TEN little white hairs!!! Never before since Hideo Nakata's The Ring, was I struck with such overwhelming horror and repulsion!  My immediate reaction was denial...denial that I could have TEN white hairs lurking about on my once pristine head of hair.  Next came fear ...fear of what part of my body would break down next and fear of facing my own mortality...then finally and reluctantly, came acceptance....acceptance that life does indeed run on a fast track and youth was but a fleeting moment in time.  As I come to terms with this latest soul shattering event, for some strange reason, a popular children's song 10 Little Indian Boys kept playing in my head.  Maybe because of the numerical coincidence with my ten white hairs.  So, I now ponder about my deteriorating physical condition aloud to the tune of this song....

One little, two little, three little white hairs,
Four little, five little, six little white hairs,
Seven little, eight little, nine little white hairs,
Ten little snow white hair

When did my eyes get so old and crinkly
When did my cheeks get so soft and flabby
When did my lips get so thin and wrinkly
With ten little snow white hair

When did my knees start to sound so creaky
When did my neck start to feel so achy
When did my back start to fail completely
With ten little snow white hair

When did people start calling me aunty
When did I start wearing pants and ditched the mini
When did my b**bs start to sag so lowly
With TEN LIT-TLE SNOW WHITE HAIRRRRRRRRR!

Just a bit of nonsense to get it off my chest.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Mid-Autumn Festival a.k.a Mooncake Festival a.k.a Lantern Festival is here again!  Time really flies - it is already September and there are only 3 months left to the year!  Mid-Autumn Festival was never really a big thing in my family.  We didn't perform any prayers nor did we have any big family dinners.  What we did have, though, were wonderful lanterns and loads of mooncakes. 

My most memorable lantern was an impressive peacock shaped lantern with long tail feathers and glittery powder sprinkled all over.  It was made from a simple wire frame and that thin translucent paper, complete with a bamboo stick handle.  It sucked at keeping the wind out and frustrated me no end when my candle kept blowing out but it was gorgeous when lit.  My siblings and I used to have a field day lighting candles and parading around the garden searching for the darkest corners to shine our beautiful lanterns on.  Not to mention dripping wax everywhere and giving my Mum a massive clean-up job! Nowadays, kids are carrying around sterile, battery-operated Doeramons with Dr. Bombay's Taxi song (which coincidentally was my nephew Na-Na's lantern du jour....) stuck on repeat!  You do remember Dr. Bombay and his "Cal-cu-tta, I am a taxi driver in...Cal-cu-tta!" don't you?  The song is stuck in your head now isn't it?  Ha ha. OK, I admit my nephew Na-Na is about 2 years old, so he can't be lighting up matches and all that.  But you get my drift....having fun used to be REALLY fun!

Mooncakes too used to only come in two basic variations : Tow Sar (Red bean paste) or Lin Yung (Lotus paste).  The only configurable attribute was whether it came with or without yolk.  The Lotus paste with yolk was, and still is, a personal favourite of mine.  I used to be able to fill myself up with quite a fair bit of the stuff - alas, with a declining metabolism and an increasing fear of heart attack, I've cut down quite a bit nowadays.  The variety of mooncakes available these days are astounding.  Jasmine, Durian, Pumpkin, Green Tea, Hazelnut....even savoury ones with Chicken Floss, Mushrooms, Sambal...And you can get it in traditional mooncake skin, snowskin, and even ice-cream versions...Utterly mind-boggling!  I'm still a traditionalist when it comes to mooncakes, so I'm quite happy with my Lotus Paste, thank you.  But when I came across THIS while I was innocently surfing the internet, I have definitely accepted the fact that times have indeed changed!

Happy Mid-Autumn a.k.a Mooncake a.k.a Lantern Festival everyone!

The Next JK Rowling???

I suck at contests. I just can't seem to win anything, not even measly consolation prizes like coupons. All those mind-numbing nights I slaved over the Star Crossword Puzzle contest, dreaming of winning big bucks and brand new cars....All those painful hours I pored over articles for answers to questions in the Star Power of 9 contest.... All those brain-draining decisions I had to make to select the right photos for the MAS Let's Go Now contest....My blood relations have laughed at my futile efforts before. Mum even said that I was not destined to have any "wang choy" - the kind of luck where riches literally just fall into your lap. Instead, I would have to slog hard for my money. It really does takes a strong woman to soldier on in the contest arena....

