I've always have this soft spot at saying goodbyes. Even fake ones like in the movies and dramas. It's just heartbreaking to see someone parting, going somewhere and only to return some time later at an unfixed date. Just heart-wrenching.
I attended my last dance class for now and it's just so sweet and nice of the classmates to have some sort of like a farewell for me although I'd just be gone for 2 months (or more). I shall miss the dance sessions, the jokes, the laughter and all the girl friends. It just made me feel like those times in school again where we can chat about anything but work.
*Sob* *sob*... I can only hope that this project will go well, I go, I learn, I do all I can, I come back and dance and have the fullest fun again. It is only when things are scarce or fading or you have to fight for it, only then you will realise how precious it is. One good example is driving my car to work, everyday about 80KM to and fro. On normal days, I dread driving to work because of the jam but once I've stopped driving for months and getting to drive again.. I would love the traffic jams anyhow.
So all my life here will pause, I will have to readjust to different way of living for awhile, finish the work, come back to a normal life which I'll enjoy and appreciate even more after each trip. To Zoe, Charmaine, Michelle (you can do it, don't give up!! :)) , Debra, Kat and Chloe... all the very best in the dance competition, I know you girls will definitely conquer and nail it, have fun and will see you all again very soon. Happy Dancing......and darn, I am going to miss every minute of it!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Risking life everyday
I will be off to another assignment again. Back to Jakarta. And this time it will be for the longest time I am ever going to have - 2 months and possible extension to 3 ...unless I have to fly back on emergency case again like my wisdom toothache 2 months ago. I really hope the rest of the wisdom teeth will just stay there as they are now, forever, without any problems.
As usual, visa application is needed and it'll be faster I do it on my own. I am so fed up and at the same time scared of the crime rates in major towns here now that I have to remove my necklace before I've decided to go to the embassy (for the 10th time or so I believe). I used to get stare on my necklace at LCCT airport. Regardless whether people would think of it, real or fake...for my own safety, it's best that I remove it. Father was robbed recently by an Indian fellow with a parang knife, jumped out of nowhere on his bike. Mother was chased by another Indian with a big stick aiming for her necklace. Both incidents happened just within less than 0.2KM radius of our used-to-be so peaceful and safe neighbourhood in Penang! If this can happen in my beautiful Penang... the possibility of it happening in PJ/KL is 100x more!! I am not exaggerating but if it never happens, it doesn't mean things are safe. Better take 500% precaution all the times!
So there was I was, parked at Wisma Time as usual. I resent parking near the Embassy or illegally along the road..so the only choice is for me to walk 10 minutes under the HOT SUN from my car to the Embassy, crossing some roads, passing by some construction areas, with lots of taxi touts, Indonesians, locals calling me, asking me if I wanted to take photo, need taxi, blah blah blah. I pretended that I was either poor Indonesian maid going over to get my working permit renewal or some poor local who was going to get some passport stuff done. I always try to give people impression that I am stupid or poor, to be safe. In another words, appear less interesting as much as possible, to avoid attention, in places where I feel unsafe. Today the police called me when I walked past their booth but I pretended that I was deaf and just continued on. In my mind, I just wanted to get the process done, get my passport and go home asap! It was freaking hot and my sunblock application has its timer ticking away..... SPF25.. :P
Then at this guard booth where I have to hand in my IC to take the visitor pass, there was this fat male in front of me sneezing so loud and using his hands to wipe off his *stuff*.... ewwwwwww.... I usually wouldn't feel disgusted at this but because of the recent H1N1 virus alert, it just doubled, tripled my fear! I had actually disregard the dangers of epidemic because it has never happened or shown its "face" in my life but after today, I will remind myself that if it never happens, it doesn't mean it is not there! Just like the robbery, snatch-theft and all the other crimes that are so rampant nowadays...