This is very short notice, I know. But just a note to let everyone know that I'm off to PD for the night! See you all again tomorrow! =) Tataaa!!

Ok, I've been very very bad with blogging since the beginning of November because of NaNoWriMo, so it's only now that I've got a chance to update about everything. With *pictures*! Like I promised...=P I've got heaps and loads of them for you!

The downside of this is... *sigh* as you probably can tell already, I gave up on NaNoWriMo. *sob* Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up on the story! Coz I'm really into it now, but the 50K words... =( I'm making a bargain with Lone though, forget the 50K words by end of November, extend my deadline... we'll work something out. Although it does feel like a cop out, but now I understand why one of the rules of NaNoWriMo is, no writing a story that you've been thinking about forever, because you'll baby it so much and think about it so much that you won't be able to let yourself go and just write nonsense.

Anyway, I'll continue with it, although I failed NaNoWriMo...*sob* it doesn't mean that I have to fail the story. *stick chest out* I will persevere! Again! LOL!

Ok....back to the pictures!

Went to Penang and Ipoh with Kelvin on a day trip on the 2nd this month, coz he wanted some company... Here's what I got out of it, and what you guys must get if you go to either place:

Tambun Biscuits is a must anytime you go to Penang, but this isn't the regular one that most people go to, but it tastes so much better! I stopped eating them because I didn't like the taste(the famous ones) but I loved this one! I forgotten to take down the address though...oops!

And from Ipoh, OMG, this you must try! Delicious salted chicken. The chicken's quite small though, compared to many here in KL, and the meat is tougher than the ones we have here, but that's why I like it. Kampung Chicken! Delicious and natural! Nutritious! Not artificially fattened up. =P And it's delicious! Really, really, delicious! Yummmm....


On the 4th, our division had a 'slumber party' at Ascott Hotel in KL. Our division manager booked us a 3-room suite, it was really fun! We had 'team-building' games. Well, it was just games and fun, and food! But it does build the team! Blek!

The interior of the rooms was like wow! I didn't take pix of them all, but these are from the master room:

Some of us were playing Cluedo....

Others were eating the yummy food... =D

The Illusions went jamming on the 11th; unfortunately our drummer Willie couldn't make it, but Eddy replaced him that day, and he was really good! Rose, our other vocalist, couldn't make it either, but Suzanne, who introduced Eddy to us, sang a few for us. =)

Andrew our vocalist:

Lone, our lead guitarist and band leader, who wanted to sing too:

Ah Guan, our bassist, so focused on his playing that his pick magnetically stuck to his forehead:

Suzanne, who sang for us when Andrew and I couldn't:

Eddy, the drummer, who helped us out coz Willie couldn't be there. Fantastic drummer, and also a vocalist for the band, Triple6Posers:

Kelvin and I weren't in any single pix...=( But he's the one second from the left, he's our rhythm guitarist, and I'm the one second from the right. =)

Hope you like the pix so far! I have lots more, but I think I'll do it another time, coz this post is going to be hell to load with too many pix! LOL! Anyway, I think I've taken like, OMG, 3 hours already! on this post! Just coz of the pix! Whoa...

See! I told ya this was a busy month socially! And I blame this for my NaNoWriMo failure! Blek!

K...until the next post then! Coming up are the pix from our Bukit Tinggi Division trip! See ya!

Just came across this in an email, searched it on google, and found the original article. Click here for the webpage.

Make of it what you will, but it concerns me. I'm glad something is being said, and of course I see the truth of Backman's article, but I wish that Malaysia will start to 'grow up' as Backman says, because however 'childish' Malaysia is, it's still my home, and I want the best for us.

Read the article below:

While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry
Michael Backman
November 15, 2006

MALAYSIA'S been at it again, arguing about what proportion of the economy each of its two main races — the Malays and the Chinese — owns. It's an argument that's been running for 40 years. That wealth and race are not synonymous is important for national cohesion, but really it's time Malaysia grew up.

It's a tough world out there and there can be little sympathy for a country that prefers to argue about how to divide wealth rather than get on with the job of creating it.

The long-held aim is for 30 per cent of corporate equity to be in Malay hands, but the figure that the Government uses to justify handing over huge swathes of public companies to Malays but not to other races is absurd. It bases its figure on equity valued, not at market value, but at par value.

