tarbush, causeway & sakae

it was a lovely saturday morning, the sun was shining, the birds were singing.. and what did yours truly do?? he decided to go to the city for sight-seeing. well, soon after breakfast, he, together with his international friends caught a cab to the national museum, in the city centre. there, he spent the time, observing the exhibits, playing with his imagination, and was annoyed silly by the little kids there(about a hundred of 5 year olds on a school excursion).. gosh, those kids were everywhere, and were constantly breaking my chain of thougts. one moment, i was in a neolithic cave of gua niah, next moment, the chatter and noise grounded me back to reality. as i was in the 'palace' of malacca, admiring the throne, the pitter patter of their feet (they were wearing horrible clogs instead of shoes) reminded me the sorry fact that i will not have kids..haha. eventually, yours truly still enjoyed his time in the museum..

next up, yours truly decided to head to the national zoo. he was so hoping that he could see the changes in the zoo since his last visit (which was like, when he was 5). so, yours truly called his friend, le chef extrodinnaire, and agreed to go to the zoo. however, as le chef extrodinnaire was working half day, so yours truly have to go to his office to wait for him. initially, yours truly was to wait at the train station.. but since he was early, he decided to look for the le chef's office. after walking in the sweltering heat, he finally managed to locate le chef's office punctually.. however, le chef couldn't get off from his work.. and hence the wait began.. first, it was 10 minutes.. then another 15 minutes.. then another 10. finally, after yours truly stood for 40 minutes in the porch of le chef's office, le chef finally showed up..

still keen on going to the zoo, yours truly didn't give up, and doesn't really blame le chef (cos it wasn't entirely his fault). however, as yours truly have been living on a 'halal' diet for the past two weeks, he'd decided to have some pork for lunch. however, being stranded on the heart of the city, it's not easy looking for some pork.. and so, the two friends wandered to the closest mall, and decided to hunt for lunch. after searching high and low, they finally stumbled upon a chinese eatery. boy, were they glad.. but however, none of them ordered pork for lunch.. instead, they had duck noodles (should be renamed dark noodles) and stewed beef noodles..

after satisfying their tummy, the two friends decided to continue with thier agenda. however, the skies have another plan for them.. it was raining cats and dogs.. or should i say, elephants and horses??? hence, the trip to the zoo was called off..leaving the two friends aimless and clueless on what to do. seeing that the sky was still dark, the two friends decided to head to KLCC and reorganise their agenda from there..

once in KLCC, the immense crowd was too much to take in.. everywhere, there's a person, a body beside you. there's hardly any room to turn, and barely enough to breath.. all for.. the PIKOM PC fair. seeing that, the two friends decided to leave and head off the the pavilion, whereby the crowd is not that bad.. after browsing aimlessly for about an hour in the posh mall, the two friends began their search for food again. really missing his pork, yours truly was slowly turning hysteric. (btw, i think the low sugar level was also driving me nuts).. haha.

so, they made their exit, still looking for something to eat. after some bickering and disagreement, they finally decided to try some lebanese desserts. Tarbush they went, gearing up to feast on something different. since it was the first for yours truly, i wasn't really geared up for the burst of flavour and taste of lebanese food. we started off with the hummus. chick pea paste with sesame oil, served with lebanese bread. i can't really describe how the taste is, but surely, it's an acquired taste (think: guacamole and tree bark)!!.

next up, mahalabia and baklava. yup, i had the great fanny.. and boy, was it sweet. actually, it's just curdled milk with roasted pistachio.. but it was so sweet, that it sent shudder to my bones. the baklava was just as bad. an assortment of nuts and spices, wrapped in puff pastry.. and with the first bite, it's sure to send you to the heaven of the tooth fairy.. so sweet was the taste that if i were to have another plate, i'd sure be pissing syrup the next morning..

after all the sweet treats, the crave for pork resurfaced in yours truly.. hence, the hunt started all over again. looking for pork in bukit bintang is like looking for a needle in the haystack. being the heart of the urban malay city, it's not easy to find something chinese, something familiar.. after scouring 2 malls, finally settled in causeway in low yat plaza for some hong kong food. wow.. that was heavenly. it may not be the healthiest food on earth, but it sure was the best for the week. having the roast pork in my mouth.. it was just sensational.

so, it wasn't all bad for yours truly on the saturday. true, it was raining cats and dog (and was still raining when i got back to the hostel), but it wasn't a poor day. i finally tried middle eastern food.. and may consider trying the main course some other time.. and managed to get my earrings (after looking for it for almost 4 years). i guess man can still plan, but ultimately, the greater power will show you the way...

btw, i managed to catch up on some health food just now.. sushi!! in sakae in 1-utama. once again, i loaded up on salmon and various other types of sushi, had the sukiyaki, and enjoyed the great company of mr thailand, mr indonesia, and ms indonesia.. haha.

the sandman beckons now.

ciao
je t'aime

recap

a quick recap on events that happened over the week..

1. watched butterfly lovers. am utterly disappointed with it. not exactly true to the original story, and just too much lovey-dovey scene (or probably i was just too tired at that point).

2. watched the coffin. now, this is a recommended show. deep understanding and comprehension required. and karen joy is simply beautiful. also keep an eye out on the siamese dude with a hot british accent.. so cool.

