roundfish's personal chronological log of thoughts

Brushing Teeth

2011-06-12T13:42:00.000+08:00

I used to brush my teeth after every meal but I have a tendency to use force, which is bad for my gums so these days, I brush twice; once in the morning and once before I sleep. However a few people I know only brush once a day, usually in the morning. Personally I think that it's better to brush at night, before bedtime but I wanted to find out more. So after a few Google searches, I found the following by Lion's Oral Care Institute Research Division:

Mutans streptococci, the bacteria involved in causing tooth decay, multiply 30 times overnight if you haven't brushed your teeth before going to bed!

Tokyo, Feb 27, 2004

So for those of you who only brush your teeth once a day, please practice brushing at night, before sleeping instead of in the morning. To counter bad breath, gargle some mouth wash. Better still, cultivate twice-a-day brushing for the best practice dental hygiene :E

Guess who's back?

2011-04-15T17:37:00.001+08:00

Earlier this year, I went for health screening and all my test results were fine. But then a few weeks ago, I noticed that I was losing drastic weight and that my pulse was faster than usual so I went for further blood tests and the results showed that my thyroid levels were way off the charts! The T3 Total & T4 Free were doubled, whilst the Tg Ab was 4x higher than the normal range.

I asked my specialist why the sudden onset of my hyperthyroidism as I recovered from it in 2008 and he explained that it's usually triggered by stressful events.

And I thought I was fine. Never knew I could be so vulnerable until my health is affected.

3 Times!!!

2011-02-13T23:52:00.000+08:00

Once bitten, Twice shy - Thrice blind

Razer Moray Earphones

2010-07-06T20:30:00.000+08:00

My replacement headphones. Love 'em! Tried Sony and Philips but they can't compare.

Comes with Left/Right Earphones (but of course), Small/Medium/Large Ear-Buds, 3.5mm Miniplug, Airline Adapter, Carrying Pouch (perfect size for iPods/iPhones), Quick Start Guide, Certificate of Authenticity, Razer Logo Stickers and superb listening pleasure in a classy black box.

Frequency response : 20 to 11,000Hz
Sound pressure level : 10dB
Impedance : 17ohs
Max rated input : 20mW
Cable length : 1.3m
Connector : 3.5mm miniplug
Weight : 10.7g (including cable)
Price : RM105

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt

2010-05-16T20:14:00.001+08:00

I was in Berjaya Times Square, KL when I saw this self-service yogurt store. I've always wanted to make my own ice-cream/yogurt so imagine my happiness when I saw this. It's my fault because I didn't find out the price but I thought... how much could a yogurt cost? As it turned out, they charge by weight (RM5.30 per 100gms) and my yogurt weighed 343gms so I paid a total of RM18.20 for my yogurt. Ouch! My boyfriend thinks it's fair to charge by weight but I disagree. How the hell is one supposed to know how much yogurt weighs and the smallest cup that they have is huge!

Pulau Tenggol, Terengganu

2010-04-27T20:08:00.000+08:00

So I went scuba diving again, after 2 years! As it's been so long, I've forgotten all the basics. How to setup the tank, BCD (that's short for Buoyancy Control Device - sort of like a life jacket that divers use underwater), regulator etc. On one of the dive trips, I even forgot to wear my weight belt! Luckily Paul, the friendly and oh-so-knowledgeable resort manager helped me wear it whilst we were bobbing on the water surface.

Pictures courtesy of Pummkin

There are 3 resorts on the island but we stayed at Tenggol Island Beach Resort and I recommend you do the same. Food there is excellent, rooms are clean with hot water shower and air-conditioning and the resort manager Paul is a really nice guy. I will definitely go back!

Proper usage of the punctuation / (Slash)

2010-04-05T21:33:00.004+08:00

I never realised that I was using / wrongly until I googled it. I'm sure you already know this but if you didn't, hope you enjoy the read.

The slash (/), also called the oblique, the virgule, the stroke, the solidus or the shilling mark, are generally used based on these rules:

