merry christmas 2008 & happy new year 2009

I just came back from Bangkok on Sun nite, fell sick on Mon, skipped school on Tues and tomorrow is Weds!

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20th dec 2008: uncle ming fatt & cousin vivien celebrate birthdays in my house!

Actually, their house had no water supply that day so they came to my house to bathe. Afterwards, we had cake to commemorate both father & daughter's december birthdays.

Father and daughter

Tiramisu birthday cake

The family of four

Cutting cake

21st dec 2008: winter solstice festival

This is the last festival of the year before Chinese New Year. Prayers and tong yuen in the morning, as usual, every year.

What is unusual this year, however, is I decided to play around with the camera and take some snapshots of prayer stuff.

Among all the photos I took, I think these two symbolises more of what that day meant. Fire is an important element in any Chinese prayer and without tong yuen, winter solstice festival has no meaning anymore.

At night, we had dinner at my uncle's house. As usual, both uncle and aunt whipped up a great meal to end the year, the year according to the chinese lunar calendar, that is.

Aunt Siew Moi said that if I keep taking pics of the dishes, I can eventually publish a book in three years time. Lolz.

And that night, even my aunt who lives in Kuchai Lama joined us for dinner. Cousins and myself had a sang-along to SHE songs on youtube. Very funny because Sher Li and I can only read Chinese pinyin words...

Right before everyone left, we took a family photo to send to my Uncle Steven who lives in Australia.

Christmas family photo

updates#221187

I just realized Mario Lopez is such a hawtttt guy!!!!

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Feeling a bit emo today.

Nothing much has been "happening" these few weeks, been working everyday from 8.30am to 5.30pm, and then pretty much just zoned out at home afterwards.

During the weekends, been shopping with my mom and my aunt, well, mostly they DO their shopping. I just act as the handbag-carrier, and help them get their sizes. Haha. It gets tiring after a while, since my aunt can be so indecisive as well when it comes to buying clothes.

I have finally adjusted myself to my job. Going to work doesn't feel so taxing nowadays anymore. Working in Tokio Marine definitely was a much different but better environment than back at Reliance. Lunch hours are spend with mom if she doesn't have any lunch appointments. I like the fact that there are always tonnes of work here, because when you are so busy doing work, you feel like time passes very quickly.

Results should be out any time now. I dread it everytime I hear my handphone's message tone. I really do. Probably because I know this time around, I did not put in as much effort as I was supposed to. It is a horrible feeling, really. But all I can do is wait for that horrible message arriving telling me to check my results online. Meanwhile, I have also prepared myself for things I have to do in case I get below 3.0. All the form-filling, form-signing, meeting the dean, etc. I wished I didn't have to do that but based on what I went through for exam, somehow I feel like this is something I need to do.

I am looking forward to my Bangkok trip next week. It is the only thing that I feel good about this holiday although I have now cut my shopping list in half due to budget constraint. I despise the fact that once I get into this shopping zone/mood, I start being obssessed, really. Somehow my wish-list gets longer and longer. Haih...I have already shopped to the point where my heart is telling me it is enough but somehow my brain is not registering that fact. Somehow, these buys of mine does make me happy. Maybe I am pretty superficial, but who cares?

New year means new year's resolutions. And I have a few in mind now. As always, I want to focused on my studies, first and foremost. Everything else, I supposed, will be secondary.

Will not be able to update so often as I want since my laptop is so lousy and so is the connection. For this blog to survive so long and me to update so often, I can safely say blogging is part and parcel of my life now. Regardless of how many readers I actually have, rest assured this blog will be around for a long time, whether it is a good thing or not, is really up to the readers. Lolz.

P.S. Pics will be up soon. There are not much so I have been waiting for it to accumulate so I can post them all up at once.

things i did in my holidays

Yes, I am working as a temp staff in Marine Underwriting Dept at Tokio Marine. Again, I have to face the computer and do data entry. I do like my job, but I wished I would do less mistakes. Insurance can be so confusing. And so is their data entry system...haih...

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This hols does seem so short. During exams, I had a million and one things I planned to do but now, all I find myself doing is watching online dramas.

Which is a huge disappointment, considering the fact that I had initially wanted to do lots of fiction reading this hols. I am now reading another book by Megan Crane but so far, it has not been that impressive yet. Hopefully that would change as the chapters progress.

