I got tagged!

Tsk, trust me to find out a few months later that I've been tagged by Feisal.

'7 Reasons Why You Blog'

1. Because I had the time.
2. Because I started getting too lazy writing e-mail to people.
3. Because I didn't want to repeat myself when talking about the same thing (but I haven't really updated, have I?).
4. Because I had this idea that my brain was full of interesting thoughts and ideas.
5. Because there was that 'I am a blogger, I am cool and great' label attached to bloggers AT THE TIME. I wanted to dispel that. =D
6. Because I thought 'Do Not Resuscitate' was a great title.
7. Because I could?

Hehehe, thank you Feisal. ;-)

In other news, working is good, barely three weeks into my stint over there. Handle lots of returns. Word of warning to the people who buy stuff because they're cheap (the item and/or the person being cheap), there is a risk that your item (electrical in all cases) is a fire hazard. I've seen rice cookers with melted heating elements! Just imagine if someone had left it unattended and gone out. There would be nothing but burnt embers when they came home. If it's not the fire risk, then there's the risk of the thing not working at all. Rice uncooked or burnt, water unboiled, channels not changing with the remote control.

The brands to look out for: Aspp0r0, Mapp0r0 (the zeroes need to be replaced with 'o's), Ph1lux (replace '1' with 'i').

Sometimes, the branded items are better and you don't have to worry about them breaking down as often as the cheap brands. You can't buy cheap items from a communist country and expect Japanese technology, right?

I received something in the mail yesterday. I came home around 11:20pm and saw it on my table. At first I thought I won a contest, and then I saw that Simon's gift had arrived. Man, opening that package was like giving birth to a baby (I did not use a pair of scissors)! So much cellophane tape. If tape was made out of trees, the world would look like Easter Island. But at least my present did arrive in one piece.

When I got the present out of the shiny red wrapping paper (it was still covered in bubble wrap), I saw a photo frame. I already knew what it was from the Customs declaration form. My first thought was, "Awww, great! A photo frame. I don't even have photos to put in it!" Since getting my digital camera, I don't print the photos I take. They're either in my hdd or on Flickr and Photobucket. As I tore off the bubble wrap, I suddenly noticed the photos in the divided areas of the frame. Simon had printed out some of the photos I had on Flickr. Awww...

By the way, while I was opening my present, Dad was standing by to see what I got. Because I took my time, he complained, "Can't you open it any quicker? I'm waiting!"

So let this be a forewarning to anyone who wants to send me stuff via mail. Don't send me anything you wouldn't want my father to see. I have no privacy. And yes, I'll be 33 this year. Hmmm, maybe a risque item IS what I need to get some privacy around here. Hehehehe...












I think it's one of the nicest things anybody's ever done for me. Thank you again, Simon. =) See, I don't need battery-operated items. =Þ

Time to get out of bed. Bye and thank you for reading, all.

First Day At Work

I could cut and paste, but I'd rather leave you the link. =D

Barely Alive

Hi all! I was supposed to have started work yesterday (1st July 2007), but I woke up to a scratchy throat and a hoarse voice. I haven't been this sick in over two years!! Of all the days to be sick, it had to be yesterday. Boo! Thank goodness, I got them to postpone my first day of work to the 7th (07.07.07!). Incidentally, I first started work at the hotel on the 7th of July 1994. It's been thirteen years! Man, I feel old.

Apart from my flu, things are going okay for me. I mean, I no longer have to endure the occasional parental sighs about my lack of a job. Salary-wise, it's not much. I am definitely over-qualified for this Customer Service job (even if they doubled my pay, I wouldn't qualify for a credit card!). Not that I want a credit card, but it would be oh so convenient to buy Air Asia tickets online.

Have reconnected with a friend and it's been really nice to be able to chat with him again. Can't help but enjoy the conversation. I'll leave it at that. No expectations, no pressure, no worries. Just enjoy the ride. Read too much into it the first time. I won't make the same mistake again.