In fractions
(To separate a numerator from a denominator in a numerical fraction. Do not place a space before or after the slash in a fraction.)
- 1/2 (one half)
- 2/3 (two thirds)
- 9/10 (nine tenths)
In dates
(To separate the month, day, and year, in an informal representation of a date. Do not place a space before or after the slash in a date.)
- On credit card: Expires end 10/15 (October 2015)
- He was born on 30/11/2007. (30th November 2007)
- It was invented on 11/30/2007. (November 30th, 2007)
With abbreviations
(Used in writing certain abbreviations. Do not place a space before or after the slash in an abbreviation.)
- c/o (care of)
- w/ (with)
- w/o (without)
Separate alternatives
(To indicate "or", "and" or "and/or". Do not use a slash to join coequal nouns; use a hyphen instead.)
- Dear Sir/Madam (Sir or Madam)
- Please press your browser's Refresh/Reload button. (Refresh or Reload)
- The speech will be given by President/Senator Clinton. (President Clinton or Senator Clinton)
- Mary will eat cake and/or fruit. (Mary will eat cake, or Mary will eat fruit, or Mary will eat cake and fruit.)
Indicate line breaks
(To indicate line breaks in quotations of less than four lines of poetry. Place a space before and after a slash that indicates a line break in a poem.)
- Shel Silverstein ends his poem "Where the Sidewalk Ends" with a walk: "Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, / And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go, / For the children, they mark, and the children, they know / The place where the sidewalk ends."
- "I heard a Fly buzz – when I died – / The Stillness in the Room," begins "I heard a Fly buzz – when I died" by Emily Dickinson.
In scientific writing
(To represent the word per in units. Do not place a space before or after the slash.)
- The speed limit is 100 km/h. (kilometres per hour)
- He can type at 75 w/m. (words per minute)
- The eggs cost $3/dozen. ($3 per dozen)
- They charge £1.50/litre for petrol. (£1.50 per litre)
With file names and Internet addresses
(Used to separate parts of a website address (url) on the Internet, and to separate folders on some computer systems. Do not place a space before or after the slash in a file name or Internet address.)
- http://www.englishclub.com/writing/punctuation-slash.htm
- file:///Users/mac/tara/photos/image.jpg

Canon PowerShot S90

2010-03-30T22:01:00.000+08:00

Going diving in April so decided to buy a camera for myself. Was deciding between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 and eventually bought my Canon S90 at S$660 from Alan Photo. They're prices are really reasonable and all the sales staff are helpful and friendly.

Wide Angle - LX3 better
Hot shoe - LX3 has, S90 doesn't but honestly - which one of my cousins use external flash
Video quality - LX3 better
Macro mode - LX3 better = 1cm (S90 = 5cm)
Sensor size - LX3 better 1.63 (S90 = 1.7)
Optical zoom - S90 better
Size & weight - I prefer S90
Price - S90 cheaper by S$10 only
Noise reduction - Although S90 better but this is compromised with detail so I guess this one both same lah

As you can see, LX3 wins in so many aspects compared to S90. But it's 2 years old whereas S90 is 1 year old. And usually it feels nicer to buy something newer. I was really in a dilemma but eventually decided on the Canon S90.

My camera's 'Color Accent' scene mode. I love it!

2010

2010-01-05T18:30:00.001+08:00

The above article was on the front page of mypaper newspaper today and all over the internet too. Actually it didn't even occur to me and I don't know what the big deal is about pronouncing 2010. Either way is correct. But personally if you ask me then we should probably just go with what we're used to historically. It's always been eighteen something and nineteen something so why should twenty be any different? Some people simply have too much time on their hands!

Singtel APN

2009-12-21T16:37:00.003+08:00

My wonderful father gave me a HTC Hero mobile phone recently and I consider it an iPhone rival. I love it and it's perfect. The only annoying thing is that the phone's from UK and when I tried to setup the APN so that I can connect to 3G/GPRS - I am unable to find any manual settings/configuration on Singtel's website. It's ironic considering that Singtel (my phone telco operator) sells HTC Hero here in Singapore too.

Anyway I googled frantically and finally managed to find the following, courtesy of taz:

Name: SingTel Internet
APN: Internet
Proxy:
Port:
Username: 65IDEAS
Password: ideas
Server: 165.21.42.84
MMSC: http://mms.singtel.com:10021/mmsc
MMS proxy: 165.21.42.84
MMS port: 8080
MMS protocol: WAP 2.0
MCC: 525
MNC: 01
APN type: default

You ARE What You Sing

2009-08-25T23:14:00.002+08:00

Alright, perhaps this is kind of silly but I just came back from a buffet where I over ate and I was thinking "you are what you eat" when a Michael Jackson song played on TV. I'm sorry if you find it insulting (this is purely entertainment), otherwise enjoy!

Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough - or until it's too late, in the case of Propofol

Gone Too Soon - and we're all missing you already

HIStory - Sadly, that's all you are now

Black or White - the real story of your colour changing skin

In the Closet - is that where you keep your sexuality?

Smooth Criminal - how you were acquited of child molestation charges (I personally believe that you are really innocent, though)

We're Almost There - I'm guessing that you've already arrived at the Pearly Gates by now

You Rock My World - Yes, you rocked the hearts of many with your songs

They Don't Care About Us - Not everyone, actually. Just Dr Conrad Murray

Remember the Time - We will always remember you, Michael. Remember the time when you sang Ben as a fifth of The Jackson 5, remember you as a werewolf in Thriller, remember when you were brown... then white, remember your sell-out concerts, remember your humanitarian/charitable efforts, remember when you kissed Lisa Marie Presley...

