Glee

In conjunction with Kelly Clarkson's coming to KUL on Sunday, and for my love of GLee, here's one of my best piece from the musical series:

"My Life Will Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson/Glee Cast


On the surface, GLee seemed pretty much like High School Musical and upon hearing the word, you may see some ppl putting on the 'ewwww' or 'urggh' faces, but I shan't say so....It's really really good, esp. the mash up of some great songs and vocals by the casts. The choreography looked simple, but always make me wanna jump up the sofa and dance too..

...or maybe it's just me. I love musicals/theatre/plays. But personally, everyone should watch Glee. Oh ya, my mum adores this series...


* Oh, forgot to add that this Kelly Clarkson song is my 2nd best song from Glee. My ultimate Glee song is "Defying Gravity".

One case closed

Each time I tell people where I work, they will usually proceed by asking me "So, you work in KLCC ar? You've been up the skybridge?"

Duh!!

Of course I've been there, but like many other Malaysians, I used to take the Twin Towers for granted, as well as the KL Tower. Until I've worked in Petronas, I've not been to any of those fame towers (not because I have height phobic) but because I took for granted that those two Towers will not crumble anytime(?) soon just like in 9/11 or LOTR.

A daunting question: "So, Ivy, how do I get into the KLCC's skybridge, the general public can get in, right?".

I can never never give a definite answer to that question because I am just complacent about such things. My parents hated me for that.

Here are my 6 main excuses when ppl ask me how to get to skybridge:

6. I dunno about u lah but I got the staff smart-tag marr which brings me every floor including the bridge. Too bad for u lorr... :P

5. I know u must start queuing very early, but don't ask me what time.

4. No more tickets arr? I dunno how to sneak you in worrr, you wear soooo short skirt cannot go in wan....

3. Nothing wan lah...bridge only wattt!!

2. You wanna go for what, what if you pening-pening? Sign this disclaimer first. :P 

1. KL always hazy: no view, no point!

Cause honestly, I don't know. Thank God I can provide u with a good answer from another blog. A must read:  http://www.haimalaysia.com/how-to-visit-petronas-twin-tower-skybridge-for-free/

**Queue at 6am?!?!?!?

My experience in skybridge was a short but nonetheless a memorable one. In a nutshell: Just like I, my rusa-masuk-kampung colleague also have not been to skybridge. So he dared me to swipe my card open the sealed door to the bridge, and I did. We went halfway across the bridge and quickly phone camwhored. Then we felt eyes staring at us. Bad feeling. From the other end of the bridge, we saw a cross-looking security guard marched to our side but we quickly swipe the door and CABUT!!:

Because the sky bridge has 2 levels: ppl who worked at the towers get the access to bridge on the 42nd(?) floor whereas the public uses the 41st floor. On the 42nd floor, any each group/individual that passes the bridge must be escorted to the other side/end by a guard. If not, the guard will "OI!" you and chase u out if u masuk the bridge yourself - dun care you VIP or VP or CEO or CFO or UFO. :P

Case close?

Case closed.

Asia Cafe

We always commune Asia Cafe. While some 'members' are regulars, some are not. There were times we move to Murni (ex-SS2) but ever since Murni moved to its new site at Aman Suria (Sunway Mas), we've never looked back at any other options. It has been Asia Cafe ever since. Btw, Asia Cafe at SS15 - situated near Inti, Taylors, Metropolitan colleges, and to the delight of CNB - where many young leng luis pass by.

Asia Cafe no doubts offers a myriad variety of food. But I won't say the same for the parking spaces. You may park under the trees but it's never a good idea esp. at night because by the time you return from yum-cha, you'll soon realised the white, green, splats of torpedoes/missiles from the natural aviaries above. Find places to park where no trees are in-sight.