Oh, I won Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape" CD from Mix.fm on Saturday (30th June)! I heard the courier guy give a shrill whistle before we realized he was there. We are in need of a doorbell. So far, I like the slower paced songs like "4 In The Morning". And of course, there's 'The Sweet Escape', which I first heard on 'American Idol'. And I thought I had been blacklisted from all the Astro radio stations for winning so many contests in the past. I guess my dry spell helped a lot.

Will be going to the bank after lunch today to open a new bank account with Allianz Bank. The problem with starting work is that we need to open accounts with specific banks. Had to open a Maybank account when I worked at the hotel, then one at BBMB (now CIMB) for my practical training at KLAS. So this means I have currently four bank accounts under my name. BSN, CIMB, Maybank (currently inactive) and Allianz. Too bad none have a healthy balance right now. Oh well, good things come to those who wait. *hopes for a cheque from ASW2020*

I'll leave you with a photo taken of my dog, Tiny. He's seen bullying his younger sibling. Scanned from film. Please excuse the dust.

Fungi

I quit!

Hi again all! I am still alive (you'd have known if you checked the other blog).

After getting a letter to attend an interview for the T3rengganu Graduates' Attachment 5cheme and subsequently passed the 30-second screening process, I quit the Phot0nics and Fiber Opt1cs course. I just couldn't handle the daily walk and climbing of stairs in addition to wracking my brain over calculations. Sure, NOW I know how to convert dBm to milliwatts and vice versa, but would it actually matter? Apparently, the place for women in this industry is in the lab.

The only thing I liked was splicing the two fiber optic cables together and getting 0.00dB fiber loss.

I'll be attending the 3-day orientation at TE5DEC starting on the 27th. If all goes well, there will be an employer who will take me in for six months by the end of the orientation. If all goes better, my job application to a university here will be accepted and I can start working again.

On an even better note, I won a Ghost Rider key-chain worth RM120! Yaay for me! I had just decided to check the previous Sunday papers (in the stack under my Dad's table) and was not deterred to see that my Mum had already tied them all up. Usually, I'd figure that it wasn't worth untying and leave it at that, but something spurred me on. I carefully untied the knot using my handy fingernails and went through the papers. The first copy didn't have anything, so I went through the second copy, dated the 18th of March. Lo and behold, my name (albeit misspelt) was first among three set aside to receive the Ghost Rider key-chain! I'm pretty pleased with myself! I don't need the Timex watch worth RM509 (I'm VERY sure it'll be too big for my skinny wrist) and I don't need the t-shirt worth RM200 (it'll probably be too big for my skinny frame and t-shirts DO get dated, especially T-shirts commemorating movies. I don't need a silver notebook, Collar Pin, bandana nor poster. So I couldn't have won a better prize. =)

It sucked that I didn't win the iPod in that Valentine's Day contest. I'll just keep waiting before I actually buy one. Perhaps the price will go down for the older models and I'll be able to get one for under RM100. Yes, I am willing to wait 20 years. Hmmm...I wonder if I'll still have my hearing after being bombarded by loud music by the time I'm 53. hehehe...don't mind me.

Take care all!

Off into the unknown

I will be leaving on a 6-month course on Photonics and Fiber Optics tomorrow (Jan 22nd). My course is scheduled to end on the 26th of July 2007, one day after my birthday. :)

I don't think I'll be doing any blogging til then, so you might want to check out my other blog while you are waiting: http://sharlini.today.com/

Do take care and wish me the best of luck! I'll need it for 'Mathematics for Engineers'. XD

Happy New Year 2007!

It's past midnight, it's officially 2007 here. So, happy new year! To Duncan and Marie, we received your lovely calendar in the mail. Thank you so much, those photos always make me wish I had money to travel to your beautiful country.

I received a letter on the 30th informing me of an interview for a course in Photonics and Fiber Optics on the 9th. Please keep fingers crossed that I'll get through the interview. I'm not sure how up to date the information on the TESDEC site is, but if it's current, then the course could be for four months. The latter stated that the course is free and that an allowance would be given.

According to a company site (I noticed that the letter was CC-ed to the manager of this company, asking him to give a briefing), they had successfully trained 15 trainees during one stint and 13 of these trainees found jobs at the companies they had undergone their practical training with.

