Saturday, October 27, 2007

Geli Photo

Last Monday, Jan spotted these two roaches mating in the bathroom at midnight. They struggled to separate as she blasted a can-ful of insecticide and failed. They died like this.

I just HAD to take a photo and gross myself and colleagues out the next day. My breakfast was left uneaten that morning after looking at the
enlarged photo as it filled my screen.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Alternative Medicine

The papers had an article about alternative medication the other day and it just fascinated me on how some of these can be really good for one’s body. For example, I had an ex-colleague who had to eat cockroach/cockroach droppings after she showered within her confinement month and caught “wind”. She claims it absolutely cured her. I pray I will never get that desperate.

Another ex-colleague swallowed live baby rats wrapped in some leaf to cure asthma. Her father had a hard time looking for these rats. She took this monthly for a couple of years.

And yet another ex-colleague bought some medication named “5 stars” and as she was pouring the dried ingredients into her pot for boiling, a dead fly dropped on the table. She threw it away and later considered she had thrown one of the 5 stars from the pack. And this is absolutely believable.

So far in my new company, I haven’t heard anyone taking weird stuff yet.

Freak!

I know most people will have one eye larger than the other and one foot larger than the other. But have you heard of the left waist being 2 inches higher than the right??

Monday, October 15, 2007

Review on the Auto Cleaner

For once, I woke up excited about wanting to clean my floors. I let the Auto Cleaner (aka Roomba) run around in the dining area and watched it with great interest. It's supposed to have 21 sensors to sense where there's dust. I can tell you now that it DOESN'T do this. Some intervention was required in order to navigate to a particular spot.

And because there are some things which shouldn't be on the floor while it is doing it's cleaning, I had to stand around making sure nothing got sucked in accidentally. For example, some thin wires will get trapped and the robot (I'm going to start giving it a name soon) struggled to get free. Also, if there's a small difference in floor level, it will go ahead and fall. Then I had to pick it up as it tried to do a reverse unsuccessfully.

All in all, it's fun. As for being clean, well, it's not as clean as mopping the floor but hey, it suits my needs for the moment.

Haven't scared the cat yet. She's not going to be happy with that thing scuttling around making loud noises!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Fat Arms

Was trying on some clothes today and horror of horrors, my arms have ballooned! I have FAT ARMS! When did that happen? Have I not been looking at the mirror on a daily basis?

What started my noticing of fatness was also yesterday when Jan tried out one of my old dresses which I wore only once. I bought it from Sportsgirl in NZ and it was a size 8 dress. Really lovely one. Of course it couldn’t fit me anymore, even before I came back from NZ. Anyways, I’m digressing. And it fitted Jan so nicely and she looked really good in it!

I don’t remember being a size 8! The one time I wrote it, I still looked fat in it, with my breath sucked in to keep my tummy in. Whereas Jan wore it effortlessly! Don’t we have the same genes?!

She says she lost a lot of weight preparing for her marathon. Heck, am I inspired enough to go sign up for one now? Er…

After Years of Waiting...

I usually take months and loads of consideration before I purchase an expensive item. Take for example my painful purchases of my handphone and digital camera – painful for those around me.

So it was to my very own surprise that I just went ahead and bought something that was rather expensive. A vacuum cleaner which is 4 times more than the normal one found in electrical shops.

And what’s so special about this vacuum cleaner? It’s a Roomba-like one. Yup. The vacuum cleaner created for lazy people like me that moves on it’s own, detecting and cleaning every speck of dust on the floor. And when the battery is low, it will automatically find it’s way back to the base where it will attach and charge itself. It looks like the space aliens from Batteries Not Included.

The price advertised here for the Roomba was initially over RM2,000. That’s like almost a month’s salary! So while walking in 1 Utama today, one of the shops were selling a similar one for RM900 (original price was supposed to be RM1,500, they’re only limiting it to 50 units blah blah blah). So I literally jumped at it! My mum’s jaw dropped at my spontaneous purchase.

Of course, one is Roomba while the one I bought is called… wait a minute, it doesn’t even have a brand! It’s just called Auto Cleaner! Crap! Oh boy. Okay, never mind, I’m going to try this out as soon as I get home. I will write a review of it later.

Organ Donation

A couple of months ago, I was gung-ho about donating my organs. After calling the foundation to get the necessary forms, I started distributing the extra forms to my colleagues and encouraged them to sign up for the cause.

Then, as I looked at the forms, I suddenly felt uneasy. Why? Because while I completely believe in the good of donating my organs when I’m gone, I lack the faith in the execution of the process. In other words, I do not have the faith in the doctors who may pronounce me brain dead while there still may be the chance that I might revive.