I am addicted to online dramas. It started with MNIKSS, and then I realized how many movies and dramas that I had wanted to watch all this while were all available online.

The quality is obviously questionable but as long as it doesn't burn a hole in my pocket, why the complaints?

So far, these are the K-drama, J-drama and K-movies, English movies that I have watched this holidays:

MY NAME IS KIM SAM-SOON / MY LOVELY SAM-SOON



As mentioned in a previous post, this is actually my second time devouring this drama. It has totally redeemed itself as my favourite drama of all time.

I love Kim Sun-ah as the lovable tomboy Kim Sam-soon and I have fallen head over heels over Hyun Bin who plays the arrogant yet charming Hyun Jin-hyeon.

Daniel Henney as Dr.Kim is so cute although I wished he had more screening time.

I simply enjoy watching the chemistry between the two main characters. I LMAO-ed in every episode, especially when both of them fights. So damn funny and sweet.

Though it is impossible, I wished I can find a guy like Jin-hyeon. *daydreams*

Fave quote: "If you don't want to get hurt, don't fall in love." "Whenever I am faced with a difficult situation, I think to myself, at least I am still alive."
"Men marry because they are bored, women marry because of fear."

(Exact words may vary due to language translation)

PENELOPE



I wanted to watch this movie ever since I found out that James McAvoy is in it. I love JM in Wanted and even more in Atonement. The next JM movie I want to watch is Becoming Jane.

The story sounded interesting. The theme of judging people by their looks is stereotypical but yet very much relevant, especially more in today's society, where superficial looks seems to be everything.

I love the modern fairytale settings and design. Penelope's playroom was like something from a children's storybook. I was really, in awe. Ravishing colours, imaginary settings, the works and etc.

The storyline is pretty out-of-the-box too, not the best film I ever watched but quite surprisingly good.

Fave quote: "I like myself the way I am."

S DIARY



Of course, I fell in love with Kim Sun-ah the actress in MNIKSS. She was simply so believable as the protagonist in Kim Sam-soon that I really wanted to watch more of her.

In S Diary also was the portrayal of Gong Yoo as one of Kim Sun-ah's ex-lovers. Many may know him as the main actor of Coffee Prince (which I haven't watched) but really, I first saw him in the series "Biscuit and Star Candy" and then later in the movie, "She's On Duty."

Kim Sun-ah plays a role totally opposite to MNIKSS, being a sex kitten and she plays it perfectly to a T. Gong Yoo was also really funny as the free-spirited grafitti artist.

Fave moment: When she plays a magnificent piano piece towards the end of the movie, after taking revenge on her lousy exes. One can see despite her revenge, she actually feels the sorrow but is ready to move on. Very enlighting moment.

Trivia: I found out that she actually majored in Piano in Ball University, USA.

A MILLIONAIRE'S FIRST LOVE



Of course, since I am such a big fan of MNIKSS, I also became an instant fan of Hyun Bin. I absolutely love him as the arrogant Jin-hyeon who slowly falls in love with Sam-soon. In the beginning, he plays the dashing ice prince. Handsome and cool, easily angered, edgy and mean.

But later on as he fell in love with Sam-soon, he became this really hilarious guy. OMG, I just laughed like mad when he tries to persuade Sam-soon to sleep with him, persuades both their parents to let them be together and of course, all the sweet moments when he pulls her hand away from other guys.

Ok, I digress a lot here. Anyway, this Hyun Bin movie was simple enough and mildly interesting. It did get a bit soppy towards the end. Hyun Bin's character here did slightly resemble the one he played in MNIKSS and the girl was pretty stiff.

Overall, nice but forgettable.

No favourites here. Nothing that really catches my eye and made me go...awww...

NODAME CANTABILLE



I initially did not want to watch this because, first off, I am not really a huge fan of Japanese dramas and second, I am no fan of classical orchestra music either. Nope, I much prefer rock.

But boy, do I love this drama. Ueno Juri as the title character, Nodame, was simply awesome. I lurve her cuteness and innocence. Chiaki, although he seems angry most of the time, was simply funny, dashing and oh-so-sweet:)

I have gained a new appreciation for classical music after watching this. I am not going to fall in love with it, but at least, now I won't think of it as a boring genre anymore.

Nodame and Chiaki...so cute, I wished there were more episodes of their adventures together.