So, fingers crossed! I looked at the course outline and there's absolutely NO PROGRAMMING! One 'Mathematics for Engineers' module though. Won't worry about that until I actually am told that I succeeded in the interview. Here's hoping for the best in 2007!

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want." ~ Irish Toast

Merry Christmas!

Thank goodness Christmas isn't just on one day. I still have time to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Since I'm here, Happy New Year 2007, too!

I must apologize for my lack of updates. I have to beta-test another blog provider and it can be tedious when one doesn't have anything interesting to write about.

No thanks to my extended trip to KL, I was behind in my posting, as well as behind in my depositing my check. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to try harder.

Not much rain here, as opposed to the southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia. It is rather weird to be reading about floods and there is no mention of Terengganu.

Nothing new on the job front. Still jobless.

That's it for now. Bye!

Psst!

Yes, yes...I am still alive. Been busy administrating at Challenge You as well as going out into the garden to take photos. Doesn't matter if it's raining, or hot, or teeming with ravenous mosquitoes.

So, is it just me or does this top view of a mushroom in the garden remind you of a certain body part owned by both men and women alike? Oh don't mind me. My mind works in mysterious ways. I used my sister's Nikon L4 (or was it L3? Well...the cheaper one) to take this shot.

In terms of Macro quality, I still prefer my Kodak EasyShare LS755. But I really envy the fact that the Nikon has that Panoramic function and is also able to detect faces for portrait shots! Eeee....never mind, I must endeavour to seek that vivid yellow object to snap and enter that NGC Asia/Nikon Photography contest! I'm not going to share the link. The hint is already there. *eg*

In other news, I was also busy with butterfly chrysalides the past month. I discovered the caterpillars in the lime bush during their various instars and realized how dangerous it can be for them, despite looking like bird crap and having malodorous liquid emanating from their osmeteriums. Once, there were 17 caterpillars...and that dwindled to ONE in a span of four days! Eaten by birds and killed by Kerengga ants...what a way to go.

I did manage to save three that had begun pupating. Alas, only the first one that I had taken succeeded in becoming a beautiful butterfly.

Beginning to pupate >> A few hours before emerging >> Beautiful Butterfly!!

I am still so proud that I managed it! The good part about it was that I didn't have to feed it, or clean after it...just occasional sprinkles of water (which made it twitch). The butterfly crawled onto my hand on its way out of the container and it did not feel at all delicate. It had started moving about around 4:35am. I awoke sometime after 6am and there was a horizontal tear along the side. I thought I would aid in its exit by sprinkling water and then it stopped moving. I thought I had drowned it! XD Well, I was too sleepy to care by then, so I went to sleep. Without the aid of an alarm clock, I woke up again at 7:20am. The butterfly had emerged! I feared that if it remained in that juice container, its wings wouldn't fully extend, so I hurriedly took it back to the lime plant.

It spent a few hours sunning itself on that branch, and soon the clouds covered the sun. It flew away before the first drops of rain fell.

And that will be all for now. Take care, all!

And the unofficial results are...

With just ninety vacancies and 1318 shortlisted applicants, it was to be expected that I didn't get the job. I'm fine with it, it's my parents who are driving me batty. I know they want and are hoping for the best for me, but it's not doing me any good to be sighing and saying, "You didn't get the job, tsk..." Hello? I was the one who checked. I KNOW I didn't get the job, no need to remind me.

I have this belief that in the long run, everything that happens will eventually be to my benefit/happiness. May not seem like that now, but who knows? Maybe I'll win the lottery some time in the future - because I didn't get the job. Hehe, wishful thinking. It's the only thing keeping me sane. =)

I'm not the kind of person to wallow in self-pity. I like to stay calm and mellow (and other people would think that I don't have a care in the world and I should be trying harder to get a job). I've been through enough disappointments to know that it'll all work out in the end. Of course, the ultimate end always ends in death, doesn't it? And by then, who needs to worry?

End of very short rant. Have a backup plan B and C. Hopefully, I'll go with plan B (take Unemployed Graduates' Training Scheme course) and not plan C (apply for that HSBC Global something-or-other where you try sounding like you're British or American and receiving calls from those areas).