3. went for halloween party in TGIF. well, it was fun, and really nice. spent an hour on makeup and all..hehe. and mind u, it was very simple basic make-up. but i have to admit, the effects were marvellous. i could really personify dead goth rock star well...hehehe

4. went for the oh-so-famous tan kee duck rice in lunas. not worth it.. the duck rice is nothing compared to the shop in paya terubong, or in hutton lane. don't even bother spending RM13.20 for the toll just to eat duck rice there!! and this trip also showed how urban i was.. gosh, the ppl there are just too.....blah

5. finally went to aeon bandar perda and sunway carnival... nothing interesting. it's so boring. either that, or i guess we have queensbay and gurney which is way more superior than those two across the straits..

6. am starting to gain 'unwanted' attention.. from the most unexpected places. one was while i was buying breakfasat in the Subaidah in USM, and one happened while i was driving home. and then there was the one in the car at gurney, and while window shopping in aeon bandar perda.. hmm. what was it?? was it those utterly cool shades??
or my new crop??

7. busy week ahead. class, talks, meetings, and interviews.. haih!! and reports to write.. statistics to cover...i am really looking forward to the year-end break!!

guess that's enough for now. am trying to finish a report so that i can attend another meeting later peacefully.

ciao
ben

diwali weekend

It's the second day back in the office after a long weekend. quite hectic, as certain plans and deals crop up..

anyway, friday's dinner was beautiful.. it was at the view, equatorial hotel, and the food is simply delicious. i had quite a number of fresh oysters, had some caviar, pate, and last but not least, the best maincourse: the cod fish.
it was so fresh and so beautifully cooked. but i guess the most beautiful part is that i get to eat all those for free..hehe.

had my hair cropped on saturday (actually spent about 4 hours in the salon)..now, it's shorter at the sides, but still long at the front..hehe. something different, and have generated quite a number of praises.. the weirdest?? i'm radiating, due to the new haircut..hehe

watched hsm3 on saturday nite.. unplanned. actually went for a chinese opera, however, was so hungry that i couldn't finish the opera and went off after they have finished singing all the chinese oldies. as for hsm3, was ok. preferred mamma mia (i'm biased). overload of zac efron again..really love sharpay evans..hehe.
best part?? there was this whole bunch of teenage blokes behind me cheering and even singing to the movie...gosh (and i thought they have grown out of hsm..) was also surprised that my company actually watched this kind of movies...hmm.

monday was diwali...nothing special except that i was awaken by loud explosions of firecrakers. honestly, these ppl have no consideration for others who love to have their beauty sleep. come on, the firecrakers lasted until about 2 and started as early as 7.30 in the morning!!

had diwali lunch at lav's place.. food was just passable. however, really took her mum a long time to prepare everything...probably it was also due to the fact that i had no appetite for anything in the afternoon (suffered from colic).

dinner was just plain silly, as i actually had 2 bowls of dessert..hmm. talk bout me having sweet teeth. guess i better lower my sugar intake....hehe

am anticipating halloween this friday..am finally gonna go for a party at TGI, and this time, with deathly make-up (hopefully). am trying to get eyeliner and all from alexandra..hehe. have my wardrobe planned out (actually, it was just staring me at the face)...

ok, signing off now, as i am getting ready to leave work and go for another movie (butterfly lovers)..

ciao
ben

seafood

Where can you get 8 dishes of good seafood for 3 people, low price, and an ultimate view of the sea in Penang? well, i have the solution for you....it's a little place at the other part of the island...in teluk tempoyak. believe me, the drive is a little long... and it's at an 'ulu' spot (even spooky at times), but the food is great.

anyway, did go for the tree planting ceremony. will be posting up the poem as promised soon (that'll be when i get back to the office). it was a simple ceremony, but i feel so good as part of penang. heck, i'm a true blue penangite.

inspiration dawned upon me to draft a few plans to attract tourist to Penang. anyhow, i'll leave that thought to myself, until it materialises.. (hopefully)

am rather distracted now, hence i'll give a proper blog soon...

ciao
je t'aime
ben

Starbucks again...

yes, my big fat arse is plonked into yet another starbuck's seat. this time, it's in island plaza. it's the perfect place to idle time, as i get to come online, enjoy the aroma of fresh roast, as well as do some people watching.. haha

yes, i am also human. i do watch people. just as any other person, i do watch out for looks. but then, there are also many more details that i just love to observe. for one, human behaviour. it's just amazing that i can watch a person, and then take note of the behaviour, trying to figure out what the person is thinking at the certain moment. and sometimes, human behaviour can vary vastly from the outlook. there is this guy seated in front of me, puffing fags like a chimney, browsing the newspaper and swallowing his portugese egg tart, while wondering when is his friend going to arrive.
then, there is the friend..dressed up macholy...but nicely munching on cherry tomatoes. not that i have any prejudice against it, nor do i associate cherry tomatoes with the feminine...yet, u just don't find any person walking down the street with a packet of cherry tomatoes in hand....oddly pleasing.

am now waiting to attend another balance class. not even sure if i should go for the class, considering that i'm not shadowing today...but i guess i'll just go cos i've already brought my yoga mat. am seating off jam now...my ankle still hurts. try as i might, i couldn't resist jam and did it on thursday and friday night... probably this is why my ankle is still not fully recovered....argh!! stubborn me

will be headed off for steamboat later tonight. finally, after many weeks of planning, we'll be going for authentic chinese steamboat.. something very different from the usual bbq steamboat that we always have. then, there's the invite to go clubbing..but no worries, cos i wouldn't be going at all.. it's a solemn vow to stay of clubbing for eternity...haha

ok, signing off now as i want to head back to the gym.

