New Year Celebration

This is my new year celebration :P


Be merry, be happy!!!

2009

I was asked out to countdown and usher the new year, 2009 but I turned down the invitation politely. Somehow the excuse or reason (whatever you call it) was what is the point of purposely spending some money for this normal day in the financial crisis? What is the point of giving ourselves the excuse- I will embrace this new year with new hope-whereby why don't we just embrace every new day with new hope? If we were to wait until Jan 1 every year only to get rid of sorrow pasts and to strive hard for new aims or resolutions, ain't it a waste of time?

In the view of an economist, yes, it is a good sight consumers still spend money during recession to boost the economic growth (money multiplier thingy); but for me, I would rather spend the quiet night quietly reading my favourite book with the aroma of hot chocolate lingering my room. No pun intended.

Anyhow I still set myself what to establish, what to improve, what to try in Year 2009.

Happy New Year everyone. We still have to embrace the new year happily no matter how sorrowful the economy is, no matter how sorrowful 2008 is :)

A Wrap-up of 2008

Short talk of the day: I will post the verdicts for the resolutions of year 2008 a few days later.

There is only one thing to illustrate my year 2008 - a roller-coaster-ride.

I started the year with a void of confidence. I failed my exam P (first external exam), and I told myself I could accept it as it was due to my fault of great laziness and a lack of discipline. But somehow for a person who passed exams with flying colors and were always praised and was the hope of the family, seriously I think I was cheating myself that I could accept the failure. Then the desperateness slowly surged to the surface. I tried to strive an excellence in UTAR exams and external exam. When one is not of sobermindedness, I can almost assure to say that the result or work done is a mess! And yea, true enough, I flunk my May exam in both internal and external.

Luckily, I managed to slap myself to wake up from the self-giving-up life. And I finally passed the first external exam in July. I was not on cloud nine as I think somehow it is my responsibilty to get it. Then I did quite well in September internal exam too.

In November, once again, I gave myself no room to breath. In the short sem, I attempted two external exams. The results will be released next week. *cross fingers* God, bless me please. I feel good with one of the two, and another one, I really ought to pass it to the God. Internal exam result will be out pretty soon. I cannot expect much, but to hope for the best out of the worst.

I always believe we cannot have or sustain the best, the most precious ones all the time. But at times, having the best out of the worst gives us the greatest joy.

Well, enough of exam. Life is pathetic if we only regard exam as the ultimate or the whole!

Human are always like that. When they are striving to the fullest length, they will start to feel the emptiness from within. A feeling which is so shallow and so uneasy. And to an extent, they will feel life is of no meaning. Students, particularly, when they are studying with no clear goal seen, they will start to question-why do I work so hard? I once asked myself and my friends this- "When I was in primary school, I was told to work hard to get into a good secondary school. After that, I was told to work hard for SPM, as it determined our destiny. Good result would enable me to choose a promising course in university or entitle me to enroll into a promising university. Then in university, I was told to work hard in order to get a good job." I continue to ask myself when will this seemingly endless circle end? When I left campus and get a good job, I will surely be told to work harder to earn money to have a better living. Then when I have a stable financial income, I will be told to work even harder to upgrade my life to have another higher status in social. Is this life? Is this what we want? At the time of climbing up the social ladder, I'm sure the price we pay is not little. We may sacrifice our health, we may sacrifice our friendship, we may sacrifice our prime time with family, worst still, when we are blinded, we may even sacrifice our family and our life partner. This is definitely a vicious development. And praise the Lord! Finally I was shined, and am still being shined, and I have faith I will be shined too. Slowly, I know how life should be. Praise the Lord once again! This is the greatest thing in this year I think. It simply surpasses getting great result, obtaining highest grade in external exam or even winning a lottery.

Besides, the happenings this year enhance the bond between me and my family even more. They give me selfless care and support until I cried; until I felt I was not good enough, I was not a filial daughter. I feel blessed for being born into this family! I love you all always, papa, mama, bro, sis, and baby! Forgive me for my bad.

I'm delightful as the harshness this year molds me into a different person, and I think, a better person. I realize my ego, my indifference towards others' feelings, my self-centredness, my bad temper and many more. And I deeply know, to transform, my old being needs to be broken. Just like a defective porcelain vase, it has to be broken, to be melted, in order to be molded into another good shape.