So, you can imagine my shock and disbelief when I received a sms from my sister proclaiming that we had actually WON a children's picture book contest!! My sister, who was even more pessimistic than me on our chances, told me to check my email and see if it was a hoax. But it wasn't!! The publisher's website, OneRedFlower Press, carried the same announcement as the email! http://1redflower.wordpress.com/

It was a long bout of "Ka..Ka..Ka.." and "Oh My Gods" between my sister and I. She asked me if she was in the Matrix and whether Morpheus would soon turn up with the red and blue pills, while I was couldn’t help thinking of the dreamworld in Inception. What if Leonardo was just messing with my head??? I think part of the shock was due to how innocently the whole thing started, how the idea for the story came about and how we ended up submitting the entries. Never in a million years did we expect to win! Life certainly works in mysterious ways....

I am now really excited and looking forward to what's going to happen next. Our winning story is to be published and we are now initiating discussions with the publisher. I am already being propositioned by wannabe agents who think we’re going to be as big as JK Rowlings. Personally, I am happy if the book even gets made!  Getting published will be one of the best prizes ever – of course, if it turned out to be the only contest I ever win in this lifetime, then it becomes THE best prize ever. An important lesson I’ve learnt from this is to always give things a try - you really never know what can happen!  Onwards to the next contest!!

Ipoh Starwalk 2010

Earlier this month, I made the journey to Ipoh for the Starwalk 2010 event.  Since a failed attempt to join the Malay Mail Big Walk many years ago, I've always wanted to get a chance to redeem myself at another walking event.  Since accomodation in Ipoh was not an issue with my sister living there, and the registration fee was very affordable, it was not a difficult decision to sign up.  Also joining in the fray was my sister, my niece and Ultraman.  So, I was in good company.  Besides, the various articles in the Star on the many generous sponsors already had me salivating at the thought of my goodie bag.  There was a moment of hesitation on whether to go for the competitive category which cost RM12 to sign up, or the non-competitive category which cost RM8 to sign up.  In the end, since we were not even that confident we could complete the 10km in the qualifying time of 1 hour 40 mins, we thought we may as well save the RM4 for a good meal in Ipoh instead.

The problem with joining walks and runs is the ungodly hour which you have to drag yourself out of bed.  After a late night of watching Ip Man 2 on telly, it was no fun to be up at 5.30am to get ready.  Somehow, we managed to go through the motions of brushing our teeth and soon found ourselves at Stadium Indra Putra.  After being herded like cows by some fellas in uniform into the stadium itself, we got our blue starting bands on our wrists and waited for the show to start. 

Making our way into the stadium

There were kids, kids and more kids.  Apparently, the kids get points from school for extra-curriculum activities for participating in the walk. It would have been embarassing if all the adults had signed up for the competitive category and we were the only ones with the kids, but luckily I spotted an old man limbering up on the field. 

To pass the time, we took some pics and practised our World Cup moves at the goalpost...

World Cup worthy saves

We managed to witness the flag-off for the competitive category from the bleachers of the stadium.  The competitive group was much much smaller in number since this comprised of the serious walkers.  At this point, I was glad we stuck to the non-competitive category else I would have been eating dust! The guys at the frontline looked like they were running instead of just walking!  Soon after, the non-competitive race was to begin and crowd in the stadium starting filing out of the sole exit to head towards the Start line.  By the time we inched our way out, we realized our race had already started.  My kiasu spirit kicked in and I shot forth as fast as my legs could carry me, hoping to make it within the qualifying time for my cert....

Alas, the crowd of giggling girls and babbling boys was huge!  I was practically boxed in on all sides with kids who were definitely not in it to win it....My impatience grew and I practically turned into an F1 driver of sorts.  There were sudden swerves, spurts of acceleration, and even back tracking and slow downs with changes of directions. My eagle eyes spotted for openings in the body mass where I could make my overtaking moves.  If someone had been watching me from a helicopter, they would have probably seen something like this....