Why, god? Why?

2009-08-21T12:13:00.002+08:00

I was in the MRT, listening and playing games on my iPod on my way to work when a gentleman casually remarked "you playing games?" and I just responded "Yeah" and smiled at him. I think he was a middle-aged guy who looked rather charming and had a fit body. I continued playing my game when he started a casual talk.

"Are you going to work?"
"Yeah"
"Where do you work?"
"Oh at ..., opposite Lau Pa Sat"
"Oh, that's a nice building. I work at ..."
"What does your company do?"
"It's a fund management company"
"Perhaps we can meet for lunch one day" (passes me his business card)
"Oh ok~" (fake a smile)
"What's your name?"
"Yen"
"How long have you been working at ...?"
"3 years"
"You look very young"
"Well, it's just the look. I'm not that young. Well, see you around" (scurries off)

Perhaps you might think that this guy is really smooth but the weird thing is - I looked so shabby this morning! This was exactly how I looked (minus the headphones & iPod in hand):

Can I ask you Men - are you in the least bit attracted by the way I looked this morning?

AMP's 'Satu Malaysia' Song

2009-08-13T12:47:00.051+08:00

Written and Composed by Uno & AJ
Featuring the voices of Rudy, Moots!, JJ & Ean

Responding to Prime Minister Najib's call for Malaysians to compose and submit songs for the 1Malaysia song competition (click to read more about the competition) - local radio DJs from Hitz.fm has come up with their own version. I really like it, probably cause it's more upbeat compared to the usual national theme songs. Enjoy!

Here's the lyrics if you would like to sing along:

1Malaysia - Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan

Verse 1
Oh indahnya pabila
Kita bersama
Kau, aku, kita semua
Tiada bezanya

No matter whatever the challenge may be
We’ll face it together, the stronger we’ll be

*Tamil lyrics*
Ondraga seinthu, endrendrum vazhvom Santhosham neeranthaeram
(Together we come united as one, and live forever, Our happiness is permanent.)

Chorus
Satu Bangsa
Satu Suara
Satu Nada
Satu Irama
Bersama kita capai semua
Satu Malaysia

Rap
Satu Bangsa we're united in music
Satu Irama united we stand
I feel the hearts of my people when we struggle everyday to be the best that we can
We share the food that we eat, we share the words that we speak, I say what’s up? You say “apa cerita?”
You hungry bro?, jom makanlah!

Verse 2
We go up, never go down
We go up together

*Chinese lyrics*
Wo men shi yi ge Malaysia (we are one Malaysia)
Wo men yong yuan zai tong yi ge jia (we are one family)

Together we are strong
Tuan jie yi qi bu fen bi ci (unity with one vision)
Together we are strong
Xiang qin xiang ai wan zhong yi xin (we love each other and we share a vision)
United we stay, forever and ever
That's the way it's gonna be

Chorus 1x

Bridge Sketch

Ean: Dude, JJ!
JJ: Yes Ean.
Ean: You know what part is this in the song
JJ: Yes it’s the part where they go 1 key higher
Ean: Okay we’ll be quiet now okay
JJ: Yea coz we can't sing but everyone else, 1 key higher!

Chorus 2x

Eh, dah habis? Saya nanyi bila?
Eh engkau dah tua dah.
Engkau dengan aku tak nanyi.
Tepuk tangan je.

SMS to Twitter in Singapore

2009-08-12T23:40:00.002+08:00

I don't like using Twitter but my geeky boyfriend who's based in Malaysia thinks that I should use it to stay in touch with him. And we all know that Twitter offers text service where you can send an sms from your mobile phone to a US number. The service is free but you'd have to pay at least 18¢ (or more depending on which telco you're using) per text message.

So for my dear geek's convenience, I've gone on an Internet hunt to look for services which will allow users to send sms to a local Singapore number to update their Twitter. Users would only need to pay 5.35¢ per text message (or free, if your mobile plan comes with pre-bundled sms). Here are the results, for your benefit:

	sms to Twitter	Twitter to sms
widgeo.us	works	doesn't work
sgBEAT	works	works but a little slow

If you would like to read more about the websites, click on these:
widgeo.us - http://blog.widgeo.us/category/odds-and-ends/
sgBEAT - http://blog.nus.edu.sg

roundfish is full of shit, literally

2009-08-11T21:35:00.001+08:00

Sunday, 10am - go toilet

Monday 2am - go toilet

Monday 7:30am - go toilet

Monday 5:30pm - go toilet

Harrowing Toilet Break

2009-08-09T23:59:00.000+08:00

The whole shopping floor was quiet and empty as all the shops were closed, but I had to go to the toilet. So I headed toward the toilet sign and pushed open the huge exit door. I had to turn left, walk a bit then turn right before I reached the toilet. Just outside, there was a cleaning trolley but no one was around. I went into the toilet, expecting to see a cleaner but I was all alone. The 2nd cubicle was closed so I assumed there was someone inside. But the whole toilet was just too quiet and I was a little suspicious. Perhaps some men are in the toilet trying to secretly record a video of girls pee-ing, I thought.

