Tuesday, 31 July 2012: Last Day

The first of my dates to look forward to during the second half of this year has finally arrived! And I must say, I'm beyond happy that after months and months of juggling life, home, work and more work, I'm finally going to strike one "work" off my daily to-do list. Yup, today is officially my last day freelancing for MCKL. Surpriseeeee! =p


Of course, me being the supreme sucker I am for pain, I'm a little bit saddened by the fact that I will no longer be working on jobs that interest me at paces energise and stretch my creative muscles. But I suppose that it's for the better, especially now that I foresee a drastic decrease in precious Me Time (that is already scarce now) as life hits me with more surprises and delights in the months to come.


In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't fall for the extra cash they were dangling before me earlier and accept a more permanent position 5 months ago out of greed. Even so, I must admit, I will super miss the extra cash working at MCKL currently provides me. HAHA. That, and the big accounts with big budgets I get to write for. Oh, the buzz and the excitement, too. But the people? Urm... maybe just a handful. =p

Anyway, it's 3PM. Just 3 more hours and I'll be done!

Shall go prepare my last invoice to MCKL now. Wheee! =p

Decisions

We hardly ever realise how important certain decisions are until we've made them and are living with the consequences. Sure, the older folk tell us it's important. And yeah, we hear them. But we don't actually get it until we start living in the good or bad times that come, following the decisions we make.


Like choosing the right course to undertake out of the many hundreds that are offered in uni. Pick the wrong one and your future and career is pretty much doomed. The right one, on the other hand, ensures you'll never have to go hungry, and even if you do go hungry sometimes, it'll be worth it.


That, or choosing the right man to marry. Give your hand in marriage to the wrong man and your happiness and bloodline is screwed. But with the right man, you know that whatever good or bad life brings, a good man always makes even the worst of situations bearable as long as it's him you have by your side.


Instead, we waste our time worrying about the other inconsequential things in life. Like whether our friends are headed to the same uni as we are. Or whether our ivory shoes match our egg-white wedding gown. We do all that instead of keeping our focus on the things that actually matter and will carry weight.


But then again, looking back at how things were before they became what they are, would you be able to tell that this is what would become of your decisions if you hadn't known then what you know now? Possibly not. For hindsight tells more accurate tales than foresight ever could.


I only know I took the right course in the right uni because I'm happy where I am and I love doing what I do. The late nights, the crazy deadlines – they're all worth it. Maybe not to you, but they are to me. Cos they were my right decision. And because of that, today, I'm enjoying all the good that that right decision has brought my way.


I also only know I married the right man because every sacrifice I've made for us to arrive at where we are, have also been worth it. Perhaps not to eyes beyond ours, but to me and hopefully to him, they're all worth it. The friendships I've had to forgo, the full-time job I've had to give up, and the interests I've had to sacrifice. They have to be worth it. And I'll enjoy the good these decisions will bring my way, someday.

You Don't Know Me

Artist: Jann Arden
Song Title: You Don't Know Me (OST My Best Friend's Wedding)

You give your hand to me and then you say hello
And I can hardly speak, my heart is beating so
And anyone can tell you think you know me well
But you don't know me

No, you don't know the one who dreams of you at night
And longs to kiss your lips, longs to hold you tight
Oh, I am just a friend, that's all I've ever been
Cause you don't know me

I never knew the art of making love
No, my heart aches with love for you
Afraid and shy I let my chance go by
The chance that you might love me, too

You give your hand to me and then you say goodbye
I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy
Oh, you will never know the one who loves you so
Well you don't know me

You give your hand to me and then you say goodbye
I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy
Oh, you will never know the one who loves you so
Cause you don't know me
Oh, no, you don't know me
Ohh... you don't know me

It's sad when you come to realise that the people

whom you've always thought should know you best

...actually don't know you at all.

It's Not How You Start, It's How You Finish

That's what they always say about the greats and their comeback stories. Well, the same rules apply for weekends. A great weekend that ends badly is way suckier than a bad weekend that ends greatly.