I lost my sister and niece in the crowd but Ultraman kept pace behind me, making his own set of evasive moves.  After making spectacular manoeuvres for an exhausting 45-60 minutes, the crowd thinned out to a more manageable level and I started to enjoy myself more.  It was tough maintaining the speed at a walking pace - apparently, you could get disqualified for running.  Though I doubt this was really enforced looking at all the kids who kept running around to look for their friends and family.  Finally, the stadium re-appeared and I picked up my cert on the way across the finish line.  I had managed to finish the 10km around 1 hour 30 minutes.  Yay!

Despite the queues, I managed to partake in some free 100 Plus and mineral water but lost out to the crowd at the Milo van.  After meeting back up with my group, we decided not to stick around for the lucky draw which would only take place an hour later.  We were all having hunger pangs and itching for a good shower by the time we were picked up by my brother-in-law in his Kancil. 

Overall, we had a fun time.  The freebies were a little disappointing - with only 100 Plus, Spritzers and Milo as the main draw.   And the goodie bag was not as goodie as I had hoped.  My sister says they had a better goodie bag last year.  Perhaps if we had stuck around for the lucky draw, the prizes would have been more attractive.  But then again, what were the chances of your number being picked when there was an estimated 12,000 participants??  The main lesson learnt though is that next time, I will fork out the additional RM4 to sign up for the competitive category.  Just so that I can have more free space to move about.  It was a real test of my miniscule store of patience what with being kiasu and yet being hemmed in by bodies all around me.  Till the next Starwalk everyone!

My Treetop Adventure

Had a treetop adventure recently. A bunch of ex-colleagues got together for an outing at Skytrex in Taman Botani, Shah Alam. Skytrex basically operates this outdoor, rope-based obstacles thingy. People in temporary bouts of madness, (like me) actually pay to suspend themselves 3 storeys above the ground while trying to scuttle from one tree to another over all sorts of rope bridges, lines and swings. There were basically three courses you could sign up for. Little Adventure is targeted towards kids and adults who value their lives enough to only suspend themselves 3 meters off the ground. Big Thrill is for the wannabe’s – people who don’t want to be associated with Little Adventure and yet are too scared to take up the Extreme Challenge, which as you may have guessed, are for the daredevils and the super athletes.

Since all of us were wannabes, naturally, we signed up for Big Thrill. We were supposed to start our activity at 10.30am but due to some confusion on which bus we were supposed to take to get to the SkyTrex site, and the long lead time waiting for the bus, we only managed to get going around noon. This Taman Botani could use a lot better signages and provide more detailed visitor information. Once I got my safety harness, my fingerless gloves (don’t know what’s the right term but you get the idea) and my bandana on, I was feeling pretty much like a super athlete and wondering what the heck was I doing with a bunch of wusses attempting Big Thrill. Just kidding. I was wondering how I was even going to have enough energy to make it up the20 meter ladder to get to the first obstacle. To cut the long story short, my knees wobbled throughout, I yelled really loud once, nearly broke my back and barely avoided slamming into a couple of trees. By George, it is good to be alive. Anyway, since I didn't bring my camera with me, I did up a few illustrations to share with you the highlights of the course.

What you need before starting :

A. No, that is not red underwear but the safety harness and carabiner. Very important item to have to not get killed if you fell.

B. Fingerless gloves. The instructors may tell you that you don’t need it but believe me, it will help prevent rope and cable burns on your hands when you are hanging on for dear life whilst scuttling across that tightrope.

C. Sports shoes. “N” is for New Balance.

D. Attitude. Smile, laugh loudly, crack jokes. No one will know that you are worrying about whether you can go through the whole course (estimated at 2 hours on average) without having to go to the loo. There are no toilets up in the trees.

This was the first obstacle on the course which provided some challenge for my big feet.

Second obstacle – again, my big feet was my Achilles heel.

This was where I yelled out loud when I started swinging back and forth. It was an ordeal trying to make it from one swinging pipe to another – I was holding on so tightly, the veins were bulging out from my arms !

