Happy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebratets it.....may the new year brings happiness & good fortune to all. And for those who are not celebrating it....enjoy your 4 days holidays. Yabeda bedu !

It's the year of an ox this timearound & this is what my horoscopes are for this year :

Career

Your work will play a large role in the year of the Ox. You may find yourself working long hours to achieve a promotion or to further your pursuits.

==> Me working long hours to achieve a promotion ?? This is so hilarious.....so NOT me !

Relationships

Domestically, the you can achieve new levels in a relationship this year. People who know you think highly of you, as you are a well respected individual for your work ethics and your devotion to the ones you love.

==> Hmmmm...I like !!

Health

Your strong work ethics leave you working long hours, sometimes denying the warning signs of the effects on your health. You are instinctively a very active person and exercise is not something that you need to remind yourself to do.

==> Hahahahahaha............

Wealth

Financially, you may not achieve the results you seek, but you are well on your way. Keep your spending within your budget, even though there may be items that you desire to purchase to enrich your home.

==> This is the hardest part.....wish me luck!!

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Unexpected Gift

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I have received an unexpected gift today. Got a CNY mini-hamper from Mei Yin. Both me & Carol got it! We were both so excited about it & tend to show off to the rest of our colleagues since only we got it...hehehe.

Peanut Cookies (for Marsya), oranges (for me) and Ang Pow (again....for Marsya)

When it comes to Chinese New Year, I've always look forward to the Lokam / mandarin oranges. I love oranges so much especially these tyoe of oranges - they are so sweet and juicy. I could easily finish one whole box of oranges in less than 24 hours - on my own!

Another thing that I've always look forward to during this festival is the Prosperity Burger. You can only find this once a year. McDonalds is only promoting this burger during the CNY. However, since I've boycotted McDonalds (for their involvement in the Palestinian bombings), so no more prosperity burger for me - for good. Damn all the Israelians !!!

Once again...Mei Yin, thanks so much for your wonderful gift ! Very thoughtful of you !

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Can You Keep A Secret ?

It's a total fairy tale ! That's what I can conclude after reading this book. A handsome multimillionaire fallling in love with a plain-standard girl from the street....puhhhhleaseeee. Something that would never happen in the real world....not in a million years ! C'mon, life can never be that perfect.

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Emma is trying to climb her way up the corporate ladder at her marketing firm to no avail. While on a return flight from a business trip gone completely wrong she meets a handsome stranger. During the bumpy plane ride, Emma blabs all her deepest darkest secrets to this stranger. Upon return to work, Emma find out that the company's founder Jack Harper is visiting, which to her surprise happens to be the stranger from the plane! They somehow in the end fall in love with each other.....

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I've always hated fairy tale kindof story like this one. It's so unrealistic...it doesnt keep both of your feet on the ground! Anyway, i'm not saying that the book is not good. I stayed till 2.00 am just to finish it! The book is a fun reading & quite amusing. It's just me who dont really fancy a dreamer kindof story. Go ahead and read it...dont listen to what I've said. Like my fren Carol likes to quote : Dont hate the player....hate the game !

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Shopaholic & Baby

This is the fifth book in the Shopaholic series by Kinsella & I think it's my least favorite of the Shopaholic series. Becky Bloomwood just never learns - which is why there is always a new book I supposed.

As usual, the story revolves around Becky Blomwood who is now pregnant. She still shops like crazy, ignores all good advice from people around her and get herself into loads of trouble - and somehow manages to get herself out of it. This time, besides shopping for baby (and maternity clothes for herself), she manages to get her husband's old girlfriend as an obstetrician and becomes very jealous and scared that her husband is having an affair.

This was a fun chick-lit read -- not as great as the first two, but definitely better than the last. I wonder if this will be the last in the series. In my opinion it ought to be, but I wouldn't be surprised to see another somewhere down the road.

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Anugerah Cemerlang 2008

Marsya has again make me proud today. I attended the Hari Anugerah Cemerlang 2008 at her school this morning. My little girl got the 3rd place for her final semester exam last year. This event is normally held on the same year she sit for the exam but it has somehow been deferred to 2009 this time around.

Anyway, that is not important. The most important thing here is my Marsya was on the stage this morning to receive her plaque & certficate for her achievement last year. Mummy is so proud of you sayang...muahhhhh!! We, the parents have been informed during the ceremony that Marsya's school, SK Seri Bintang Utara is the 3rd best school in Wilayah Persekutuan for the 2008 UPSR exam. Well done !