My fav - fried sotong

Claypot Lou Shu Fun

Asia Cafe does live up to its name. It has all sorts of stalls selling all sorts of foods. Asian food (of course!), Italian, American...you name it, you got it (somebody proof me wrong, pls). I wouldn't say all food there taste good; but I can vouch for the Korean food. 'Cause when I am in Asia Cafe, I usually go for Korean. The stall is right at the corner and is own by this Korean Man; of course, you see banglas managing the stall once in a while. You can't miss this stall; the Korean boss always stands right outside his stall, with his strong accent, luring passer-bys to his stall, even explaining the menu. From Dong Kkas to Bibimbap, food cooked here are all authentic, quite tasty, though the presentation is rather sloppy.

Bibimbap

Worth mentioning is the Italian kitchen - having the most handsome guy in Asia Cafe (he's the owner-cum chef). Plus, he is (authentically) Italian! I've never tried his food; only by look at him makes me full already. Hah!

You can't miss the seafood grilled as there are about 6 stalls selling grilled seafoods. I've tried the ikan pari before which was quite commendable :) However, if you want to choose a seat/table, don't sit right in front of those grills beause the chilly pepper or the spices e.g. sambal belacan they are cooking makes your nose itch the whole night! It's like you're being infected by some sneezing disease. Stay away from those A-labeled tables. But if you sit beside the Italian kitchen, you will also smell carbonara or bolognese sauces or the spicy pesto cooking at the kitchen - those smells really make your stomach itch. Which turns out to be a good itch - cause the smell will make you order a serving of spaghetti even after you've wallop the whole Bibimbap.

Fettuccine Carbonara from Asia Cafe

WTF, no Wifi!?!??! I recently brought my netbook and realised there's no free access to Wifi. What a big turn-off to a happening area such as this.

Otherwise, Asia Cafe is a nice place to hang out. Far for many others, but a good distance from my apartment albeit the toll.

But still, we have to suggest other places to hang out d.....Any suggestions?

This ain't Fishville.

You have a puppy dog; you have persian cat; you may have a ball python or probably a brood of chickens (which only applies to my mum).....

....the last time I had a pet was a tortoise that died in my captivity for 1 year...although theoretically it could live for 50 more years. I gave up.

Yes, that's how I got into rearing fishes as pet. And so you thought it was pretty 'simple': all you need was an aquarium, water, soil, stones, live weeds, filter. Done!

But noooooo.....life have to be difficult for you; easy is never in life's dictionary. There goes my blown filter (thank god my fishes weren't electrocuted). Then there goes 75% of my fishes lying dead a day or two after the initial aquarium set up. Then there goes my tame-turned-cannibalistic (hungry!) fishes which eats anything that is within the four walls of the aquarium. Plants got ripped off, fishes eating up their own dead friends. My only-female guppy was gang-banged/raped and died soon, I presumed, due to fatigue :P During the long CNY break, my only-female guppy died a horrible death due to extreme hunger of the other fishes.

It was a like a horror Zombie movie, but where the dead remained dead. My aquarium turned into a graveyard!

But that was 2 months back.

Today, after lots of professional help (thanks!) and some extra effort...I've got:

3 zebra fish, 6 baby guppies from my raped-but-dead female guppy (big big contribution by the female species), the 2 male rapists, and 6 cherry shrimp (although I can never see all 6 at a single time).

But 3 of the fishes need some dieting to do. Too fat.'

Next step: A siphon

I forgot to blog

A couple of subscribers to my blog have already doubted my dedication towards blogging and it's about time I post something now. The real issue is not that I have nothing to say; I have been procrastinating as usual. Now, let me update you subscribers(?) on my going-ons lately:

Feb was fab!

Gotten myself(?), no..my parents...a new car. It's a grey Perodua Alza. The downpayment for the Alza was dug-up from my(?) amazing, small-turning circle, cute, reed, mini-cooper-like Kelisa which I sold to a close subordinate. Though I felt absolutely depressed on the departure of my love of 5 years, it was about time I gave this great looking car up before the selling price drops. The good (or bad?) thing is that I still my(?) Kelisa is still very visible at my office parking area. Urrgghh..actually each time I see the Kelisa - it's a jab straight to the heart (it's bad). And the Alza I bought for my parents in exchange for the safer(?) Waja? - it definitely ain't my no. 1 car choice: as you can see it's an aunty-car!

