Hong Kong really is a strange, buzzling place. The last time I was here, which was back in 1996, I lived over in the Kowloon area, where people were sophisticated and very fashionable. They seemed cold, calculative and having a mind only business and money. But then, I was only 16 then. Now, its 2003, and I'm still fresh out of my 22nd birthday 3 months ago. The place where I live in, North Point, seems straight out of those Hong Kong TVB serials. This is the life of Hong Kong. The spirit, the soul of the Hong Kong Chinese. A different Hong Kong that I was introduced to the last two times I was here. And I actually like it. The people in these areas are not that sophisticated, they wear normal clothes for a change (when I stayed in Kowloon there were sports cars and branded apparels all around me, it was hard not to feel pressured). Over here where I'm living, things can go real cheap, like HK 10 for three pairs of socks and HKD 58 for a warm pretty sweater. Who says you need branded stuff to live a decent live? And these are not the pirated / faked goods.

I think I might just buy the GP rechargeable batteries for myself and PY's father (since I remember he seems to want it very much). Its only HKD 95 over here and I'm sure I can ask for a lower, cheaper price. In Malaysia, the cheapest is RM 55, so if I can get them under that over here, then I'll definitely buy them!!

Oh yeah, the CNY market they have here is amazing. Not only they have LOTS AND LOTS of flowers, they have all sorts of junk!! The toys here are tonnes and tonnes nicer than those in our common pasar malam and the memory lane shops... I especially love the ICQ memoribilia and I might just take a tram there soon to get what I wanted without my parents pestering me not to buy anything. I bought some cute giraffes for HKD 5 each and they are cute!! Very nice...

OKAY gotta go do other stuff... till tomorrow I think... and this is really getting to be a travel blog... but kinda cool anyway... I'll probably post a photo here tomorrow if possible... but I can't get access to FTP so I'll have to post some pics elsewhere... If not possible then you guys have to be patient and wait until I reach KL., which is in a week!
  ¶ 16:56

  Guess where I am?

I just arrived in Hong Kong and I'm staying in one of those nice budget hotels near North Point, where the life is more localized and calm. Its a relaxing time especially nearing the new year, and about 6 blocks away is the 'flower market' (direct translation from fa shi) and will be going for the CNY countdown there tomorrow night.

I'm blogging from the hotel's business centre and my dad's a long term guest here since he works over here with his business and I'm actually enjoying myself. Had a great meal just now - the famous Hong Kong tai chow.

Its been 6 years since I last visited Hong Kong and I must say that the Chep Lap Kong airport is nicer and more people friendly than KLIA, despite KLIA looking more modern. I guess it has got to do with the lights and the endless buzz of people, people, people. I do wonder when KLIA will be packed with people... but I guess things do have to grow.

So anyway, will blog tomorrow if I have the time!!
  ¶ 21:35

  I was pretty active for the week, going to my three musketeers' reunion on Sunday at the Bangsar Shopping Complex and on Sunday night attending the annual AIESEC Appreciation Nite (of my varsity's chapter). I'm going to load the pics to my album when I get one... but in the meantime, I'll random pluck pics from my two adventures just for entertainment and aesthetic's sake.

Here's the pic of me and my hi-school gang, Rooban and Boon Leong. Took this as we saw the cool reflection of ourselves at the Haagen Dazs mirror. I think it looks really chun!!


As for Sunday's do, I thought you guys would appreciate a close up of me and another couple of pretty girls...


  ¶ 13:37

  Since I'm certified to be this:

Which Ultimate Beautiful Woman are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

It figures why this guy is meant for me.

Which Harry Potter Guy are you Most Compatible with?
brought to you by Quizilla
  ¶ 23:50

  Well, its exactly one week to the big 30 ... not my 30th birthday, but the nian san shi wan, where Chinese go back for their reunion dinners. I'm still at a blur at what exactly will happen, but ... if things go according to plan, I'll be headed to Hong Kong without my reunion dinner, but there to meet my dear old daddy and breathe in the CNY mood of the Chinese territory. Looks like a good plan, since all the shops will be closed, and I'll just be roaming the quiet streets of the place, taking photos of an otherwise busy place. Its good, since if I do go there, this will be my 4th time there, and 1st time during Spring. I've been there for autumn, winter and summer and I really want to see spring over there...

BUT, if I don't go (this decision will of course depend on how much work I've finished, lame I know, but chinese new year ignores work, which I can't afford to if I want to graduate on time), then there'll be some quiet NY in Kay El, maybe catching all the CNY movies especially the Sammi Cheng one and of course, the annual Tuan Bai (that's when my hi-school class of 97 goes visiting)...