This was where I nearly broke my back. I had to swing on the rope from one plank to another. After landing my feet on the next plank, I was bent backwards, staring up at the sky, wondering how I was going to haul myself upright. After several attempts at this, I took the easier way out and scuttled across by placing my feet on the two ropes holding up the planks. Tarzan can do all the swinging.

The flying fox. This may appear to be the easiest obstacle – and it is quite a ride when you are whizzing by, supported comfortably in your safety harness. Just don’t slam into the tree when you land.

By the last obstacle, which was a flying fox, I was whooping out loud and beating my chest with my fists. Actually, with the safety harness on, I shouldn’t have even worried when I nearly lost my balance on the swinging pipes and the tarzan rope obstacles. If I had slipped, the harness would have caught me and I would have been basically been back in a flying fox position. Guess, it was a psychological block there.

All in all, it was fun. Yelling and screaming in a group always is. Extreme Challenge, anyone?
http://www.skytrex-adventure.com/index.php

Pics courtesy of my friend.

The Working Gal...

It's been a while since I posted an entry.  The previous weekend was basically a whirlwind of disgusting housework to get the house presentable enough when Mum came back from her trip.  Then last weekend was another whirlwind of activities involving some treetop escapades (more about that later).  Guess all these whirlwinds are forming over my weekends because I am now officially back at working a 5 day week.  So, goodbye to all the lovely spare time I had for blogging, baking, playing erhu, swimming, reading and all those frivoulous little pleasures of life.  Boo hoo.  Of couse, my dastardly sisters are revelling in the fact that I have to work a full week now, pretty much a slave like them....Where's the sisterly love??

Well, I'm into my third week now and man, it has been a challenge getting my brains up to working speed again.  It doesn't help that I have to now travel to KLCC, smack in the center of town.  The thought of driving through the daily snarl was enough reason to tempt me to say "No" to my boss when he informed me of the assignment.  And it definitely does not help that the client starts work at 8am!  It has been a daily struggle to open bleary eyes and heave myself out of bed every morning to get to work on time.  And even then, I am only getting to work at 8.30am on average now.  Well, since I have not officially started my project, guess I still have some flexibility with the start time.  But I am trying to slowly train myself to be up earlier now so that it's not a shock to my system when I really have to start reporting to work by 8am.

Since I chickened out of driving and decided to do the LRT thing for now, it all boils down to precision timing.  Too late, and I'll need to be ready to really muscle my way into the cabin else I'll have to watch many many trains whiz by before I get a chance to even place my toe on the doorway.  Too early, and I basically end up like a zombie the rest of the day due to that 15 crucial minutes of sleep I had been deprived of.  Also, flat shoes are essential tools to survive the ride and the kilometers I have to walk from the KLCC stop to my actual workplace.  Tottering in high heels crushed in the LRT without anything to grab on to is definitely going to induce major injuries to the feet.  Flat, FLAT shoes, my friend.  Now, I have to carry a shoe bag with some heels to slip into once I reach the office (I really GOT to get a multi-tasking pair soon). 

An umbrella is an absolute MUST-HAVE item for rain-prone KL.  Unless you don't mind staying late in the office staring mind numbingly into the computer.  It's not like you can just watch TV while you wait for the rain to stop, can you?  Another essential item is wrinkle free, breathable clothes.  Believe me, traipsing around with a heavy laptop bag is no walk in the park in this humid, unforgivably hot weather.  I see all these pretty young things walking alongside me from the LRT station to almost the same final destination.  They don't even break a sweat while I always appear in the office looking like I just ran a marathon.  What kind of anti-perspirant do these ladies use????

Moving down the list....let's see.  Working downtown also means you have to bring lots of extra money.  It is darn expensive eating around KLCC, I tell you.  Unless I want to look like I ran another marathon and walk some distance to some "cheaper" eateries, I am consigned to the fact that I'll be spending a minimum of RM10 to RM12 everyday for lunch.  Last but certainly not least, it's important to develop some muscle and leg power.  Loading the laptop bag with all the essentials like umbrella, water bottle, shoe bags, etc. and heaving them around, can certainly rival Mr. Schwarzenegger's workout routine.  Since, there is little time to spend on proper exercise now what with being mentally exhausted by the time you get home, it is good to incorporate a little fitness routine into your day.  Taking the stairs instead of the escalator when running for that train, opting for the slightly longer walk to the station - preferably in the evenings when the sun is not squeezing all the moisture out of you of course.

