The Rakyat Has Spoken

Though the 12th Malaysian elections are over, talk of it has yet to die down. Why? Well, the results I suppose are just too phenomenal. But while I have certain opinions about the whole matter, I have decided not to blog about it as certain rat finks lurking out there in the murky swamps may just report this website to certain authorities who may not be overtly fond of free speech and I don't take too kindly to rotting in jail. So enough said. But this was a first for me...voting that is...and I was rather excited about the whole she-bang. Unfortunately, the whole she-bang was rather short lived. It took Jess (yeah, we ended up voting at the same centre) and myself all of 5 minutes to complete the whole process of checking our identity cards, climbing up 3 floors, waiting (somewhat embarassingly) while one guy shouted out our identity card numbers and full name (with much emphasis on my chinese name) to the whole world, crossing our choice of candidate and then walking proudly out of the classroom. I felt proud because I had the priviledge off changing the history of my country and was a part of something important...democracy at play.

Just Another On Call Week

This on call week has been very bearable. It was the other things that proved to be a challenge to my patience; inefficiencies, incomplete handing over of information, patients who think we are complete idiots , my impending abstract, viruses, spss, one particular doctor who learned the hard way not to raise his voice at me and the list goes on. But despite it all, I am thankful that I am not alone in this journey...that I have a Higher Power to lean on and who is more than able to infuse high doses of joy into my day when my cup runneth dry. This will have to be a short blog. I have been staring at the computer since 9 o'clock (in the morning that is) and I can't feel my brains anymore...the numbness has set in and I am not even halfway through my data. Off to the showers now then before burning the midnight candles (notice that it is not a singular candle...sigh). Good night folks, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite.

Dr. Phil's Personality Test

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I scored 53 on Dr. Phil's personality test and this is what the score says:

Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, one who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

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This is my interpretation:

Others see you as an exciting (ahem...no arguments here), highly volatile (don't mess with me...seriously...you people at SISTIC...count your lucky stars that you were not dealing with ME!), rather impulsive personality (how to be exciting without a little impulsitivity...yes...I love to make up new words too); a natural leader (in the absence of other natural leaders...must give other people chance mah!), one who's quick to make decisions (especially if the decision is to eat or not to eat), though not always the right ones (yes...hence all those MCs because of food poisoning, diarrhoea and vomiting). They see you as bold and adventuresome (white water rafting...come on...call me...I am checking out flights to Bali) , someone who will try anything once (oh definitely...especially when it comes to exotic foods); someone who takes chances (which makes me a very bad gambler...which is just as well that I don't gamble...except that one time in Adwin's house...and yes, I lost RM2...let that be a lesson) and enjoys an adventure (bring it on!). They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate (aaahhh well...what can I say?...blush...blush).

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Then again, these things have been known to be wrong.

Virus Attack

In my world, viruses cause death, cancer and a whole lot of money. Today, I experienced first hand how much heart ache they (the evil virus ...as evil as rat finks) can inflicte on poor innocent souls such as myself. While attempting to download SPSS into my lap top, one sinister folder eating virus got in and totally screwed (please don't mind the language...besides the virus attack, I have had many annoying patients in my clinic tonight) most of the folders in my lap top. Sigh, sigh and triple sigh. Going for DG now...hopefull there's a bowl of bak kut teh with my name on it there. Yummers! Feeling better already.

Back To Work

It actually was not all that bad this morning...I managed to haul my sorry ass outta bed without much ado and got to work well ahead of time. The traffic was still good, Wen Chieh picked us up for lunch (such an angel!) and I have a great PRP that just joined my section...yup...as Justin puts it "I'm Lovin It!". Also, two of my 'hatching eggs gift' on my facebook have hatched and look at the cutie pies that emerged:

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Had a couple of Valentine's Day wishes and one "single awareness day" salutation...harrrumph...so presumptious! It is also batik day today...yup...wore my stripey batik underwear...too bad no one could see it...tee hee!