am starting work in 2 days.

am getting my first visa card in 7 days (tune card)

am still fighting a lonely beast inside..haha

ciao
je t'aime
ben

update( 11.23pm): yet seated in another starbucks again. this time, it's after gym, and i am rooted in the starbucks in new world park. this time, just downed a java chip frappucino. amazingly, just saw the cherry tomato again..haha.
ciao

KL trip, part 1

here's the first bit on my recent KL trip. as it was a relaxing trip, there was nothing much to do except to eat and eat. coupled with my mum, eating is inevitable. therefore, i decided to capture the memories of some of the food that was eaten in KL..


this was my 'sizzling pork chop' platter in genting. i must say, it was really delicious, considering the fact that it's a hainanese outlet.


this was the 'hainanese chicken chop' that mum had. the sauce is just as good...


the second night in the hotel, we were too tired to go out for food, hence, we headed over to midvalley to raid the stores for food. first item, big apple donughts.. slightly overrated (we have missy's here), but just as sinful


next, tai tong eggtarts. not as good as those i get from penang..but still, good for supper, breakfast and lunch...haha


next, sushi from jusco. we love japanese, so it's inevitable that we should raid jusco for the sushi, and also some sashimi and the roasted chicken


cheesecake...for dessert. u can actually see the sashimi slightly above the cheesecake. haha.


this was my bbq chicken from outback, a store just outside lot 10. very succulent chicken.. and lovely vege!!


leroy's chicken fingers, also from outback.

i'd forgotten to bring my camera when i had tgif, so no pix from there. also forgotten when i went out with my cousin for dinner in bangsar. so, no pix from the italian shop there. as you can see, i kinda had loads to eat.. so, it's no wonder that i have put on some pounds..haha

rasa sayang...

coffee anyone??

after one whole week spent writing my dissertation (just realised that there are mistakes to be corrected), i finally decided to pamper myself and take some time off to really heal my soul.

and nothing is better to heal the soul than a perfect weekend. slept in late for both saturday and sunday. i had to catch up on some beauty sleep. and i find it just so nice to realise that i don't have to wake up every morning worrying about my fishes or worrying about my lab work.

i guess i started to pamper myself since thursday. had a short facial done, using the masque from the face shop. i am starting to get hooked on their products. they are not that expensive, yet still effective. well, the walnut and oatmeal masque is a must have. my face felt so nice after that (partly also because i was on the bed eating half a tub of raspberry sundae..haha).

friday night was a blast. as usual, it was gym night. was supposed to work out, but eventually, headed to gnc after some cardio and some abs.. confirmed that i am standing at 172cm tall, and weigh 61kg. i am now, 1 kilo away from my ideal weight.. haha. but fat mass was rather high (18.6%). guess i have to cut down on junk and oily food. yoga was a blast. i kinda unleashed the inner yogi that was forced into hibernation for the past one week, so, kinda enjoyed the fast paced, powerful yoga. and to top the night off...intense body jam. instead of doing some 'get-by' tracks, we did loads of cardio tracks. and with the small class, i could use the mirror to my full advantage and took note of every single twist and turn that i made. haha. best part, 'extra' dancing after the class. was supposed to let kah hooi have a go on cueing, but instead, i decided to do more cardio dances..haha. really appreciated the burn.

saturday night was different from usual. since sis was at a party, i decided to 'party' with my besties. instead of the usual hawker fare, we decided to dine in dome. i have to admit, it was the first for me, but it was good. the food is worth their price. we had the baked chicken, tuna wrap, spicy olio pasta, and a bowl of wild mushroom soup. really nice, but pity that their non-beef selection was rather limited...to top it all, a nice glass of caramel choco nut ice blended (to satisfy my coffee kick!!)

then, we headed over to the revolving, city bayview. i haven't been there in ages (i think i was still a kid then), and realised that nothing changed there. the revolving belt is still so slow (60 mins per round), they still have the jawa mee, and ice creams are still the same. i was looking forward for the fondue, but i guess terence was misinformed. so, eventually, i settled for a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream..and some of lav's coffee based drink again..

today, was another comfortable day for me. although it may seem a little 'event-less', but i kinda heart the day. finally got to finish my ps2 game. and just started the sequel.. haha. continued with my coffee craving. decided to drop by at lav's work place and took a dig into their mocha-based black forest ice blended. it was divine, especially with the maraschino cherries.. the berries were so large..pity that it wasn't lav who prepared the drink. or else, i would have gotten more cherries....

yoga was again, superb. although the back bends were a little tough, i think it managed to unleash the energy and tension locked within it, liberating forth another new pulse of energy. the only set back, i learned how a c-section feels. but the spill-over effect was a good. i had good vibes to continue my work-out to do cardio and weights. managed to target my chest, arms and shoulders.. so good to be back. and perhaps it affected my mind too... made new friends in the gym again. haha.

but i guess the best part of the day was still around 2pm, when i got off the car at midlands, hiked up the stairs... and headed all the way to music valley to get my hands on the celine dion world tour tickets...yay!!!! (read previous post).