Well, it's certainly going to to take some discipline and focus to get back in working gal mode.  As I have shared before, I should give myself another go at this job to see if I still enjoy it.  It is one of the challenges in my quest after all.  Now, if only I can find out the brand of anti-perspirant, it will make eveything so much easier....

Message to Mum...

Dear Mum,

How is your current holiday in Eastern Europe? I heard you are having a good time.  Someone even sent me these photos of you, apparently having a good time.

I am glad I was not there to witness this as I would have certainly freaked out.  After that episode at Angkor Wat where I had to watch you with my mouth open as you slithered down those excruciatingly steep steps on your butt, I have sworn never to take you anywhere adventurous.  Guess you showed me that you can run off and do that on your own huh?

Mum, I know you are trying to get all of life's experiences which you had to forego while you were working for over 30 years to bring up the family. I am very glad to see that you have the time (and some money!) now to enjoy your travels and your hobbies. Your kids have all grown up, big, strapping and earning their own living - so, no more worries there.  But please just do me a favour ok?  Be healthy, and be happy, but don't take unnecessary risks!  Remember lil' old me here is still waiting for you to come back so that I can get home cooked meals instead of becoming a Maggi "ching"....

Happy Mother's Day!

Love,
Your daugther.

Taxes!

As usual, the end of April had the newspapers plastering photos of stressed out people trying to submit their income tax before the deadline. The one useful system the IRB ever invested in was the e-Filing. It has given me so much more peace of mind now that I could log on from the comfort of my home at any odd hour to do my submission. And the speed IRB has returned my excess tax payments since I started e-Filing has made me a convert! While I have always dreaded the hassle, my BE submission has always been relatively easy to do, due largely to the fact that I have only one miserable income stream! Anyway, filing my form for year 2009 was an unexpectedly great source of pleasure. Since I was jobless for practically 10 months last year, I am now expecting a mini windfall from IRB for all my excess tax paid! Mwah ha ha ha ha!!

Since the IRB is now evolving into a lean, mean, tax collection machine, I am just crossing my fingers that all that money will actually be used for something that will benefit the "rakyat" (woo hoo, political blogger already man... I actually used THE word! Now have to make sure my a** doesn't get hauled up to prison under ISA...). I've got a few suggestions if anyone cares to listen?

1. Invest in some project management / shift planning/ work scheduling system for all the government and government linked companies like JKR, Syabas, Indah Water, etc. so that they can for ONCE, coordinate all the road digging and pipe laying and what not repairs in one concerted effort. As it is, the constant digging and re-digging behind my house by different parties for various unknown reasons, at extremely close but different intervals, has left the roads patchy, uneven and full of potholes! Oh yeah, the system must also know how to optimize the best time to do all this roadwork with one main criteria - it should NOT disrupt the beauty sleep of nearby residents!!

2. Establish a good recycling/ collection system and set up more recycling centers at convenient locations. While I am no eco-warrior, I know having a convenient system in place would definitely encourage me to do my part. I heard they are doing some trials with recycling at Putrajaya - so, I hope it will not be a case of "hot-hot chicken shit" as a lot of initiatives in Malaysia tend to be.

3. Improve the public transport - need I say more?

4. Litter patrol - Set up elite teams of enforcers who can make people who litter do garbage collection duty with Alam Flora for a month! But then again, it’s just going to open up a whole new “rasuah”(man, I am getting dangerous here – used another sensitive word!) revenue stream....Hmmm, this needs some re-thinking....

Anyway, these are just a few random ideas – there are plenty more areas that our tax money can be put to use and I hope we will actually live to SEE some good materialize out of it! For now, I am rubbing my hands with glee in anticipation of my check from IRB...Yay!!

Quotable Quotes No. 1

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results."
- Peter Yee, "You Can Become Rich in Property"

Silly Thoughts : I Wonder Why...