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Not a bad day at all. I give it a 7/10. A perfect 10 it would have been had I not gotten lost in my own hospital in search of Paeds 6...the renovations are driving me nuts...thank you for setting me straight Haris...yes yes...t'was embarassing. AND...found out that the new private building has internet connection! Joy! So I end here...happy Valentine's Day ya' all...may the loving never stop. Muacks!

Fire Fly~ed Back From Penang

Firefly...Fokker 50...hhhmmm...not the most hygienic plane in the world but it got us there and back on time...and for that, I wil not take anymore jibes at this airline...but I can tell you lor...their slogan is not a very fitting one.

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The past six days have been sooo relaxing and that makes it that much harder to go back to work tomorrow. But a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do...and a girl has got to earn a living...hence the work...so I am trying my 'bestest' to maintain a REALLY positive outlook on everything...work and otherwise. There is just so much nonsence that I think we put up with in life. I am just feeling a little blue today that's all. My aunt was admitted in today for her chemotherapy but ended up not getting it because they could not trace her x-rays...it had gotten lost 'somewhere'. Frustrating...yes...but if feeling frustrated could get this sorted...then I am all for going down that frustrated angst road...but unfortunately, no matter how frustrated we get, no one seems to be able to give a straight and assuring answer to the questions we had. Is this what OUR health care system is turning into? It's scary. But enough pondering for one day...my brains just can't take it...after all, it is still on holiday. Good night.

Leech's Favourite Chinese New Year Dish of 2008

Introducing the Muscovy duck. Origin: Brazil. Wild muscovies are coloured black and white but domestication has produced many different colours. They are unique because of the bright red crest around their eyes and above the beak. What does this have to do with my favourite CNY dish you ask with a puzzled and inpatient frown? Look below:

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Muscovy duck ala The Leows. Apparently a family secret recipe...a CNY dish that my aunts have been eating for yonks during their childhood...which begs the question...why is it only now that we (the younger generation) are hearing off it? All those wasted years where I could have been stuffing my face silly!

I am not a duck person but this dish has definitely changed that and my second aunt makes it REALLY well. When I say REALLY well...I am REALLY REALLY REALLY well! The sauce, a combination of hoi sin sauce, some red bean paste, some kind of red wine and other stuff that went in one ear and out the other (I guess that it will still remain a secret after all), compliments the tender meat. And this is one lean bird...not much fat under all that skin...one major plus point. The other dishes on the table were totally fantastic as well...don't get me wrong...we have been pigging out since we touched down in Penang yesterday...but the duck...yes indeed...the duck...oh my...I am salivating...a pool of drool (hey, it rhymes) is forming on the table...better go and wipe it up before the lap top short circuits. Drip, drip and out!

Status: Stuffed!

So…after the BBQ steamboat dinner at the Telephone Restaurant last night and resolving (once again) to go on a starvation diet for the next week or so…I managed to prove to myself (once again) that resolutions are made to be broken. As Aunty Poi once so wryly remarked, “Who are we kidding?!” Words of wisdom indeed.

The clinic tonight was a back breaking event. It was also unfortunately a perfect opportunity of building one’s appetite up. By the time the last prescription was dispensed and everything locked up, my stomach started its usual whining which soon turned into fierce growls. Time for Williams.

Introducing William.

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It is because of this one jolly fella that my blog is christened ‘bluecheesenaan’…except I thought that most peeps would spell naan as ‘nan’…and hence the intentional typo. Don’t bother asking for a menu. I don’t believe that there is one lying around…and even if there was…it would not be as interesting as hearing him (William) describe his latest inventions with such relish that you could literally see the dish in your mind. This is also one place where it is NOT rude to stare at another table’s orders and then ask around for the name of that particular dish that has caught your fancy. In fact, it is rather flattering when someone points to your plate and asks William about it. It basically means that whatever you are eating is interesting enough to warrant attention and that you have made the right choice…bangga I tell you!