(I should say nowayears!!!), I should be more cautious and be self-prepared. Okay, back to the sneezing part, I gave the guy a one-kind look, to tell him using my face and eyes that "if you're sick, please stay at home or at least have the courtesy to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze, hellooooo!!" and he seemed aware of it. I tried to take a step back but I didn't! I wonder why I didn't. I just stood there about 3 feet away from him. Maybe out of respect -- I didn't want him to feel that bad, making a whoo-hah out of the whole scenario. In my mind a question came, "Why am I risking my life for my company?" With the disease now categorised as pandemic and where everyone is advised to stay local and don't travel, we are risking our lives, to work for the company, to make sure everything is still running. I really salute all my teammates who are out there working on projects, scattered around the world. I've just labelled them, virus bombers (instead of suicide bombers because H1N1 is yet fatal). We go out, potentially could bring back the virus and *kaboom* the local people ;)
The H1N1 can be simply everywhere, not just in the flight or in affected countries but in the mini-market, in the office, in the restaurants, in kopitiams, just everywhere. What we can do now is to eat well, eat right to boost our immune system and stay healthy all the time, hopefully reducing our chances in contracting the virus. In these times, I really admire Singapore for what it is doing to control the outbreak. A company that I know was instructed to get disinfectants and face masks ready. Dettol is bought to clean up door knobs or to wash hands just in case the office is visited by some potentially infected strangers. Office is instructed not to allow anyone in, if possible. Foreigners from affected countries are rejected by companies to come for work if possible. Singapore knows that once someone is quarantined, the whole business will be affected. When no one is helping us, we have to help ourselves. Remember, when it doesn't happen to you (yet), it doesn't mean it will never be. And this applies not just to H1N1, it's in everything that we do in our lives. Better be paranoid than being foolish.
So this Sunday, when I am in the flight, I hope everything will go smooth. It's all for the little money that I have to earn in order to risk continuing this life.
Take good care.
As usual, visa application is needed and it'll be faster I do it on my own. I am so fed up and at the same time scared of the crime rates in major towns here now that I have to remove my necklace before I've decided to go to the embassy (for the 10th time or so I believe). I used to get stare on my necklace at LCCT airport. Regardless whether people would think of it, real or fake...for my own safety, it's best that I remove it. Father was robbed recently by an Indian fellow with a parang knife, jumped out of nowhere on his bike. Mother was chased by another Indian with a big stick aiming for her necklace. Both incidents happened just within less than 0.2KM radius of our used-to-be so peaceful and safe neighbourhood in Penang! If this can happen in my beautiful Penang... the possibility of it happening in PJ/KL is 100x more!! I am not exaggerating but if it never happens, it doesn't mean things are safe. Better take 500% precaution all the times!
So there was I was, parked at Wisma Time as usual. I resent parking near the Embassy or illegally along the road..so the only choice is for me to walk 10 minutes under the HOT SUN from my car to the Embassy, crossing some roads, passing by some construction areas, with lots of taxi touts, Indonesians, locals calling me, asking me if I wanted to take photo, need taxi, blah blah blah. I pretended that I was either poor Indonesian maid going over to get my working permit renewal or some poor local who was going to get some passport stuff done. I always try to give people impression that I am stupid or poor, to be safe. In another words, appear less interesting as much as possible, to avoid attention, in places where I feel unsafe. Today the police called me when I walked past their booth but I pretended that I was deaf and just continued on. In my mind, I just wanted to get the process done, get my passport and go home asap! It was freaking hot and my sunblock application has its timer ticking away..... SPF25.. :P
Then at this guard booth where I have to hand in my IC to take the visitor pass, there was this fat male in front of me sneezing so loud and using his hands to wipe off his *stuff*.... ewwwwwww.... I usually wouldn't feel disgusted at this but because of the recent H1N1 virus alert, it just doubled, tripled my fear! I had actually disregard the dangers of epidemic because it has never happened or shown its "face" in my life but after today, I will remind myself that if it never happens, it doesn't mean it is not there! Just like the robbery, snatch-theft and all the other crimes that are so rampant nowadays...