Prestige, Punked!, Boiling Point (MTV)

ThePrestige - the best movie of the year 2006. Thanks Eddie for recommending it. I've always love Brad Pitt, but after watching this movie, I think I've fallen in love with Hugh Jackman. I think he's real sexy. No doubt - Hugh Jackman - the sexiest man today! Sorry Brad, you've lost the spot.

I watched Punked! in V-channel last week with my boyboy at home. There's this Ashton Kutcher who plays teribble-and-very-real pranks on celebrity, and last week, they played a superb prank on Hugh Jackman. His friends house got 'burned' due to a barbaque stove that was aledgely switched on by Jackman. Ashton's team managed to actually 'brought down' the whole house, together with so-said one million dollar art pieces in the house. Man, I pity Hugh Jackman....he almost cried. His friend was damn good in acting. I mean, this is the first time I pitied a guy from being Punked! I've seen many, many celebrities being Punked!, but this was the most pitiful because the prank was absolutely real!

I also watched MTV Boiling Point (Malaysia version) on MTV. (Okay, I love watching these kinda stuffs). There this prank that MTV plays on people to make them go fuming or enraged(!), and if the person didn't end up on a killing spree, then he/she wins RM200 on the spot. Guess what, my lab mate was being 'boiled', but she managed to last 10 minutes without getting mad/angry, and MTV gave her the RM200! I told her today that I saw her on TV and she was soooooo embarassed, and said that she almost punched the guy (who pass her a burned CD instead of a original one in Tower Records). And she said she wouldn't think anyone would watch MTV's Boiling Point in Astro."Because students usually don't have Astro maaa". Oh yeah, so I am the only exception - she was shocked that I managed to recognise her on TV. Never thought people would recognise you, hah!!?? She haven't even watched herself on Boiling Point.

'Piano Life'

Right after I stepped into my big (relative to my small apartment in KL) house in Ipoh, I throw my baggage on the floor, headed for the piano, opened the piano cover, and started banging to simply any tune. It started on with some familiar chords which (suddenly!) led to a favourite praise and worship song I sometimes play on church cell group meets. The song, I think, was called "Shepherd of My Soul'. I dunno how my fingers just suddenly end up playing the whole song (you know, I barely could remember the tune), but I couldn't stop my hands from playing it! Like some 'autopilot'.

I remembered my dad and mum spending half of their savings on me for piano lessons. I finished my Grade 8 when I was Form 4 (parents were sooo 'terribly' happy), then continue to Diploma level after form 6, but my diploma in piano pursues were over after I got a place at UPM. I loved to sing/play all those church songs that I actually asked my diploma piano teacher, who was a Christian, to teach me nice new worship songs and their chords. I love piano, but I knew I was never talented in music. I think hard work paid off the I actually passed all 8 exams. I could never play by ear, which was the saddest thing in my 'piano life' (if that's what you call it). I envy those kids in Yamaha lessons, whereby they weren't soo good at reading the tauge notes, but could play the entire song by just listening to it twice! I also envy many of my friends - Chris, Kevin (I've seen him play), Shereen, Jamie, Praveen, my ex-roommate in UPM, etc. I am not gifted. I am just hardworking. That's all.

I ran upstairs to my bedroom. From my cupboard, I pulled up all my certs from Grade 1 til Grade 8, both theory and practical. Some already turned yellow. .....dated since 1990. Checking back, my happiest piano moments were in Grade 7, where I did extremely well with a merit, 2 marks to a distinction. Worst was Grade 8 where I managed only a pass, almost near the border line. The kwai-low examiner asked me about some composers during viva, whereby I just gazed at him without a word. I almost died during oral test too. My 3 pieces and scales were good, actually. I am a pro in reading the tauge notes...hahahahahhaa.

My mum always tell me that she would never let her grandchildren play piano, or any musical instrument, ever! Because, it's bloody expensive, or useless after we've all grown up. Nobody uses music in their life (?!). Especially piano. Worst come to worst, play a guitar (because of its mobility).

I have a different thinking all together. We need to appreciate music. When we play the piano, we are inducing some kind of thinking, using our emotions, trying to come out with good tunes, planing out the whole song, and we are praising/worshiping God! I never regreted having to know the piano, as an instrument to worship Him.