guess i'll sign off here now, to end my lovely weekend.
ciao
je t'aime
ben

sunday= funday

this is the best sunday i had in months. it's been so long since i get to sleep in until about 10. and i don't even have to worry about going up to the campus. it was just a relieve to know that finally, i don't have to head to the campus on a sunday morning.

remember i was contemplating about japanese in my previous blog?? i don't have to contemplate anymore as i did go for japanese this afternoon. well, it's for brunch. so, me, mum, sis and grams went for japanese in yataimura. it's amazing how many plates of sushi me and my sis can down in less than an hour. we had all sorts, salmon, tuna, ebiko (japanese caviar), ebi, and also various types of rolls. and all those were for starters only... adding on, we had california temaki, 2 nabes, and a pot of tofu. really filled me to the brim...

the best part, i made it in time for yoga after the heavy brunch. thankfully, my yoga instructor cum diaper buddy decided to change her teaching style. it was soft yoga, and we got to relax...hehe. am so grateful for that. after yoga, it was another 90 minutes of work out, both cardio and weights. am so happy that prasis actually complimented me on my body shape. according to him, my body shape is looking better now. well.. now, i guess i'll just have to trim my waist, my hips, and tone my lower body. of course, i must not forget bout my upper body too.. and my wobbly arms. still a lot of work to do... yet happy doing it!!

speaking of yoga, i was encouraged by mich this afternoon to start teaching yoga. of course, i wouldn't be doing it in the gym yet, but she suggested me to start teaching to close friends. apparently, i could do it and i should start somehow.. am still contemplating. still wondering what to teach, and where to teach. anyone game for free yoga sessions?? just contact me then...

it's way past midnight and i am still chewing on dried meat (bak kua) from chinese new year. i bet it'll go straight into my hips and butt tomorrow..haha

changed my layout. mainly because of the adverts that i put up. but also because it was bad (according to alan). according to him, it made the blog look old. so, i guess i'll just have to change it back to 23 years old. haha

ok, enough for now.
ciao
je t'aime
ben

End of Chinese New Year Celebrations

firstly, i would like to apologise to all my readers for not updating my blog. i'm so sorry, but i was taken ill for the past two days. it's only now that i managed to sit in front of the computer (sober and healthy) to blog.

i believe i didn't cover the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. well, it's called 'yuen siao' in China, 'yuin siew chit' in Hong Kong, and 'Chap Goh Meh' in Penang. it can be translated to mean the 15th night (of the first lunar month).

this is also festival of 'shang yuan', or the first of the three kings. these august ones once ruled over China, and was believed to be able to rid pestilence, cure disease, and maintain peace. 'shang yuan' is celebrated to the heavenly king. however, this practise is no longer celebrated in Penang

on the other hand, Penang is unique as the last day of CNY is celebrated the baba and nyonya (straits chinese) way. instead of lighting up lanterns to mark the occasion (in China), this is the night whereby Penang ladies take to the street. during the colonial days, this is the only night whereby young virgins are taken out of their houses. they are then chaperoned to Esplanade to throw oranges into the sea. apparently, the oranges are marked with their wishes (sometimes name and phone number)for a happy marriage soon. bachelors will then row out to the sea to fish these oranges, and eventually hoping to marry the maiden that threw the destined orange. funny huh....

this is also the night whereby the straits chinese come out in their finest to perform the dondang sayang. the Esplanade will be nicely decorated,and the dondang sayang troupe will come in their lovinly decorated bus. men and women will then dance to the beat, while exchanges verses in malay poems.

hmm. no wonder they call this the chinese valentine (actually, the chinese valentine's day is on the 7th day of the 7th month). fast forward a few decades, and Penangites now celebrate 'chap goh meh' in front of the penang chinese town hall instead of esplanade. gone are the maidens (tailed by their mummies)...and gone were the days when ladies threw oranges in the sea. apparently, they decided to build a wishing well in front of the goddess of mercy temple for the ladies to throw their oranges. hmm.. i wonder what's the fun in that.

anyway, the 15th day is also the day for pengat. it's a dessert made from coconut milk, bananas, sweet potates and sago. it's extremely delicious (but i didn't have any due to my illness). the pengat is a traditional nyonya dish, and is cooked on this day as the pengat signifies abundance. it will be offered to ancestors on the altar, and then eaten by the living..nowadays, u can easily get pengat from any dessert booth by the street.

guess this is the end of my festive post. i'll be going back to more personal posts soon.. in the meantime, feel free to read my paid posts. i actually spent some time penning my thoughts for something more than pennies.. haha

ciao
je t'aime
ben

12th day of CNY

so, it's the 12th day of chinese new year. another three more days before the end of the celebration. apparently, it seems like i'm more chinese than the average chinese.. so sue me. anyone who knows me well enough will know that i read a lot, inquire a lot, and have a deep facination with the chinese culture. i could identify the era where cheongsams were popular, use proverbs as old as the Haan dynasty etc.. so i guess it's nothing new if i were to blog about chinese festivals. like i've mentioned before, it actually saddens me to see that more and more chinese are being westernised. they do not know, understand or appreciate their culture which is steeped in values and tradition.

fine, i'll take a break from the 'mumbo jumbo' blogging today and go back my mundane personal life (besides, there's nothing special today in the chinese almanac). so, i went for dinner last night. we wanted to toss the yee sang, but sadly, it wasn't available at the restaurant. eventually, we ended up eating more than 400 bucks worth of seafood. fish, crabs, prawns... luckily we didn't order the lobster. as usual, i couldn't eat much, hence i only took a few bites from each dish..