Enough of gushing and down to the nitty gritty of what I ate tonight. As usual, I went there with a predetermined order in my mind; Portobello mushrooms with risotto and baked pasta topping. But alas…as always…William describes another dish of his choice and being the easily swayed people that we are (especially when it comes to food), we agreed without putting up much of a fight. Tonight’s specials were smoked salmon pasta in a creamy white sauce with a light splattering of tuna flakes and beef pesto pasta lightly tossed with pine nuts. Both receive the LEECHES SEAL OF APPROVAL but the smoked salmon pasta wins the prize…though I thought that by adding blue cheese into the sauce, perfection would be achieved. But that’s just me…a blue cheese lover.

The really yummy smoke salmon pasta

The second prize winner; pesto pasta

And then, when we thought that the night was over, he comes over and plonks another dish on our table. Yummy…complimentary bruschetta topped with smoked salmon and blue cheese and another topped with a sun dried tomato paste. Yummy just doesn’t do justice to how wonderfully scrumptious each bruschetta tasted. It’s really good la…REALLY BLINKINGLY SUPERBLY FANTASTIC! But that’s just me…a blue cheese lover.

And the drinks that he concocts! My favourite is the jumbo pint of ribena laichee. Others that I occasionally order would be the mango special, ice lemon tea and the sea coconut laichee (can be substituted with longan if you are hot too thrilled about laichees like I am). One drink that I most probably NEVER order but have tasted before is the banana strawberry blend that Amelia seems to fancy…but then again…being the M-unkee that she is…it’s no wonder really.

So yes indeed…once again…I ended up waddling to my car. My stomach made not a sound…it was after all satisfied as satisfied can be. Good night.

The Leech Rambling While Testing Font Colours

Black. New template...new font colour. Realise how much there sort of things bother me. Font size, colour, alignment. Meticulous? Not...just painstakingly obsessive I suppose.

Red. Chinese New Year. This will be the first year after so long that I am not flying off for mission work. Actually, it's the first year after my mum passed away that I have been around. It's just hard...putting on a smile and having to fake niceties when what I really want to do is curl up in bed and read a really good book. But this year...just as well...LQ and myself will be flying up to Penang for a week. Tai Yee is there...recuperating from her mastectomy. Also haven't seen the folks up there for a long while. And the assam laksa and prawn noodles and rojak...yummers!

Orange. Vitamin C? Prevents scurvi. Good stuff. The Leech recommends really high doses (around the region of 1000mg - 1500mg/day) and plenty of water when you feel the flu coming on. Most of it doesn't get absorbed anyway but I just love chewing the stuff...or drinking the effervescent tabs.

Green. Ahhh...always associate this colour with my enviromental engineer munkee buddee...who is probably right at this very moment gushing over her winter clothing in anticipation of her trip to Japan. Am happy for you woman! Only wish that I am boarding that plane with you. Sigh...maybe Air Asia will fly to Japan and give MAS a run for their money. I seriously tried looking for other cheaper flights but RM3700++ for tickets? Daylight robbery I tell ya. Anyway have fun and if offered any raw horse tongues for dinner...for goodness sakes EAT IT and then come back and tell me all about it. Man...if you really do that I will pay for your champagne dinner when you return. Ha ha. Must have proof (preferrably video with the audio set to high) of you munching AND swallowing the stuff.

Purple. A colour that you will not see in my closet. I don't even have any purple underwear. That's how much I don't like the colour. Hhhmmm, maybe this has something to do with Barney and how he freaks me out.

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Then there is this pinkish sort of hue.

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And yellow. Very hard to see when blogging because of the white background of the text box. Rumah Mahkota rulez! My old sports house back in high school. Yellow was Mahkota where all the cool and non-kiasu kids hung out. Red was Laksamana...ha ha...I have so much to say about this house but I will not. You know who you are. Blue was Paduka; a lepak and easy going house and then came the green house (Indera); where all the self proclaimed brainiacs gathered to plot strategies for world domination. PS: This paragraph used to be yellow until I got 'gatal' and changed the background of my template...again.