Actors & Actresses I Totally Cannot Tahan: The Revised Edition

Last night, I realised I made a HUGE mistake with my Actors & Actresses I Totally Cannot Tahan list. Not with the women cos I memang don't like them max already, but with the men! Cos there's one male actor that I super can't stand. And he's the one and only pale-faced vamp, Robert Pattinson. I don't know how he could have slipped my mind but now that his irritating face has reappeared, I'm revising my cannot tahan list. So here's the updated version:


----------
ACTORS
----------

1. Robert Pattinson: I cannot tahan him more than I cannot tahan Tobey Maguire. Where got vampire so weak wan?? He should learn a thing or two about vamping in style from Damen (played by Ian Somerhalder) of The Vampire Diaries, man. And no, I don't just dislike him in Twilight. He was lousy in Water For Elephants, too! Totally ruined that movie for me.
2. Tobey Maguire: The pondan-est Spiderman ever. How did he ever score the role in the first place?!? Whoever casted him should be shot.
3. Daniel Radcliffe: Need I say more?

--------------
ACTRESSES
--------------

1. Keira Knightley: Top of my hate list! Always thinking she's so macho with her stupid English accent. Please lah. Super tak boleh tahan her.
2. Kristen Stewart: Only capable of one facial expression – worry. How come like that also can get famous and become highest paid actress ah?
3. Scarlett Johansson: How she ever made the cut as Black Widow is beyond me. She cannot even pretend fight!

I think I'm finally satisfied by this list.

I am done. It. Is. Finished. =p

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Related Post

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• Actors & Actresses I Totally Cannot Tahan [Friday, July 27, 2012]

The Husband And I Discuss Anne Hathaway's... Urm... Part In The Dark Knight Rises

Source

Ok, I think Anne Hathaway is hot. I mean, wouldn't you after seeing that widely circulated pic of her in her Catwoman undies? (Spoiler: She doesn't put on anything even half as skimpy in the movie. Harhar.) Well, I may be a woman but, truth be told, I was actually more excited to see Anne Hathaway pull off Catwoman #3... than I was to watch Batman save Gotham. Again. *rolls eyes*


So, halfway through the movie, I realised that Anne Hathaway – although a highly promoted supporting cast while the movie was being publicised – didn't really get as much screen time as all the other Catwomen who went before her. So I leaned over to The Husband and whispered between gunshots and car chases:


Pam Song: *whispers* Actually Anne Hathaway's part very small hor?

The Husband: Her butt?

Pam Song: -_-''' I said "her PART" lah not her BUTT. >(

Tsk tsk. Men! They only hear what they want to hear.

Anyway, I thought The Dark Knight Rises was okay. Not as super wonderful as everyone seems to say it is online but... not too bad either. Sure, it had its lame bits, its disjointed parts, and it's totally-don't-make-sense heroics but... aiya, it's a superhero movie. Them super heroes don't exist anyways. So, why expect make-belief stories about them to make sense in the first place? Haha. But still, go watch. It's not a bad movie. Plus, Anne Hathaway's hot. =p

Actors & Actresses I Totally Cannot Tahan

----------
ACTORS
----------

1. Tobey Maguire: The pondan-est Spiderman ever. How did he ever score the role in the first place?!? Whoever casted him should be shot.
2. Jake Gyllenhaal: A forgettable character. Makes me go "meh" whenever I watch his films. But then again, I don't dislike him as much as I dislike...
3. Daniel Radcliffe: Need I say more?

--------------
ACTRESSES
--------------

1. Keira Knightley: Top of my hate list! Always thinking she's so macho with her stupid English accent. Please lah. Super tak boleh tahan her.
2. Kristen Stewart: Only capable of one facial expression – worry. How come like that also can get famous and become highest paid actress ah?
3. Scarlett Johansson: How she ever made the cut as Black Widow is beyond me. She cannot even pretend fight!

The 3 actors I cannot than are mainly cos I don't think they're great actors and they end up watering down the characters they play. That's all. Nothing personal. As for the women... wah, I have some kind of super irrational dislike for all three women who made my Top 3. Haha. Like, when I watch their movies, they annoy me no end and I don't get why people are so fascinated by them, their movies, or their looks. Phooi! Give me more Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron lah please?

Dates To Look Forward To This 2012

• Tuesday, 31 July 2012: Last Day
• Thursday, 16 August 2012: Latest Updates
• Friday, 17 August 2012: A Much-Needed Break
• Monday, 3 December 2012: A New Chapter

They're all so different in nature but I just can't wait

for what those dates are gonna bring my way! Wheee!

EATON Nasi Kunyit, Batu Lanchang

If there's one place to get Nasi Kunyit

in Penang, it's gotta be EATON, Batu Lanchang.

5 packs of Eaton Nasi Kunyit plus 1 pack of baby Ang Ku Kuih

(the latter's for The Husband) from Dee and Mee.