after dinner, we went over to T's place for gambling session. yup, u heard it right, we gambled. we played mahjong and cards. actually, i was quite happy with the mahjong session, because i was the biggest winner of the night (however, the prize money is very little). but then again, i had fun. after the mahjong session, we played this game called 'in between' with a deck of cards. simple rules, but high stakes. eventually, i lost 25 bucks for the whole night (kah hooi lost more). but all is not lost as the pool money will be used for another eating session..haha

ok, enough of my pathetic life. until the next time then

ciao
je t'aime
ben

Happy Birthday, jade emperor!!

well, as i blog now, fireworks are blaring away, blasting my eardrums as we herald the birthday of the jade emperor of heaven. actually, the celebration is on the 9th day of the first lunar month. however, the community here prepare for the celebration on the 8th, and when the clock strikes 12, the party begins.

in the chinese pantheon, the jade emperor is the highest post available. he's command over rules all earthly decision, and the only other deity that stands on par is the Buddha himself. however, it must be noted that the jade emperor is not actually the first deity in records of chinese history (the first deity will be the goddess Nu Wa). according to legend, the heavens needed a ruler to keep it in order, to be the highest guardian of heaven, and also to bestow blessings, rain and harvest upon men. at the same time, there was a young man in ancient China with the heart of gold. he's kind at heart and good in features. after undergoing various trials from the heaven, he was eventually confirmed the position as the highest ruler of the heaven. the jade emperor is married to the goddess Wang Mu, and have various children, all being stars in heaven.

in penang, the hokkien community is the majority chinese here. it was said that, when the hokkien in fujian was escaping from a brutal warlord, they fled to the sugar cane fields to hide. after hiding from some time, they emerged unharmed and their lives were spared. coincidentally, that very day was the birthday of the jade emperor, therefore, they believed that the jade emperor had rescue them and spared their lives. as a mark of gratitude, they decided to honour the jade emperor, and sugar canes are always used on the altar to mark this very incident. it is with this reason also that the hokkien people actually consider this as their 'official' chinese new year.

when it comes to the altar, food are lavishly spread across the table as symbol of gratitude to the jade emperor for the bountiful year before, as well as to wish for a better year ahead. the most important thing there is the roasted boar. it indicates the wealth of the family as only the rich could afford the boar. however, there are other must haves, including: glutinous rice cake (bee koh), ang koo, huat kuih, and chinese tea. as mentioned, sugar cane is used as offering also, but for me being cantonese, we only offer flowers and the kueh..

the end of the ceremony is marked when large amount of folded gold paper are burnt. the gold paper used is not the common type where we could buy to offer to other deities. we use the 'thnee kong kim'. it is larger and more intricate in design (to symbolise his authority as the leader of the heavens). the gold are stacked as high as possible to ensure that the fire is really strong. a strong fire is a good omen for a prosperous year ahead.

well, i guess this is as much info that i can provide from years of experience as well as some casual research that i've done over the years. i really hope that these articles concerning the celebrations over the chinese new year celebration period will help enlighten those who are clueless on what they are doing. it actually saddens me to see more and more chinese these days are ditching their age old cultures, and have adopted a different faith altogether. it's not that i am dissing their faith, it just that i feel that cultures that started some 4075 years ago are slowly evapourating with the smoke that i smell around me now. i would not be surprised if one day, people wouldn't celebrate chinese new year anymore.
from my angle, i see that here i am, a half chinese, trying my best to absorb the culture, to understand it, and perhaps to carry on with it... and then there are pure chinese who doesn't seem to give a damn. what world exactly are we living in now???

anyway, i'll still try to update as many chinese festivals as possible over this period, and i hope you guys enjoy reading them.
ciao
je t'aime
ben

happy birthday

happy birthday to all my readers. don't call me crazy yet, hear me out. on the 7th day of the first chinese lunar month, it is celebrated as the birthday of mankind. legend has it that the goddess nuwa breathed life into her clay people on this day, henceforth bringing out men. today is also the day whereby we (the cantonese ppl) will cook either fried rice vermicelli (bee hoon), or snakehead (Channa striatus) porridge to mark the occassion. in malaysia (and slowly spreading abroad), friends and family will come together to toss the yee sang. it's the chinese equivalent to fish salad, containing about 7 different types of ingredients and beautifully served with slices of salmon or other fresh fish.
well, i didn't have any of the abovementioned items. instead, i have to resort to having a bowl of tau fu fah (beancurd), and gui ling gao (chinese bitter jelly) to help sooth my sore throat.
anyhow, i'll try to update different celebrations celebrated by the chinese community throughout the new year here. i may not know much, but i think it's sufficient to provide info about the diversity of our culture. until tomorrow then..

ciao
je t'aime
ben

Second Day of New Year

it's the second day of new year. and what do i have to do?? start work. haha. yup. i had to return to the campus and resume my FYP. well, wish me luck cos i have another 5 more days to go until the end of this chapter of my life. never again will i want to re-live this chapter. as beneficial as it may seems, it sux. big time.

