Firstly, I really have come to terms with my body and know that I am not fat (those of you who are tsk-ing and claim that I am in delusion...SHUT UP). But today was really the first time when someone came up to me just to say:
(wah, zou mat gam fei ah? Mou gam fei ah? >>> Wah why are you so fat? Never tried to slim down?

She is my mom's old friend from Sabah. Granted, I was wearing a particularly unflattering white tank (oh so comfy but Justin hates it) and a denim skirt with my geek glasses. However, my tongue nearly bled while I bit back the desire to say,
(ni pai heng fei a ma...nei mm zhi a? >> It's fashionable to be fat these days...didn't you know?)

Nope I didn't say those words. I was also secretly cursing the culture that I was in where elders are allowed to insult the younger ones while the younger ones are only supposed to smile and respond in the affirmative.

Bah. All I did was smile a fake one.

This is really the first time someone has said so in my face. Granted, at 15 years old, a guy have told me that "You'd look better if you lost a bit of weight" and AMC friends have commented recently that "Wah you are so fat la" but I've always dismissed these remarks as rude and plain uninformed.

What is it about people that the first thing they say to you invariably has to be about your outward appearance? So I don't conform to the Asian childlike figures where the size labels read roughly as thus:
XL (nei mm sei dou mou yong la fei po >>> you are better off dead fat woman)
L (hou sum nei gam fei la >>> Please go and lose some weight)
M (gou zhong gam fei la >>> It's time to lose weight)
S (biu jun >> standard size)
XS (yun mei la >> perfect!)

So I've decided to come up with a list of responses to people who claim that you are fat right in front of your face. Any language is welcome as long as you don't use vulgarities within it. Try to be rude without actually appearing so. Snub the person without he/she actually realising it. Remember not to make any reference to your ability to snitch a man - the objective here is that our body is our own and not for others.

We may not actually say these out loud, but it's nice to play them at the back of our heads:
#1 It's fashionable to be fat these days, didn't you know?
#2 I don't particularly like to conform to societal standards of skinny=beauty.
#3 I think I look quite good. You mean I don't?
#4 Technically it's none of your business. My body, right?
#5 (in response to hints that you'd never get a man) You mean that the reason of me living is to get a man?
#6 (in reponse to questions as to how you will ever find clothes that fit) Well, I am wearing clothes aren't I?

Please girls, more responses.

In the end she had to say, "Oh my grand daughter is looking at your (my mom) daughter cos she has never seen anyone in glasses."

After the goodbyes that couldn't come soon enough, my mom obviously chose to avoid the sensitive topic of my size. She steered it to "She is my age and she is already a grandma!"

I asked my mom, "You want to be a granny?"

Wahahaha. She'd have a heart attack over and over again if she were a granny.

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Whatever la....here's the quiz link: http://quizbox.com/personality/test82.aspx

Get to know yourself better - though I still think it's random....I think the stuff that I've highlighted is pretty true hehe...

Your view on yourself:
You are intelligent, honest and sweet. You are friendly to everybody and don't like conflict. Because you're so cheerful and fun people are naturally attracted to you and like to talk to you.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:
You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:
You prefer to get to know a person very well before deciding whether you will commit to the relationship.

The seriousness of your love:
Your have very sensible tactics when approaching the opposite sex. In many ways people find your straightforwardness attractive, so you will find yourself with plenty of dates.

Your views on education
Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:
You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:
Success in your career is not the most important thing in life. You are content with what you have and think that being with someone you love is more than spending all of your precious time just working.

What are you most afraid of:
You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.

Who is your true self:
You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.

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The behaviour of these parents just goes on to show that they have learnt NOTHING from whatever AIDS campaigns.

IGNORANCE is bliss, so the saying goes. But for a private school off Upper Thomson Road, ignorance displayed by the parents of its students has proved costly - to the tune of $40,000.

That's 40 per cent of the school's annual operating cost.

The ignorance stems from the parents' fears that all gays are HIV positive - and a gay teacher would have infected everything he touched.

The school, the Centre for Exceptional Children, takes in students between 3 1/2 and 12 who have learning disabilities or who have low IQs.

In February, it came under the spotlight in a Straits Times report, which said the police had alerted the centre of a teacher's arrest for a sexual offence.

Read the rest of the article here.

So much for sex ed huh kids? Your teacher is gay and therefore whatever he touched could pass the yucky HIV virus to you.