During my schooltime, I've never ever got the chance to be on the stage on that very special day - be it the primary level or secondary level. Well.....it's not that I'm not smart, but other kids seems to be a lil' bit smarter than me....... hehehe. Nevertheless, I still had good times......not good times but the best times at school. Schooling time was the best time of my life - nothing could ever beat that!

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Cooking Is All About Planning

The school started 2 days ago i.e. on the 5th. There goes my luxury sleeps. I am now back to my normal routine which starts as early as 5.30 in the morning. It's gonna be hard for these few days after 2 months of hibernation.

For a start, I have myself a new maid this year. Her name is Miskiah ( we called her Mis). She's from Jawa Tengah, 25 of age, was married before & have 1 kid. She worked with a Chinese family before. Then she fled off as she cant bear eating pork anymore........gross!!! We are so fortunate to get her as our maid. She's so hardworking. Mar (my previous maid) is nothing close to her. I dont have to tell her what to do. She'll always look for things to be washed, wiped, polished etc. My house now shines like a silver pottery !




The only thing Mis didnt know is to cook - which is acceptable to me. So, now not only I've to prepare Marsya's breakfast, I also have to cook for her lunch as well - before I go to work. Something I used to do before I have a maid. I dont really mind doing it since cooking has always been pleasure.

For those who have to do the same thing, I have some tips to share - so that you'll save time. It's always good to set up your menu for the week - write down the dishes that you plan to cook for that whole week. With that list in your hand, you can plan your time much, much more easier. You knew what to buy at the market, hence saving your precious time. On top of that you can have a peace of mind knowing that you already have all the ingredients you require for your cooking.

The night before, all you need to do is to look at your menu & prepare the ingredients upfront - the slicing, pounding, cutting etc. So, the next morning you can straight away start with the cooking. To make it more easier, you can blend the onions & dry chillies over the weekend & keep them in the fridge. Just scoop it out when you need it. Simple!

Cooking is easy - it's the preparation that gives quite a hassle. With proper planning & management, your kitchen wouldnt be a war field. You'll definately cook with joy & pleasure. Give it a try & you'll agree with every word I've said.

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Happy New Year 2009 !

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all readers a very happy new year. Time just seems drift by ever so obliviously when we aren’t paying attention to life. It just feels like January 2008 was yesterday.

I dont remember having a resolution for 2008. All I remember is that, last year I celebrated the new year with Pakcik & frens - jamming @ Nita's house till 5 am. It was so much fun.

Anyway, since it's a new year I admit that should have my own new resolution this time. I’m not gonna let this prosperous year gone just like that. However, coming up with new year resolution is tough. Here’s among my resolution that I could think of at the moment (which I'd likely break in a few weeks especially the 2nd one ) :

1. First & foremost is to acquire my B2 licence (for riding bikes). Been riding for 3 years without licence. I'm very lucky not to bumped into road blocks or serious accidents so far.
2. This is the hardest one - to do less shopping & save more money. This is not hard.....it's damn hard. I'm very sceptical about this one - I wonder how I'm gonna do this. Anyway, I'm still making this as one of my 2009 resolution .
3. To keep in touch more with family & frens. Would try not to miss any birthdays & to do that, I would sign up for the Birthday Reminder services in the net.
4. To write more item and increase interaction on my Travel Blog.I have not been focusing on this blog so much this year as I was too busy doing many things. There are a few more travelling tips/stories I havent got the time to post like my Naples trip to name one.

I'll stick to these 4 first at the moment. If I could fulfill half of it by the end of the year, I would be very much satisfied already but could I? There's a big question mark there. Anyway, since it's the beginning of the year, I have to be optimistic. You can do it !!!!

2008 is not a bad year after all and I have hopes for year 2009. Thanks to those who played a significant role in my life, who showed me the different faces of life, who gave me courage to face the world, who always be there to talk to me and who always be there to cry & to laugh with me. To the people I've hurt (Ashim, Syed & Yasmin especially) and to the people I’ve said bad things about, I apologize from the bottom of my heart.

Hopefully this year will be a great year and wishing everyone a prosperous and a joyful year ahead.

Happy New Year!!!

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