Penangites often turn to them to get traditional baby 1-month "mua guik" boxes to give to friends and family to announce the arrival of a newborn. Red-dyed eggs with Ang Ku Kuih are usually included. (Can't remember if there's anything else in the box aside from this. :-/)


I used to love it when babies of people close to us are born because that means Nasi Kunyit is coming!! Whoopie! But that was before I grew up and realised that I could just walk into EATON and buy a packet of Nasi Kunyit from the stores without occasion. HAHA.


Unfortunately, a lot of people with kids nowadays are moving toward the new move of giving out KFC meal vouchers and TGV/GSC vouchers instead of this traditional gift box filled with yummy goodies. I wonder why. This is SO much better (to eat) and is definitely more meaningful! Some traditions – especially the yummy ones – are not to be broken!!

EATON Nasi Kunyit with Curry Chicken.

It ain't fancy food but it's the best in all the land. =)

NOOoooOOOOooOOoOoOooOO!!!

ARGHHHH!!! I'm so frustrated! You know how I mentioned I just went to the dentist at the end of last month?? Well, guess what??? The major filling the doc worked on... STARTED CRACKING!! And it's now falling out in bits and pieces at light-speed!


It started last night. Two tiny chips fell out. I bit into the first piece over dinner. Thought it looked like a chicken bone but I was having prawn. Was a little weirded out by the incident but didn't think much about it and went back to eating.


Then the second dropped out, while I was in bed eating nothing at all! (Don't you even dare suggest it's all cos I bit into something hard and brought this upon myself. I did no such thing. In fact, come to think about it, I had nothing "hard" at all yesterday. >() By that time, I could feel a small hole in my tooth already so I was sure it was a problem with the filling. Figured I'd call the dentist the next morning to arrange a check-up, and went to sleep.

But then this morning, while having

soggy Honey Stars with milk for breakfast...

THIS KILLER CHUNK OF FILLING DROPPED OUT!!!

@_@

OMG WTH!?!?

Called Penang Dental Surgery immediately to make another appointment but the sucky thing is that I won't be back for at least another 2 weeks at best. So, I've gotta wait till then to tackle the problem in spite of having a GROWING GAPING HOLE in my tooth. RAWR!


No way I'm going to another dentist in KL in the mean time cos I'll have to pay that dude, too! I think Penang Dental Surgery should complete the job they started that I already paid for, at no extra charge. This customer is NOT happy! >(


---------------
Related Post
---------------

• Been A Long Time, Mr Dentist [Friday, June 29, 2012]

Raya's Coming

The police roadblocks all along the North-South Highway

(and my aching back, no thanks to them) tell me so. -_-'''

10 Of Life's Favourite Curve Balls

1. Rain only falls when you do your laundry. 
2. Water only boils when you're not looking. 
3. Traffic lights are always red when you're in a rush. 
4. Consider it trash, throw it away, need it the next day.
5. The phone only rings when you're in the toilet taking a piss.
6. There's never a public toilet close by when you r-e-a-l-l-y need to pee. 
7. When you're not looking for it, it's there. When you need it, it can never be found.
8. When there's no work, there's NO work. When there's work, there's TOO MUCH work. 
9. The Internet is only slow when you've got urgent mail (with attachments) to send or receive. 
10. Telco networks only fail when you're on important calls. (Or are on the phone listening to real good gossip. =p)

I kena 1 to 10 all the time.
Yeah, Life's that kind, didn't you know?

*snorts*

You leh?

Egg Mayo Sandwich

Home made, of course. =)

Wish I had some greens to go with this but... oh well. This was last Saturday's impromptu tea so I had no such luxury at hand. Thing is, The Husband did say that he was impressed by my sandwich-making skills. Haha. I'm glad I married a man who is easy to amuse, please and impress in the kitchen. Score! =p

Shen + Pam Hit The 1-Year Mark!

That's right! We're one! Both, in marriage

and in marital age! Hahaha. #smartalec

The Husband and I on Monday, 9 July 2012

– our first wedding anniversary.

On our way out for dinner after snapping this pic, The Husband turned to me and said, "One year already, man. So fast." I have to agree. So fast. Oh, how time has flown. Some days it still feels like we just got married. Just went crazy planning the wedding. Just registered ourselves as husband and wife. Just walked down the aisle. Just shook a million hands. And just began our lives together as one. But it's already been a year! @_@ Yup. Time sure does fly.