Many shares have a par value of say $1 but a market value of $12. And so the Government figure (18.9 per cent is the most recent figure) is a gross underestimate. Last month a paper by a researcher at a local think-tank came up with a figure of 45 per cent based on actual stock prices. All hell broke loose. The paper was withdrawn and the researcher resigned in protest. Part of the problem is that he is Chinese.

"Malaysia boleh!" is Malaysia's national catch cry. It translates to "Malaysia can!" and Malaysia certainly can. Few countries are as good at wasting money. It is richly endowed with natural resources and the national obsession seems to be to extract these, sell them off and then collectively spray the proceeds up against the wall.

This all happens in the context of Malaysia's grossly inflated sense of its place in the world.

Most Malaysians are convinced that the eyes of the world are on their country and that their leaders are world figures. This is thanks to Malaysia's tame media and the bravado of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. The truth is, few people on the streets of London or New York could point to Malaysia on a map much less name its prime minister or capital city.

As if to make this point, a recent episode of The Simpsons features a newsreader trying to announce that a tidal wave had hit some place called Kuala Lumpur. He couldn't pronounce the city's name and so made up one, as if no-one cared anyway. But the joke was on the script writers — Kuala Lumpur is inland.

Petronas, the national oil company is well run, particularly when compared to the disaster that passes for a national oil company in neighbouring Indonesia. But in some respects, this is Malaysia's problem. The very success of Petronas means that it is used to underwrite all manner of excess.

The KLCC development in central Kuala Lumpur is an example. It includes the Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in the world when they were built, which was their point.

It certainly wasn't that there was an office shortage in Kuala Lumpur — there wasn't.

Malaysians are very proud of these towers. Goodness knows why. They had little to do with them. The money for them came out of the ground and the engineering was contracted out to South Korean companies.

They don't even run the shopping centre that's beneath them. That's handled by Australia's Westfield.

Next year, a Malaysian astronaut will go into space aboard a Russian rocket — the first Malay in space. And the cost? $RM95 million ($A34.3 million), to be footed by Malaysian taxpayers. The Science and Technology Minister has said that a moon landing in 2020 is the next target, aboard a US flight. There's no indication of what the Americans will charge for this, assuming there's even a chance that they will consider it. But what is Malaysia getting by using the space programs of others as a taxi service? There are no obvious technical benefits, but no doubt Malaysians will be told once again, that they are "boleh". The trouble is, they're not. It's not their space program.

Back in July, the Government announced that it would spend $RM490 million on a sports complex near the London Olympics site so that Malaysian athletes can train there and "get used to cold weather".

But the summer Olympics are held in the summer.

So what is the complex's real purpose? The dozens of goodwill missions by ministers and bureaucrats to London to check on the centre's construction and then on the athletes while they train might provide a clue.

Bank bale outs, a formula one racing track, an entire new capital city — Petronas has paid for them all. It's been an orgy of nonsense that Malaysia can ill afford.

Why? Because Malaysia's oil will run out in about 19 years. As it is, Malaysia will become a net oil importer in 2011 — that's just five years away.

So it's in this context that the latest debate about race and wealth is so sad.

It is time to move on, time to prepare the economy for life after oil. But, like Nero fiddling while Rome burned, the Malaysian Government is more interested in stunts like sending a Malaysian into space when Malaysia's inadequate schools could have done with the cash, and arguing about wealth distribution using transparently ridiculous statistics.

That's not Malaysia "boleh", that's Malaysia "bodoh" (stupid).

Dearest You,

I want you to know just how much I appreciate you and all that you do for me. I want to tell you what you mean to me and how you brighten up my life.

You make me believe in dreams and fairy tales again, when the world had made me bitter and cynical.

You make me smile and laugh til my sides hurt, when my eyes were red from crying and my lips was always turned down into a frown.

You make me happy and carefree and alive, when I was so depressed and wanted to die.

You give me hope and faith, when I stopped believing and wanted to give up.

Not only that, dearest...

You remember things that are important to me, you take the time and the effort to remember the special things that I love, and you make sure I get them.

You remember little tiny details, that I don't even remember telling you about, and then you surprise me with them.

You appreciate every little thing that I do for you, and it makes me feel wonderful, because you noticed, and you appreciate me.

You appreciate even the tiny things that I didn't realize I did for you, but when you mention them, it makes me feel good because they matter to you, and I want to make you happy too.

You notice little things about me, if there's something different about my hair, or if I wore something you haven't seen before, or even if I wear a different shade of eyeshadow! And it makes me feel good, because you pay attention to me.