SHEPHERD OF MY SOUL (D key):

Shepherd of my soul, I give You full control
Wherever You may lead I will follow
I have made the choice to listen for Your voice
Wherever You may lead I will go

Be it in a quiet pasture or by a gentle stream
The Shepherd of my soul is by my side
Should I face a mighty mountain or a valley dark and deep
The Shepherd of my soul will be my guide

The Devil Wears 'Pataling' (Street)'

I browsed my closet today....Nothing nice....dunno la, maybe I just love being casual. This is what happens when you are not working. When I was working (last year), I got many nice dresses, skirts, and blouses. Aiya, then in public university, if you wear just a little nicer (cheez, like wearing a working dress/skirt to lab), and all eyes will be staring at you. Either they think that you look nice, standing out from the crowd, or they may think you are silly to dress so nicely.

Oh, all were so different when I was in Singapore Uni. Sphagetti straps and micro-shorts, mini-skirts are ample there.

I read the book 'The Devil Wears Prada' recently and managed to catch the movie too. Well, I really love all the dresses Anne Harthaway (An-dre-ah) wore after she had a makeover of herself (to impress her boss). How I wish I had those luxurious stuffs, coutours, Prada, Gucci, YSL, Jimmy choos, etc.! No, no,no how I wish I were < size 4!! (I am sooooo not size 4). No, no, no, how I wish I had the money! Wait, the most expensive stuffs I have in my closet are only from Zara, MNG and TopShop. Better not list down all the other craps, pariah brands. Malu je...

Cheeez, my closet also got: swimming suits, goggles, swimmingcap, 2 sets Aikido dogi (yucks! slightly off-white, yellowish colour some more), Aikido blue belt, brown belt, a banana boat sun-block lotion, and a japanese (this one expensive) SPF 130 sunblocker.

Wait! Wait! WAIT! I actually do HAVE a Prada (no kidding):

But this Prada Tee-shirt got story behind it: My aunt gave it to me; It's size 8! Goodness! The she said it's ori (betul, ke? Macam tipu je..) Then, one day, I forgot to separate it from my other laundry, and eventually, this Prada got it's harshes machine wash experience in its entire life: Two crystal studs came off from the word 'Prada'. Pity. Then, I ate some curry laksa - kena some minyak stain near the Prada word. Apalah macam....

Okay, confirm: even if I had a Prada, I wouldn't know how to take good care of it. And even if this Prada is original (as claimed by aunt), it is as good as Petaling Street punya original Prada.

p/s: Brian once said to me: The Devil wears brown belt.

Kuok and Oscar

I was invited to the Kuok Foundation Award Ceremony which I 'striked' (lottery) after last month's interview. I did feel like a lottery ticket because I found out the there were only 2 receipients this year for Ph.D. (out of MANY interviewees)! Another receipient was a girl from UKM, doing research on molecular medicine (cancer research), just a year older than I, and fast-tracked thru' Ph.D. too. I think her name was Wong something something....sorry!

The son and daughter of the late Tun Hussein Onn's was present, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chye Kuok (manages the Shangri-La hotel business), datuk-datuks and my interviewers were also there!!! (Hisshamuddin Hussein wasn't there - a set back!). I was glad I met with all of them, mixing with 'big-shots' was what I wanted all this while, because I've always believed in networking (think SIF!) as the way to grow further and succeed in live. I realised that their perspective of things are somewhat different and their advices came in handy. I am glad to be invited into this elite club of scholars!

Wong something something, GM of Kuok Foundation: Lynette Ng, and I

I went shopping after that, but shopping was also quite torturous because I have to button-unbotton, zip-unzipped my shirt a thousand times just to try on the clothings. My boy took me out to eat the famous pan-mee behind his office for dinner. The pan-mee was absolutely superb, but the price is mad! Sooo bloody, dead, freaking expensive for a small bowl of pan-mee. But my boy-boy pays for me, so I just eat only.

I thought this year was bad year for me. It wasn't entirely afterall. True? True?

I want to dedicate this award to several people (like an Oscar speech): First, to myself for unbelievably convincing during the interview, My parents who are just soooo happy I could pay for their bills now that I have money, my supervisor who took time writing all those recommendation letters and dunno-what letters to Kuok, to Yeng Pooi who knows of someone from received the scholarship before (g00d luck in Taiping!), to Callie, Beatrice, Fee Yen whom I met last weekend (Fee Yen, manage my money well, k?) and my boy-boy who feeds me fat (with pan-mee) and love me fat too.