Lastly, I'm pleased as I get to know many new acquaintances. They make me know how I should change the way in dealing with people and things. And most importantly, some mature ones influence me in a mature way.

Overall, year 2008 is still a wonderful one. And I'm still longing for the journey ahead!

Friends Paying Me a Visit: Day 2

I uploaded the pictures for Day 2 two days ago as I know if I didn't do so, I would never update it. Just like the case of Pangkor Trip.

Well, as for Day 2, after the breakfast prepared by mum, we headed to Penang Island.

Crab beehoon cooked by mum and
"chai kuih" bought from market

I'm not familiar with the route in Penang Island, so I asked for the help of the real local. He is so kind to be our tour guide for two days. However, there is a great problem with this tour guide, he has problem with left and right. @@ He asked us to meet him somewhere near house, and he said his house is on our right, but it is on our left. *sweat* Anyway, after joining him, we made our way to the planned first station-snake temple. We took a group picture at the snake temple which cost us RM15, but the picture is not scanned yet. So I cannot upload it here.

We took this at the backyard of the temple.

This is not fake.

Even my hubby also went there before

Nothing much to see in the snake temple. It was like yearS ago when I visited the temple- there were still only a few snakes. After that, we went to have a look of the well nearby the temple.

This was one of the eyes of the dragon
according to the legend.

And here is the history of the well:

After that, we went to have an hour window shopping at Queensbay Mall.

The X'mas decoration at Queensbay Mall.

Then we went to have our lunch at the food court nearby.

Char kuey teow

Yam kuih

Asam Laksa

Don't-know-what-it-is-called

The food was not impressive. It didn't make my friends scream at its tastiness. So I complained to the tour guide about it.

We made our way to Penang Hill after the meal. Half way, Hon Tong's car could not move at the traffic lights. *Sweat* Then Alvin quickly went to the petrol station nearby to get a bottle of clutch oil for him. I thought Hon Tong forgot to pump in petrol as he didn't refill any since the day before.

We waited one hour at the foot of the hill as it was crowded with visitors. Besides, it was the first day it was reopened after two months of maintenance work.

The Chief Minister of Penang State, Lim Guan Eng also visited Penang Hill on that day with his family. But of course, we didn't bump into him. I only knew it the next day when I read the newspaper.

We saw a Caucasian couple while waiting for the train. I'm known for someone who likes to flirt, so I never miss a chance to take pictures or talk to any beauties or handsome ones. :)

Alvin approached them to ask for a picture instead, after being "pushed" by me.

We had a short chat with them. They were here for holidays. Malaysia was the second station after Singapore. They would go Bangkok after Penang trip. I then asked for their MSN, but they don't use it. Probably they use AIM? Then she asked if we play Facebook. But soon, as they were asked to board the train, we didn't manage to get the address from them. And they said they would meet us at the peak.

And guess what?! Our train was delayed!! We only reached the top like 45 minutes later. And they were still there! The girl passed us her Facebook email address. Alvin took it and I took out my phone to save it.

They are from Switzerland and speak French to each other. And then I also "took out" my only known French sentence- C'est la vie. *smile*And they could understand! I think I spoke quite accurately. *syok sendiri* They also invited us to Switzerland and offered themselves to be our tour guides! Is this being polite and friendly? Or is this just a norm of social?

Lovely couple, isn't it?

After bidding farewell and shaking hand (no kissing) with them, they headed to board the train while we continued to snap some pictures of the picturesque scenery.

Penang never loses her beauty of being the Pearl of Oriental.

Perhaps the pictures do not do the justice as they were taken by me, the amateur in shooting.

One last group picture before we left the peak.

The sisters.

We were so exhausted of the hot and dry weather and could not walk anymore. So the gentlemen, Alvin and Hon Tong went to take their cars which were parked far away.

We then had our dinner at Gurney Drive.

Fried flower crabs bought by Alvin
specially for the few of us. *Thanks Alvin*

Alan saw this crowd and could not resist not trying.

Fried oyster. It was above average.