Hmm, wonder when my ASW2020 dividend is going to arrive.

That's it from me. Take care, dear reader.

And the result of the interview is...

*drumroll* ... postponed til next week! And if I hadn't asked an ex-coursemate (who had also applied for the job), I would have been checking every day at every hour until my eyes popped out. It pays to scan through the 12,000+ names that were on the list of those shortlisted for the interview (not just for the job I applied for). I know that at least four of my ex-coursemates also applied for the same job.

Still alive

Yes, I am! I've just been busy helping out as admin in a Flickr Group called 'Challenge You'. It's fun. I'll only use my photos when a challenge is close to expiring or I just want a challenge to begin. *grin* Anyways, I wanted to recap something that happened months ago.

Just before going to that Habib Jewels store for the prize-giving ceremony, I spent time at another jewellery store at Ampang Point. Hmmm, I can't quite remember what it was called. Was it Lazio? Whatever...I went there to waste some time and this young salesman attended to me. I did explain to him that I was just browsing because I was going off to Habib Jewels later. So I looked at all the chains, pendants, rings, earrings...and then I came to a display that had cartoon characters, such as Sylvester the Cat, Hello Kitty, etc. "We also have Twisties!" said the enthusiastic salesman. I thought, "Eh? Twisties? Isn't that the snack?" I saw what he meant. But I'll only reveal to you what he was referring to after I tell you that I went to the Kuala Lumpur International Motorshow 2006.

As my aunt decided to wait outside, my uncle and I rushed through the exhibits. But not such in a rush that I spotted 'Twisties'. Hehehe...

End of my mini post. At least it's something, yeah? Oh, and I won't know the results of my interview until Sept 19th. *fingers crossed* 

Time Waits For No Man

And it's not waiting for me either. In 13 hours, I will be up to have breakfast and prepare for the inevitable. My interview with the Malaysia Public Services Commission. In Malay, that would be the Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia (SPAM) - but it's commonly known as SPA.

After days of memorizing names of ministers (please don't ask me which Ministry Datuk Dr. Peter Chin Fah Kui is from!) and thinking, maybe they won't ask me this...maybe I should read something else, the time has come. I don't remember more than half the things I learnt in uni and right now, I don't really care. I either get it or I don't. If I don't get it, I'll take that Graduate's Training Course (Web Publishing and Web Application Development) for 5.5 months at Cosmopoint Kuala Terengganu and I'll be guaranteed a job after that. If I do get the job, well...I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. besides, I have my parents to worry about that. *g*

Ugh, I'll have to be aware of what's in the papers tomorrow. Keep abreast with developments. Guess they won't ask me about the Terengganu lad from Marang who won 'Akademi Fantasia' last Saturday. Would they ask about the Prime Minister's son-in-law, Khairy and his problems in his party? Did he really take Maya Karin as his second wife? What about Siti Norhaliza and her impending wedding on the 21st to Datuk K (Datuk Khaled Mohamed Jiwa)? What about the Middle-east conflict? What about Tiger Woods' victory? What about Mel Gibson's drunken anti-Semitic rant?

If and when I survive my ordeal tomorrow, I might spill the beans about it in a post. I have read that some people have been attending SPA interviews more than 4 times (interviews are conducted once a year, I think) and they keep trying each year. Maybe I'll just attend this one to see what it's all like and be prepared for the next one if I am so inclined to subject myself to the same experience.

Went to my uni yesterday and got my graduation gown. Purple with a silver stripe. Not going for those overpriced 'studio' packages with the frame and waxed over details. I'm going to go crazy with my digital camera. I have blue walls, purple walls, white walls, and a shelf of Encyclopedia Britannica to choose from. I just hope I don't stumble on my way to the Chancellor to get that scroll. That would be something interesting to frame. So, on the 11th is the rehearsal and briefing, and the 12th is my graduation proper. Apparently, I'll be the only one in the family with the mortarboard photo.