Anyway, we went out for a nice dinner at PRIME, Le MERIDIAN, KL. Tucked into a steak each (ok but nowhere near as good as Hippo Creek, Sorrento), skipped dessert (so full I was bursting at the seams!), went home, took a good bath, and crashed into bed by 10:30PM. Hahaha. How romantic, right? I was just so tired from my conference earlier that day lah. And the thought of waking up super early morning for Day 2 of the conference just killed me. (Sorry, Honey!)

But I must say... Life has been pretty kind to us thus far. Things are unfolding well, our lives are changing in ways we never imagined it would, and things are going great. Oh, and I'll tell you this: Living together is a m-i-l-l-i-o-n times easier than going long distance. We know. We've done the time. Haha. So yes, marriage has been smooth sailing for us, with lots of laughter and good times in between for good measure. If this is what Year 1 is like, I can't wait to see what the next few decades will bring. <3

Still Got It Goin' On... Somewhat

Was attending advertising-related conferences all week, which ultimately led to super early mornings (6:15AM alarm!) and uncharacteristic late nights for me. *groan* I'm too old for this. Really. Homework?? Assignments?? On top of all the real work I have due?? Are you freaking kidding me?! T_T


The only upside for me was that on the second day of the second conference, a final-year college-student attendee (we call him Mr Choo) whom I sat with over our hotel-buffet lunch, told me that I look young. HAHA. If only he knew... But ah, I shall remember the complement and feel better about growing old. =) Gracefully, I hope. =p

Imagination

2 weeks ago, my building management started doing some cosmetic work on our corridor walls to cover up some cracks. Took them a few days to get things done. Problem was, all throughout that time, there was noise, clutter and lots of dust flying around. Not a freelancer's dream place to be while working from home to be honest with you. How to work with all the drilling and thumping outside, right?

But I did manage to find some entertainment in the mess.

Work in progress.

Saw a big man carrying a skinny dude circus-style

on stilts. Oh, and then he dropped him. =p

Sudden Realisation Of A Repeated Boo-Boo

It's already the 5th of July.

 *blink blink*

Dang.

The past two weeks have just been so crazy busy for me with work and traveling and other random to-dos that I haven't really had the time, or the strength, nor the mental capacity to keep track of dates or days... much less the day and date of something as intangible as...

OUR LEGAL WEDDING DATE. @_@

Yup. I missed our legal wedding date altogether, on our very first legal wedding date anniversary. (We exchanged vows before man and God on Saturday, the 9th of July 2011, but we were actually legally married 6 days earlier on Sunday, the 3rd of July 2011 – the day we took our couple shots and held the first wedding banquet.) Hahaha. 

Won't be the first time I've done such a boo-boo though. =p

When we first started dating a whole decade and a year ago, The Husband somehow kick-started a tradition of celebrating Monthiversaries when he came over to my house with some flowers one fine day. Blur, I went, "Hmm? So nice! For what ah?" And that was when he told me that it had been a month since we first got together. He remembered the date we got together but I forgot. Whoops. =p

You see, The Husband is waaaay better with numbers and dates than I am. (Accountant much? =p) Plus, he has a great memory to boot. Me? I suck at remembering a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. I can't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning! Uh huh, my memory is that bad. :-/

So, yes, a decade later, it looks like

I've done it again!! HAHA.

Kinda, but not really...

Cos The Husband has made plans with me for us to celebrate our wedding anniversary – the real one – at some place nice in town. (His initiative, not mine. How sweet. =D) But... I did consider doing something nice for him on the legal one, too, since the real anniversary is already on him instead of me. Oh well, looks like my plan's gotta wait for 3 July 2013 then. =p

Clients From Hell

They're everywhere! LOL!

p/s: Only funny when you're watching it on YouTube or Vimeo. Not at all funny when said client is actually sitting in front of you. @_@

Kuala Lumpur "Bridal Shower" Day Trip, June '11: THE Bridal Shower At T forty two, Bangsar Village 2

Has it really been more than a year since my girl pals tortured me at BV2?? Whoa. Time does fly. A part of me feels like ditching this post altogether and just DVD-R-ing my bridal shower pictures away cos... I mean, it has been so long ago after all. Still worth talking about meh? :-/


BUT... the other part of me feels that if I don't do this... I'll never end up looking at those good-time pictures again, and I would not have really commemorated the moment(s) my wonderful friends planned for me in celebration of my last few days of singlehood. Not cool either. :-/

SO... I SHALL BLOG THIS AND

YOU SHALL ENTERTAIN ME

BY READING IT. SO THERE.