Then Shuzhen saw the signboard "Apong" and asked me what was that. So I bought a few for them to try.

Pandan Apong. Not bad, quite nice.

Then Alvin went to hunt for fried kuey teow as he claimed that he knows a little about fried kuey teow (his favourite food).

Not bad. But still cannot make us love at it at first "taste".

Asam Laksa. Not bad.
But still not the best I tried before.

Wan Tan Mee... Average only.

Curry Noodle. Average also.

At the end, we still didn't mange to scream at the food. So Alvin promised to bring us to try another fried kuey teow after shopping. He said it is mouth-watering.

He is Robert.
A silver "statue" which attracted quite many bystanders.
Saw him near Gurney Drive hawker stalls.

We went shopping in Gurney Plaza afterward. Shopping is always Alan's and GinHwa's favaurite. The rest of us don't really favor it. Hon Tong then suggested us to purchase a bottle of red wine, then to chat at the seaside in front of the plaza.

They were too expensive. At the end, we went out empty-handed. Students always live under tight budget. @@

g-hotel beside Gurney Plaza

Finally we went to sample the claimed palatable fried kuey teow. I was full that time, so I couldn't give much comment. But others said it was really mouth-watering. I will be back to try it one day!

*drool*

Alvin asked us to go the island earlier the next day for breakfast. He would bring us to sample the nice curry noodle. *Stay tune for Day 3*

We reached home at 11pm something. Then I quickly sat down to add the Caucasian in Facebook. But only to find out I deleted the drafted message unintentionally!!! Then of course, I asked for it from Alvin. Guess what?! He lost it also!! He didn't know where he had placed it. I tried to key in a few addresses based on my impression. Too bad it was no avail even until today!!!

And hence Day 2 ended...

Friends Paying Me a Visit: Day 1

I will split the visitation into three parts to make me easier to organize my idea.

We (Shuzhen, GinHwa, Alan and I) departed from PJ at 7am with Hon Tong as driver (as usual). Then we stopped at Bidor to sample the well-known wantan noodle.

I didn’t find it very impressive. Not only that, it was dear too, cost RM5.50 for each normal portion. Practically I think we cannot find any normal food as expensive as this in the small town, Bidor.

We then continued our journey North and finally reached my home at 11am. We can never question Hon Tong’s driving speed and skill. Imagine that, we stopped for breakfast, filling in tyre air, and pumping petrol and peeing (a rude word I know) too. My mum had got ready with the lunch which was steamboat. We like to use this to serve guests or visitors (our culture perhaps). However, we couldn’t eat much as we were still quite full with the noodle just now.

After lunch, without resting or taking shower, we went shopping at Megamall in Prai. Then we made our way to sauna. We really ought to burn some calories as we knew we would eat a lot in the few coming days. Sauna was always fun for me, as I could save up the time of jogging hours to get the fat burnt in sauna for half an hour! However we did worry about Hon Tong as he is too thin for that. We were worried he would come out vaporized!

The furnace to burn the herbs

Hon Tong and Alan like this dog quite much

Some views at the sauna site

After the rejuvenating or tiring (see how your body responded) sauna, we went home to have dinner. Then my dad borrowed a boat from his friend to bring us to see fireflies at the nearby riverbank. We were screaming like hell as the river was pitched dark! And though my dad was sailing very slow, I still shouted to ask my dad to slow down even more! What a shame! My dad was once a fisherman but his daughter has hydrophobia =.= At times, the shadow of trees on the river rendered great illusions. With the trees swaying and with the water moving, it was like big wave pounding on us or the water level was getting higher. I was seriously scared, but after I saw the logic behind then only I was relieved.

We quite enjoyed the view, I mean the fireflies. The trees were like Christmas trees decorated with yellow shining light. My dad did catch some for us to see (damaging the environment). Later Alan and Hon Tong also got excited and rose up to catch some too.

We reached home at around 11pm with a worn out body as we didn’t rest since 6am. All of us went to sleep right after the shower.

And hence Day 1 ended…

Hiking + Photographing

Went hiking yesterday with bro and sis and had a play on my trustworthy lousy Canon A640.

Update

Update,

for the sake of


updating.... :)