Although doubtful, I still chose the cubicle next to the one with the closed door because it was the cleanest. I locked the door behind me, hung my bag on the door hook and started pee-ing. When I finished and was about to wear my pants, I heard the door to the toilet creak open and then of course, I heard footsteps. Perhaps I was very paranoid and my imaginations were running wild because of all the hundreds of emails that I've read about such incidents happening in public toilets.

Anyway, I was wearing my pants when I saw a shadow just outside my door. I quickly pulled up my pants and listened... and tried to look at what the shadow was doing. Nothing happened. Perhaps the person is trying to was her hands at the sink just outside my door, I thought. Then all of a sudden, I saw my toilet door being unlocked, from the outside. The latch was slowly but surely being sled opened...

Alarm bells ringing in my head, I immediately pushed and slammed the door shut and latched the door lock. I didn't manage to close it the first time so I tried nervously to slam the door again and latch the door. Then I shouted "EH, WHO'S THAT?!", hoping desperately to scare away the person outside my toilet cubicle. I guess it worked because I heard some male noises and the person scurried away.

Being all alone, locked in a cubicle of a totally empty toilet and wondering what I should do next, I stayed in the cubicle for 2 seconds. Then I decided to go out. I figured that if I just stayed, he was gonna come get me anyway and I probably had a better chance running. So I came out of the toilet and even remembered to wash my hands then walk toward the main toilet door. I hesitated. What if he was waiting for me outside? What if there was a bunch of crazy men? Well I didn't wanna stay in the toilet too so I thought I'd just open the door to check and if there were crazy men then I'd run back into the toilet. So I pushed opened the door and I saw them standing there!

The indian lady cleaner was standing by her cleaning trolley and there was a male security guard beside her. I thought I looked nervous and scared but perhaps my face showed otherwise. The security guard upon seeing me started to apologise profusely and said that the cleaner told him that the toilet was empty. He tried to explain that he was just checking the toilets but I wasn't really listening. I was just happy and so damn relieved to realise that it was just the security guard trying to do his last round of checks before locking the toilet doors.

Although there was nothing to be afraid of, but the sight of my door latch opening and the whole experience gave me a good fright. Even 5 minutes after it all happened, I was still a little shaky and my fingers were shivering. Now I know why some girls just stand rooted to the ground when faced with danger and aren't able to fight back.

a series of blur-dom

2009-08-05T23:28:00.002+08:00

It usually takes 10-15 mins on a direct bus from where I live to my aunt's condominium but today, I boarded 3 different buses, walked quite a bit and the whole journey took almost an hour.

I was listening to my iPod when I saw bus 109 approaching so I retrieved my EZLink card from my bag and boarded the bus as soon as it reached the bus bay. I chose a seat near the TV to watch (and listen) with 1 ear while the other was still listening to my iPod. After a few turns, I looked out the window and realised that the route didn't look familiar. I walked toward the bus driver to ask him where the bus was headed when I saw a sign that said 105!

Knowing that I boarded the wrong bus - I immediately sounded the bus bell and got off at the next stop. Luckily, the bus had not gone very far and so I back tracked. After a 15-mins walk, I arrived at a bus stop and looked at the bus guide. There was a bus which was headed to my aunt's home and as soon as I saw it, I boarded bus 156. As I wasn't sure how long the bus ride would take, I took out my iPod and started playing games on it. After some time, I looked up and didn't recognise the roads. It looked like I was going in the wrong direction so I immediately pressed the bus bell and again, got off at the next bus stop.

So I looked at the bus guide at the bus stop and realised that I was on the correct bus! Because I had taken a wrong bus at first, that made me lose my bearings and I forgot where I was. In the end, I boarded bus 109 (which I was supposed to board at first) and arrived at my aunt's place late and hungry.

