Treasure Hunt - 4th November 2006

First and foremost I would like to thank Calvin for letting me to participate in Treasure Hunt organized by his company. It was a good experience to be part of the company organization. (Take note: I have to wear their company’s T-shirt that partly involved with the treasure hunt.)

In order to cut short my story-telling here cause there will be ton of pictures posted, I will post the updates in short form.

The Treasure Hunt started off from DHL, Cyberjaya at 7.45 a.m. and finished at Tiara Beach Resort, Port Dickson at 2:00pm.

Throughout the journey of the treasure hunt, we need to answer 32 questions for the clues/answers with the directions given. 5 questions for the treasures that was very tricky to guess.

Once we arrived at the check-point, there were Family Day Activities – Children games, Game booths, etc but we never even go and visit those booths. We went to check-in our 2-room apartment. They served with snacks and refreshment for our Tea Break at 3.00pm.




Instead of waiting for the Tea Break, we were so hungry and went for our lunch at the Thai new restaurant.


After we finished our lunch, we were hanging around the resort and we headed to have our tea break at the basement car park. There was Family Day – Telematches held at the man-made beach/pool. We didn’t participate any of the matches because we were tired.


The resort was so new developed and was situated far away from the town area; there was no real beach around. We went to Teluk Kemang, which was a nearby beach that it took 5 minutes ride from resort. We walked by the beach while I took some pictures. Thanks for Calvin for the ice-cream treats.


Then we headed back to our apartment to have a bath before we went for our dinner that had organized from the company. The dinner starts at 6.30pm. There were served with International and Asian cuisine buffet style. While eating, there were Lucky Draws and Telematches of prize presentation later by Treasure Hunt presentation. Our team didn’t win anything but heard that our standing at 18th place. Not bad but at least we had a good time.


After the end of the event, we headed back to apartment to play UNO for few hours. Later in the night, Calvin, Heily and I went for a drinking session at Bistro. We were calling our own cocktails while playing some cards and enjoying the live band music until 1am (I guess).


We woke up the next morning at past 8am. We started our journey to Seremban to have our breakfast. We went to this wet market at the town area to have beef noodles and sugar-cane drinks. The noodles were home-made and the sugar-cane was sweet. Recommended.


After we had finished our breakfast, we headed back to KL, home.


I would like to thanks again to Calvin for this exciting trip and treats and to Kok Siang for driving all the time and the treats as well. Nice to meet Heily, hope that I didn't snore during we slept in the same room. I had really enjoyed this trip.

Grandma's Room

Yar, I didn't take any pictures of my grandma's room. While I was cleaning up her room, I forgotten to take the before and after the cleaning.

Today, I was helping my grandma to shift the bed to the place she wanted. Here is the rough draft/sketches:


My wardrobe was in her room cause it was easier for me to take my clothes and stuff when taking my shower or prepare to work. Now it's gone so that she could have more spaces to walkabout.

I clear her things to outside the room. I re-arranged her bed that she wanted to place. I scrubed the floor and mopped it. I put her things back into the room. It took 2 hours to finish.

I'm glad that she is satisfy.

I may look tough
But I was vulnerable

I may look happy
But I was depressed

I may look nothing
But I was thinking in deep thoughts

I may be capable
But sometimes I’m out of control

I may look cool
But I was in mixed emotion

I have friends along
But I was felt lonely

I want to cry at one’s shoulder
But I cry on my bed

A lot of things had happened with calm
But I was emotionally; psychology uncondition.

Pedicure

Went to Subang with Agnes to have body massage spa. But I didn't taken any of massage because there was only one person handling the work. So I asked Agnes to go for her almost 2 hours massages. She took a Body Massage + Body Scrubs Massage. While I was waiting, I decided to have my hair done. (They were at the same shop in the lot which divided into half. One business is for spa and massages. The other is the hair saloon.