Back from Camp

Just came back from Aikido camp in Selesa Hills. Camp was great! The best part was actually meeting back my old Aikido friends who were long missing in action, and those who has graduated and are working now. Joaane was a surprise. She's earning big bucks now doing what Donald Trump does best - real estate. I am somehow embarrased to tell her that I'm still studying. After talking and chatting with old friends there, I realised that many of them took different paths/career from which they thought they would be. Well, it's not unusual to do something totally different. The most important thing is to enjoy what you do, and have passion for it.

I love my current situation now, but I am not without my thoughts for the future. Leaving the country would be amazingly great. I envy the thought of Bun in Hawaii doing his MBA. My friends from SIF are all over the world. And I just met Nazlin who will be aiming to do her MBA in Harvard Business School. I envy my parents who took the largest step in their lives by going to Australia and leaving almost everything they have in Malaysia. If my parents could do it, why not I?! Why am I always stuck here?

However, the decision that I am about to make now may contradict everything I have planned: See, there's this scholarship that I am about to take would require me to remain in Malaysia and work here - minimum 5 years. Hah!! See, See,see or not?!.......Can't go overseas anymore (I mean, in the near future)! S*#T. So, how now?

Plus, there was this time were my Aikido sensei was like asking me not to go anywhere further than KL. Hahahhaa. He told me to remain in KL so that I can help out in Seishinkai. Hehhehee. He's so cute. Chris TJK also mentioned in his blog about changing job, and I am like, everyone is soooo on the MOOOOOOVE.

Suddenly, I still remember what an Aikido friend told me: Very hard to find 'food' in Malaysia. (hou ka nan wan sik ahhh...)!

How now? One life, one crucial decision, one poor person to make the f^&*ing decision.

Click on Link to go to Aikido Camp's pictures! Click arrr...
http://cchivy.blogs.friendster.com/photos/aikido_camp_selesa_hills_/

Married...(not me! Yet)

This month itself I've known of 5-6 friends who are getting married or plans to get married. I was surprised by the number! But after thinking about the whole thing, I realised that we are all in our marrying stages of lives. I am 25 this year. Most of my friends are either older or younger than me 1-2 years. So, it shouldn't be surprising to me as this is the age where ppl should move on. No surprise to me if another 10 of my friends come running to me with their wedding invitations!!

Congrats to all my 5 friends. Aha, problem: where do I get all the hong-pau money hah....

When I was in my teenage years (say, 18-23 years), we girls will all giggle when we speak of people getting married, or even have a boyfriend! All love (at that time) was puppy love. Nothing stays. But, now, at this age at 25, if you don't have a boyfriend/girfriend, it's weird. Poeple will ask you why, and try to recommend you one. And somehow, you won't shave it off. "It is time", you realised.

When I asked my friends when they will be getting married, they won't even brush off the question. They are thinking about it!!! It was different if you ask them the same question 2 years back. hehehhee...

Weird day with my supervisor...

Yesterday, I had lunch with my co-supervisor. He reprimanded me for not consulting him on my temperature bioassay that I did last week. Well, I thought he was on leave and I assume that he would go on vacation or something. Oh, now I realised that (he told me) that even he's on leave he will return to UPM to finish some work. Weird, isn't it?! On leave but still in office?

Lunch was great. We chatted couple of hours. He tought me how to use the haemocytometer in the restaurant. Eyes were staring when he spoke rather loud and I guess people around was wondering what was this person doing - teaching a girl something with his pen and paper on the table, instead of a nice piece of meal on it. Again, isn't that weird?!

Oh, another weird thing is that he heard a-very-loud- knock on his office door yesterday at 7.45 am. And, when he opened the door, nobody was outside! He said that he was definitely not hallucinating. Hungry ghost la, maybe. Weird hah......

He complained that students in his microbiology class don't even know these words (see list below). He was lecturing about "Man and Agriculture" and he never knew that the universitiy student's mind and knowledge is soooooooooo shalllow and poor....very shallow indeed, if you don't know these words (below). I was surprise that students do not know:

1. B.C. and A.D. (as in 2006 A.D. and 2006 B.C.)      see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B.C.E

2. a bison

3. a mammoth

4. Noble prize winner for peace (just name anyone)

.....and the students were blank, blur, and..whatever you call it - dumb founded!

My say is: Education without Discovery channel sucks! Don't they just watch a little tv?