  ¶ 23:00

  I watched HERO today. Its funny how Mid Valley's GSC hasn't started screening it yet and yet Sunway Pyramid makes an hourly show out of it. All for RM 6 bucks per ticket too. Of course today is Wednesday and Wednesday tickets are cheaper. But still, despite the cheaper price and the earlier screenings, Pyramid was kinda cold and empty.

The movie was, however, cool, contrary to what my coursemate had said (based on her watching of the pirated version). The thematic colours were kinda silly and comic but added to the cool-ness of the movie. I'm not going to disclose the story here, but I do need to attest that, YES, in the time of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shih Huang Ti's army wore black. So that's just about why you see black so much in the show, unlike in the ASTRO Wah Lah Toi's version of the Qin Shih Huang Ti... (in case you're wondering, Ying Zheng happens to be the Emperor, and I think he's Phun Yi in the show - kinda naive and rash, huh?) ...

In the movie, my favourite character was of course the emperor, seconded only by Jet Li. I'm convinced that Jet Li can act better than Jackie Chan after this show ... he's simply cool. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai a little too cool for my liking lah, and the romance elements just got funnier and funnier - especially with the thematic colour change. The character I hated most was Zhang Ziyi, but then again I never liked her, not even in Crouching Dragon Hidden Tiger. Its weird how the gwai lo have placed her on their all time Asian pedestal when 'she's only good at men-jeling other people', to quote Michelle. That's all she does in the movie, she broods, cries and glares at other people. And cries. She can't act. Some people are going to boycott my blog for this, but its my blog and I have my rights to express my dislike of the 'lass'. Yucks.

This was not a review. This was not a critique. I'm just telling loyal visitors to this blog that HERO is worth a watch. Go watch the mandarin version. You'll be awed by the colours. And please, watch it in the cinema. Otherwise it becomes hilarious with the colour codes. The wide screen effect is definitely worth the RM 10 you're going to pay. I liked the storyline, I loved the fight scenes, I like the soundtrack. If you like cool shows like matrix... then this is THE SHOW you can't afford to miss. Trust me!   ¶ 23:30

  Thanx to Colin... join in the fun!!


According to the Red Book of Westmarch,
In Middle-earth, Khoo Choo Ki was a
Unwanted Huorn


Elven Name Possibilities for Khoo Choo Ki
The root name suitable for feminine and masculine is:
Esgalweth
Another masculine version is:
Esgalwethion
More feminine versions are:
Esgalwethiel
Esgalwethien
Esgalwethwen


Hobbit lad name for Khoo Choo Ki
Nick Gold from Girdley Island
Hobbit lass name for Khoo Choo Ki
Chica Gold from Girdley Island

Dwarven Name for Khoo Choo Ki
Nerin Poolfeet
This name is for both genders.


Orkish Name for Khoo Choo Ki
Golkûl the Gouger
This name is for both genders.
  ¶ 16:12

  More Photos I absolutely love the new toy I have. Went to the Lake Gardens and this is some of what I took ...

  ¶ 15:29

  Darrell... Was this what you wanted me to do??? Have it your way ...