Fave quote: I forgot the exact words but I like Chiaki's advice to Nodame to face her music seriously. My fave moments definitely when he hugged Nodame and holds her hands. It came all of a sudden since he is pretty much an ice prince.

WHEN IT'S AT NIGHT

This is a drama that I am currently watching. Already, the first episode has got me laughing like mad.

I love Lee Dong-gun in "My Boyfriend is Type B" and he has teamed up with my fave actress, Kim Sun-ah in this antique/relic finding adventure kind of drama.

Lee Dong-gun was absolutely hilarious as the narcissistic guy who aims for fame. He suits the role so perfectly.



HANA YORI DANGO FINAL MOVIE

This is a movie that I want to watch but has no time since I am busy working in KL now...*sighs*

P.S. As the days pass by, I am getting more worried when my results will be out. I know I did badly for my exams. I don't know if I can survive this hurdle this time around...

my laptop sucks

My computer crashed yet again. This makes it the second time this year. Sometimes I just don't know what I did to make it so.

And worst still, I tried fixing it by trying to reformat, etc. Only I think I made it worse.

I am so so angry and frustrated right now. Why did this have to happen?

Gone all my pictures, files, music, videos. All gone.

Today is truly the worst day ever. And I thought the day my results will be out is going to be the worst day. It has not even arrive and already, things are starting to roll downhill.

Life sucks.

week recap:second week of holidays - short and simple two things

So it is confirmed. I am going to be working after all this hols. Starting next Tues. No, the job has nothing to do with Pharmacy and if your hols are less than three months, pls don't ask me to get you a job as well.

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Yes, only two things this week so far.

I feel like all I ever do is take pics of Christmas deco wherever I go.

In the midst of my CNY shopping now. As you know, CNY falls in January 2009 so now would be about the right time to shop for new clothes.

But I don't like sales. Overcrowded people, poor service, difficulty in looking for right size and colour. No siree, bargains may excite me, but only for a moment. Unless, of course, I am the only customer so I do not need to push people around fighting for clothes.

Sales sometimes bring out the worst in people.

Anyway, on December 4th, finally had a chance to meet up with malau and wooying (monkey & lalat). Came really late because on that freakin' day, the freakin' petrol station had to freakin' closed for renovation. Ok, wait, I should not give excuses anymore (part of my early new year's resolution).

I do miss both of them. We used to sit together back in VI. Wondered why we never got sick and tired of one another. Wished could see each other more frequently.

Suz C is the first to graduate. Biology in UKM is a three-year course. WY will be graduating one sem later than me since she started Quantity Surveyor in UTAR in January.

Suz C will be a housewife. Lol. WY? Something to do with children, perhaps?

Three of us shopped but I bought the least. Didn't find anything interesting enough.

Today Mom decided to continue CNY shopping in MidValley.

Well, partly to buy a dress for her annual company dinner as well. In the end, she got the evening clutch and bling-bling shoes, but no dress.

Lunch was at Little Vietnam

Bought a pair of jeans, but that's all. Still think I am going to go overbudget, like I always do, every year.

MidValley always go over-the-top in Christmas deco. This year is no exception

I have always had a fondness for FA cookies, despite their outrageous cuthroat prices

Christmas deco that, to me, slight resembles a circus deco/theme because of the ponies, elephants, colourful balls and clowns

I was totally wiped out at the end of the day. Can see from the lethargic look

Not much of a Christmas person.

For one, I don't celebrate. Two, shopping malls are packed to the brim. Three, annoying couples flaunting their PDA everywhere. Four, clothes during sales are not nice. Wait, I am being such a scrooge.

Sorry really tired right now. After watching Nodame, I will go take nap.

week recap:my 1st week of holidays...

I am still on with my plans to Bangkok...flying on Christmas day instead...

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My first week of holidays passed by like a breeze...now I am left with a few days of freedom because me M0m decided to help me apply for work at her company (yes, she did all the paperwork and enquiries, obviously, because it is not a mutual agreement between me and her regarding me working in this bloody short holidays of just ONE month).

I enjoyed hibernating at home. All the excitement of last week left me very much exhausted and looking forward to just some R&R at home. Still trying to finish reading "Shopaholic", a book that I have been reading on-off since last sem break but most of the time I fall into my temptation of...Korean dramas.