(I should say nowayears!!!), I should be more cautious and be self-prepared. Okay, back to the sneezing part, I gave the guy a one-kind look, to tell him using my face and eyes that "if you're sick, please stay at home or at least have the courtesy to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze, hellooooo!!" and he seemed aware of it. I tried to take a step back but I didn't! I wonder why I didn't. I just stood there about 3 feet away from him. Maybe out of respect -- I didn't want him to feel that bad, making a whoo-hah out of the whole scenario. In my mind a question came, "Why am I risking my life for my company?" With the disease now categorised as pandemic and where everyone is advised to stay local and don't travel, we are risking our lives, to work for the company, to make sure everything is still running. I really salute all my teammates who are out there working on projects, scattered around the world. I've just labelled them, virus bombers (instead of suicide bombers because H1N1 is yet fatal). We go out, potentially could bring back the virus and *kaboom* the local people ;)
The H1N1 can be simply everywhere, not just in the flight or in affected countries but in the mini-market, in the office, in the restaurants, in kopitiams, just everywhere. What we can do now is to eat well, eat right to boost our immune system and stay healthy all the time, hopefully reducing our chances in contracting the virus. In these times, I really admire Singapore for what it is doing to control the outbreak. A company that I know was instructed to get disinfectants and face masks ready. Dettol is bought to clean up door knobs or to wash hands just in case the office is visited by some potentially infected strangers. Office is instructed not to allow anyone in, if possible. Foreigners from affected countries are rejected by companies to come for work if possible. Singapore knows that once someone is quarantined, the whole business will be affected. When no one is helping us, we have to help ourselves. Remember, when it doesn't happen to you (yet), it doesn't mean it will never be. And this applies not just to H1N1, it's in everything that we do in our lives. Better be paranoid than being foolish.
So this Sunday, when I am in the flight, I hope everything will go smooth. It's all for the little money that I have to earn in order to risk continuing this life.
Take good care.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Worthy and Yummy Food
I have given up with the quality and taste of many many hawker stalls especially around PJ. Not only the food was expensive but the taste was terrible!! Most are very salty and full with MSG! There are only 1-2 out of 100 that may be still worth trying but I swore unless I am starving to death I will ban many of the hawker stalls I've tried. For a bowl of RM4-5 noodles, I would say, just worthless. It's better I go for breads.
If you are getting exhaustive of what to eat around PJ area, try this restaurant at the Lower Ground Promenade, 1-Utama (same floor as the ATM machine floor in the old Wing, exiting the old wing car park) . I forgot the name of the restaurant but it's a very huge herbs red-coloured restaurant selling lots of bird nests and abalones. You wouldn't miss it if you're walking at the Lower Ground towards the Old Wing (or vice versa).
There is a small transparent kitchen on the inside of the restaurant's left hand corner and at first glance, you wouldn't notice there is even a small eatery area. When the restaurant was new 6 months ago, there wasn't any advertisement board telling people about it but now there's a menu board placed at the entrance and now there are new menu items!
I've tried the porridge and they are really SUPER DUPER DELICIOUS. The portion is also quite big and you will actually feel full. The ingredients are generous, depending on the type of porridge you select. Some consist of dried scallop, oyster and abalones (real abalones, not the sliced ones). The price ranges from min RM12 to RM28. The highest priced porridge comes with additional fish maw and sea cucumber. The taste is simply great because you need not add further white pepper or soya sauce into it. It just taste so aromatic from the mixture of the seafood ingredients.
Now there are new dried scallop fried rice, dried oyster fried rice and stewed rice. I've just tried the stewed rice (In cantonese it's called "Man Fan"). For me, I've never liked stewed rice because at first impression, they would be plain in taste and a little soupy maybe. But this one at the restaurant is totally delicious! It comes with generous servings of strips of scallops and sliced abalones (not the complete abalone as in the porridge) and inside the layer of Chinese cabbage, the rice is just yummy! It's stirred fried with egg and then stewed. You have to try it to know what I mean.
Looks real nice isn't it? Loads of sliced abalones and Chinese cabbage, drizzled with strips of scallops all over
Delicious stewed rice hidden inside. Lots of oysters inside too!
Delicious Snow Jelly with Gingko nuts in fresh milk for dessert!!! There are other versions in American Ginseng/white lotus seeds/red dates/dried longans/coconut milk.