1. LIVING ARRANGEMENT? I have my own room in my parent's house.
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology byPhilip Carr. Required reading. I know life sucks. Don't remind me.
3. WHAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER? I don't use screen savers.
4. FAVORITE MAGAZINES? Cleo.
5. FAVORITE SMELL? Bak Kut Teh soup.The aroma is irresistable. Anyone up for a trip to Klang some day?
6. LEAST FAVORITE SMELL? Somebody else's Bau Busuk Ketiak. Especially if we're in the same lecture hall. Curses to his / her B.O.
7. FAVORITE SOUND? "Keputusan Semester anda adalah: empat perpuluhan kosong, kosong, kosong" -- haha, I wish!!
8. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD? When you love some one a lot and suddenly you find out he only treats you as his favourite 'sis'.
9. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? '5 more minutes...'
10. FAVORITE COLOR? To be really honest, I don't have one.
11. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE? Why the hell should I count the number of rings??
12. YOUR FIRST CHILD'S NAME? I am single and not pregnant. Stupid question this.
13. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE? Living it with meaning.
14. FAVORITE FOODS? McDs Fries. Anytime.
16. DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST? Yes. But my car can't go fast.
17. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Yes.
18. DO YOU LIKE STORMS? No.
19. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST VEHICLE? My baby walker ... I got it when I was 1. Cool eh?
20. IF YOU COULD MEET ONE PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD THAT BE? Is God a person?
21. FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK: Ice cold heinekken.
22. WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN? Scorpio.
23. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI? Yes.
24. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB YOU WANTED WHAT WOULD IT BE? Not have any job at all.
25. IF YOU DYED YOUR HAIR, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU PICK? My hair is highlighted. I'd like to add blonde streaks. Maybe after CNY.
26. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE? Stupid question. Duh....
27. IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL? This is the most cliche question in this silly list. So I'm going to go un-cliche and say 'half empty'. Why? I haven't finished drinking the water in it yet. :P
28. FAVORITE MOVIE? The Shawshank Redemption.
29. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS? 75 words per minute, baby!!
30. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? The floor.
31. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER? 2510 - now that is my birthday. Please remember it everyone.
32. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? Artistic Gymnastics.
33. SAY ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU. Darrell: I salute the way you keep on exclaiming that lust for Celestine.
34. OUT OF THE PEOPLE YOU SEND THIS TO, WHO IS MOSTLIKELY TO RESPOND? I'm not sending this to anyone. I'm blogging it.
35. OUT OF THE PEOPLE YOU SEND THIS TO, WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? How many of you are going to click the comments link anyway?
  ¶ 10:59

  Tour de les Minishorts For the second part of the tour, I shall show you my bed and the closet and the new baby I've adopted.

This is my bed. I sleep on it when there are no guests around. When the weather is not hot. If there are guests, I'll shift to my mom's room cos there's a spare bed there for me. If the weather is very hot I live in my mom's room and study on her bed. She has an air-conditioner and I don't have one.


The place where I keep my clothes. Well, not all of them. For long dresses and skirts, I have to use ma's closet. Her's is huge and can menampung long long clothes. But I'm pretty okay with mine.


I just got a new toy 2 days ago. wheeeeeeee...... this is him/her. I haven't decided what to call him/her. I'm going to take your good advices. Please help!!! He/ She needs a name.
  ¶ 15:28

  Finally!!! What did I tell you? I got the thang! I got the thang I wanted... holy cow I'm 2000 bucks poorer but I have a brand new Pentax 330GS. So, for today, I'll give you a tour of my room.

Ladies and gentlemen,

My table. Unfortunately I have to spend a lot of time here. Studying is an excuse, not the reason, but I still have to do it. Most of the time I fall asleep and wake up and bang my head on the light. I like my overhead lamp. It looks like the Pixar baby.


My workstation. This is the place where I blog, design websites, scan silly pics (and now, upload pics from my digicam), play EA sports and Harry Potter bla bla bla... oh yeah, flirt online. You have one. My computer is my life. Sitted on the monitor, are: (from left to right) George the chimp, Bear from the past, and Cuggly Wugglie. I have very long names for my soft toys. This is because I don't give them names if they're very small.



My POST IT BOARD, or the BOARD OF THINGS TO COME. You see pics on it and things that I'm supposed to do. And the words 'I'm nicer on the weekend' don't mirror my character. I'm always very nice. Trust me. Everybody says so.



So ask me where's my bed. I was too lazy to clear the stuff on the bed for a pic so you guys will just have to wait until the next installment of 'The Tour'.
  ¶ 16:52

 

So I'm fickle. But 2000 bucks is a lot of money. This is another option. The Pentax 330GS. Its almost confirmed anyway. I love the specs. Perasan old me especially likes the flip LCD screen. Now I can take pictures of myself all the time. When I get my digicam every blog will be decorated by a picture of the day. I promise.
  ¶ 00:20

  The DSC F77 isn't nearly as wonderful as it is. So happens that it doesn't have optical zoom. It uses something called smart zoom. Its somewhat the size of the Fuji F401 which is SMALL and small hurts when you're taking digital stills I guess. Now this is what I've learnt after a 1/2 crash course at Sungei Wang last night. Pek Yong took me there to 'make up for all the lost time since his bloody exams' and uhuh, it was a pretty educational experience. I think the salesperson was pro-sony but the price he offered for the DSC P7 with a 128 MB Memory Stick is pretty okay for about RM1850. The size is really cool, fits in your hand, plus it has 90 min non-stop mpeg movie play with audio -that's what the DSC F77 lacks in the first place. It also has 3x optical zoom (which, btw is no where near the olympus baby which has 10X optical zoom, and pretty expensive, and pretty big). But... as usual, I'm still doing my research. Anyway, the DSC P7, for your viewing pleasure:




I might, however, my digital camera in Hong Kong when I get there for Chinese New Year. But only if the price is RM300 - 400 lower than what they offer here. Today I shall seek out the Hong Kong sites to find out the prices. If they are like what I expect them to be, then I shall move on to the Special Administrative Territory for my purchase.