When Agnes has finished her massages, it was my turn to have my pedicure. It costs RM30. My feet was soaked in a warm massager water for about 10mins (I guess). Then the lady cleaned my dead skins on the toes. Put some oil. Paint the color and so on. The whole process I think it took about 1/2 hour. My toes were very nice and looked pretty. But too bad I was wearing sport shoe. After the pedicure, I wear my stokings and I could feel the paint isn't enough dry. :(

Agnes' Wedding Day

It was a beautiful day to have a couple blessed by the God of being one soul.


On 28th October was my very best friend’s wedding, Agnes. It was raining very heavy while I was waiting for Jenny with her husband to fetch me. Luckily when we reached to the church in Klang, the rain has stopped. It was a pleasant day. We reached there at sharp 4pm where it was getting to start the ceremony, the Holy Matrimony.

The Bride walked in with her only elder brother. Then the ceremony begins with the solemnization and sings. It was a Catholic Church ceremony. The Matrimony finished at about 5.30pm. The Bride, Agnes looked amazing with her saree.



Then the wedding dinner begins at 7.30pm. It’d held in a Tamil Methodist Hall which was nearby the Church area. The decoration hall was arranged orderly and looked ‘mini grand ballroom’. The theme for the night was in blue and white colors. The hall filled with balloons, candles, flowers, ribbons, stage, slide-show, DJ along with the sound system.


(Thanks Jenny and her husband to accompany me until the time of the dinner because they were not attending the dinner as Jenny was not feeling well.)

As I posted earlier that I will give a speech for the wedding dinner on behalf of the Bride but I didn’t expected to be the first person on stage after the married couple walked in the hall. I was so freak out; nervous. Although I had prepared my speech but I haven’t memorized it. I got an idea to prepare a prop, a dummy long scroll as to break-the-ice on stage and it worked quite well.

My speech was begin with these;

Hello, good evening everyone! This is my first time to come on stage to give a speech. I don't what to say but I had prepared the list. Hope you don't mind. (I was opening the long scroll and let it run onto the ground. People was got shocked to see the list on the long scroll. I was just smiling and looked into my scroll.) Erhh... I think this is going to take sometime to finish up my speech with this long list. I guess most of us can't wait to have our dinner as we all are very hungry right now. (I smiled again.) Actually I had prepared a shorter speech on these piece of papers. (I opened up 4 pieces of A4 papers with my handwriting written on them and begin with my real speech.)

First I would like to say to the bride, Agnes. She looks absolutely stunning and outshone today. I’m sure the gentlemen are agreeing with me as today is a sad day for single men out there that this beauty is leaving from the available list.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Mei Leng. I was truly honored when Agnes asked me to give a speech and I want to thanks her for this opportunity that she thought enough of our friendship to include me in this special day.

Agnes, thank you!

I must admit that I’m kind of stage fright now. But I realized that this is very important for Agnes as this is her very special day. "Agnes, don't blame me if I say something wrong".

Agnes and I have been best friend our whole lives. I hold this position as Agnes’s oldest friend. Well, when I say oldest, I don’t mean my age! I mean that we’ve known each other since we were 7 years old, and we’ve seen a couple of decades pass from that time in our youth.

My friendship with Agnes has been special to me, not only because the longevity, but because of she was a great person to go through the trauma of our teenage years together. Even though we don't see each often but whenever we are together again, we catch up from where we left off, and it always seems as if we haven’t been apart at all.

I’m not sure what started our friendship; maybe it was just that I liked her very long dark black hair at her buttock during the primary school. We went to the same primary school – the same secondary school – and we stayed nearby which was 2 minutes walk.

We have seen through the good, the bad and the ugly, and we’ve each learned a lot from each other especially me. I’d like to tell you about some of the things I’ve learned from Agnes.

First – I learned to speak English from and with her. When we were in primary school, I used to speak with her in Malay. But she’d made the effort and built up my confidence, she made me to speak with her in English. And now I’d had made it this far. Thanks Agnes.

Second – I learned that I needed to get better at keeping our stories straight. When we were in school, we may told a tale or two, and it would properly be the conspicuous inconsistencies of our stories that gave us away, and part of me can’t help but think we are lucky to have made it this far!