returned to gym also. couldn't bear eating so much and not working out at all. besides, friends are back from everywhere and i must have something to show them. not just flab all the way. guess vanity prevails. but somehow, i was kinda weaker today... went for pump class, but couldn't even complete the biceps track. such a weakling...haih

dinner was exciting, as we (me, alan, mich and lav) went to this new joint called jemputree. we literally had dinner atop a tree, in a treehouse. the atmosphere was nice. music selection was passable. however, there were a few glitches like the quality of the food (not exactly up to par), and the mosquitoes. come on, u want the jungle theme, at least do something about those pesky pest. got bitten all over...hmm

after dinner, headed over to babylon for drinks and also cakes. recommended: their baked cheese cake. it's splendid. as for drinks, don't opt for the singapore sling. i think i make better singapore sling compared to them. we practically spent the whole night lounging in the suit, talking crap and bitching bout other ppl. ah, what a nice way to spend a lovely evening with friends....besides, the music doesn't pop your ears, you don't have to dance and sweat like a mad cow, and last but not least, i get to drive home sober!! yay!!

anyway, also spilled some of my deepest thoughts to these people as i feel that i can trust them with all my heart. i was actually relieved that i finally have ppl to share some thoughts with. what's even amazing is that i can tell alan all this without any qualms (come on, i only knew him since may 2007). it's like i've known him for years, and he could even dispense proper advice that i don't come across. thank you. as for lav and mich, thanks for always being there for me. this is one of the best days in the new year for me...u guys are my rock!!

well, guess i'll just head to bed now, allowing my body to get rest before greeting the new day. my aunt will be touching down at 6.40 pm...yay!!! she's finally back for the new year. and i guess i'll get to catch up with another old rock/greatest critic of mine tomorrow. wish me luck

ciao
je t'aime
ben

random..

in case you haven't heard, celine is coming to town.. ok, not exactly penang, but she'll be in KL for a one-night-only concert. it's part of her 'taking chances' world tour. so.....hmm... guess i'll be spending the night of april 8th in stadium merdeka enjoying the time of my life. i just can't wait for the tickets to be on sale....argh!! celine... if only you could read this and realise that how much this means to me..

time flies really fast. it's chinese new year's eve now. weeks ago, i was busy shopping for the big day...and now, it's barely 24 hours away. 360 days gone (in lunar calendar, there's only 360 days), making way for another 360 days. let's just hope that things will turn out better for the coming year.

i've sinned again.. been pigging out for the past few days. last night, i went for 'lok-lok' with my buddies. i ate quite a lot there. then, we continued at lecka-lecka, with me having green tea gelato. as delicious as they may seem, it's still sinful. tonight was worst as i just downed a bowl of maggie mee and a few slices of bak kwa (as supper). someone better stop me before i develop a belly for new year..

i've finally come to terms with myself regarding my untouchable. i've just realised that it is not worth for me to have any emotions to this person. in fact, my untouchable is nowhere worthy now, as it failed to meet my expectations. besides, i've learned to read the signals properly now. i know my cues and signs and will not play ur silly little game anymore.

many posts ago, i did mention that i'll be getting the house all by myself for 2 weeks... now, the time is here. my parents are down under enjoying themselves.. and i am here, alone in the house.. is this a blessing? or is this a curse. i seriously can't find my heart. one way, i'm glad that i'm alone... but at the same time, i do long company from someone that i love and will love me back with me now.. if only i have this person with me..haih

singles party cancelled. yay. i don't have to do 'charity' anymore. besides, why do i want to punish myself by being in a singles party?? i wonder....there may be a hint of desperation in me, but i guess nothing will be right for me forever.

oh, went clubbing on sat nite, but it sucked. dj was lousy, feel was crappy, the crowd was poor... and i wasn't in my finest. but what the heck, i partied until 3 in the morning. what's important is that i had my friends there, as well as kah hooi, who is about to enter legal age in 4 days time... happy birthday to you (in advance, in case i don't see you)..

ciao
je t'aime
kong hei fatt choy

ben

community service

i've been invited to a party. a singles party. apparently, it's a party to show how desperate single people are and hopefully they can find a mate. the best part, i've been told by the 'host' to perform some 'community service' and invite more single desperate people to the party. apparently, i'm to look for some single, desperate, cute or good looking boys to the party... hahaha. who am i in the position to do that?? besides, i don't really know any adonis around worthy to be invited to the party (even if i do, i would have kept him to myself..haha). but in case u are interested, feel free to let me know. it's on the 16th february, 7 pm onwards. it's a potluck (still wondering what to make), and i m also the unofficial photographer for the evening... so, guys, gals, let me know if u wanna come.

next, i apologise for the long overdue blog. i was supposed to blog on thursday, but eventually, i ended up dead like a log at home. maybe it's because my yoga practise and extra guidance triggered some sleepy nerves and sent me to dreamland for the next 11 hours.. haha. so much for having proper yoga training. i was corrected by a bystander (ok, she's a graduate from Sun Yoga) for my back bend and gave some pointers on my downward facing dog and mountain pose. looks like i have got loads to catch up and correct before my training in balance come march..

chinese new year is just around the corner, and things are going more and more hectic for me. there are experiments to complete. thesis to write, things to clear, house to clear.... and all this hasn't stop me from daydreaming, and from over thinking too.. amazing huh.

oh, i've watched sweeny todd. pity that i was so tired that day that i couldn't emmerse myself completely in the movie. we went for the late night movie, and i was struggling to stay awake half way through the movie. somehow, after catching 40 winks, i managed to pop my eyes during the ending. it was so dramatic, so gruesome, and so passionate...well, the death scene is the best i've seen, second only to satin's death in moulin rouge...i have to say, tim burton and johnny depp have clearly set a new par in dark musicals....excellent

here are some of my twisted thoughts. they may not be conventional, but i think it's rather cute as i get to share my quirks here...
1) i was riding home from the gym, and i saw these two guys walking on the pavement. then i told myself, what are these people thinking as they walk along the pavement? where are they heading? what's playing in their heads? is it about safety? of the journey? or maybe about their studies? how bout their future?