Very honestly, I do have horrible nightmares about taking out 2000 bucks outta my account. It leaves me empty and poor...   ¶ 13:23

 

I saw a cool Sony baby the day I went to catch Sweet Home Alabama (which is so totally illogical) and I've been looking like hell for the specs and recommended price. So far the sleekness of its desingn - and the swivel lense - has knocked my Digital Ixus dream off its pedestal... and I'm going to overlook the fact that this baby doesn't include sound recording (who needs movie shots on a digital camera anyway?). Its a Sony Carl Zeiss 4.0 MP - to be precise, the DSC FX 77. The price isRM 1729 with a 16 MB memory stick (which will have to go of course since I'm eyeing 128 MB storage space ) but memory sticks are really expensive ~ RM 348, so it'll probably reach the 2 k range after adding on the extra stuff I need....


  ¶ 13:28

  You really need to catch a little air before you head on with life. Yesterday's attempts at trying to make another design was a total havoc and the proscratination bug has just entered my system so I'm going to leave that alone for a while. Don't say I didn't warn you not to ask me how's my new webbie coming up. Not for a while. After all my resolution was to make at least 3 designs a year and I still have plenty of time for that. Sufficient to say Pek Yong called me to say he was really sorry and I fumed quietly at him while he tried to make me smile again. You know that silly urge to smile but the feminine pride NOT TO SHOW THAT YOU'RE A WIMP and you MELT LIKE BUTTER at the sound of his voice and laugh at his SILLY JOKES not because they're funny but they're downright silly?...Well, I gave in.

I hereby apologise profusely to the rest of the female population and beg of your kind forgiveness.


  ¶ 15:31

  I guess Sunday happened to be one of my bad days. I've cooled down now... I guess that's a good start. I hope things just go uphill from here. And I'm working on a new layout before I move over to a new domain. Creating a new design will take my mind off certain unpleasantries for now.   ¶ 11:50

  You know things are bad when you have a 'weird' fight with your boyfriend at 1 am in the morning and you wake up at 10 am not knowing what the hell actually happened the night before; and the horrid realisation that things are bad, very bad. And when things get as bad as they are now, you really don't know what to do except spend as much doing things that'll make you forget the the problem. Very bad way to end a Sunday, an otherwise super week, but you can't force-help certain things, and fights really can't be predicted and avoided eh?

For the uninitiated, I've been told that I'm inconsiderate and uncaring. In light of what we all know is the med-school exams. I've been a bitch and bugging the guy for all the wrong reasons at his 'moment of reckoning' and he's using his oh-so-important exams as a bloody excuse to hurl horrid insults at me. I think it started a bit after the NY's buffet at Sunway. NY was cool, everything was cool (did I mention I foot the bill for him??) but the days after were really teruk. First I had to miss that meet with friends. Then I caught a whiff of no-take-bath PY and expressed my discomfort at the smell only be to met by 'You need to change your nose. Its stupid and useless.' And then when I said I wanted to meet OUR friends at SS2 mamak at 11 pm I was confronted by 'so late don't drive out, you know I'll be worried about you... what for you go out with them. Not like you're close to them also.'

When last straws attack, you hit the sack and start to burst. I exploded. I just went hellish. Looky here I'm not the one taking the bloody high-class medical school exam but doesn't mean I'm a stupid and useless. Neither does being in such a dignified position among the rest of the student population allows a person to act as if he's the King of the World and everyone else must wash the dishes and bring him his dinner. Its fucking crap and we all know it. So you deserve a little privacy but doesn't mean you can piss off your girlfriend and make the job of caring hers only.

This SS2 mamak thingy just pisses me off even more. The hell with his friends and my friends. Ever since we started dating I've slowed down in the friendship department with my own friends for the sake of this relationship, while common friendly meets were 90% attended by him. The remaining 10% in which I had a chance to attended had me reduced to merely an accompaniment for the sake of his bursting ego.