It's a painful read indeed, as it just makes you come to terms with the reality that there are still people out there who are "not taking any chances". The SGD40k could have been better off spent on OTHER things for the kids, not the microwave oven and hot water flask and toaster that the said teacher had used.

Really, if you were a parent, would you have gone to such extremes?

Let's just hope that it's another issue hyped up by the most read Singaporean tabloid.

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Honestly, who would have thought that two skinny people could take up this much space?

And I came across the American Film Institute's list of top 100 quotes from U.S. movies. Not very comprehensive, I suppose. That's why there is this.

But if "I am the king of the world!" (Titanic) is there, then where is "You jump, I jump"? The quote that irritated the guts out of me during the Titanic-crazed period that invaded Ave Maria Convent?

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How I wished that I had my digicam with me.

I spotted this billboard near Greentown. Pensonic ad. 3 quarters of it was bright red with the company's name PENSONIC emblazoned across it proudly.

No biggie.

The other quarter was taken up by the sultry Amber Chia.

While I think Amber Chia's pretty hot, I don't get this ad. If I hadn't known that Pensonic were a company selling electical items, I would have had no idea whatsoever about what Pensonic was selling.

And can I say, this is an old, old, sexist, whatever-ist advertising strategy. And don't come to tell me that it works. Are you going to buy a Pensonic slow cooker cos of Amber Chia's pout? And yea, this advertisement has sure raised Pensonic a notch up or two on my "Cool Companies" list.

At least the Tongkat Ali coffee ads with the wrinkly old men served its advertising purposes.

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This has gotta be a joke. As much as I love reading sixthseal, I don't really find myself like what is described above.

I really very intimidating meh?

Okay la. My mom just said the other day that I am impossibly big - big body, big eyes, big nose and big mouth (literally and figuratively). *wahhahahaah*

I just need big hair to complete the picture.

But yea, I am simple all right. And too many people have told me that I am too simple for my own good. Ah well :)

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In other news, more interesting news from the seemingly quiet sister. I already see her enough at home. And she is going to be moving into EH as well!! Okay la, I am welcoming enough.

So she comes back from a late night gathering with her friends last night, sits down cosily on the floor as she recounts the night to my mom and me. Suddenly, she turns to me and says (in Canto):

Eh, I am going to be having a potluck with my friends next week. What can you make?

Tsk tsk.

Okay I might just whip up something. The perils of being the dai-ga-jeh (eldest sister). Or as Ernie would say, "ta-cheh" (da4 jie3). I have no idea where he gets his angmoh accent from. He just pronounced "Assam House" as "A-Sam House" the other day. Y'know, sam as in SAMuel.

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I was having a conversation with a guy friend that day who told me that he now has a boyfriend and I was telling him that I was so happy to see him so happy. And he tells me something along the lines that I am the first Christian that didn't condemn what he was doing.

What I told him was, it's not up to me to judge you. God told me to love my neighbours and I love him, my friend. Therefore, who am I to judge his sexual orientation? What I should be concerned about is that my friend is happy at where he is and whether his behaviour is right or wrong, it's not for me to judge nor to 'change' him. I don't know too much about homosexuality but the very least thing that I know is that people do not 'turn' gay nor do they 'choose' to be gay. They are as homosexual as we are heterosexual. I mean, 'we' as a stereotypically assumed heterosexual majority.

After talking to him, I was thinking...am I right about this? Did I like make up everything in my own head? Am I sure that God would be happy that I am not discouraging my friend from his relatively alternative lifestyle? I mean, the Bible has already clearly stated that homosexuality IS wrong. Have I succumbed so much to man-made knowledge that I've compromised my supposed position as a Christian?

Then I hit myself. Well, not literally but y'know what I mean. Why am I being so self-centered here? What matters is not the fact whether I support homosexuality, but the need for me to actually be a friend, to show the same love Christ has shown to me. A quick search in Relevant showed me an article that spot on all my questions, together with this:
"We need to exercise more love, less judgment. We need to reach out and say to people, “I can’t change you, YOU can’t change you, but I know Someone who can.” And then we need to make sure they understand that “change” doesn’t necessarily mean no more temptations, no more attractions, no more struggles (although it’s ENTIRELY possible). It means a change of heart, knowing they are valuable to God, and knowing that there is another way to live."
Julie Anne Fidler, The Difference Between Homosexuals and the Gay Lifestyle.

I am not quite sure where I am getting at. But I'll try to find out. Soon. But it's somewhere along those lines. Just needed to sort out 'em thoughts.