2) scene: in gym. i was talking to this lady (the host for the silly party), and she asked me, what do i plan to do with my life. honestly, i couldn't answer her at all. i have lost direction on what to do. previously, i was so sure that i wanted to be a vet (somehow, my results proved otherwise). hence, i'm stuck in some local u, doing some wretched degree (in zoology). so, now, where do i go from here? my pals have been sending resumes and going for interviews. but what have i done?? nothing.

3) a friend of mine was telling me that she was spotted by a talent scout. come on, she isn't exactly that beautiful, her boobs are barely there, her fashion sense is like that of a 40 year old aunty...and she got spotted. where is my talent scout when i want one? i believe i'm passible... but i am never spotted...hmm (daydreaming..)

4) next,another issue came up.. buying property. a few friends were talking about it in the gym the other day. and boy, did i proudly say that i don't wanna buy any property. it's not that i do not want a home, but i just couldn't see myself being here for long. honestly, i don't even know if i could survive another year, what's more, to plan for a future.. i just don't see that coming.

5) last night, a casual friend just told me that i don't look macho, and what's my sexual preference.. i must admit, i wasn't comfortable with that question, but it got me thinking, quite a lot. of course my most conventional answer would be to be asexual. but am i really one? honestly, i don't see myself getting attached, married with kids and the such (maybe because i've lost hope in them), but am i really asexual. somewhere in the middle of last year, i'd decided to open up and explore my options.. but things didn't really turn out great. when it comes to girls, somehow or other, they just don't meet my standards. then again, i'll think to myself, which girl will actually be seen dating a 'non-macho' man?? shopping buddy, yes. bitching buddy, yes. but boyfriend?? hmm. then guys... it's just so hard to tell if the guy is straight or queer. and when u can tell them apart, they are just taken. and also, don't i always read, gays prefer other gays to be macho and straight acting.. apparently, ppl like me will only end up as drag-queens forever doomed to the stage of babylon boom boom....:(. hence, i give up....

6) i've tried my best not to judge people... but sometimes, that feeling is just so overwhelming. i just can't help to notice if the vibe is just so wrong and strong.. hmm. well, i've done my part. i guess nature will take it's cause

7)is this true compassion, or just silly thoughts in my head?? it happened when i was waxing my car yesterday. there's this bunch of boys hanging out in front of my house, in school uniform. all of a sudden, i had the thought to reform them, maybe even motivating them to study harder and become a better person, and even to the point of providing free tuition to them just to get them to study and not do silly things (of course, these are just thoughts in my head). then, when i was driving to the gym when i saw this dog injured at the neck. apparently, it's been in a fight and got bit on the back of the neck. the feeling was so strong for me to pull over, carry the dog in and send it to the nearest vet (but i didn't do it). are these true compassion? or are this just silly games people play with their minds?

8) and last thought...i think i shall option out from friday night supper. although the supper is something like carrot juice or tau fu fah, i think i'll try to abstain from it. it's not the food or calories that i fear...but somehow the company isn't exactly that pleasant, and i think i shall stay away from it now on..

ok, enough of my silly thoughts. feel free to laugh it all out, but just don't keep in in your hearts.. bye

kong hei fatt choy!!

je t'aime
ben

Sin: Gluttony

ok, so i've being tempted.. either that, or i've lost control on myself anymore. i think i'm slowly turning into a glutton. either that, or maybe there's just so much food at home, ready for CNY.
let's see, i've finished about 100g of dried meat (bak kwa), a jar of peanut cookies, half jar of 'ngaku' (arrow head) chips... besides, i'd indulged in a prosperity burger set from McD(evil), topped with the red bean sundae....i think i can feel my waist expanding while i type...
mind you, all this, at 11 days before chinese new year.. i wonder how am i gonna survive this holiday..

mamma say, mamma sa, mamma coosa

chant it with me:
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa

haha..don't ask me what it means.. it's just that i find it so cute. all thanks (or no thanks) to rihanna (don't stop the music). can't help when i have that track on repeat, and i am constantly bouncing to the beat. somehow, the body jam breakout got me hooked and i am not sick of dancing to it yet. i just love the jump

mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa

nothing much to blog about (considering the time from the previous post to this post is rather short). just another normal day, with my hands full on the ps2 game, observing bettas breeding, yoga....haih.

somehow or other, i was really really tired today. dunno what got onto me. i nearly fell asleep doing yoga poses (and mind u, they were not easy).