You listen patiently to my rantings and ravings and ideas and dreams, and you seem to understand me so well, you seem to know exactly just what to say to make me feel better, or to encourage me, or just not to say anything at all.

You share your rantings and ideas and dreams, and I feel happy because you trust me too, and you want to share your life with me.

You call me whenever you can, even if it's only for five minutes in your really busy day, because you really miss me, and you just want to hear my voice. I feel special because I'm special to you.

You come to see me whenever you can, even if it's only for a short while, even when your day is filled with appointments, and you're not coming anywhere near my place. You come anyway, just because you miss me and you want to see me. It makes me feel wanted and loved, because you want and love me.

You take an interest in all my interests, and you are passionate about them because you like to know more about the things which make me happy, simply because you want me to be happy always.

I can't count all the blessings I've found in you. I want you to know that all your love and efforts don't go unnoticed or unappreciated. I know how lucky I am to have you, and I know that there is no one else on earth who is as special as you are, no one else could replace you in my heart, no one could do what you do. You are the best.

At the risk of sounding cliche, you make me want to be a better person. You are an angel, but you are *my* angel, and I want to be your angel too.

You are the most giving, most generous, most loving person I have ever met, and I want to give you what you have given, and continue to give me.

You always strive to make me happy, it seems to be your mission. And I want to make it my mission to make you happy too.

You work so hard, to give me what I want, and I just want you to have everything you want too.

You delight in making me cry tears of joy, and try to make me cry happy tears any chance you get, you've done it so many times I forget to count. I want to make you cry happy tears too.

You give me the best of everything, taking second best, because you want me to have the best that you can give me. I want to be as unselfish as you, I want to take the second best so that you can have the best.

You sacrifice your time for me, giving up the things you want to do, so that you can do the things I want to do with me. I want to do the things you want to do with you too.

You give me everything, and ask for nothing in return. I take everything you give, very gratefully and very humbly, and I want to give you everything in return.

Dear, I am truly humbled by your goodness, your generosity, your pure unconditional love. And I am overwhelmed by the power of your love for me. I thank god everyday that I found you, I don't want to ask what I did to deserve you because dear, even if I didn't deserve you, I'm not letting anyone take you away from me. But I will work everyday, to be a better person, so that I can be worthy of you.

I love you.

One whole week without the internet!!!!

But I survived! And it's back on again! Yayyy!!!

Anyway, it was a good thing, coz I wrote quite a bit without the distractions of the internet. Unfortunately, now that it's back on... LOL! Can't win, can I?

Must discipline self!

I did write well the last couple of days after I came back from Bukit Tinggi. But I'm still far behind my word-count, and I'll have to average about 2500 words a day to hit my target of 50K words. I'm at about 15K right now, with only 12 more days to go for 35K. Think I can manage it?

This is a truly busy month, even though things at work are slow, but socially, it's really busy. Let's see... This Wednesday night The Illusions are going to Laundry to support the guy who plays drums for us. He's performing there, but as the vocalist. Who else wanna go? He's single, last I heard, girls. And I won't say he's cute, coz cute implies ugly but adorable, and he's anything but. He's really macho looking though, well-built, long hair, tattooed, very good on drums, *and* he sings! Go check him out! Laundry @ the Curve! This Wednesday night!

Unfortunately, I'm already happily attached, or else I'd go for him too. *drools* LOL! So you single girls are lucky this time coz I won't compete with you! ;P

And, this coming Saturday is Walton Idol, which I still haven't practise for. I want to win the first prize!! Money and a new handphone! I want it! I want it! I want it!

And Sunday night, there's a wedding I have to go to. And then Monday a pre-wedding dinner at Fei kokor's, and Tuesday his wedding dinner.

And then only two more days to go after that before November ends.

How, how, how am I going to write my 35K words?! I better stop blogging and start writing more!

Bukit Tinggi was great, btw! But all of you will just have to wait til after November for all the pictures in one go. =D

Tata!

I couldn't get to sleep tonight, I think I'm still a little bit hyper coz of tonight's jamming session. Which was great, btw! =D I'll post up pics later.

But anyway...I'm afraid it's partly coz I just got my monthly annoyance. Sighz. And I'm going to Bukit Tinggi tomorrow for the next three days with my colleagues for our division trip. What timing, huh.