For dessert, you can try the Snow Jelly with American Ginseng/dates/longans or those with fresh milk and gingko nuts, White Fungus with dates/longan/gingko nuts or the Almond soup and Cashewnut soup. All yummy to me! With one main course and one dessert, you'll feel full, real satisfied with the price you paid, with the tasty aroma still in your mouth when you walk out of the restaurant... and no thirst kicking in after 30 minutes later because of the ^@#$% MSG! The real "sweet and salty" taste of the food is due to the real ingredients being used which brings out the natural flavours... mmm.... you have to try to know what I mean again :)
And I don't think the price is expensive because of the generous servings. Furthermore, it's more worth it than you pay RM4-5 (or some even higher!) for a price of (yeah cheap...) noodles or rice that suck real bad! Don't get me started talking about Penang Prawn Mee at some restaurants in 1-Utama. To me those are really legal money extorters! They don't deserve to promote and sell Penang famous Prawn Mee if the noodles are cooked and served in those condition! Really spoil the Prawn Mee image altogether! I tried the Lam Mee Ya Prawn Mee and please, I beg myself and you not to return to the same bowl again! Suck 200% !!! There are many others that I've blacklisted, maybe I should start posting my BLACKlisted restaurants soon.
I should've taken the photos of the porridge, anyway I'll be back for more :)
If you are getting exhaustive of what to eat around PJ area, try this restaurant at the Lower Ground Promenade, 1-Utama (same floor as the ATM machine floor in the old Wing, exiting the old wing car park) . I forgot the name of the restaurant but it's a very huge herbs red-coloured restaurant selling lots of bird nests and abalones. You wouldn't miss it if you're walking at the Lower Ground towards the Old Wing (or vice versa).
There is a small transparent kitchen on the inside of the restaurant's left hand corner and at first glance, you wouldn't notice there is even a small eatery area. When the restaurant was new 6 months ago, there wasn't any advertisement board telling people about it but now there's a menu board placed at the entrance and now there are new menu items!
I've tried the porridge and they are really SUPER DUPER DELICIOUS. The portion is also quite big and you will actually feel full. The ingredients are generous, depending on the type of porridge you select. Some consist of dried scallop, oyster and abalones (real abalones, not the sliced ones). The price ranges from min RM12 to RM28. The highest priced porridge comes with additional fish maw and sea cucumber. The taste is simply great because you need not add further white pepper or soya sauce into it. It just taste so aromatic from the mixture of the seafood ingredients.
Now there are new dried scallop fried rice, dried oyster fried rice and stewed rice. I've just tried the stewed rice (In cantonese it's called "Man Fan"). For me, I've never liked stewed rice because at first impression, they would be plain in taste and a little soupy maybe. But this one at the restaurant is totally delicious! It comes with generous servings of strips of scallops and sliced abalones (not the complete abalone as in the porridge) and inside the layer of Chinese cabbage, the rice is just yummy! It's stirred fried with egg and then stewed. You have to try it to know what I mean.
Looks real nice isn't it? Loads of sliced abalones and Chinese cabbage, drizzled with strips of scallops all over
Delicious stewed rice hidden inside. Lots of oysters inside too!
Delicious Snow Jelly with Gingko nuts in fresh milk for dessert!!! There are other versions in American Ginseng/white lotus seeds/red dates/dried longans/coconut milk.
And I don't think the price is expensive because of the generous servings. Furthermore, it's more worth it than you pay RM4-5 (or some even higher!) for a price of (yeah cheap...) noodles or rice that suck real bad! Don't get me started talking about Penang Prawn Mee at some restaurants in 1-Utama. To me those are really legal money extorters! They don't deserve to promote and sell Penang famous Prawn Mee if the noodles are cooked and served in those condition! Really spoil the Prawn Mee image altogether! I tried the Lam Mee Ya Prawn Mee and please, I beg myself and you not to return to the same bowl again! Suck 200% !!! There are many others that I've blacklisted, maybe I should start posting my BLACKlisted restaurants soon.
I should've taken the photos of the porridge, anyway I'll be back for more :)
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