RibLee's

The Girl, The Boy and The Sane Drug Pusher's next animal protein culinary adventure: RibLee's at Desa Sri Hartamas. The website http://www.riblees.com/ is still under construction...so pictures only, no information and we know that though pictures may speak a kazillion words... they can also prove to be utterly deceiving. But I am game for anything new...well...almost anything new...there are certain lines that I will not cross. I will not drink blood. I will not eat...hhhmmm...drawing a complete blank here. Anyway, RibLee's serve baby back ribs and that's one of the many dishes that we will be ordering. And knowing the bottomless pits that The Girl and The Boy are...we will also be trying out desserts. Can't wait...if one of you dares to fly kite on that particular day (you had better have a REALLY good reason) then drinks are on you the next time...and I am not talking about 'limau ais kurang manis'. See you guys there!

Exams...Essay...In Malay...Gaspsssss

Imagine this. Eight essay questions...which I am required (the rebel in me hates the word required) to answer in malay. Okay...all of you who are going, "You bukan orang Malaysia ka?"...give chance lah. I can speak the language relatively well...plus I can also somewhat put on a Trengganu accent to humour my malay staff and the Trengganu/Kelantan folks I encounter in the hospital...but the written language is proving to be more of a challenge. Given time (and much request/pestering for help from the unfortunate others around), the words do flow out when I need to type out a letter or a report in malay...but this exam...two papers...one general and one pharmacy related...which means technical terms and what nots. My education post SPM (Sijil Pengajian Malaysia...not sure what it's called now) has been in English so you can just imagine poor old me in the exam hall...thinking in english and then having to translate everything to malay. The amount of inverted comas that I am forced to imposed on the examiner...

So the exam is really near...and of course...yours truly has not studied for it yet. It's just so tedious and boring! Let me give you a flavour of what I have to read for my general paper:

• Peraturan dan process urusan pelantikan, kenaikan pangkat dan penamatan perkhidmatan mengikut Peraturan-Peraturan Pegawai Awam (Lantikan, Kenaikan Pangkat dan Penamatan Perkhidmatan) 2005 P.U (A) 176/2005
• Pekeliling/Perintah Am Bab B, C, E, F dan G
• MS ISO 9001:2000
• Protokol dan Etiket dalam Majlis Rasmi
• Arahan Perbendaharaan
• Akta Prosedur Kewangan 1957 (Akta 61)
• Tatacara Kewangan dan Perakaunan PPUM DS-0534
• Nilai dan Etika dalam Perkhidmatan Awam
• Motivasi
• Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti 1971
• Dasar Pembangunan Negara
• dan lain-lain...

Bored? Yeah, it was pretty painful for me to type all of that out. And I can assure you that it will be even more painful studying it. But this is our test of competency. Seriously. And with that I suddenly have no other comments to make...but I will of course be letting you know how competent I am after the results are out.

My House Has Been...

like a hotel for this pass week and will be for the next couple of days. I get out of the house at 7am and check back in after midnight. Haven't been to the kitchen...haven't even sat down on the living room couch...much less touched the remote control. Some late nights have been work related and the others...well...let's say that oysters, scallops and wine were involved...and the occasional catching up 'yum cha' with friends. Hey, remember Jack...the all work and no play guy? Well...social frivolities often come with the sacrifice of sleep.

But soon...and I fear that it has already started...Jack will be my best bud. The congress is fast approaching and being in a part of 'THE SECRETARIAT' sucks...big time. Who is in charge of doing this? Answer: THE SECRETARIAT. Who is in charge of doing that? Answer: (all together now) THE SECRETARIAT. Woo hoo! Bring it on. Why not? What is life without a few challenges.