I now drive my dad's Waja of 7 years. A huge, safe, but pariah (per-rye-ah) car, I should conclude. By all means: BIG BIG turning circle (sick!), huge ass, and eats up my petrol like oil is free. And this car has given me some heart-attack moments e.g. in the heart of KL-near Pelita. Thanks for coming to my rescue in a middle of a downpour!! :)

How could I talk about Feb without touching on the topic of CNY which passed me by like a swift wind. This year was different as I, if I am not wrong, have not celebrated CNY in Ipoh since 2005(?). I wish to have it every year in Ipoh if not for my dad's hometown being PJ. :( But nothing is as memorable as me putting on like 1-2kg(!) this CNY. And I can't seem to lose it despite the runs and swims.

FP and Gary ROM, of course...How could I forget :) What happened in between is none of my business...hahahaa...but I'm glad to have been part of her happiness. Almost 1.5 years have passed since she moved in and many eventful stuffs have come and gone between us. I'll cherished those moments together. I really hope someday I'll be happy like her. Hey FP, when's our next clubbing?!? Hahhahaa..

March seemed like a mix:

I do look like a prisoner/detainee in that yellow coveralls! But indeed, in March, I could prophesy that I will be prisoner/hard-labourer for my work/company. Datelines are coming up real-real soon and I would have to crack my brains and fingers for the entire month's installation.

But the month of March 2010 also began with a good dose of refreshing(?) jokes and comedy:

This month's Time Out KL's Comedy Thursday again has impressed me with new line ups (incl. Rudy from Hitz.fm) of comedians. One have to come to Zouk every first Thursday of each month to understand the impact it has done to me to the extend that I have the inkling feeling of going back each month(!), which is of course, quite unnecessary. Lots of jokes (with sexual connotation) this month. I loike! I laughed out sooooooo loud that I was embarrassed with my own laughter(soo rough!) and for those who were around me. Also would like to really thank someone for his company throughout this time and for tahan-ing all my crude behavior.

Energizer Night Race is up end of March. Let's wear-out our running shoes! I don't hope to improve my 10km time, but I hope that this run and the built-up to this run will sorta bring back my original body-shape :P

Til then, folks. P/S: Sorry for the punctuation overload.

Camel's hump

Have you seen a

camel hump?

This camel was humping a steering wheel!

Gong Xi Fa Cai

&

Dragon Horse Sperm God!!

The January Bag's Full

Before even January had set in, I knew this month will not spare me even a breath. The new year began with a red-carpet of high priority tasks at work and at home (play!). I anticipated all the busy-ness and the frenzy, but the stress level hit me like a bolt of lightning.

*sweat**sweat**stress* If January can be this 'crazy', I can certainly tell how amusing the rest of the year would turn out to be.

Not that I hate being busy. If you know me, I love being busy. I get excited. The adrenaline. As a dumb person, yes, I say "YES" to everything. I still go for events, make it for parties after parties, makan lunch with my foodie colleagues, teach swimming, diving, and have yet to cancel any yum cha appointments.

Albeit the tensiometer ringing high, when I accomplished many, I smile many too. Then ppl asked me how I find time to do soo many things and agree to almost everything, cause I just say: YES to almost everything.....almost...except Sleep.

**Sleep hates me and I hate Mr. Sleep. We are the worst of friends. Today is replacement holiday for Thaipusam, so it's also a day of replacement of all my missed-sleep.

In my January Bag:

1. YP and Bun's said YES at Chin Woo Assoc., Ipoh:

2. The next day, Mindy and Mathew Dass' both said YES. The sweet, purple-theme, amazingly geogeous wedding reception @ Gunung Lang, Ipoh:

3. Great time at Richard's NY's party @ his pad at Seksyen 14 (sorry, no pics) :(

4. Visited 3 amazingly beautiful caves and becoming emcee @ company's Environment trip to Felda Ladang Tekam, Pahang

5. Taking SSI Diving license at Pulau Payar, Langkawi from Cikgu Mansor:

6. And last but not least for busy JANUARY is: my new short fringe and straightened hair:

That's all for January 2010! Thaipusam tomorrow. Which could only mean: CNY Shopping til drop...