Below is a pic of a lizard that roams our garden. Go to a pet shop in KL and this would probably cost a few hundred ringgit, and you'd have to purchase a cage, food, appropriate foliage to boot. This lizard comes free and it can take care of itself. Who could ask for a better arrangement?

Here Be Dragons!

Take care all! Have a good week ahead! Wish me luck and think good thoughts for me (because I really am a nice person!). ;)

Sorry...

...for the lack of updates. I got a little lazy and the heat wasn't helping matters either. And if it wasn't hot, then there'd be thunderstorms.

Two Saturdays ago, I received a call for interview letter from the Public Services Commision (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam). I had applied online at their site (www.spa.gov.my) in April and after the Deputy Prime Minister's call to have the government departments update their vacancies and offer jobs to 30,000 jobless graduates, received word from them. My interview will be on the 08th of August (08/08) and I have to be there by 8am. 08/08 @ 0800. That's got to be auspicious. But I'm not keeping my hopes up. I have googled for information and the details scare me to death. Why do the interviewers want to see me under pressure? I can tell them I don't handle pressure well without them resorting to bombarding me with questions about the Constitution and the Government. Eek!

And here's another scary fact.
Number of applicants:
10,748
Passed initial screening:
1,318
Number of vacancies:
90 (yes, NINETY!)

Oh dear me! It's bad enough it's at 8am. My brain doesn't fully wake up until well after noon. And after lunch, it goes back into a dreamy state. *yawn*

Maybe if I assume that I don't get the job, my confidence levels will soar. Must think: I arrived without a job, I'll leave without a job...so, what have I got to lose? Hehehe...yeah, crazy logic. What's the post I applied for? They gave 10 choices, but all that was completely relevant to my degree was Information Systems Officer (Pegawai Sistem Maklumat). Let's see if I remember the job description (translated from Malay): Responsible for ascertaining the suitability of the existing computer system(s) and further developing, analyzing, designing, installing/executing, maintaining and reevaluating the data and information processing system to meet with the Dept's needs.

Some people commented about their interview experiences in forums and some said that they were NOT asked questions pertaining to their job. Some were.

I don't know if I should be the first to go into the interview room or wait til the end, when the interviewers are anxious to get home (and not so eager to pressure the candidate). But the thought of spending all morning there and seeing the other candidates end their suffering after 30 minutes...that might just do me in. And by the time it's my turn, I'll be a blubbering idiot. best to go in there unprepared. "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." I think it was Jonathan Swift who said something along those lines.

Okay, other than the fact that there's a pension plan after the age of 55, what are the benefits of working with the (Malaysian) government? Dad mentioned healthcare and subsidized housing.

I received the two albums I won during the Hitz.tv Album of The Week contest yesterday. Shakira's Oral Fixation Vol 2 and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Stadium Arcadium. The packaging for the RHCP album is first class! One side for Jupiter, another for Mars (it's a two-disc set) and the folded end is where the booklet goes. I guess I have to listen to the albums costantly before I like anything other than Dani California and Hips Don't Lie. Nothing beats Imogen Heap's Speak For Yourself album though. All her tracks are great!

Today, I got Simon's present. Two days before my birthday. He toyed with my mind, saying it was another one of his battery operated gifts. The two previous gifts are known as Sparky and Horace. Sparky is a flipping dog that barks. Horace is a hamster in a ball. I suppose with my regular questions about Cauli Cheese and Shepherd's Pie and other English dishes, he got the idea to get me the "Porters English Cookery Bible (Ancient and Modern)" by Richard, Earl of Bradford and Carol Wilson. Gee, nobody's ever bought ME a cookery book before. I usually buy them for my mother.

Okay, that's it for now. Take care all!

BTW, I WILL eventually continue about my trip details. But this time, I will just append to the previous post. If you subscribe, you'll find out when I have done so.

mailto:S.Landi@kent.ac.uk mailto:sl241@kent.ac.uk mailto:spartaco.landi.1972@gmail.com

Automotive

The Volvo C70 at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) '06. Submission to the PhotoFriday Challenge.