Rid Odours in Refrigerator

2009-06-23T19:37:00.010+08:00

How to Get Rid of Refrigerator Odor

Cleaning

Materials:

• Hot water
• Sponge/Cloth
• Empty container

• ½ cup of baking soda
• Ice
• Clean, damp cloth

Steps:
• Fill container one-third with ice.
• Place all perishable items like meat and fish into ice box or a cooler.
• Unplug the refrigerator from the power outlet.
• Remove all items from the refrigerator and freezer. Throw away all spoiled and spoiling food.
• Dissolve baking soda in a sink filled with hot water.
• Remove shelves, drawers and trays from refrigerator and wash with soda water. Allow to dry.
• Using soda water, scrub out all the mold, food particles, and other stuff stuck on the refrigerator and freezer walls. Don't use a scouring pad or steel wool as much as possible, because you may scratch the coated surfaces of the inside walls.
• Wash the inside walls of the refrigerator with soda water. Pay attention to the magnetic rubber seals, the meat chiller compartment, and the egg racks.
• Use a clean, damp towel and go over the refrigerator interior to rinse away cleaning residues.
• Allow the walls to air-dry before plugging it back and returning shelves, drawers and trays.
• Return the perishables to refrigerator.

Deodorizing

Materials: 1-2 cups of coffee grounds or 1 box of baking soda

Coffee grounds are useful in a number of ways, and coffee grounds are very effective at removing bad odors in refrigerators. Don’t expect bad odors to disappear immediately. Allow a few days for the coffee grounds to absorb bad smells.

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a very effective deodorant. It has a unique chemical property that works by attracting the molecules of the foul odors into itself. Foul odors come in the form of moist air, which then clump with the baking soda and stay trapped for a long time. One box of baking soda can last up to a year inside your refrigerator, and keep it smelling fresh and odor-free.

Steps:

Coffee grounds
• Dump coffee grounds on a large plate and leave it in the refrigerator.
• If the smells are extreme, use multiple shallow bowls, and place the bowls on different shelves in the refrigerator.

Baking soda
• Either slice off the top of the baking soda box or pour baking soda in plastic container.
• Keep the box on a door shelf, or the far corner of the refrigerator.

Tips

• Newspaper or charcoal can also help absorb odors.
• To prevent odors in the future, make a point to look in once a week or so and remove expired food. Try looking right before you take out the trash. It's a good reminder and items don't sit around in your kitchen trash smelling bad.
• As much as possible, contain foods in airtight containers. They will stay fresher longer and the odors will not spread as much if they do spoil.
• If your refrigerator smells exceptionally bad, mix about ½ cup of baking soda with a tablespoon or two of vanilla extract.
• Keep baking soda away from vegetables, because sodium bicarbonate can sometimes cause green leafy vegetables to wilt faster.

Limonium sinuatum

2009-06-22T22:56:00.000+08:00

This is my favourite flower. Not roses but dried statice.

Mosquito Trap (Home Made)

2009-05-28T20:13:00.000+08:00

I just received the following in one of those forwarded emails. Not sure if it works but it sure looks believable. Good luck!

Blood Donor No More

2009-05-19T18:35:00.000+08:00

I am devastated.

2 years ago, I found out that I had hyperactive thyroid (read about it here) and was on medication for 2 years until February this year. While I was on Carbimazole (medication to treat Hyperthyroidism), the Doctors told me that I can't donate blood. Now that my Thyroid is back to normal and I'm off medication - I decided to call the Blood Bank and check when I can start donating blood again. The Doctor asked me what was the cause of my hyperthyroidism and I told him it's genetic. He explained that it falls under the autoimmune category and that means that I cannot donate blood - for life.

I have never believed in donating money or material goods so I always looked forward to donating blood, to giving life... but I can no longer do that and I'm really disappointed.

Hot vs Cold

2009-04-22T20:06:00.000+08:00

I claim that I neither drink coffee nor tea.

But I realised that's not true. I drink iced coffee and I really enjoy Coffee Bean/Starbucks' ice blended coffees. During my recent trip to Phi Phi Island, Thailand - I loved the iced lattes so much that I ordered it at almost every meal.

One of my favourite drinks is freshly made Ice Lemon Tea. I drink iced tea on its own too but it just tastes so much better with lemon, or lime. I don't quite fancy Chinese tea but I like Chrysanthemum tea and order it quite often at coffee shops.

So I do drink coffee and tea! But I only like them served icy cold.

Precordial Catch Syndrome

2009-03-25T18:59:00.001+08:00

Do you ever get a piercing pain in your chest, usually on your left side under your rib, which almost feels like a bubble ready to burst?

It causes you to catch your breath, and you try not to breathe in or breathe out too much because it’s extremely painful either way. You take short, staggered breaths and try not to move. Finally, you work up the courage to take a sharp inhale or exhale. You feel a sensation similar to a bubble bursting and the pain is gone.

I used to experience this and still do, sometimes. Never knew what it was called but I managed to find out that the medical term is Precordial Catch Syndrome. It is actually a very common condition and most people have experienced it.

Many people mistakenly believe that they are having a heart attack at the onset of this type of pain. While the pain is strong and located in an area that would seem like the heart, this condition is not a heart attack, nor is it heart related.