So besides being in THE SECRETARIAT, there's also the "Booketh Project" that needs to be done...SOON...and that "Neutropenic Project" that is testing my patience and needs to get a move on...SOON...if not just to preserve my sanity. It is no joke rushing off to medical records after work to collect data (nothing more boring than a pile of folders in a stuffy room). Actually, I suspect that I will miss the data collection bit once the keying in part starts. SPSS. Arghhh! But let's not get ahead of ourselves here...breathe...breathe!!! And the PTK exams coming up soon...which by the way Lisha...you have not started to study for. Oh boy...it's not good a good sign when I start to talk about myself in the third person...or when I feel that my grammar is about to take a leap off a building. Time to go. The sleep bank is demanding a deposit. I need to take a shower and wash my hair...and partially dry it...and rub in some vitamin E serum...and then dry it some more...because I have been told many (many many many) times that 'It's bad to sleep when your hair is wet...sure will wake up with a headache...and when you get older...you watch out la...your neck sure gone one'. And since I am getting older (ha ha ha, not before you though, Lauren and Ratha, mua ha ha!!!) I suppose I had better pay heed to that piece of advice. There must be some truth in it though I have survive all these years of not drying my hair before I sleep. You see...I don't believe in hair dryers...the evil electricity suckers that they are. Oh boy...I am rambling. I had better go...to the bathroom then...off I go...yes sirree...yawn...YAWN...hair...oily...needs washing...eyes...tired...needs sleep...wash hair...sleep...wash hair...sleep. Logging out.

This Morning...

proved to be rather exasperating. Was late for work by no fault of mine. The automatic gate went on a strike (probably got that idea from the writer's guild) and as such, I was held a prisoner in my own house. The emergency key (never tried out before as the gate proved thus far to be a faithful worker...springing open at the touch of a button) did not work and I was at my wits end. Dad must have been the lucky last to cross the line before the strike was declared. So what was I to do but to wait for me dad to turn back to save his daughter from that sole picketer of a gate.

Meanwhile, my PRP calls to inform an exasperated your truly that the awaiting methadone patients were getting restless. I told her that they will have to wait until my gate decides to set me free. I don't know whether she believed me.

And so while I waited for me dad in my car...was too lazy to unlock the front door...I started thinking about this exasperating patient I had at the private clinic the other day. She walked into my room holding an empty antihypertensive drug box and the following conversation ensued:

Her: I want to buy this drug!
Me: Do you have a valid prescription with you? (as polite as always)
Her: Buy medicine also need a prescription one ah? (which left me wondering what in the world precriptions were for)
Me: Yes according to our country's Pharmacy laws.
Her: But this private right?!!
Me: Yes.
Her: But outside private pharmacy I can just walk in and buy. No need prescription also one.
Me: That's not how we practice medicine here.
Her: But this also private mah! (this lady clearly had a one track mind)
Me: Yes but we still uphold the law here.

And the law was sufficient to shut her up. She left my room in search of a doctor and a prescription.

This apparently happens at the Kedai (what I call the pharmacy shop in the hospital) as well...not just with the patients BUT (get this!) the doctors as well. Thank goodness none of them were my doctors...aku sekeh kang! This leaves me rather puzzled. Really. I understand patients expecting to buy drugs without a script. I will be the first to admit that they are many in my profession in the retail industry that sell prescription drugs over the counter. It is not right and it is even worse when they start a patient on prescription items without a doctor's consult or planned follow up.

But doctors asking why they need a prescription to buy drugs (and I am not talking about Panadol here)? Come one...

Anyhow...dad arrived. After much ado...we managed to trash out acceptable terms that the gate was pleased with. I was set free and did a Kimi Raikkonen all the way to the hospital. As such, I would like to take this appurtunity and space to apologise to all the...well most of...(the rest were really idiots with cars)...the undeserving drivers on the receiving end of my honks and flashes. Sorry!

Ratbert!

I love reading Dilbert. Comic strips and books. Hilarious! But this cartoon strip has a special place in my heart. Aaaaawwwww...Ratbert...you wouldn't...you mean you would! You rat fink!!!

Renovations!

The whole hospital feels like it is under renovation. The incessant sound of drilling and the intoxicating smell of paint is carried and magnified (or is it my imagination?) through the labyrinth of fungal infested ventilation that snakes through the whole place. Each day at ward rounds, we discuss our patients case to the background of uneven beats of hammering and that drilling...that drilling that continues is our heads even after the actual ones stop. My only respite was pharmacy where the little midgets in my brains (after a while the hammering and drilling felt like it was coming from within) take a rest. But now that the renovations in the clean room has started...yes, right next door to my station...there really is no rest for the weary. Whoever came up with that proverb should be shot!