Labour day is celebrated labour-free?  Shouldn't we all be revelling in even more good hard labour on that special day?

Sign of the Times...

Yesterday, my 1 plus year old nephew Na-na was instructed by his mum to "attack" me.  This was what he did.

So, I decided to "attack" back.  And this is what I did.

Sigh.  Excuse me while I go put my dentures on....

I Hate Housework...

I hate sweeping outside coz the bloody dried leaves
keep falling and fallng, offering me no reprieves

I hate mopping coz the smooth clean floor
never stays that way for long no matter what cleaner I pour

I hate dusting the house coz the dirt and the grime
seem to take great pleasure in re-appearing time after time

I hate washing dishes coz after getting them clean and squeaky
my poor hands bear the brunt of it, turning dry, pruney and wrinkly

I hate doing laundry coz despite having a washing machine
I still need to iron and press, to keep the clothes looking pristine

I hate housework coz however frequent I wash, clean and dry
the house gets so dirty so fast, in less than a blink of an eye 

It is such a vicious cycle, a perpetual spinning wheel without an end,
Will I be doomed forever? Or will Nirvana be just round the bend?!!

Footnote : 
While I admit, my participation in housework could be considered minimal, it doesn't mean I like it!  With my Mum (and the part time maid along with her) taking a long leave of absence starting Thursday, it sure is going to be hell the next couple of weeks!

YouTube vs. Mr. Lau...

My music school, Music Makers, wants to raise the fees for my er-hu lessons from RM40 to a whopping RM70.  That's like almost double!  I am understandably miffed that my musical genius does not seem to impress the school enough for them to want to nurture my talent for free.  I mean, everyone jumps in to sponsor geniuses don't they?  Molly, the administrator, tried to reason with me by saying that my RM40 lesson was supposed to be for just half and hour.  But my instructor, Mr. Lau, has been going over and above the call of duty ever since I started lessons by spending an hour or more with me every time.  And I am apparently now a proud level 3 student, not a beginner anymore.  Surely, I can understand that the situation calls for a significant increase in rates?  While my brain is telling me this seems a reasonable statement, I can't help but sulk right now.  Don't they recognize the fact that I may be performing in the Royal Albert Hall in the very near future?!! 

Ultraman, a staunch advocate of Google, thinks that I can stop the lessons if I wanted to.  He believes that you can learn anything just by YouTube nowadays.  Said the same thing to me when I insisted on signing up for  bread-making classes at Taylor's too.  But can someone really learn and be good at something by just watching and re-watching videos on YouTube? While the Internet has definitely come a long way in dispersing knowledge and information, it just cannot interact with you in the way a human can.  Can it stop me when I am not really doing the technique right ?  Can it tell me whether I played a piece well? Can it tell me that I have played the note a little too short or a little too long?  Can it tell me to why I should play slower or softer, or how to interpret certain parts of the music?  Can it share with me it's experience in performing and how that felt like?  This very fundamental process of communcation and sharing is still sorely lacking with an electronic teacher.  Ánd the relationship works both ways too - would the Internet know how to appreciate a good student?  Though of course, one obvious advantage with the Internet is that you can keep reviewing the information and replaying the videos hundreds, thousands of times - that will test the patience of a saint! 

I guess I am still old-style.  I still believe in a good human teacher.  So, I guess I have to re-look at my budget again to see how to deal with the raised prices for my lessons.  While Mr. Lau has won this round, it does make you wonder how soon we may be totally dependent on the Internet for everything... Food for thought?

By the way, my sister shared a Youtube video of the pianist Lang Lang and his dad doing a duet on the er-hu.  My sister says his dad was a police officer. Bet you the dad did not learn to play this way by using the Internet!  Lang Lang and his father at Carnegie Hall

Pitstop Q1 2010...

It's been a while since I posted an entry.  Blame it on the horrendous Streamyx connection which basically died after the massive thunderstorms last week.  It has not been resuscitated yet by the equally horrendous Streamyx Customer Service team.  Anyway, it has now been 3 months since I started this blog.  Which started out with grand visions of me finding the perfect cocktail that will make up my life.  So, it's time for a pitstop to see where I am and to refuel for the next leg.... 