There have been too many stories of doctors doing certain things to bring in the cash. One recent example is that of my colleague, who went for an eye operation and came out worse. He was only told after the operation that this is expected and that he had to go back for a second operation in 12 months.

So questions like, “What if the doctor has a relative/friend/buyer of an organ and persuades the family to start donating the organs prematurely?” is stopping me from registering.

Plus now the government is trying to make it a rule that once you have signed for the organ donation, the family members are not allowed to protest against the harvesting. Perhaps what I’ll do is to leave the decision to KS or my family, to release my organs when the time is right rather than signing the form.

I Met Bono

A couple of days ago, I dreamt I was livid when my boss asked me to shift places from where I currently sit. I know I was trembling with anger and was screeching at him while pounding him with my fists. After a few strikes, I realized I was holding a pen, which could have stabbed him.

Anyway, I stopped and walked off in a huff. Then I remembered that U2 were scheduled to play football at a field downstairs of my office, which had transformed into an old mansion.


Football turned into touch rugby and because there were 10 people against Bono, I stepped in to help. It seems Larry, The Edge and Adam couldn’t make it for the game. In the end, we started throwing weeds at each other instead.

I managed to chat with Bono after the game and he was telling me his favourite airline, which unfortunately had to always stop by in Yugoslavia every time he flew back home. And I expressed my regret to Bono for not having a list of questions I would have liked to ask him should I have the chance of meeting him.

What have I learnt? That I should not be holding a stabbing object when I'm pounding anyone and that I need to start on my list of questions I want to ask Bono should I ever meet him.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Wing!

I've mentioned about Wing before. Ron's friend actually bought the CD so I just HAD to get a copy of it. Now that I'm listening to it, I'm feeling a little cold with the hairs on my arms standing. Hey, that's another selling point for Wing! If you're feeling warm, listen to Wing!

The Ronald Syndrome

Hopped into Jaya Supermarket last night and went to scout if they had Butternut Pumpkin and Portobello mushrooms - they DO! So I can plan for my next dinner invite with carbonara, pumpkin soup, baked pumpkin, baked potatoes or a roast...

Happily, I ended up with some bacon for breakfast this morning. When Jan saw my purchases, she just laughed and said I had the Ronald Syndrome - the desire to cook after visiting Ron. It happened to her as well but after a few weeks, it died off.

Ron, you made cooking look so easy. I hope this syndrome will last until January, so at least I'd have prepared some of your meals for Christmas/New Year. By the way, I'll need to get the instructions from you again on everything.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Crazy Australian Food Portions

When we were in Sydney. Not really knowing where/what to eat, we stopped by two food courts for lunch and dinner. Check out the portions.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
We had a salad and roast pork for lunch. Everyone around us was eating sandwiches while we looked desolately at our plates, trying to imagine how it would all fit into our stomachs. Of course, we didn't manage to finish it.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
You'd have thought once bitten, twice shy, but no, we went ahead and ordered two meals again for dinner. This time, we went to an Asian food court and I ordered the soup noodles. The bowl is bigger than my face. And it came with two fried chicken drumsticks. Again, we didn't manage to finish it.

We hope we have walked off all the food we consumed by now. I enjoy walking in Australia as I am not drenched in sweat in 10 minutes. It's been a walking holiday as we walked the streets of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

Blocked Ears

You know how when the plane is descending and your ears get blocked? I get it most of the time and it's not fun. In fact, it can be extremely excruciating if it's not cleared, as I've tried before. So when I hear kids screaming, I feel really sorry for them for they know not how to get rid of it and their parents aren't able to do anything about it.

Anyway, I was told to just yawn to get rid of it. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me. Instead, I have to blow my nose really hard until it pops. Yes, I've heard how this is the WRONG way to do it but I'd rather not suffer the pain. Is there another cure for it?

Funny Chicken


Thought I'd like to share this video of a chicken trying to fling it's comb away from it's eye. Spotted at the Perth Royal Show. Cameron was so tickled with the video.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Facebook

Just joined the network and still haven't had the hang of it. Attempting to play scrabble with my sis-in-law in Perth.

By the way, I'm back. Perth was fun filled with the Perth Royal Show. Was hankering after a show bag but didn't feel any of them were worth it (yes, even with over 200 show bags, I couldn't find one that I liked). But it was really fun! You'd never get a carnival like this in Malaysia, especially with the show bags.

Managed to squeeze in a couple of hours visiting Grace in Singapore. So, our holiday was really packed to the brim!

Allow me to crash until tomorrow - thank heavens I took a day off to recover! Zzzzzz....