Let me get this straight...once upon a time, I was a K-drama fan ever since I watched "Autumn in My Heart" and fell in love with Song Seung-hun and Won Bin but as time passes, I soon realized that all K-dramas follow the same run-of-the-mill storyline and I got bored of it (just like I get bored with everything else) so I digress from that phase ever since, until just recently.

I found out that some kind soul uploaded all the episodes of this drama onto youtube.com and I have been hooked on it. This drama I am speaking about is...

MY LOVELY SAM-SOON!!!

I watched this few years back but I love it so much (then and now) that I cannot help but watch it all over again. I love that the protagonist, Kim Sam-soon is such an unconventional character - she is plump, rough, tomboy-ish, and vulgar, unlike the usual female characters which are weakly and needy. Of course, the male protagonist, Jin-hyeon, fit every woman's Prince Charming (well, mine at least). Okay, so that character is not unconventional but he definitely serves up some amazing eye candy.

I can go on and on about my fave K-drama of all time, but let's keep it for another post...

A book that I am dying to read but I am also afflicted with my love for Sam-soon...

Okay, that was totally random...

As some may know, I had plans this holidays to fly to Bangkok for 5 days with Waiyin, LiLing and Pearl. Some (except those who do not read newspaper or watch news) may also know that the airport in Bangkok have been closed due to anti-government protesters.

On 26/11/08, a day before our flight, all of us (except Pearl) went to the AirAsia ticketing counter at KL Sentral to enquire about our flight. We waited a freakin' one and a half hours before it was our turn. The lady said that she cannot postpone our flight unless it has been cancelled by AirAsia. If we were to postpone it before the flight is confirmed to be cancelled, we will have to pay the forfeited charges.

So what can we do? We went back, waiting to see if our flight got cancelled or not.

On the way home, however, I stopped by LeisureMall to buy my fave idol's latest album...

Look what I bought

For some readers who have read my blog a long time ago, probably would know that I am crazy about David Cook

I have been waiting a long time for this and I don't always buy a lot of original music CDs unless I am really in love with the singer

I saranghaeyo this part of the CD leaflet

Oh, did I mentioned I think Korean/Hanggul is one sexy language? Especially when it comes from the mouth of Hyun Bin?

And so, our flight eventually got cancelled (since the airport is still closed till now). On Friday, 28/11, the four of us went again to KL Sentral to postpone our Bangkok flight.

This time we waited 3 bloody hours for our turn because the counters were jam-packed with people! Only when it was finally our turn, we found out that there was a special queue just for cancelled Bangkok flight passengers and that we need not take a number and wait for our turn! WHAT THE FREAKIN' HELL???

Waiyin and I initially planned for some shopping but got delayed because of our KL Sentral affairs. By the time we reached Sg Wang, it was about 5pm.

I have never seen 2 people shop that fast. Yup, we did some express shopping. So fast that by 6.30pm, we were broke and settled for some ice-cream at this new place opposite the cinema called Kindori.

They specialised in yoghurt fat-free, all-natural ice-cream.

At RM7-10 per ice-cream, it is pretty pricey but really darn good;)

I had the golden kiwi flavor. They asked you to choose a fruit and make it then and there for you

Me, looking really tired (and dark)

Waiyin's pumpkin flavor

Waiyin, the poster girl for Kindori

We are promoting Kindori without charges...lolz...

The pic of the shop in case anyone wants to know (in case-lar)

Oh, btw we saw ChunHong at KL Sentral and we had McD's lunch with him. It turns out that he was supposed to leave for a camp in Pahang that day.

And now we come to Saturday, 29/11. M0m went to get her hair done so I wandered aimlessly into shops at Sg Wang and Times Square. Got myself a pair of flat sandals.

After that, we were off for lunch at Kampachi for Equatorial @ Pavillion.

My first time here

California Temaki

A closer look

M0m

Me

Mom ordered this: pic on left shows how it looks like in menu and pic right is the actual set

Mine - really huge portion

Sashimi!!! My love!!!

Christmas deco outside Pavillion

This photo seems a little remisniscent of the one I took during CNY...same place, same clothes...

On the way back, we stopped by the bustling packed Niichi Fashion store

Where I thought this dress looked cute but too expensive for my liking

Btw, I am doing the Karen Cheng pose (I learned that from Kennysia.com!)

whoever said that blogs aren't educational?