...but that's, of course, reserved for February...

Comedy Night Thursday - 7 Jan 2010

I had the time of my life at Time Out KL's Comedy Thursday at Zouk's Velvet Underground in December.

This Thursday 7th Jan 2010....I am be going to have a good laugh and 'steal' some good jokes for my own keepsakes :)

Pls join me! Honest, this ppl are really gooood and extremely funny....!



http://www.timeoutkl.com/performance/events/Comedy-Thursday-1st-of-2010

Booms!

I just woke up. Work can be taxing and tiring esp. when your work is 50% field work. Environmentalist marrr. Today, once I got home fr office, I ran a 5km, skipped dinner.....and slept at 8pm. I could tell the time I slept, cause the TV3 news just came on when I think I dozed off.

Now wide awake, I immediately continue restructuring a major part of my Ph.D. thesis(?!!?) and mumbled to myself why the thesis is never ever perfect for my Prof. or was it that they don't quite get what my research is all about (=bad thesis) and I have to keep rephrasing my sentences? And yes...many ppl still asked me why the hell am I still having late nights despite work starts at 8am. THAT WAS WHY.

I am full of little-little set-backs this year. Well, who doesn't have unlucky days? This year wasn't too good for me cause I wasn't quite in my "zone". Anyways, hope that 2010 would be a great year - afreshed, renewed. I dunno why, but I can't wait for the new year.

As usual, I would recap my year with significant events that have both saddened and delighted me:



January - CNY at KL, Ipoh, Bahau, Bukit Mertajam with my ex; I started Salsa classes at Havana with Callie

February - Swimming classes in Klang begins, which paid me well $$$$. But I was always catching a cold and my health was very fragile; my ex's mum passed away :(

March - There's a swimming class almost daily; $$$$ vs. cold/flu

April - Our currently stalled project - Petite Pink was launched.

May - Ph.D. thesis due; teaching swimming a lot

June - My low-profile birthday. My ex's dad passed away :( Broke-up due to inconcillable differences, Standard Chartered KL Marathon (my first competitive run in 5 years)

July - Baptised at FGA Ipoh! PETRONAS structured interview and passed!

August - Amazing Bali with Jonie, Riza, Nina, Cynthia!!

Sept - Hantar thesis. PIPE training at Bangi; Coffee-overdosed; Salsa Havana; My OWN swimming classes.

October - Real work starts; my thesis thrown back at my stupid face for major corrections; Wacky Bar @ Jaya One.

November - My first gaji....ooo0... belanja satu dunia! Coffee-overdosed (again).

December - LOL @ Comedy Night at Zouk! and.....my upcoming xmas eve party!

More importantly, I am still one piece! Despite all, I still really love my life.

I am actually very blessed. Although one is never ever satisfied (human nature mar), can't complain much la, kan...

My selection for word of the year 2009: "Salam 1Malaysia", "Booms!", "See you at the run", "Teoh Beng Hock"

Trends 09

The year 2009 is coming to an end and I personally have spotted some 'trends' this year alone. These trends have affected me in many ways, directly or indirectly. Usually they affect me directly in monetary terms. Except the chanel-inspired bag, and the engagement (cause I am still very much single and I've got a genuine Chanel bag), I 'buy' these trends quite seriously:


1. Engagements (cough, cough)!!

Wooo...I know I am in my late 20s and that's where all your friends have gotten themselves hitched or married. But hey, I've never been to so many weddings in ONE year before! Pokai!! (Kidding, I love attending weddings.) And plus, I've never heaard of soo many engagements in ONE year which involved close friends...

**Mayday! Mayday! These are the trends that make singles like me go a little restless, uneasy and bewildered. I think I need Prozac to calm myself down. (read: watch the movie Bride's War and you're understand...)