Precordial Catch Syndrome (PCS) is the most common cause of recurring chest pain. It is also sometimes known as “a stitch in the side” or “Texidor’s twinge”. It occurs most often in children and teenagers, but does persist into adulthood as well. The pain occurs just under the left nipple, near where you feel the heart beat most strongly on the front of the chest, and comes on very suddenly.

This extremely sharp pain causes a person to not want to move or breathe. This is where the “catch” part of the name is derived. Any movement or breathing only seems to intensify the pain. The pain usually lasts for around 30 seconds to 1 minute before disappearing. Sometimes the pain will suddenly disappear upon taking a strong breath or moving suddenly as well. This can almost feel like a pop of an imaginary bubble. After the pain is gone, there is usually a dull ache that lingers.

These onsets of pain can occur frequently, sometimes several times a day, and can occur when exercising, resting, or when in virtually any other state. Doctors have not been able to correlate PCS with any particular triggers, such as heavy activity or the like. However, there are some doctors that believe things like heavy or irregular breathing or even posture could play some type of role in bringing about an episode of PCS.

At this time, doctors and researchers do not know what causes the pain associated with PCS. The most accepted theory is that the pain is the result of a pinched nerve somewhere. Due to the fact that the onsets of PCS are so quick and disappear just as quickly, it’s hard for doctors to actually see the condition in action.

While doctors aren’t sure of the actual causes, they are sure that it poses no danger. They believe it to be a completely benign condition and is most certainly not cause for alarm. For this reason, there is not a lot of information or studies regarding the physical cause of PCS available. Doctors feel no need to intensify study of something they know to be only a minor inconvenience.

The only real worry is that sometimes, what seemed like PCS, could possibly turn out to be something more serious. The following are signs of more concerning illness:

Chest pain that extends into the left side of the jaw or arm
Chest pain that a person describes as a “heavy” feeling
Pain that does not improve at least a little after 24 hours of regular doses of ibuprofen
Fever
Cough, especially a cough that produces phlegm ("flem," or “flame")
Extreme anxiety with the pain or a feeling of “impending doom”
Blueness or paleness of the lips or fingernails
An irregular, rapid, or pounding heart rate
Marked difficulty breathing or catching one’s breath (different from mild pain with breathing)

If any of these occur, please be sure to call your doctor’s office right away. These could be indications of a more serious and potentially threatening condition.

People experiencing PCS need no particular treatment at all. Usually, just the reassurance that they aren’t having something dangerous happening is all that they need to hear to set their minds at ease. PCS should not interfere with normal activity, and there’s no reason to use any form of medication.

If you are experiencing PCS, it may be worth a visit to the doctor just to go over the symptoms to be sure that it is not a different condition that could be more serious. Doctors can easily tell the difference between a serious heart condition and Precordial Catch Syndrome just by talking with the patient, and doing a physical examination.

In the meantime, you can rest assured that your extremely painful, stabbing feeling is completely normal and only a minor inconvenience. And remember, the key to getting rid of the pain quickly is to just work up the courage to take that deep breath, scream in pain, and be done with it.

For more information, go to http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.php?/weblog/comments/precordial_catch_syndrome_chest_pain/

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

2009-03-17T21:05:00.005+08:00

Taken off the last scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian, this is my favourite video clip for now. Supposedly during filming, all the actors were bored and hot sitting up on their crucifixes so Eric Idle started singing. Everyone (but Eric) liked it so much that they decided to use it for the movie.

Words and music by Eric Idle

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

So always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath

Life's a piece of shit
When you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

And always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the right side of life...
(Come on guys, cheer up!)
Always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the bright side of life...
(Worse things happen at sea, you know.)
Always look on the bright side of life...
(I mean - what have you got to lose?)
(You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!)
Always look on the right side of life...

from Stingingly Painful to Sweet Scrumptious Sio Bak

2009-03-01T13:41:00.002+08:00

I went out to the nearby coffee shop to buy lunch and as I was walking home, I tripped. There was no obstacle in my path and I wasn't wearing heels so I have no idea how I fell. One moment, I was swinging my lunch and walking happily with a song in my head and in an instant - I sled across the cemented floor, crushed my chicken rice lunch (which was still edible), hurt the back of my right palm, left knee, leg and toe.

Minutes after the fall

4 days after the fall

Doesn't the wound on the knee look like barbecued pork?

Love is...

2009-02-15T13:56:00.006+08:00

...buying the cheapest toothbrush for yourself and splurging S$15 for a loved one.

Oral-B Pulsar

Oral-B Pulsar is a battery-powered toothbrush with a split head and Micropulse bristles that penetrates and cleans deep between teeth. Just turn it on and brush away.