(Or am I entertaining you instead? Hmmm...)

The venue that was selected for my bridal shower – as recommended by Duh Roads – was T forty two at Bangsar Village 2. And I can see why. It was pretty, and also pretty girly inside. With significant amounts of pinks, and little white flowers to boot.

 Table mat.

 Menu cover.

 White daisies in a tea tin.

Half the group weren't there yet when I arrived with Duh Roads (who picked me up from the airport after my terrible flight down and belanja-ed me lunch at d'Italiane Kitchen, Sunway Giza). So while waiting, we went through the menu. By the time we were done flipping through it, the rest were there. So... on with the bridal shower!

First, they ruined my public image:

And they had lots of fun doing it, too.

As you can see, I was not amused.

I can never show face at BV2 again. -_-'''

Thankfully, soon after, our girly-girl tea arrived and all attention was instantly diverted to the food instead. (PHEW!) We may be girls, but we sure have our heads screwed on right and our priorities straightened out. FOOD. ALWAYS. COMES. FIRST. Hahahaha.

Macaroons!

That day, I realised that I don't know how to appreciate macaroons

other than appreciating the way they look. They break funny. @_@

 I attacked the scones instead. Full concentration as you can see.

Don't mess with the bride-to-be when it comes to her food.

Oddly, there were A LOT of knives at the table.

 Flavoured tea in colourful teapots with matching tea cups!

If you're wondering what that present is on the bottom left wonder no more. My wunnerful MOH, Miss Duh Roads, actually prepared a take-home box of goodies for me... and for all of my girls present, too!! (She even included one for my mom for me to take home to her.) My box had a different tag on top, of course. =p

With different insides, too! But... unfortunately, I don't know where that picture went. So cannot show you di. -_-''' Aiya, cut me some slack lah. It's been a year. =p But it was really, really sweet cos she actually BAKED heart cookies for us in butter (light brown cookies) and chocolate (dark brown cookies). She then included some fragrant tea (Twinings brand wan wei) and a candid picture of The Husband (my then fiancé) and I that she or Lamé took when they were up in Penang with us a few weeks earlier.

TheLauderOne pulling a face. 

As you can see, not everyone appreciated the picture though. =p I assume it's cos she doesn't want to keep a picture of her cousin. (Newsflash: In case you didn't know, although TheLauderOne and I are tight friends, The Husband and her happen to be cousins, too.) That face cannot possibly be because she doesn't want to keep a photo of me. #narcissistic


Oh, and remember how I said Duh Roads baked us cookies in our gift boxes? SHE BAKED ME A SUPER PRETTY STRAWBERRY CHEESE CAKE, TOO!!! 

 Isn't that to die for?? It tasted awesome, too.

Not too sweet, light enough to enjoy, and

ooo, the crispy bottom was divine. <3

I was having a really good time with my girls.

Duh Roads and TheLauderOne – my two bridesmaids who were present.

The other one was still in India learning how to drill into teeth.

...but then they suddenly stopped playing nice.

 Plotting and planning.

 I get scared when they talk behind upside-down menus.

*gulp*

And scared I should be cos after the food, came the "fun".

*blink blink*

I won't share what they made me to do but at the end of the day, we basically got banned from our activities (BV2 guard came and halau-ed us), and I ended up a few bucks richer in three currencies. Haha.

 Sing Dollar, Ringgit Malaysia and Aussie Cents

– I have international appeal. HAHA. Wth.

I love my girls for their effort in making my Bridal Shower a blast. Even if it means that we're all not going to be allowed into BV2 again without a leash. =p

ESPECIALLY since all of them who were present are still unmarried ladies... PAYBACK'S GOING TO BE GREAT. MWAHAHAHAHA. That shall be my reward!! Just you wait Duh Roads, TheLauderOne, estherlauderlyn, Lamé and Lissa. Just you wait! When the time comes, revenge will be sweeeeeet. *evil glint in eye*

My girls from L-R: Lissa, TheLauderOne, Duh Roads,

Yours Truly, Lamé and estherlauderlyn.

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Related Posts

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• Kuala Lumpur "Bridal Shower" Day Trip, June '11: Getting There [Monday, June 13, 2011]
• Kuala Lumpur "Bridal Shower" Day Trip, June '11: Lunch At d'Italiane Kitchen, Sunway Giza [Tuesday, June 14, 2011]