Third – Not be afraid to give all in a relationship. I have to say that it was watching Agnes blend in her relationship that taught me that life lesson. What convinced me of that was how they met. Do you know how they met? Have you heard it? Even if you have or not, I still can’t tell. Let it be their secret of love.

Lastly – Agnes taught me that good friends are hard to find, and that friends are more important than boyfriends. Wow, now that she’s married, I wonder if that will still hold true over husbands? I hope so.

I have loved to watch this romance bloom. Cyril is a great guy although I don’t really know him well. To me, he’s funny, friendly and easy to get along though I’m so shy to talk to him. In any case, Cyril has proven himself to be a great guy and Agnes is very happy in her relationship with him.

The fact is obvious to anyone who sees them together. And let’s face it, any man who can put up with the kind of friendship that Agnes and I have – our long telephone conversations, shopping excursions and occasional overspending... (Sorry Agnes, I thought Cyril knows about these.) Nevertheless, anyone who can withstand all these is definitely okay in my book.

(I looked at the Groom.) Cyril, please remembers that when you have a discussion with Agnes, always remembers to get the last words in: “Yes dear”.

Agnes has just blossomed since Cyril came into her life. She’s become happier and has a better outlook on life in general. She’s genius person, with no pretences, she is caring, warm hearted, bright, intelligent and completely self-less. It was fated for them to be together.

I know that theirs marriage that will not only last for decades to come, but it will be one filled with love, laughter, and eventually, children!

Agnes, throughout the years, I have been blessed with your friendship. You’re been one rare friend in my life who is solid and dependable, forever seeing the lighter side, providing me with perspective, as only you can.

Here I would love to propose a toast though I don't have a glass with me:
May you both live happily together, May your home and hearth be filled with your laughter and that of your children as well, for all the days of your life.

Congratulations Agnes and Cyril.
May God bless you both and may The Force be with you always.

Cheers!
Thank you.

I didn't know that my speech was that long. Heeheee

The dinner was served after a man gave the blessing of the wedding cakes. The dinner was great though some of the dishes were quite cold but they are still tasty.


After we eaten half way, the Bride and Groom went on stage to cut the wedding cakes and pour the champagne. Then they gave their own speech to the guests. Later they both were played a game that set-up by the host to play 'Game of Love'.


After the dinner was finished served and we had eaten all, some of the guests started to leave the hall. My schoolmates who attended took some photos of ourselves and with the married couple as well.


I also took some photos with the married couple alone but turned out the photos were quite blurred. Blame the BenQ DigiCam!


Impressed with her Henna on her hands. Took the pictures. Don't you love them?!


Lastly, the shot that I would like to take whenever I go:

Congratulations again to Agnes & Cyril! May both live happy til eternity.

Awana Genting Resort

During the Raya holidays, I went to Awana Genting Highlands with my aunty and her family. We went there on Monday afternoon and came back on Wednesday. We went up and down between the Gohtong Jaya for our breakfast, lunch and dinner and even for supper. We also went up and down to Genting Highlands cause the aunties want to gamble but not me. I went with Annie (one of the aunty’s friend’s daughter) to the Outdoor Theme Park for the first night. Nothing much to play the games as they getting to close for buka puasa by 9pm. Supposingly the theme park close at 10pm instead some of them started to close by 9pm.

I didn’t take much of photos but I took a lot of Reis’ pictures. Here are the some of the pictures:




I would like to thanks, again to my aunty and all my cousins for letting me to join them for this trip. Thanks!

Feast

On 22nd October, grandma and I went to Minna’s house for a feast. My aunty and her daughters, Kimmie and Ah Peng Jie helped to make poh-piah and steamboat stuff. Therefore my cousin-bro came back from Sabah (workplace) for a week holidays with his fiancé except Minna herself got to work in flight. It was my uncle’s birthday. They were having a feast to celebrate his birthday.

We had poh-piah for our brunch. Steamboat was for our dinner. Very full-loaded. Eat non-stop.