i'd just remember, i didn't put up some of my thoughts, so here goes:
1) me vegan on tuesday.. wondering what to eat?? any ideas on what to eat? or maybe i should just cook some veges by myself
2) i wanna bake some cookies for CNY. am still looking for the perfect recipe.
3) the moon is really beautiful today. when was the last time that u took a look at the moon?? i'd reckon that u guys keep a lookout for her for the next few days cos she's really beautiful
4) mamma say mamma sa, mamma coo sa, mamma say mamma sa, mamma coosa
5) i am determined to take the balance training...but should i also do the flow yoga training. how bout jam? should i take it? am i good? or just as bad as sean?? i wonder
6) thaipusam....
7) i want more clothes.. i just don't have enough. oh, and on clothes, i am considerign altering a pair of pants so that i can wear it for balance. hmm. wonder if it will be successful. maybe i can put my label there too. [Q] designs.

ok, ciao
je t'aime
ben

milk: the new whey of life...

this is just in from men's health (jan 2008). apparently, milk is a good substitute to all those expensive protein shakes body builders take after working out. apparently, milk contains 80% whey protein and 20% casein. there guys, i can still get whey protein without paying with my life. besides, i guess all those advertised whey protein are lactose based too. guess i'll just have to stock up on my milk supply, and drink them like there's no tomorrow.

life's pretty boring when u're stuck in the same place, doing the same damn thing everyday. well, i was hoping that i could at least finish my project on the 31st of january, and celebrate chinese new year in peace. somehow, my supervisor thinks otherwise and decided to extend my project right up to valentine's day, and make me work like a horse to obtain results before handing in my thesis by the end of march. what does she take me as? heck.. i'm so frustrated, but what can i say? i'm depending on her to grant me an A, so that i can graduate with flying colours. the A is crucial as my cgpa is now getting closer and closer to the 4.00 mark. but then again, it all depends on luck. like my previous thought, good things just don't happen to me at all. one moment, i may think that i have it all, then everything takes a tumble.

untouchable, untouchable. i know it sparked some interest amongst my readers. well, don't worry, it's true. not fabricated from some idle place in my mind. just that i don't think it's right to reveal the person here. besides, i thought that i could really pass it all off...the day proves otherwise. i still see the person, enjoys its company, and actually misses it when i don't hear from it at all. could this be signs that i need someone by my side now?? hmm, i wonder.

reading my blogs, u may think that i am one desperate person trying to get laid all the time (and failing miserably in that). well, i may be desperate, but i am still a player and will never commit to any long term thingy. maybe it's just not in my veins to settle down. there is a long journey ahead, and i just can't let someone tie me down. and if my journey is short, i must savour every moment, not let another being tie me down with their thoughts, feelings and the such.
i admit that i have issues...but i guess everyone has them. it's just how they channel them. i have taken a silent oath not to be married or have kids, but this doesn't stop me from having fun at all. so..people, we must learn how not to mix our gut feeling with our minds.

enough of my miserable love life...other focus..hmm. workout. ok, i'm pretty impressed with my waist. in fact, i was so happy with it. now, i really have to take the flab off the tummy. and apparently the most effective way is to develop other areas of the trunk, like the pecs, the back and the shoulders. so, i have therefore resolve to develop these areas before my training, and hopefully they'll impress the trainers when i do my balance training (that's in march :(). oh,anyway, i took part in the 'contender' challenge organised by the gym just now. finally able to gauge my fitness level. overall, i am not to bad. i managed to run the run, squat the squat, lunge the lunge and punch the punch. just that i have to work harder on my push ups, and also on my abs. however, i was super happy in the shower just now as i finally felt my obliques. it's something that i never really thought that i could achieve and feel. but it's there...hard, and it's there. guess i'll have to work harder to train them, as well as the other abdominal muscles.

well, as lengthy as a post can be, there is always an end. and here it is, for this post. have a good day, and live life to the fullest.
je t'aime

p.s.: did i mention, the Celine Dion- a new day concert is superb. i've watched it twice already...and more to come. it's just amazing seeing my idol on stage giving her best. well, there are moments and phrases of songs which suddenly brings back memories, as well as the teary feeling in my eye..guess this is the true power of music....

another birthday

well, i don't remember celebrating that many birthdays in january for the past 2 decades. anyway, this is my second one for the month (and in the week). it's chris's birthday this time. he is only 19.gosh, celebrating birthdays of younger people brings back memories of how i celebrated mine then.

well, my 19th birthday was celebrated by my 2 besties, on wesak day. they even bought me cheesecake from coffee bean, joined the procession, and went out to gurney hawker centre for supper. that's how i celebrated my 19th.

but this time, it's chris...and we certainly had fun. pity that i've forgotten bout my camera. so, we had 'korean' style bbq steamboat. imho, it's just another steamboat bbq, not unlike the one from nagore road, except that they have the extra kimchi.anyhow, no thanks to terence, i stuffed myself to the max..something that i haven't done in ages. and we ended the dinner with yet another slice of jenni's cheesecake. this time, it's blueberry. it's basically like a whole layer of cheese, topped with a layer of blueberry in gelatin. so filling. the fromage was delicious..but too much of it will actually make me sick. thank goodness i only had a small slice

naturally, lunch/dinner was followed by a session of 'window shopping'. it was supposed to be just browsing around trying to burn the calories, but instead, i burnt another hole in my pocket. this time, it's the celine dion's a new day live performance (with loads of behind the scene, and special footage). it practically yelled out to me..BUY ME!!!!and i did. ah, temptations....to hard to resist at times..

well, guess i'm going off now. i apologise for the previous post as it was lenghty and confusing. but those things were from deep down. whatever it is, i guess posts such as that will only appear once in a blue moon...or never more.
ciao