So anyway, what I wanted to say originally was... I'm going to Bkt Tinggi for three days. On our division trip. With lots of activities. With my colleagues.

Which means, if you didn't already get it... no time for me to write!!!!!

And I'm already so far behind my word-count!! Dammit!

I don't care! I'm gonna do it! I won't be left behind! I will *not* lose RM500 to Lone! And I especially will NOT let Margaret cheat me out of the RM1000 bet which I did NOT make with her! So there! =P

I'll write crap if I have to. LOL! Which actually is the point of NaNoWriMo. Quantity counts for everything, quality nothing. So fine, I'll write crap! And lots of it! 50,000 words of it! And when NaNoWriMo is over, I'll edit it! And people will say that I was the first person in history who actually did turn crap into gold! (Readers of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series will get this. =D)

Seems like almost all my posts this month is related to NaNoWriMo huh? I'll be glad when it's over and I'll have a life back again. LOL! But not really either, coz I'm really enjoying it! =P

Anyway, I'm gonna try to go back to sleep now... Nitez!

Found this on Synical's blog, looks fun! =D

The rules:
Bold the statements that are true to you.
Italise the statements that you WISH are true.
Leave the Fibs alone.
Then, stab 5 people to do the same test.

I miss somebody right now.
I don't watch TV these days.
I wear glasses or contact lenses.
I love to play video games.
I've been in a threesome.
I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.
I believe that honesty is usually the best policy.
I curse.
I have changed mentally over the last year.
I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me.
I'm TOTALLY smart.
I've broken someone's bones.
I'm paranoid sometimes.
I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe , free of cost, and scar-free.
I need money right now.
I love sushi.
I talk really, really fast.
I have long hair.
I have lost money in Las Vegas.
I have at least one sibling.
I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.
I couldn't survive without Caller I.D.
I like the way I look.
I am usually pessimistic.
I have a lot of mood swings.
I have a hidden talent.
I'm always hyper no matter how much sugar i have.
I have a lot of friends.
I'm currently single.
I have pecked someone of the same sex.
I enjoy talking on the phone.
I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
I love to shop.
Enjoy window shopping.
I would rather shop than eat.
I don't hate anyone.
I'm a pretty good dancer.
I'm completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.
I have a cell phone. (Now that I'm home, I do)
I believe in God.
I watch MTV on a daily basis.
I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.
I've rejected someone before.
I want to have children in the future.
I have changed a diaper before.
I've called the cops on a friend before.
I'm not allergic to anything.
I have a lot to learn.
I have been with someone at least 10 years older or younger.
I am shy around the opposite sex.
I have tried alcohol before.
I have made a move on a friend's significant other or crush in the past.
I own the "South Park" movie.
I would die for my best friends.
I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.
I have used my sexuality to advance my career.
I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.
Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.
I watch Spongebob Squarepants and i like it.
I am happy at this moment!
I'm obsessed with guys.
I study for tests most of the time.
I tie my shoelaces differently from anyone I've ever met.
I am comfortable with who I am right now.
I have more than just my ears pierced.
I walk barefoot wherever I can.
I have jumped off a bridge.
I love sea turtles.
I spend ridiculous money on makeup.
Plan on achieving a major goal/dream.
I'm proficient in a musical instrument.
I worked at a McDonald's restaurant.
I hate office jobs.
I love sci-fi movies.
I think water rules.
I went college out of state.
I like sausages.
I love kisses.
I fall for the worst people.
I adore bright colours.
I can't live without black eyeliner.
I somehow enjoyed this thingy !!!
I usually like covers better than originals.
I can pick up things with my toes.
I can't whistle.
I can move my tongue in waves, much like a snakes slither.
I have ridden/owned a horse.
I still have every journal I've ever written in.
I can't stick to a diet.
I talk in my sleep.
I try to forget things by drowning them out with loads of distractions.
Climbing trees is a brilliant past-time.
I have jazz in my blood.
I wear a toe ring.

Tagging: YeeLeng, Zarina, Ariel, Denise, Minachie

I need a break! From NaNoWriMo I mean...

I've been writing everyday for the past ten days, and I'm still below my word count! Arrgggghhh!

Looking at it in a positive way, I'm slow and steady... Looking at it in a negative way... will I even finish my 50,000 words by the end of this month? In other words, will I lose my bet and lose RM500?! *wails* NooooOOOOO!!

No! I will not lose! I will persevere! Aja!! Ganbatte!! I can do it!