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So life is as usual...exciting. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I finally got my Starbucks 2008 planner. Ha ha...I did not even have to drink six cups of coffee or eat a pastry (read previous post). Of course it helps that I have loyal friends who put up with my nonsense (Lauren and Ratha...I love you guys!)...seriously...all my nonsense...unquestioningly. Knowing that I have friends like them...well, I am very fortunate...no...EXTREMELY fortunate. Hey Ju, that includes you too...I know that you were just too stuffed for anything else...not even green tea (gasp!). Oh it also helped that the barista gave me two stickers for each drink that we had. Either he had a directive to do so or I must have looked pretty desperate. Anyhow...mission accomplished.

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And mission accomplished here in the ward. Was waiting for a staff nurse to come back from her break to interview her about some precipitation problem I am having with one of my drugs. Got all my facts and it is now time to write a report. Joy!

What Feels New?

This is a very 'rambly' sort of post. Not for the faint hearted or impatient readers.

So, 2008 is in. What feels new? I really don't know. In spite of the fireworks and cheers, as the clock flipped from 11:59 pm to 12:00 am, I did not feel a rush of wind or jolts of electricity...something to indicate that the old has gone and the new is here. Nothing. Zilch. So what's the hype about celebrating and partying and singing Auld Lang Syne? I guess that people just like the idea that they can start anew, to wipe the slate clean and change the direction of their paths. But little do they know that they can actually do that on a daily basis. Maybe it's the need to just celebrate at any given opportunity because their everyday life is just so mundane and rut-like. Perhaps we need to take a really good look at our lives...each day should be a celebration...each day a blessing. But I think that we allow the little things in life to take over...little by little until we lost sight of out priorities...and one day, those priorities will cease to be of any importance and we wonder why we placed them so highly?

Why am I in this mood?

Ah, more food for thought. I was just thinking that's all...and yes I CAN think. What feels new? Nothing really. Maybe that's not the question to ponder about. What should be new? That's more like it. I think that in 2008 my resolution is to be more aware of the bigger picture. Of course I still want world peace and to be a better person and to be kinder to rats...but unless I 'get' the bigger picture, I reckon it's kind of hard to achieve all that...or that it would be meaningless. I still have lots of other things that I want to change about myself but like Rome...yeah...time...and the belief that resolutions can be made at any time...not just at the start of a new year.

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Happy New Year...may this year be filled with what's really important...LOVE, JOY and PEACE!

Nearly The End

I have been a pig…again. These pass couple of days…sigh…let’s say that the festivities are getting the better of me and my waist line. Lunch was supposed to be oysters, oysters and then more at Genji, PJ Hilton. But that plan was blown to smitterins when we learned how popular that lunch buffet was and that it is always best to make reservations! Plan B took a while to conceive…it never struck us that we would be denied a place…but we decided that since we had Japanese on our minds, then the next place to head to was Sri Hartamas…Sugimoto. Alas, it was not meant to be…Japanese food that is. Sugimoto’s was closed for lunch and we ended up eating burgers at Jarrod & Rawlins. Not a bad place for food at all…but was no match for Jappie food.

PJ Hilton. Really cool train railway set with little towns realistically arranged around it.

Dutch Village

Errmm, can't quite make this one out.

I was totally knackered by the time I dropped Manju off at her mechanics that I just managed to get myself home before collapsing on the living room couch. When I woke up, it was dark outside and I had barely enough time to have a shower before picking Ratha and heading towards our dinner destination. Damansara Village Restaurant (or something like that la…wasn’t really paying attention). It is a fresh seafood steamboat joint. Talk about fresh…the prawns were still alive when served to us and it was really eerie seeing them splash about in the steamboat before…well…you get the idea. The soup was okay…not that excellent (they unfortunately did not have tom yam soup…a major minus with me)…but I liked it because (as they claimed) there was no added MSG. Another cool thing about the place was the minute menagerie maintained in the restaurant itself. I nearly got the shock of my life on the way to the toilet as I came face to face with two gigantic iguanas (please remember my fear of lizards and these were BIG ASS ones!!!). I just had to get Lauren (Ratha refused to budge from the table...ha ha) and my camera. As I was taking pictures of the iguanas, one of the workers approached me and asked whether I wanted to hold one of the iguanas while he took a picture of me and said iguana. Yeah right, like that was ever going to happen! I would eat the iguana but I would NEVER hold one…even if it was dead. Eeeeek! Anyway, I politely smiled and said no. He left. Phew…because the next cage contained a black snake. There is also a giant tortoise, bunnies, birds, a pair of turkey (they managed to survive the Christmas season) and something in a hollow coconut shell that we could not clearly identify.

