Happening 2006

Chinese will call the new year 2007 as the year of the pig, or khinzir (cannot say 'ba**). Health minister, Chua Soi Lek said that we should not eat pork because of the cancerous substance called beta-antagonist used by some farmers to make pigs grow fat. Too bad because I love makan bakkutteh and can't keep myself off from it unless somebody finds me a chick-kut-teh in town as replacement. Btw, chick-kut-teh - even how good also, I bet, cannot beat the taste of pork.

One year passed soo fast. I still remember myself struggling in the first semester of my Ph.D. programme. Dr. Tan, Sam, Pui Wah and Kaynoosh and I were sooo close; we were dubbed the the most unlikely friends ever. Ahhh....now we are soo far (geographically)apart. Pui Wah in Taiwan and Kaynoosh finished her Masters, going to Australia.

I would also remember this year where I started teaching swimming to kids. Kids are a wondrous lot. Nowadays especially. They are sooo smart that you can't trick them anymore to get into the pool. They question their teachers (and swimming teachers) as if they know more than you do. You tell them that they can't drown (it's shallow!), and they don't believe you. And after 6 months teaching these kids, they still call me 'Aunty'. Cheeeez. Thanks Hafiz for the teaching opportunity.

2007 - Toll naik, petrol (most probably) will naik . What more can I say. I am sooo dependent on all 3 LDP tolls --> I will die lah....60% increase? SemiValue - you considered it the lowest in the world. But, wei, how many bloody tolls are there in this whole Klang Valley, hah? Yes, low payment, but sooooooooooooooo many tolls. And the traffic jams?! It's a disgrace - RM1.60 and still stuck in traffic immediately after the toll booth. Many racial disharmony issues were brought to attention in 2006. Toooo many. Racial issues are normal in Malaysia, but none were properly resolved. That's the problem. Resolve lahh properly. Our PM should jump in to resolve the problems ASAP, but most of the time, he intervened too late. All I can say is that the racial thingy in this country is already - bagai telur di hujung tanduk. Verge of breaking down. I think people are going to burst out anytime. ANYTIME. Remember May 13? I am scared though.

I should say this year generally isn't that all good. My appendicitis struck mid March, then came my car accident in September. I have, I would say, a permenant injury on my left wrist due to aikido. Thank God it is my left wrist. But good things did happen too. My scholarship by Kuok Foundation saved me at the nick of time (I was quite broke that time). I passed 3rd kyu in June - it was great. Networked with many great professors and ppl in bio-research during the recent agriculture congress - a good start.

Year 2007 - I dunno what is installed for me. Dear God, this year I pray for: no increase in petrol price; MNG and Zara sales whole year; my beloved car is loyal to me (pls don't break down); breakthroughs in my research; my friends are still my friends; my parents are in good health; people will love me for who I am; I can flip properly and make good ukemi; and I strike lottery.

Friendster blocked in UPM again

UPM has once again blocked the access to Friendster and related websites. How cruel!

Aisehhhh, how come for the last 6 months it was allowed, and then boomm (!)...went out again.

Is Friendster is bad for the academic community? Hmmphhh....block MSN and block Yahoo messenging then!

Thinking bac

E. coli is one of the most common bacteria, and what I meant by the word 'common' is that we can find it in our gut (it is basically harmless to human, animals), and we usually use it in genetic engineering, esp. in cloning purposes. However, the strain Escherichia coli O157:H7 is now being identified as the culprit in the recent outbreak of E. coli poisoning in the US. CDC has yet to establish the source from which the disease spread. It could come from the cheese, milk, or more probably vegetables like spinach and lettuces; some vegetables may have come into contact with feces of animals. The bacteria may even arrive on our food thru' the fertigation system. I am not sure about the situation in The US, but it interest me a lot because I believed that last September, I was victimised by some bacteria thingy tooo......

It was Sept. 2006 that we had our annual aikdo camp near Betong, foot of Genting. Well, my boy-boy had already realised that our lunch was not fresh. He claimed that the pok-choy has this pesticide-laden-taste kinda feeling, and does not look fresh either. However, I went on gobbling up my lunch. Aha, upon returning to my house....the same night, I developed some nausea feeling; I felt sooo weak that I can barely wake up. The headache was soo bad. Pounding on my right eye socket. It was sort of like some migrain. I took a whole lot of Panadol, eventhough I know that was not recommended, but even the pills could not help. Next morning, in the lab, I was vomitted, and my lab stinked! Vomitting all out couldn't help either. I thought throwing-up would have solved the problem, but it didn't. The pounding on my head was sooo bad that i couldnt drive back home.

The next 2 days (!!) was hell. I had this appointment with an Australian company and together with my professor (I drove!). I was already shivering in the car. During the meeting, I couldn't even concentrate. It was a shame, because the meeting was very fruitful, and imagine this - I didn't talk much. Usually, I would be the one dominantly speaking in the meeting. :) Anyway, my fever was soooo bad (my supervisor did not know), and freezing, I drove my supervisor back to UPM, ran straight for the toilet bowl and vomitted.

Many people who joined the camp also experienced the same problem. I heard that Kow sensei was also sick, Jong Yan and others too. I could have gone to the hospital, and that is, if Dr. House were there to diagnose me. Love him. Til today, I have no idea what triggered the whole thing or what was that bloody sickness all about. I implicated that the bacteria Salmonella typhi was the bloody cause of it. Typhoid. It was the most probable cause.

Twist

"Durian". What a funny name given for a typhoon/twister hitting the Philippines. I thought it was 'Duu-ren' as pronounced by the newscaster on StarAsia, but read the headlines on the local papers today...and it was... hmmphhh: 'DURIAN'. I pity those people. Imagine durians flying/twisting around.

My co-supervisor told me to twist my head a bit more. He said, "Ivy, you've gotta twist you head more lah. You've got data, but no breakthroughs". I wonder what he meant. Maybe I will just pop in a few esctasy pills and my brains (and head) would definitely twist more. Ahhh, then sure got breakthrough wannn!

Suppose to order a machine from China for some research stuffs. I needed an agent that does importing to get me the machine. My uncle imports printing machines and he is willing to help. He said that my machine is 'sap-sap'sui' to import into Malaysia compared to his larger stuffs. He said, all you need is to 'pusing'/'twist' the invoice a bit, and this Malaysian kastam sure won't know wannn..... He said he knows alllllll the 'lobang-lobang' to get this machine into my unversity. My uncle knows ALL the 'twist' and turn of the shipping & importing machine thingy. He's been doing it for years.

All this twist and pusing in a day. Pening already.

Seishinkai Video - At The Beginning

Exclusively for: Seishinkai Aikido people out there:

View the Seishinkai Aikido video at Youtube.com

Click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hGbxn6vLKA

or watch it here:




Thank you Daryl for suggesting to me to upload this video on YouTube.


Love,
Ivy

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_/