First I would like to show, how to make a perfect fold-packed yummy poh-piah. Here is my uncle pro to demostrate:




We had a birthday cake for uncle. Bought by his children from Secret Recipies, Chocolate Banana Cake. At first Ah Peng Jie was complaining and unsatisfy with the decoration of the cake. She complained that the assistant of the cake shop simply done with the decoration. She asked for my help to re-decorate the cake.
Here was the outcome:




Happy Belated Birthday, Uncle!
And thanks to my aunty for the foods and invitation to come over her house to have the birthday feast. Thank you!!!

Retrench

Ya, I got a retrenchment. So sad to get this kinda news. There a lot of rumours about my company. I was prepared to deal whatever the decision made. I didn’t expect this happened so fast. Therefore it was just coming end of the year. To find a job nowadays it seems low chances.

Thanks to those who knew about me going to be jobless, they offered to help me like getting me freelance jobs or helping me to look for jobs. I’m grateful.

Guess I need to follow the flow of the life ahead me.

I was in Singapore on Friday, 13th October 2006

Note: This is going be long and boring. Don't worry, got pictures to look on.

It’s been a long time that I never travel out from the bustling town. Therefore, I’d had rejected my aunt’s offer to go to Singapore last month. This time I had followed her and the gang of the relatives to Singapore last Friday the 13th. I have cousins who staying and working in Singapore and we all were staying there with them.

The aunties (Minna’s mum & her 5th aunt) along with far relation cousin, Yoong with her boyfriend; Rolance and me started the journey at 6.30am by car. We reached at Johor at about 11 something and we stopped the Johor town to have our ‘breakfast’. We had ‘kuew tiau bah kut teh’. It was delicious and totally different from the normal ‘bah kut teh’ we had in KL. Too bad I didn’t take the pictures because I were busy eating.

We went through the Malaysia & Singapore’s custom and we headed to cousin-sis’s house (Kimmie) at Chua Cho Kang.


Later we went to the nearby shopping mall that I can’t recall the name of the mall. We ‘lepak’ and we had our brunch at Japanese ramen restaurant. The ramen was good and tasty. Again I didn’t take the pictures. I had a Miso/Vegetarian Ramen that cost S$10 with additional S$0.90 of added side dish and with the green tea drink. Though its quite costly but it was worth to eat as we were all filled up in our stomach.

After that we headed back to the house to rest while waiting for Ah Peng Jie to come back from work. At around 6 something we reached to Costa Sands Resort, Downtown East where it’s at Pasir Ris. We checked in into our chalet. The chalet was damn small. It was single-storey with only has one bathroom and 2 Single beds with 2 pullout beds. I didn’t take the snapshot of the place but here is the preview.

The chalet can be fit in for 4 persons but instead we were 8 adults and a child slept for the first night in a small compact room. But it was a good experience. Each chalet has its own rent barbecue pits for each stay.

We went around the Downtown East area where they have swimming pool and children's pool with its side and bottom see through panels allow resort guests to wave to their family members when having fun swimming. A food paradise from a food court, fast food joints, specialty restaurants to a satay club. They even have the ESCAPE Theme Park and Wild Wild Wet, the water theme park and Downtown shopping mall.


We headed to have our dinner at Burger King. As for our dessert, we went to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream booth. Then we hanged out around the area again then we headed back to chalet to rest.


The next day, we had our lunch at Sakura; a Japanese buffet nearby the Downtown East. Each person was cost S$20 nett if I’m not mistaken. I’ve been longing for a Japanese buffet but never have the time or be someone with to enjoy the Japanese foods. Finally my wish came true. Thanks to my aunty, cousin-sisters who made my wish that I’d had to eat Japanese buffet.


After the buffet lunch, we hanged around the Downtown East again and this time I’d got to play pool with Yoong’s bf for an hour for unlimited games. Due to that we didn’t have the card, it cost us S$9 which normal price was S$6. I think we had played 7 games which I lost a game to him. :) After the game, we shopped around.