Loved the fishballs.

Lauren and the iguanas. I think that she would have been game enough to hold those huge critters. I think...

Met a member of the Alleycats at Starbucks...a Chinese one at that too!

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After all that (and mind you, we were STUFFED…akin to really fat teddy bears), it was time for coffee. Starbucks. Ratha left her Starbucks sticker card in her car (which was at that very moment in the basement of her condominium…so too bad) and so I decided to start my very own collection. 18 stickers and a Starbucks Planner was mine to own. And what luck! Amelia walks in to meet a bunch of her university mates and she managed to score more stickers for my card. Yay! So now, I have 6 more beverage stickers and 1 pastry one to go…and that planner is a done deal. Oh…I, of course had my Java Chip Frappe…yummy…the counter fella managed to ‘persuade’ me to get a Venti with his, ‘Just add one more dollar…can get a bigger cup’ sales pitch. By the way, it always works with me. More coffee…more happiness. All in all, it was a good day of catching up and yakking….and also of course of eating. Like I said, I have been such a pig!
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My Starbucks card

White Water Rafting: Selangor River, Kuala Kubu Bahru

I am bitten by the river bug. The thrill of the rapids, the beauty of the surrounding trees, colourful and wonderfully patterned butterflies fluttering, dragonflies buzzing in groups, waterfalls in the least expected places. The best of all…the silence of nature as one float lazily down the river. Bliss…to be able to get away from the city…the fumes…and the noise of man made machines.

That morning saw me getting up early to play cabbie. After picking up Manju, Jenna and B, I handed the driving to Christie who drove us to Lionel’s house and our adventure started….immediately…with us losing sight of Lionel’s car (within 2 minutes of the start of the journey…Christie was apparently following the wrong car right from the start). It was good for us that B knew the way.

Bai (our head guide) was already at the Kuala Kubu Baru Post Office by the time we got there. We were the last to arrive (rather embarrassing since I am the organizer). The others were already chomping away on their breakfast in the near by coffee shops. So, after this and that and a char siew pau (my coffee had to be ta-pau-ed), we were off to the river.

After an extensive briefing from Bai (who turned out to be a pretty funny fella) and splitting ourselves up into four groups, we donned our safety equipment (which smelt really, really bad...and which Chew Cheong Tat...once again...wore his helmet backwards) and climbed into the rafts. Lionel, B, Manju, Su Yin and myself ended up with Bai as our guide.

No turning back...literally...because since we are not salmons, we lack to ability and the drive to swim upstream to lay our eggs. Please don't ask me where that analogy came from...I am hungry...and as usual...craving for salmon sashimi. If I had an oyster analogy...that would have been in here.

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Bai~our head guide...whom I suspect (judging by this photo) has a secret desire to be a super model.
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My raft members.
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More action. It's really addictive. The anticipation and wanting more of that 'feeling' that you get as the raft prepares to lunge downwards.

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Us once again. Look at the smiles on our faces. All natural...no posing.

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A brief stop at a waterfall (it's really cold and really strong...heavy...whatever...you get the idea).

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That's me...swimming...away from a shark (Andrew Poi).

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At the calm parts of the river, our guides allowed us to float carelessly while the current carried us towards the end.

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Nature. No descriptions needed.