Day 2: Prize-Giving Ceremony

I had set my phone alarm to 7am, but the voice and knock of my uncle on my cousin's door next to the room I slept in woke me up around 6:45am. I lazed in bed until the alarm was set off. The plan was for me to accompany my cousin to work, but I had to leave early because he had a meeting with a client around 9:30am. I was dressed by 8:30am.

I waited. My aunt stepped down from the stairs just before 9am. Offered to make me breakfast, and I accepted a cup of Milo. Not much of a breakfast person. Still no sign of my cousin by 9.10am. My aunt knocks on his door to wake him up. Cousin appears at 9:25am. He said the client called him and he rescheduled the meeting to 10am. He dropped me off at MidValley.

Let's see...where did I go first? When I got my bearings, I went right up to Pets Wonderland. I looked at the baby ferrets (imported from Holland) playing. I noted their big pile of poo in the corner of the cage (when they pick a corner, they REALLY pick a corner and stick to it). I saw the many Russian dwarf (little people?) hamsters squished beyond recognition (still alive, bless their little flexible bodies) in the gaps between enclosure and door. Sure, they look cute, but I couldn't get a hamster knowing that its ticker was set to stop after two years.

I went to the other side of the entrance, where the lizards were. There was a huge iguana, basking under the heat of the light. It was shedding its skin. And I noted how iguana poo looked. I can't recall now, though. Then, when the staff had opened the store, I went up to see the guinea pigs. The dogs were not in their cages at the time. I love looking at guinea pigs, admiring their various colours (white, red, black) and appearance. I saw hedgehogs too...and then I came to the Giant White Mice cage. In the corner closest to the front of the glass partition, I saw two pink, hairless baby mice suckling close to their mother. Then, as my eyes wandered deeper into the glass enclosure, I noticed a mouse's head. It was attached to a dried up body. Hairless. Don't think it was cannibalism, as the body was intact. No signs of blood around the body. I informed a female staff member and she went, "Oh!" and then disappeared. I didn't see her again and I wasn't going to wait. I only had about 30 mins remaining.

Next stop was Why Pay More? to check out on the shoes. The Reeboks in the style that I had bought in the past were all gone. More size selections this time though. But I wasn't planning on buying a pair of shoes, so I didn't.

I went to IT World to check on the Mouse prices (what I needed) and saw a Logitech mouse with cool tiger stripes. But I didn't get it because I knew I was headed for Ampang Point and wanted to compare prices first.

Then it was down to Watson's. Spotted a promotion where the St. Ives® Medicated Apricot Scrub came along with a free St. Ives® Apricot Radiance™ Blemish-Fighting Cream Cleanser and it only cost RM18.90. The promoter was saying that the promotion had ended, but they were getting rid of their stock. I asked if there would be any in my town, and she said that she couldn't be sure. But the fact was, they wouldn't be offering this once stocks were sold out. I just had to get it. I've been using it for exactly two weeks now (wow, how quickly time flies!) and the effects have been good. I look better (no more dull skin) and my skin doesn't get dry nor oily. Just after paying for my purchase, my cousin calls and says that he'll be there in 5 mins. I hurry off to the entrance where he had dropped me off earlier.

*updated*

He was already parked out in the front and I didn't see him until a minute later (when he came out of the car). Took quite awhile to get to Ampang Point from there. It definitely was a long way away and I was glad that my cousin worked at Ampang Point (what were the chances it would be there?) and I didn't have to inconvenience anyone to get there.

My cousin parked his car in the underground parking and arranged for his car to be washed. By the time we were out of there, we decided to have an early lunch, as it was already past noon. I had a plate of Chicken Rice and I think that cost RM4.20 (no soup for that price!). They even charged RM0.30 for iced water! My cousin picked up the tab, eventhough I had wanted to pay for my lunch. Bless him.