- Penetrates deep between teeth
- Sweeps away food and plaque from the tooth surface
- Adjusts to the contours of your teeth
- Moderates the amount of pressure applied to your teeth and gums

Thank you sister, I love you.

Symbols

2009-02-13T17:38:00.007+08:00

Sometimes at work, I need to use symbols when I type and I find it so much easier to use keyboard shortcuts than to go through the Menu bar. I'd like to share some of the more commonly used and my favourite symbols with you. To use them, press Alt on your keyboard and don't let go until you key in the numbers beside the symbols shown below:

½ - 171
(half)

¼ - 172
(quarter)

Þ - 0222
(mouth with tongue)

º - 167
(degree)

☺ - 1
(smiley)

♥ - 3
(heart)

÷ - 246
(divide)

≥ - 242
(greater than or equal)

≤ - 243
(less than or equal)

Hope you find them useful. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-13T11:14:00.001+08:00

Love means never having to say you're Sorry. Just look away.

Cheapest Haircut in Singapore

2009-01-14T15:39:00.003+08:00

I don't know why I'm advertising for them for free. Maybe it's because I enjoy their services, it is really value for money and I believe that good things are meant to be shared.

Mist in KL

2009-01-03T20:04:00.001+08:00

It's been very windy in Singapore lately - probably due to the North-East Monsoon season that happens this time of the year, which might also explain the rain in KL when I visited recently and the massive amounts of mist hovering above KL city. Checkout the mist that almost engulfs the Telekom tower as you can't even see the tip. If you would like to know what the building looks like on a normal sunny day, check this out:

Soap dispenser with soap

2009-01-01T10:51:00.000+08:00

I went to a shopping centre (which I shall not name) in Singapore on New Year's Day and had to use the washroom. So I went to the ladies and while queuing, I chanced upon this sign on the wall:

I'm curious as to why there is a need to explain that the soap dispenser contains soap? Isn't the word "soap dispenser" self-explanatory? It just puzzles me and I had to blog about this.

3 Khor's Pineapple & Ham

2008-12-26T21:21:00.000+08:00

My aunt enjoys cooking and sometimes when I go over for dinner, she serves her "Pineapple & Ham" dish because she knows that I love it. It is such a simple to prepare (no cooking needed!) recipe, convenient, tasty and good for the whole family. The picture might not look very appetizing but if you like pineapples and meat then do try this recipe sometime...

Ingredients: 1 can of circle shaped pineapple & ham (size and weight up to how much you want to serve for the family)

Instructions: Slice the ham to your preferred thickness. Place 1 piece of pineapple on top of each ham and bake in the conventional oven for 15 minutes and you're done! Enjoy!

A word spoken is past recalling

2008-12-12T10:55:00.001+08:00

There's someone dear to me that I deeply care for whom I recently offered some advice. The person was not receptive to my gestures of concern & love and I was even dissed at. Harshly.

Yes, I've heard it before. To err is human; to forgive, divine. We all make mistakes. But sometimes there are so many things to say that are better left unsaid. I myself have had my share of dishing out vengeful, rude and insulting remarks and I continue to do so when I meet really nasty people. But then again, one man's meat is another man's poison so my interpretation of a meanie could be seen as a sweetie from another human... so what right have I to judge?

I find that as I grow, I become more reserved and speak less especially when it comes to dealing with difficult situations. Many a times, I want so badly to hurt, humiliate and torture the other person emotionally rather than physically because it would probably leave him/her traumatized for days. But I remind myself that life is short, that I should make the best out of it and if possible, make this world a better place. I may be one person doing good but a little makes a mickle.

Or perhaps I'm just growing to be a softie!

India

2008-12-04T11:48:00.000+08:00

My colleague got married recently and invited me (and my boyfriend) to her wedding in Lucknow, India. On the day that I was scheduled to fly to New Delhi, there were terrorist attacks in Mumbai all over the news. At first, I didn't think much of it but one-by-one, my colleagues and family started calling me and asking me if I was still going to India which got me a little worried. But I went anyway and it was worth it. Here are some pictures that are hopefully, self explanatory.

Bak Kee Tng

2008-10-15T09:54:00.000+08:00

This is my favourite food and it's Hokkien too, like me! If you visit Malacca - you simply have to try this. It's one-of-a-kind and so good.

The soup tastes herbal but I can't put a finger to what ingredients (mixture of garlic, star anise, cinnamon sticks and dunno what else) they use. As you can see, there's generous servings of pork and tauhu.	The rice is cooked with yam, fried shallots and it tastes so good - even on its own. It goes perfectly well with the soup. I tried white rice when I was younger - yucks!

The rice is stored in this clay jar. Wonder if it has any effect in making it tastes or smell better...	This place is definitely NOT halal. They serve various parts of the pig - there's liver, intestines, fatty meat, lean meat etc.