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Overall, it was really good fun though I was a little disappointed that the rapids were not as ‘exciting’ as I expected them to be. The setback of having expectations. I found out that we did not really know our left from our right (ha ha ha…took us a few seconds to think before we could obey Bai’s commands). A few rapids threatened to throw us off (Chew Cheong Tat got flung off a couple of times) but it was not until the very last one that Manju, Su Yin and myself succumbed to the river. I remember it in slow motion…the raft going down a series of rather steep rocks…our side of the raft plunging downwards, Lionel and B sliding towards us…their side of the raft rising up, screaming…and then…silence. I knew I had plunged into the river and so did Manju and Su Yin, but I did not know where they were. Because of my contact lenses, I could not open my eyes. I remember kicking towards the surface…upwards…where the oxygen is. But instead of open air, my hands met the rubbery bottom of the raft. Drat! The raft was right above me. I don’t know how I managed to maintain my presence of mind but I did…and thankfully my claustrophobic demons stayed at bay. I scrambled towards the end of the raft and managed to find my way up. Air had never tasted as sweet as I gulped down breath after breath.

Have I had enough of white water rafting? Definitely not! I am already itching for the next trip. Padas river anyone? Okay…so Sabah is a little far to go to. How about Slim River then, folks? Give me a call. It can be arranged. This is your team leader…it’s been a pleasure…over and out.

2007..Sob...Sob...Bye...Bye

As the year draws to an end...I find myself falling into what I call my 'contemplative' moods where I retrospectively glance at the excerpts of my life in 2007. The memories then gets me very melancholic...but it's not a sad depressive melancholy...rather a wistful 'oh I can't believe how the year has swept pass me' that leaves me staring blankly into space for a moment. So if you see me around with glazed eyes...that's me in deep thought...BUT if it's really early in the morning...then it's probably me pre-caffeinated which means: LEAVE ME ALONE!

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I am attempting to compile my list of: 2007 ~ The Leech's List of Irksome-ness & Absolute Delights. I do this every year and distribute to some very close friends...but have never posted it up in a blog before. Hmmmm, must be careful to censore some things...rats and all...unfortunately. Sigh. Anyhow...my target of course is by the end of the year. Ha ha. I will prevail! Or rather...my procrastinative nature will NOT prevail.

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This year, instead of hand making my Christmas cards (in previous years, I used to draw and colour my cards using colour pencils...each card unique a.k.a no repetitions) because it is just too time consuming (and a lot of hard work!) I am printing them out with personal messages in each one. This year...my favourite Christmas quote comes (surprisingly) from Dr Seuss:

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
~ Dr. Seuss

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I think that I like things that rhyme. Anyway, it's post call (or nearly...half a day more to go). It has been a pleasant week so far...I have a good houseman tagged to me...always a good thing. The makan in Bibas went well...though I did not top my personal best of 36 oysters...I stopped at 23...actually, they ran out of oysters (can you believe that!!!) and so I was forced to stop. Pictures will be posted up...soon. And oh...apologies to all those I enticed to Bibas with my decription of the grilled cod fish that melts in your mouth...the cod fish was no where to be seen. In it's place was another sort of fish that...yes agreed...was not half as good. Anyway, I hope that you guys had a good time there.

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And as I end this particular blog, I wish one and all a MERRY CHRISTMAS. May His light shine upon you all the days of your lives.

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"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

My DG's Christmas Lunch Slash Gift Exchange

Our DG had a Christmas lunch at Marco's Pizza after church today. The following pictures...you will notice...are not of food...rather, they are of people who ate all the food...hence no pictures of food. No, I am not stating the obvious. The food was served in slow spurts and as each pizza was set on the table, the hoard of hungry post church goers attacked with such gusto that by the time this humble photographer whipped out her SONY digital camera all she had to snap were sad empty plates with remnants of tomato sauce and thin strands of discarded cheese.

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Our DG took up about half the restaurant. We started by 'singing' grace and then proceeded to fellowship a.k.a bellowing at each other at the top of our voices. It was like a Hakka community.

Uncle Swee Ming...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! The food is on the way...really!

Uncle Swee Ming strikes again. Boy, he must be pretty hungry. I'll miss ya Ah Suan.

The 'kiddy' table.

"Hhhmmm, I wonder whether that black wringling thing in my ice lemon tea is edible?"