How am I doing in terms of purpose?  Hmmmm..... apart from my constant goal of trying to win a gazillion bucks from Magnum 4D or Big Sweep, it has been slow moving in this department.  Guess this will be a tough nut to crack.  I could choose to live out the remaining half of my life keeping occupied with work and the little pleasures my hobbies give me ... but I am not giving up just yet that somewhere round the bend, I will find "IT"... the "IT" that will make everything seem worthwhile.

And what about passion and pleasure?  I think I am faring a little better here.  I am still having flashes of me playing the er-hu to an adoring audience.  I'm still actively baking and cooking, still learning and enjoying the process.  I am also still trying to keep fit and strong enough to run more races.  And I am still definitely keeping my eyes and ears out for travel opportunities. It occurs to me that a lot of the activities I am immersing myself in now are more physical in nature compared to the brain sapping tasks of my I.T. job.  Perhaps this is an indication of what kind of work I should get into instead?

In summary, for Pitstop Q1 2010....I still have a long way to go in the quest but I'm glad I am able to enjoy such a good mix of everything for now.  I just need to keep an open mind and be willing to experiment.  It's only a matter of time.  Onwards to the next leg!

IF...Part 2

Since my last post, I have been wallowing in self pity for over a week.  Dreading that I will be starting a full time project soon, I have been mucking about the house, doing nothing much.  Basically, yearning and wishing and dreaming that a billion gazillion bucks will fall out of the sky into my lap.  Well, after that depressing period....whaddya know... the client has not decided yet if they want me!  Ka Ka Ka!

Anyhow, did you see the news yesterday?  Three lucky bastards (pardon the language - it's only out of intense envy) won the 12 million ringgit jackpot by Magnum 4D!  I am now infused with renewed determination to keep my eyes and ears open for 4D numbers - any combination which catches my attention, from car plates, birth dates, anniversaries, race bib numbers, numbers from dream sequences.... well anything short of actually going to the cemetery and selling my soul for lucky digits.  And I am going to google everything I need to know about how to play to win! Soon, real soon....I will be swimming in a sea of cash!  Muaahh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...!!!!!

IF...

,I found out a few days ago that I might have to work full time real soon.  Since starting work again in January after a blissful 10 month break, I have been coping pretty well since I only had to commit 3 work days a week.  Quite a sweet deal as I still had time to dabble in my other passions.  But, as fate would have it, I may get assigned to a project as soon as next week and my big sweep lottery ticket failed to hit the jackpot.  So, as I am sucking it up and gearing my mind to be positive about the next 6 months of slaving away at the computer, I am finding small comfort in one of my favourite song.  As Simon Cowell in American Idol always advised..."Do your own version of the song..." So here goes...sung to the tune of "If I Were a Rich Man" from the awesome musical, Fiddler on the Roof...

"Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor.
But it's no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a BIG fortune?"

If I were a rich woman,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy woman.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle woman.

I'd buy a big bungalow with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the Bangsar part of town.
A fine slate roof with real teak floors below.
There would be one long escalator going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

I'd fill my driveway with mercs, audis, porsches, beemers,
For the town to see and hear.
Honking just as noisily as I can.
With each loud "beep" "beep" and "port" "port"
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say "Here lives a wealthy woman."

If I were a rich woman,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy woman.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle woman.

I’d see myself in the mirror, looking like a rich woman
With a genuine Lolek watch.
Dressed to the nines in brands to my heart’s delight.
I see me flying first class, travelling round the world.
Pockets filled with dollars, euros, pounds.
Taking in the sights all day and night.

The important people in my life can count on me
For one free dinner or two,
Heck, I’d even sponsor trips to a tropic paradise (Redang!)
I could give some away to worthy causes
Charities and conservations too
Solving problems that would cross politicians’ eyes!

If I were rich, I'd have the time that I lack
For spa and massages every day.
Or read in my library filled from wall to wall.
And I would bake and dance and sing karaoke,
Play erhu several hours every day.
That would be the sweetest thing of all.

If I were a rich woman,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy woman.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.

Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy woman!!!

Check out the great original from the movie at this link! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBHZFYpQ6nc