Ok...enough about NaNoWriMo for now! Like I said, I need a break! I'll write a million words tomorrow. Sighz...

Let's talk about other stuff...mundane stuff...boring stuff...

Hmm....it's been raining a lot lately, hasn't it?

.

.

.

LOL! How lame have I gotten that I need to talk about the weather? Blek!

Ok, seriously....I'm really psyched! Coz after *months* of not jamming, we're finally jamming again tomorrow!! Oh yayyyy!!!

Only thing is...I haven't practised at all... =(

I'd been coughing since the raya holidays, too much heaty food I guess... So I haven't actually had the chance to sing, unless you count the times I sing and break off halfway through the song to hack up like an old sickly grandmother. =(

But I'm still excited about jamming tomorrow!! =D

I can probably do the easy songs, which would be a start, at least I'd have started practising again. Because, in case I haven't mentioned, Walton Idol is on the 25th of this month. And I have to be in good shape to win it!

I won it last year, and got a trophy... but this year there are a lot more goodies, and a lot more competition! So I have to practise harder!

First prize is a Motorola V3i(which although not the latest model, I could still sell for good money), RM100 cash, and a RM50 voucher(for I-don't-know-what-yet)! And that's just for the first round! There are more goodies available on the final round!!!

Keep in mind this is just a small competition within our company, it's not like the prizes are gonna be like what Akademi Fantasia offers, but it's definitely not bad for an inter-company singing competition! =D

I'll have to practise harder!

I can't wait! =D

Apparently I have the time to take some personality quizes. =P

Betty took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test! "Desires release from an unsatisfactory situation a..." Click here to read the rest of the results.

I'm really sorry for neglecting to blog for the last week. But as you can see, I've been busy with NaNoWriMo, and still behind on the word count.

I expected to post about my activities the last couple of days, but unfortunately, since those same activities were what made me slack in my writing, instead of being able to write about them, I had to use whatever free time I had left to catch up on my writing. Sighz...

This is harder than I thought it would be. But I'm still enjoying it, and it's such a thrill when you're doing this with the world! I hope I'll catch up soon, and when I do, maybe I'll take some time to post up some pictures here. In the meantime, please be patient and wish me luck! =D

I'm behind on my word-count in NaNoWriMo, but I'm not worried. I know I'll catch up soon. I'm totally enjoying the story and it's coming out really nicely.

I went to Penang yesterday with Kelvin. He had to go there to meet a client of his, and I just tagged along for fun. It's been ages since I took a road trip, and I needed to get out, although it was mostly spent in the car. But I had loads of fun chatting with Kelvin in the car.

More about the trip later, just dropping in a short note because I'm working on my novel now. I got sick from yesterday's trip so I'm relaxing at home. I'm not complaining. I'm happy to be able to work on my novel. =)

It's official, NaNoWriMo has begun!

Well, for me anyway, since it's not actually November yet in some parts of the world. But it has officially started for me, and I'm ready! =D

I'm so excited and nervous! Must win! Must win! MUST win!

But more about this later.

I went to Swensen's today with the gang, after a long hiatus from our usual Earthquake day. It was great seeing the guys again, I've missed them. Everyone is getting hitched and spending all their time with their significant others that they've no time for me anymore. =(

Btw, did I mention that Fei kokor is getting married? Sighz....everyone's getting hitched for life, and I'm so left out! I always thought I'd be one of the first to get married and now everyone's getting married before me.

It's really scary that I'm feeling the pressure to get married now, just after my 24th birthday. I thought most girls nowadays would only think about marriage at age 27 and above, but apparently I was wrong.

I mean, it's different for me because I have specific reasons for wanting to get married young, mostly to do with my own health and the health of my children. (My dad's a nutritionist, I've been brought up with a whole different set of outlook on health and healthy living, which is a looooong story, so don't be surprised at my decision til you understand health. =P) But there's also another part of me which would only want to get married after I've travelled the world and achieved world peace, settling down maybe in my 30s.

So why is everyone around me in such a hurry to get married? I thought it was just me. Is it just this particular group of friends? Because so far, they're all from the same group. All my other groups of friends are still happily single but unavailable. LOL!

Oh well...all the better for me I guess. When I do get married, (Which will be soon!!! Hopefully... Blek!) and have kids, all my friends be having kids too, then our children can play together happily.

I am such a desperado...

Sighz...*shakes head at self*