2. Hairbands

I admit I have 4 hairbands! I first spotted the hairband-trend in Emma Watson. She never leaves home w.o one (I guess lah cause I've seen her ample times on red-carpets wearing one). I watched Twilight and Bella Swan too wore her fringe up with a plain black hairband. Though it's just plain nothing, I love it!

One great place to get hairband and won't burn your pockets would be at any Padini Concept Stores. They have simple, yet fashionable hairbands which can lasts you forever. A plain one is not wrong, but preferably get one that has a pretty ribbon, studs or bling-blings on it. It's an accessory that is hard to go wrong!

I have a huge/wide forehead, where any fashion-police would strictly discouraged me from putting my fringe up (and show my shiny 'headlights'). But, one reason put my hair up was to prevent zits on my face and hair that irritates my skin while I work. There!

3. Diving

Not the olympic diving. But the Scuba Diving. I've seen that in this year 2009 alone, many of my friends have gotten their diving license. I've enjoyed snorkelling all this while and have decided to take one step further into diving. I love the sea (but not the tan), and since my work involves the sea and environment, I believe I should do this...of all ppl! Plus, hey...I am a swimming teacher.

I'm going to get my diving license this January with my petronas colleagues. One colleague of mine is a Master/Pro diver and works for the company fixing pipes and pipe-leaks underwater, etc. Isn't that cool!? 22-26 January 2009 (tentatively). Langkawi Payar Island. We didn't plan for East Coast's trips cause of the monsoon is said to persist until January. The weather is soo unpredictable nowadays!

P/S: Anyone interested can join us! This is not company trip. It's a personal trip, k.... contact me if interested for any dives/holiday.



4. Miu-Miu-inspired skirts



Need I say more?!??! But I noticed this was an early-of-this-year 2009 trend. Maybe because of Gucci's runway shows at the beginning of the year, many ppl horde into buying such skirts. It's pretty, waisteline-flattering, very feminine and but only if you've got nice long legs to show. Not everyone can pull this look off: your top must be skin-tight and plain to counter the flare of the skirt. You can add a clincher and do blend it with some heels.

I've got a TopShop skirt which is Miu-Miu inspired. I've been out twice in it. Amazing feeling!!




5. Running
It ALL started in SC's KL Marathon 2009. I see many friends and even swimmers (I spotted Daniel Bego at KL Marathon) running eventhough it was never in their genes (*unlike Jonie and Boon King). It was THE starting point of everyone's today's enthusiastic runs henceforth.

Ppl like me have been running since Form 6. But I stopped because there was no motivation. No kaki. But now, the trend has reignited and so is my motivation. It too started with the KL Marathon. I've stopped running for 5 years and my last run was the 10km Ipoh Run by Roadrunners. And though I will never stop swimming, I have started to love running and began running once again.

And backtracking to my previous post, I clearly have gotten myself a pair of Adizero.


6. Chanel-inspired bags/handbags/purse

If you browse thru the e-boutiques and other online stores, you will see these blogs selling replicas of Chanel bags or -inspired ones. Chanel's bags are not difficult to noticed. The features are outstandingly simple: quilted, bulgy squares; long, hooked, heavy-chained shoulder straps; magnet/clip-on lids; made of leather or velvet. You seldom see aunties holding a Chanel (!); it's the younger chics who are doning it so well (no matter genuine or not). So, so long LV and Gucci!!

FYI, one genuine Chanel tote costs at least RM6k.

7. Facebook games

Most ppl started with Barn Buddy, Farmville. And now it's Cafe World, some say Restaurant....watever!

But I have to admit. I am into Mafia Wars. Hooked!

8. WTF

WTF=what the f**k. I've spotted this word in a gazillion blogs and forums. Even I use it a lot in this blog!

And if you're driving in KL, start spotting the current KL number plates e.g. WTF 5560. Don't get into the paths of these cars!

________

Ivy-out! (with a swollen back, and a permanent head damage). Yah, I fell in a bathroom. Don't let it be a trend.