I walked back with him to the shopping centre and loitered around, looking at pointing devices (mouses/mice). There weren't many computer stores there. Only two, if I recall correctly. I loitered some more, and then it was 2:20pm. I went off to the restroom to brush my teeth and look presentable. They only had two sinks there and I don't know what the other woman must have been thinking (toothbrush? toothpaste? homeless?). When I was done, I decided to walk to Habib Jewels at 2:30pm. I went through the side entrance and there were the usual glass displays and attentive sales personnel. I smiled at someone and mentioned that I was there for the prize presentation. She went off to ask someone else and that person told me that I could take the lift to the third floor. I did that and there was nobody there. Just chairs and the backdrop (just like the photo at the bottom - minus the people). I found an open door and walked through that. And saw a cleaning woman scrubbing a little fountain-pool thingy. Made small talk and then somebody approached me and said that they weren't ready and that the floor needed sweeping. Errr, okay. So off I went down to the ground floor and sat on a chair in the lobby area.

The security guard was yakking away with the receptionist. And the seconds ticked by slowly. Around 2:50pm, an elderly Indian woman, two women and two little boys came into the lobby. I wasnt planning on being perky, friendly, so I just looked out of the glass windows. And boy was I glad. I saw a smart fortwo driving past. The first time I saw it on the road. The elderly Indian woman asks me if I was there for the prize-giving ceremony and I replied in the affirmative. I said that I was a consolation prize winner and she replied that she was the first prize winner. I think I congratulated her.

Then a Chinese couple enters and the woman sits on the chair near me. I divulged that I was from KT and they were surprised that I would travel all the way just to accept the prize. I talked with the Chinese couple and the man replied that he was representing his brother (Teoh), who was in KT too. The brother had won the second prize. He asked me if I knew his brother, and I didn't recognize the name. And then..."You mean the man who always wins contests?" I asked. It was him indeed. The reason he didn't attend the ceremony was that he had just returned from Liverpool - the grand prize of a football-themed contest, and he wasn't up to travelling to KL. Had I known him, perhaps I could have been his representative too. And then absconded with the RM5,000 earring and pendant set. Naah, I'm just kidding. My conscience doesn't allow me to do that. Besides, they had photos of me at the ceremony, and all my details from the contest. I'd be a fool.

The boys were very boisterous. One had a Finding Nemo backpack, the other didn't. Together, they made a ruckus. Even during the event, one of them dropped their toy car loudly onto the wooden floor.

Before the event started, this was the scene. The photographer is the one on the far left, then the reporter and two Habib Jewels staff. My prize was in one of the smaller paperbags.

An Indian man (Kumar) arrived just before the event was to commence and he was the other consolation prize winner. There were supposed to be three consolation prize winners, but the doctor couldn't make it. The third prize winner was caught in traffic and only arrived while we were having refreshments.

Anyway, there was a little speech by the manager, and the PR woman. And then the winners went out to the front to receive their prizes. We had to read our winning slogans, and then we all posed for photographs. We were instructed to admire the first prize winner's bracelet, and to talk amongst ourselves. I think I remember saying, "Ooh, what a nice bracelet" twice. How idiotic.

We had refreshments and sat around tables that seated four. I sat with Kumar and the Teohs. We were talking about contests and it seemed that we were regular compers. Kumar said that he had won a prize a year or two earlier. And Mr Teoh said that his brother owned a club and had the opportunity to collect bottle caps for entries. He also knocked on his neighbours' doors to ask for entry forms in their copies of the newspaper. In fact, he was the only one who submitted EIGHT entries while the rest of us submitted only one each.

Just before leaving, I had mentioned that I was staying with my relatives in Puchong Jaya, and Mr Teoh said that they lived in the same area! I could get a lift back with them, they offered. Well, I tried to text my cousin, but there was no response, and I had to decline their offer. Small world indeed! I walked back to my cousin's shop and it was pretty busy.

My cousin's shop during a lull in business. He was busy preparing details of the Maxis roadshow. We finally got back around 6pm, I think. The night before, the plan was to catch a movie, 'The da Vinci Code', so after dinner, we went off to the IOI Mall. I watched the movie, but my relatives dozed off during several scenes. I felt bad about that, even more so when my uncle hadn't freshened up after arriving back from work.

*to be updated later*

Two-petalled Crown of Thorns flower chosen

I hadn't checked my site stats in awhile and so when I noticed how many hits I had this week, I had to widen my eyes. A third photo was chosen at Interfacelift.com (June 6th). Nice to know that they do look through past submissions.