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1. Total number of books owned

I can't count the number of children's books (y'know, the Enid Blyton, Nancy Drews, Little House on the Prairie kinda stuff) but considering the boxes I had to pack while moving and the number of books that were bought here in Ipoh/KL throughout the years - I am guessing it to be 200-ish. Lit major mar.


2. The last book I bought

This is embarassing. I just bought Meteor Garden 1 & 2. All right, I am also a closet Taiwanese idol drama series junkie. Though I have technically only watched 3. Also bought Tash Aw's The Harmony Silk Factory 2 days ago.

3. The last book I read

The last book that I finished was Alison Smith Name All The Animals. It's a memoir where Smith recounts how her brother's death had affected her - and her family. Gripping and wonderfully written - it really showed the complexity of grief and it was really ironic how her mother would quote passages out of self-help books regarding the stages of grief when in reality - she was experiencing so much more. Am currently reading Love In the Time of Cholera. Slow, I know ;)

4. Five books that mean a lot to me

My entire 'Anne' series. I remember how as a ten/eleven year old, I would so look forward to the KL or Penang trips because it was only then I could get my Anne books (along with many others). There wasn't an exactly well-equipped bookshop in Ipoh then. So I built up my collection of 8 books slowly throughout 2 years. And boy, they are turning yellow and tattered now. I reread Anne of Avonlea last night and noticed that the price was RM10.90 for a Puffin Classic then. And I also thought about how amazing my parents were - we were probably living near poverty then (think no telephone, no CNY celebration) but they never failed to buy me all the books I wanted. And I suppose ten bucks did count a lot to them then. But I still cannot recall any moment where they'd refuse me a book on the account of the price.

This Enid Blyton book - Tales of Betsy May I think. My mom bought it for me at Ming Kiang (Kota Kinabalu) when I was 6 after I promised to brush my teeth diligently every night. It's my first vivid memory of asking my parents for books.

My old Puffin copy of Jane Eyre. While I may not exactly be holding up banners for Bronte right now, it was the first unabridged literary 'classic' I've read (I mean, if you exclude stuff like, say, Heidi or Peter Pan) and it was probably the first book that spurred my interest in English Literature. I remember reading it as a pure story book at age 11 (Bronte who?) and rereading it at the age of 15 with a greater appreciation.

KS Maniam's The Return. Sad to say, I have yet to own an actual printed edition of the book - all I have is a zapped copy. I had to read the book for STPM Literature in English and it was the book that began my current interest in post-colonial literature, especially that of the South East Asian region. In fact, my ISM is probably going to be on postcolonialism and Malaysian or Singaporean literary writings.

And I think the 5th one would be The Bell Jar. Admittedly, the first time I read it, I couldn't understand what was the big deal about this book. I am glad I decided to give it a second try. What then is sanity and how do you then define insanity? Again, a book that inspired my growing interest in this field - where do you decide where sanity died and insanity began? In fact, recently, there is quite a good HK film starring Eason Chan and Joey Yung that illustrates this dilemma - I have the DVD somewhere.

5. Tag 5 people and have them fill this out on their blogs

Serene
SY
Andrea
Sharon
Ron

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I can never say it in the lazy, sultry way Paris Hilton does.

I guess when you are washing your car in a black pleather barely-there swimsuit, all you really want to do is to lather yourself with the car shampoo and hose yourself down while downing "The Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger".

I hear feminists growling.

Oh and it's not suitable for work.

And what controversial ad would be complete without its spoof?

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Turns out I don't have to do my MOE attachment after all. Grar. And I blocked out the entire July for it.

So if anyone in SG has any temp job contacts in July - be it few days,few weeks....do lemme know? Or else I'd be rotting away in boredom and poverty when I go back to SG in July.

*wails*

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My boyfriend gives the weirdest responses...
Me: Dear I think I might have OD-ed on shopping this time around.
Him: Hmmm don't worry too much about it.

Maybe it's cos it's not his money. Wahhahaa.

And can I say that the chemistry Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had in Mr. and Mrs. Smith was amazing?

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Yes. Nearly literally.

Am down with a nasty case of eye infection which no doubt has to do with my extreme attachment to my contact lenses the bimbo inside me wails "But it's the greatest invention alive!". Hence, I've self-imposed a no-driving rule for myself for this week. The awaited Sabah trip (I was actually planning to go to Lahad Datu and Sipadan) is pretty much crossed off the to-do list as well.

Which translates to a week cooped up at home cos not many people are around anyway.