Later we went for the Theme Park that we’d had 5 entries coupons. My cousins and the aunty bought their swimsuits around the shop. I got to some of the pictures when they were finished changing but then better not to get their sexy appeal exposed here. Heee. We went in the theme park at 5.30pm that we’ve only had 1 ½ hours before they close. I wasn’t play in the water cause I had PMS. It was a waste to have a free entry that I can’t play the water with them. Wasted. I was just hanging around and waiting at the bench while looking at those people’s swimwear and reading the magazine.


We left the theme park at sharp 7pm back to our chalet. We had BBQ for dinner. It was a convenience place to have a BBQ activity where you could find and buy all the marinated foods and equipments. My aunty brought back from KL the fresh fishes, squids, prawns. We bought from the shop at Downtown East; satay packed, marinated chicken wings, fish/sotong balls, otak-otak packed, paper cups, charcoals etc.

We’d grilled, ate, drank beers; red wine & fruit juices (bought by Minna), soft drinks, until the midnite.

The place was cozy. It was not windy though it situated near to the sea. After we had finished our BBQ, we had a night walk to the sea which was a park away from the chalet.


While we was walking through the car park area, there was drama happened where the Singaporean recklessly reversed his car then stopped at nearby another car and hit the car with his leg angered. We were the pedestrians walking bypass got shocked when the reckless driver reversed his car so ‘gila’ that nearly going to bang some of us. It was silly incident though Minna and I knew about what had happened.

When we walked inside the park near the sea, there was another drama going on. A bunch of teenagers were having BBQ. If I’m not mistaken, they were all Indians; were fighting for don’t know what reason. So dramatic. Too bad I didn’t video captured the scene cause it was dark.

Later we headed back to our chalet to celebrate Reis’s birthday. My aunty and cousin-sister bought her 3 mini different cakes which were 24D Durian cake, Chocolate and Mango flavored cakes. We sang birthday song and we all, ten of us share the 3 mini cakes. We had a very small portion on each cake that treated us like a taster. The 24D rated Durian was very delicious that rich it flavor.

After we ate the cakes, we had our desser; yellow watermelon. We’d really had a fulled stomach that day. We were eaten non-stop.

The next afternoon, we checked out at noon. We headed to Thampines Mall for shopping spree. Minna brought us to have our mini lunch at famous coffee shop.

Then we started our shopping. We were given our time out at least spent 3 hours to shop or hang around where we had our meet point at Din Tai Fung, Shanghai Restaurant. Thank to Minna for the treats. I love the ‘xiao long bao’.


After we makan, Minna got to get back to her workplace. There she left us 5 of us. We continued walking around the mall until 7pm. We drove all the way back to Kimmie’s house. We didn’t get lost as Rolance guided with a map while Yoong driving. We had our dinner ands rest in Kimmie’s house. Rolance and Yoong left to Johor as they had their own things to be done. So left me, my aunty and Minna’s 5th Aunty.

The next morning, we got up at 7am to get ready to go back to KL. We had our breakfast then we headed to bus station. We bought 9.30am tickets.


Throughout the trip, I can see the differences between 2 countries. Although this trip is my 3rd time but I’m getting to like the culture here. Our home country is so huge and unorganized and not so convenience that hardly in ease for living. Anyway, I would like to thank to my Aunty for the offer, Kimmie, her husband, Ah Peng and Minna for all the hospitality. To Rolance and Yoong for the transportation and 5th Aunty for her treats too. Thank you so much everyone although I didn’t spent much. ;)

Thanks a lot.

Restless

After the short holidays, I felt restless for don't know why is the reason. Felt depressed as usual that happened once in a blue moon. Felt bored as I have nothing to do at work.

.......................

Yesterday got a call from my best friend, Agnes. She asked me to volunteer to give a short speech on behalf of her side on her wedding dinner this weekend. I was shocked but honored for giving the opportunity but then I’m a stage fright.

Guess I need to prepare my speech for this short notice. Don’t know what to say.

I know most of the viewers expecting me to update my blog but I was trying very hard to summarize my holidays in Singapore and Awana Genting. A lot of pictures need to be edited and arrange as well with my sentences too.

Hope that I could update them soon.

Hazes make me sick.