The reason I'm dragging my feet to update is because I have a lot to write about and the days are just too hot and humid. And if there's rain, there'll be thunder too (and I have to shutdown). I learnt yesterday, at the Frappr Sidekick Members chat page, that certain ISPs in the US replace fried modems (due to thunderstorms) free of charge! No fair.

I'll try to update later today. While I can still remember some details. Note to self: mention dead giant white mouse at Pets Wonderland.

Take care, all! By the way, I can't seem to chose font styles or see any of the usual functions on Blogger using Opera. Hmmm...

The Bus trip to KL

My bus ticket stated 11am, Tuesday morning. As usual, Dad drove me there by 10.20am. Before I could walk to the counter, Dad suggested I ask the bus driver. I handed him the ticket and he said it was the right bus. I was on seat 7C, and there was a girl sitting by the window on 7D. The bus was old and had tattered headrests. There were many empty seats, which were to be filled by passengers from the other towns along the route.

As the bus started on its journey, I started talking to the girl sitting next to me. She was on her way to KL for her uni project. She was studying in UM to be a town planner. Shazliana (I think that was her name) told me I could call her by her nickname, 'Baby' -- err, I don't think so. That wasn't the worst part. The worst part was hearing her say that she needed to talk to people on the bus or she would get motion sickness. I couldn't tell her that just by looking at her to speak, made me feel nauseous. So I tried looking out the window while speaking to her. It helped a little, but I prefer pretending to sleep.

Further along our conversation, I found out that I was on the 10:35am bus - I suppose they did that "Let's mock the time on the tickets" routine again. You'd think that would have made me arrive earlier to my destination. Alas! That was not to be. At the first rest stop (as usual, had sandwiches from home - I never buy any food from these stops), the bus took around 15 passengers from another Transnasional bus that had broken down nearby. I overheard the bus driver saying that he would drop them at the Kuantan bus terminal. Kuantan was out of the way and Shazliana started to fret that it would waste a lot of time. Kuantan was out of the way and was not part of the route. The bus arrived in Kuantan around 2pm. The stranded passengers had disembarked from the bus and were taking their things from the luggage compartment. Twenty minutes later, some of these passengers got on the bus again, bound for Kuala Lumpur! Why couldn't the few stranded passengers who were not headed for Kuala Lumpur be left at the rest stop for the next bus, while our bus continued our journey? Why couldn't Transnasional send in a replacement bus for the stranded passengers? Grrr!!

We made it to Kuala Lumpur in one piece by 6:40pm. My uncle was already waiting for me at the bus terminal, and I suggested that I buy my bus ticket back then and there after asking him when would be the most convenient time for him to send me to the terminal. He did want to think about it first, but I told him that it would be more convenient to buy it while I was at the terminal. We went to the counter and enquired about the tickets available for the 1st (as suggested by my father, a quick trip without hassling anyone for too long). The woman at the counter rattled off some times, starting with 9am. My uncle happily told her I would get on the 9am bus.

*** To Be Continued In Next Another Post ***

Was awakened at 8:30am

...by my mother who brought the newspaper in to show me the picture and accompanying article about the Habib Jewels contest results.

You may access the article here. Please be warned that I don't look that great in the photo, but I do look better than some people in there. *evil grin* I DO have a fringe, it's just not apparent in the pic. And I WAS wearing some make-up.

Sorry for the delay in updating. Was hounded by nephews all day, being pestered to let them use my laptop to play games.

I'm back...

after an arduous nine-hour bus journey from KL. Apparently, the public holiday (the Agong's birthday) is the cue for everybody to drive to the hills and jam up the highways. One extra hour for my butt to go numb.

I don't think I'll condense the six days' worth of 'happenings' in one post. I'll start at the beginning (if I can remember the details). When I have been well-rested enough to post, without being pestered by nephews who want to use my laptop as an expensive tool to play online games. They already have their Gameboy Advance and Cartoon Network/Disney Channel/Nickelodeon to keep them company.

It's off to bed for me. Will update later. With photos. Oh, must transfer them first.