Which still ain't too bad cos I have a cross stitch project and several books awaiting.... And am itching to get The Harmony Silk Factory

The bad thing about being at home all the time is that I spend an excessive amount of time online...window shopping. Someone convince me please that I'd look horrible in a green wrap dress which is 90% similar to this (a more cheery green as opposed to the teal one here):

The one I've spotted is going for SGD48 which IMO is a pretty okay buy....unless someone wants to go hunting around Ipoh boutiques with me to find a similar, cheaper dress!

Then again, I don't need the dress, do I? *Imagines Mr. Kho nodding*

Anyway, so Phing and I watched Emily of Emerald Hill at Istana Budaya on Saturday. Well, not before a *little* shopping at BB Plaza and meeting Meng and her sister unexpectedly at Tangs Studio. That girl gave me a complete shock as she tried to barge her way into a not very decently-clad me in the fitting room! It was lovely to have met her though :)

So...I watched Emily technically the second time as I had watched the video of Ivan Heng's version of it in class during the semester. What surprised me pleasantly about this particular production that I attended last Saturday was that there was no stage at all. It was acted out on flat ground though the very small audience was seated theater-style. Hence, I looked forward to it eagerly.

Though I wouldn't exactly know how to evaluate which performance was better, they were definitely very very different performances. Ivan Heng's portrayal of Emily was more slapstick, with more comical features and definitely more audience interaction. On the other hand, Pearlly Chua WAS Emily. Both my sister and I were totally caught up with her performance especially during the second act. Though I did expect a lot more audience interaction, considering the nature of this play, I realised that it couldn't have been too possible when I took a look at the audience.

We attended the student matinee and I expected a roomful of reluctant students made to attend the play by a very enthusiastic Literature/English teacher. Boy, was I wrong. There were at the most 40 people in the audience - university level, primary school level, parents, sponsors and the retirees.

I swear I am going to be one of those enthusiastic teachers who force their students to attend plays :)

All in all, it was a good experience. Haha. I actually first met Pearlly Chua back when I was a Form One (think gawky, overweight, thick glasses, overly enthusiastic - yup that'd be me) kid attending a drama workshop. I still keep the little note she gave me:

"Keep up your smile. It lights up your face"

I try to remember that. Even 10 years later.

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"(I realised that)Malaysian men are not liberated enough to wear yellow shorts."

Wahahhaa.

Okay so there might be a slight misquote there but it's along those lines.

He didn't get through by the way.

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Those of you who know my brother will know his condition without much explanation....but what I discovered over the weekend is that he has shown a keen interest towards climbing. He has always been whining about wanting to climb that rope thingy at Meru (y'know, the one next to the tennis and basketball courts) and while we were at 1 Utama last weekend, there was a rock climbing promotion going on and we signed him up for a free trial. Though he didn't reach the top (the scaredy-cat claimed his feet hurt!) he definitely enjoyed the experience and wants to try it again.

So does anyone know of any rock climbing classes..... for kids....in Ipoh?

The chances are probably slim but the sister mentioned something at YMCA? I suppose I'll go there and check with them.

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celebrated my birthdays with me....

made DnD one of the most memorable events of the year....

survived through the brief but deeply felt separation of SEP...

braved the Penang crowds and hawker stalls....

went through the tears and perspiration and the laughter of EHOC...

made it a point to celebrate Mid Autumn every year despite papers and tests...

are the best clubbing friends ever...

celebrated more birthdays together...

sat together for a lastEusoff DnD together....

Along with many many more other memories tucked away in both our computers' hard disks and our minds,


It hit me REALLY REALLY hard today as I was flipping through my Photobucket album that D3 is NOT going to be the same this coming August. From the 2002 batch, only Serene and me remain on this wing where we have wept and laughed. IBGs, IHGs, DP, EHOC, birthdays, DnDs, bashes, late night suppers, late night *talking* sessions, shopping trips, corridor talks......

I am going to miss Boon for her late-nights-"I'll sleep on your bed and you wake me up in 15 minutes kay"...the evening pop-bys "Can I borrow your weighing machine?"....the very very occasional midnight runs.....the late night bitching sessions....

Going to miss Jerraine for the MSN conversations though she is only next door....her very dramatic phone conversations of which I can hear every word (hee)...her cling-clangs as she shuts her door to go out...the lunches she and Boon had in my room....

Sharon for the bitching sessions (that applies to every single one)....the whining about schoolwork.....the little encouraging cards and notes every exam period, Valentine's and Christmas....how she misses Ipoh's 'dai gou min'...Sharon being block head....