And then you know you're fighting that losing battle when deep inside you're worried sick about how this stupid fight will affect his performance in the exams. At the same time you need to remain ahead in the relationship keeps you standing straight and unwitting to hand in the towel and throw your arms around the fella and tell him you're sorry because inside you're hurting too much for a lack of respect and care that you really crave and want. But you know how horrid it is when at this very moment, you know exactly what goes on in his mind: "What kind of a girlfriend does things like this?"

Do I have the right to say what kind of a boyfriend does things like this to his girlfriend?

  ¶ 21:03

  First Saturday of 2003 and here I am totally dried up and exhausted. I don't know what's with me lately, but I seem to get tired very easily. I can't even get through 5 hours without my eyes feeling watery and squinty and my brain screaming 'stop working stop working'!!! Must be age creeping up... but I'm only still 22... that's young, YOUNG!!!!

So anyway I slept for 1 1/2 hours this afternoon after a horrible drive down Jalan Klang Lama - dunno what those contractors are up to there, but I guess surviving another year of the horrendous potholes and weird curves really get on your nerves... I went down to Petaling Street today, to get some text books for the new batch of Form 1 kids I'm taking on. Lots of people there buying those English medium Science and Mathematics texts. Nuts I tell you. I SOOOOOOO do not agree that teaching science and maths in English will help to improve the overall standard of English in the country. Especially when the syllabus for English is so silly and redundant. Of course Monday's the new school year and I really do wonder whether those notebooks they're sending out to the Maths and Science teachers will serve any functional purpose. As far as I'm concern, 95% of teachers I know, including those that in my university doing the same course with me on the government's money, are using the computer only for Word and maybe Powerpoint... and computers just don't click with some people. I'm not undermining anybody here as I myself ain't that much of a genius, but I really doubt that good teachers who have been using their proper teaching skills to transit traditional knowledge will need the help of computers... I can just see the cikgu spending 10 minutes to turn on the notebook and wait for the class to settle down after the ooohs and ahhhhs of the class. And who's going to even see the tiny pictures on the notebook screen. Maybe the government should just consider fixing air conditioning and multimedia projectors for every class instead, as well as grills and other security features to keep these valuables safe and locked in.

As far as I'm concerned, what the country lacks is a PROPER syllabus for English, and GOOD, EXCELLENT teachers who have had remarkable academic records. I know better since most of my teacher-coursemates are very far behind us (read students who went through STPM , SPM) in English and Maths even. Fortunately I came from a school where my teachers were excellent.   ¶ 20:48

  I'm trying to think about what makes life tick currently. Besides buffets of course.BTW, Sun and Surf's New Year's Brunch was short of my expectations. My previous do a long time ago (4 years back) with Boon and gang still remains the benchmark of all buffet lunches.

Anyway, I just missed an important meet with my friends at the SS2 Mamak last night, because of my need to sleep more and wake up early the next day for my Critical Reading and Thinking class. I don't think that Dr. Shameem would see this, but if she did, it wouldn't harm her either. The fact that she's a pain in the arse sorta proves that she's actually succeeding in making me work my brain muscles work overtime. So what makes life tick following an assignment to dissect the following sentence:

What is a good weekend?

Crap I tell you, which is what we actually came up with. And my group spent 3 hours preparing this crap only to come to class today to see that she's not here but she has prepared another assignment: "critically analyse the following two poems". I'm not about to mention the two poems, suffice to say I've had enough arguments over parent-child relationships for today.

I hate thinking critically for a lecturer. It just defeats the purpose of thinking critically. Crappy subject.   ¶ 23:39

  Today being the 2nd day of 2003, I hope this isn't too late to say 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' to all nuts out there who are nuttier than me, and to those who consider themselves sane: "What's wrong with you??"

This year, I shall resolve to:

1. Be nicer to my parents.
2. Be nicer to my boyfriend.
3. Earn more money.
4. Spend less money.
5. Make more friends.
6. Get closer to the older friends.
7. Get those idiots from hi-school who do not want to remember hi-school to remember each other.
8. Earn better grades.
9. Graduate on time.
10. Get 1st class honours.
11. Get a good job when I graduate.
12. If I don't (11) , then get a place at a good university with good financial backing for my postgraduate studies.
13. Get that digital camera.
14. Do more charity.
15. Don't be so fierce to people I don't know.
16. Smile more.
17. Learn how to be more 'girly'
18. Get a new hair cut before 2003 ends.
19. Lose 3 kgs and 18 inches off waist, hips, arms, thighs.
20. Redesign my blog at least 3 times.

No promises they'll all work through but at least I swear to try....   ¶ 13:04