He told me to leave this country ASAP. It's a time bomb here. "Finish your Ph.D. and off you go, Ivy!"

Guess which is which:





 

"don't be afraid of injury(ies)"

I was just waiting for this sentence to be said! And yesterday, my Aikido sensei mentioned it so clearly - "Do not be afraid of being injured" and "Do not be afraid of pain". Everyone is afraid of pain, but you will never know when pain comes. It is not the pain that I fear, it is the lingering thought of never knowing when this pain will actually hit you! Curiosity kills the cat.

This month alone, i sustained 4 injuries. One to my right hand (7 stitches!), one to the knee (bone), one to the wrist (sprain), and lastly (I hope this is the last!) one to the foot (bruise). How cool is that!? I some more had an old injury to my toe (not healed yet). Errrr, most from Aikido.

Each time the injuries hit, it is painful. But, I can stand excruciating pain. I just can't stand wondering when the next injury will hit. Just want to tell everyone in my life that my pain is my responsibility. I have never blamed anyone for the pain I sustained. In fact: no pain,no gain. I have learned soo much from pain. Learn from the pains and problems we face each time in life.

Come what may. I will praise God.


 

Accident!

This year (2006) is not a very good year for me in general. Ya, early quarter this year, I had my appendix burst and was admitted to a private hospital to get it removed. I almost died, literrally (the surgeon said so). The costs of hospitalisation was so bloody high, my dad himself couldn't hide the amount from me. 2 months later, my uncle passed away, due to an injury sustained from an earlier accident. He fell from the motocycle, and his ribs burst thru' his lungs. It was a sad condition.

2 days ago, my car skided as I was travelling from my house in Puchong to UNITEN to teach some kids swimming. Well, it was my very usual trip - using Putrajaya road towards UNITEN. It was drizziling that morning, but I won't blame the rain. Maybe I did drive fast (I didn't check how fast I drove), but I know I was not very fast....because it was a blind corner. I always slow down there. I think my constant breaking round the corner made my car very unstable. Anyway. the car skided and I saw the lamp post coming. My hands blocked my face from the impact (guess it was any girl's reflects!). Bloody hands, can't even open the door. Somebody sent me to the hospital, clean the wounds, 6 puncture wounds on my hands only, got myself a tetanus shot, went to the workshop. My car - thank God, engine and chassis was fine. Kemek in the driver's side. Survived a horrible crash. Anyone who saw my damaged Kelisa would have thought the driver could have died or at least sustained major injuries

Going back this week to Ipoh to get the other car. Car is my life. No car means no school, no teaching swimming, no aikido and no life. I need a car. Thank God for great parents, great relatives, great brother, and great boyfren - thanks Henry.

Bad year for physical growth, but great year for moral suppport and friends. My supervisor supports me 100%. My lab mate are such nice ppl. People in my life are sooo wonderful.

To Shawn: Thanks!

Yesterday, I met my former senior who is now currently attached to the Department of Biology, UPM. He's now studying population genetics on termites. He did his Master degree in Uni of London on taxonomiy. When I was in my degree years, I met him through Ikatan Kristian UPM when he was the president at that time. He is mixed chinese and indian and yesterday he told me he's Mexican! He claimed that he changed his name to Rodriquez, Banderas....whatever! Duh!! I found out that he still possess the same great smile and sense of humor as before, and still have the greatest passion for insects, just as I do.

Many people question my interest in studying insects. But I studied insect or n area called Entomology because of:

1. Insects are one of the most successful organism in this planet (in fact, I believe that it is the most successful). You can just tell by its number of species in this earth - millions of species! In fact, humans are learning much from their adaptability and survival for millions of years in this crap earth.

2. My senior: He was the one that convinced me that studying insects is interesting. I frowned everytime I see him because he would actually talk and talk about his research on insects when we meet face to face. Ahh...and he finally convinced me to joined 'Pest Management' major. And when he graduated, I heard he was working with FRIM - studying insects, of course.

I was surprised to meet him again yesterday in a cafeteria in UPM. I actually said thank you to him for introducing me to Entomology. I told him that it is an area of reseach that I, now, could never let go - thanks to him. He added (soo damn action!) that he was also the one who brought POP SHUVIT's lead bass player to it's fame today. No kidding! THAT, I believe.

I believed because he has changed not only mine and the bass player's lives, but many others today.

Thanks Shawn.