I just fall sick recently. As you all know there are hazes around Klang Valley that becoming even worse. I got this sensitive nose that I got one side nose blocked with flu on Saturday. Yesterday I got light sore throat that I went to see doctor to get the prescriptions. The doctor gave me a lot of pills. But at the moment, everything was okay but now with a light cough.


I mentioned that I have this wedding matrimony on Saturday morning. It was my ex-classmate’s wedding, Jenny. Finally she got married with her lovely husband. I don’t know her husband well but I could see that she is happy being with.

The Holy Matrimony was held at PJ at about 10.30am. My best friend, Agnes came to fetch me from my house at around 9.30am. We reached there in the main hall and found the other gals (ex-classmates).

It started at 10.45am. They sang. They praised the Lord. Exchanged vows. Sing again. Then photograph sessions with families, relatives and friends. We (ex-classmates) were almost the last to take photos with the bride and groom.


I passed my digi-cam to the photographer but he was just simply shot a few. He was so impatient and unprofessional though he was holding such high-end DSLR. :P


After the photos session, we all invited to have lunch refreshment in another place. As we were the last to go for the lunch, the foods were almost finished. We gals didn’t really taste most of the foods, but overall not bad. We all chat about our life, work and relationship. As for me, there was nothing much to talk about but only with my works. Most of them is getting married end of the year or even early next year. Good to hear that they are going to have a new life with someone that they love and live together.

After had the lunch, we had our final group photo with the bride and groom.

At least this was the better one though nothing on backdrops.

Last but not least, the gals’ group photo.


And the candid shot with me, Jenny, the bride. Congratulations!!! May happy always!

Moon

It just passed the Mooncake Festival and it is raining. I didn’t look upon the night sky whether the moon is round or bright. These few days were so hazy and it smelled smoky. It was a daze in me.

I didn’t bother to look forward the festival but I wished most of my friends and relatives through SMSes.

My house didn’t have the festival gathering as like last years. Normally my relatives will come over my house to have small little potluck while looking upon the moon while eating the foods that they brought in. The children/cousins will play with the candles and lanterns around the house.

But there is nothing. Its just feel peace and quiet like a normal day.

I thought that I could hang around in friends’ house during the festival but they have their own gathering with their families. Its sound doesn’t right unless someone was inviting.

I went out. I went out with a friend to saloon to make my hair done. I have a wedding matrimony in the next morning. This time I’m going alone. Solo, but I’m going with my best friend and her husband.

After the saloon, I had my dinner at my home. And I went out again to yam char with the same friend. Both of us were chatting in a café almost for 2 hours while drinking iced jasmine tea. I wouldn’t say anything about the conversation here but at least I have a great chat.

Time is running fast when you do something through the night although with just some small talks. At least I have my past time by doing that.

Its sound boring but that is my life. Wake up early in the morning to prepare to get to work. Stay in the office while working with my jobs, lunch break then work again. Late afternoon have a tea break. Every times the clock set a timer that is time to go back. Sometimes stay back a while cause I need the ride back home from my colleague. Reach home, bath, eat dinner and straight to my room; do my stuff like read book or magazines or do something work for my friends’ then sleep.

I wish to hang out more which I seldom did. I found excuses for not doing it but I don’t know why. Maybe I’m lazy. I felt lazy to have that kind of life. No effort to progress but want a simple life.

I need to change. Do something is useful. Do something for myself and others. Make my past time with something, an activity.

Yah, something...

Don't worry, I won't do any stupid.

p/s: The background of this blogsite, green colored on a big tree with a road divider was photoshop edited on a piece of original photo taken by me months ago.

Concern

Regarding to the posted entry on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 "I wanted to cry", I'd made most of my friends worried about me that I might do something stupid.

Sorry, my dear friends.

I have no intention to make most of my friends to get worried about me. I wasn't aware. I didn't think my friends' feeling that they were concerning.

When I feel down, I will write something in my blog. I know there will be someone to talk to, but I can't do it. I don't know why, maybe I'm selfish to keep it all by myself. But I'm trying to learn to open up/share with my friends.

And thanks to whom has called me. I'd really appreciated. Thanks again.