Andrea for her funky music.....the chats about moronic guys.....her laughter (omg her langhter)....the only one who understands my Canto....and hehe...Lionel...

I remember how Boon and I were looking through our own orientation pictures taken barely 3 years ago and commenting on how much we have all changed. The amazing thing is that the friendship we forged since then have made such an impact in our lives and is something that we'd bring close to our hearts for a very very long time.

To those who are leaving...the above la....the rest of us who are left will try to make the D3 presence felt kay? As much as I look forward to my academic work next semester, I dread the pending silence of D3. People like me and Serene and Su Leen and Bin Bin and Sujin and Chris must make the place noisy again!

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On Sunday, I declared to my mom on our journey from KL to Ipoh that I'd never never ever consent to working in KL. Unless I am given a fat paycheck and am located at a nice little suburb where I'd never have to venture out to the horrible, horrible KL city (think the Golden Triangle) unless I am in dire need for 3-for-RM10 DVDs.

However, the 3D2N getaway was fairly fruitful for both Phing and me. More for Phing though. Hrrrmph. The cons of having a sister who is your height but is 10kg lighter.

We also caught Ipoh Mali Kencing Tada Bunyi at The Actors' Studio. It's about Ipoh! And very, erm, aptly, represented through massage parlours, ministers playing golf, lawyers @ pubs, etc. Though everything was obviously done tongue in cheek, I found the jokes kinda lame {"Where there is a will, there is a HIGHway" being one of them) and there is only this number of sexual-connotated jokes that you can spin. Then again, maybe it's just me. However, here's their improvisation of The Sound of Music's Do-Re-Mi.

Do(ugh)....the stuff....to buy the beer
Re(ay)...the guy who sells the beer
Mi(e)....the guy who drinks the beer
Fa(r)....a long way to the beer
So....I get another beer
La....Ok-la one jug of beer
Ti(ea)....No thanks I'm drinking beer
That would bring us back to ...

Which would bring me to the frustration I had this afternoon while trying to get tickets for Emily of Emerald Hill. Through the Axcess website, I found out that the only ticket outlet in Ipoh was at Music Valley Greentown, which Phing promptly informed me that it was indeed at the very dodgy Greentown Mall. So we ventured into the said outlet at Greentown Mall today(while having to suffer through the ham-sup people in this particular mall who obviously do not see girls in short skirts walk by too much)- only to be informed about 45 minutes later that:
1. Axcess did not inform the PIC at Music Valley about the events at all. Ticketing? Zilch.
2. The Internet connection in the outlet is so under utilised that she couldn't get online at all.

ARGH. So now it only leaves us with the option of buying the tickets online, which (surprise, surprise) charges an extra RM10 per transaction. While it's not about the money, it's the inconvenience and inefficiency that bugs me. You mean, seriously, nobody in Ipoh buys Axcess tickets?

Why list the Ipoh outlet as one of the ticketing outlets anyway?

Gah.

Shall look forward to watching the play instead this Saturday :) That is, while I continue to plan out my to-do list for this week, which includes my maiden attempt at baking *gasp* lasagna and erm, actually continuing with my cross stitch project.

Yay, I love the holidays. I mean it, I really do.

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Stolen from www.theactorsstudio.com.my...

Bolehman in Ipoh Mali Kencing Tada Bunyi (English Comedy)
Presented by Monti & Logi.
This is an English comedy where Monti and Logi present Perak state in the Branding of Malaysia. It has Malaysia’s local oddities, issues and social incongruity. You can bet that you will see some familiar political personalities in the comedy. The title “Ipoh Mali Kencing Tada Bunyi” is or perhaps was a perception that Ipoh girls are virgins or at least they have the most virgins. Of course there is a reason why Ipoh has the most virgins.(Branding No 1) Just like last year Bolehman in Bolehland played before a sold out crowd, this sequel will definitely enlighten audience with new thoughts, new jokes and some new ministers. Not to forget new insides on business bribery. It is all about Branding Malaysia.

20% discount for all bookings before 29th May 2005
RM 26.40/34.40 +RM2 Axcess charge
Date: 1–4 June @ 8.30pm 5–6 June @ 3pm
Price: RM33/43 (Adults) +RM2 Axcess charge


Anyone who is going to be in KL this weekend who wants to watch this? I might be in KL by this Friday night and I feel like watching something to spruce up the moss growing on me.

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