Bak Kee Tng
11 Jalan Kampung Pantai,
Malacca, Malaysia.

Business Hours: 7:00am - 2:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm (Closed on Wednesday)

Black Widow Tattoo

2008-10-14T21:10:00.003+08:00

Cute Young Things

2008-10-13T09:26:00.000+08:00

I'm in love with young male actors. But aren't they just gorgeous?

Oliver James

Oliver James (born June 1, 1980) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his roles in the American films What a Girl Wants and Raise Your Voice.

Zac Efron

Zachary David Alexander Efron (born October 18, 1987) is an American actor and singer. He began acting in the early 2000s, and became known to young audiences after his roles in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical and the film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray.

Singapore News

2008-10-12T09:30:00.000+08:00

TODAY is a compact newspaper with quality content that is distributed free in Singapore, Mondays to Saturdays. Launched in November 2000, TODAY has established a reputation for sharply angled news reports and thought-provoking analyses and commentaries, living up to its slogan "We set you thinking". The paper's news comment columns - written by staff and a wide range of contributors and covering both local and global issues - are a particular strength.

TODAY's daily readership is around 584,000, with more than half its readers being professionals, managers, executives, and business people. The paper is distributed to selected homes, and it is also available at MRT stations, bus interchanges, selected food and beverage outlets, shopping malls and other public areas.

For those who wants to save the Environment, or those who are not in Singapore but wish to read TODAY, please click on TODAYonline for an online version of the the latest news in Singapore and around the world. Here's a sample of the online TODAY newspaper:

Exhilaratingly Funny Video Clip (Hit The Little Man Head)

2008-10-07T09:01:00.005+08:00

This is one of my favourite and I think, possibly one of the funniest video clips you might be seeing. Oh but one has to be Asian or speak multi languages to truly understand the essence of the humour. Enjoy!

Mushy but Lovely

2008-10-06T09:42:00.002+08:00

See my boyfriend's gtalk status on the left. It's mushy but so sweet. Yes, darling... I love you too!

Totally made my day :)>

1st Night F1 - Live From Singapore

2008-09-28T23:45:00.000+08:00

The first ever F1 night race was held in Singapore at the heart of the Central Business District. It is the first time the country has hosted F1 and had seemingly did an excellent job as Briton Mike Bishop, who has been to 55 Grands Prix was quoted as saying "The circuit, the atmosphere, the organisation... it has been brilliant. I’ve been to Monaco a couple of times, and this is definitely better".

All category tickets were sold out and Singaporeans who were too slow in getting their hands on a ticket or those who couldn't afford them (like me), were lined up all along the circuit - trying to catch a glimpse of the race.

Renault’s Fernando Alonso came in first followed by Williams' Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton for McLaren's at third place. Here's our winner:

Whilst watching at home may be comfortable with air-conditioning and lots of food and drinks to enjoy, it just doesn't feel quite the same being at the circuit to watch the race. The sound of the high pitch tyres screeching makes your heart stop and the smell of the burning tyres makes you realise just how face the cars are racing.

MapleStory Car

2008-09-24T17:09:00.004+08:00

I wouldn't drive in this car but I was so happy to see it. It's has pictures of monsters from my favourite game, Maplestory.

Things, Things and More Things

2008-09-23T17:20:00.000+08:00

When I shifted out of my aunt's house 2 years ago - I had quite a lot of stuff but they could fit into the boot of a car. I guess, that's not too bad for someone who has stayed and worked in Singapore for 5 years. About a month ago, my sister moved out of my aunt's place and I went over to help her with her stuff. Here's how much stuff she had:

She had 14 bags and 1 umbrella. My sister had only been in Singapore for slightly over a year and she was here to study. I noticed that she kept wearing the same clothes so I wonder where all her stuff came from or what they were...

Nokia N95 Sucks!!!

2008-09-23T15:13:00.004+08:00

Brand New:

After 1 year's usage:

They used to produce good quality phones. I had a Nokia 8250 that fell from an overhead bridge but it was still fully functional after that. Look at the phones now. The colours on the silver buttons have eroded, showing the inner layers. Even the silver body has shown signs of wear and tear. Nokia has been concentrating on money that they compromise on quality. How upsetting...

Show of Appreciation

2008-09-19T21:20:00.001+08:00

Out of the blue, my Manager bought each one of us a little vase of flower as shown:

"Just a little something to show my appreciation for all your hard work. Thank you", she says.

Bread

2008-09-12T17:41:00.005+08:00

I'm sure everyone has heard of Gardenia, right? It's like the most popular bread, I think. So imagine my surprise when I saw this the other day:

When I saw the name "Hawaii", it gave me such a strong sense of nostalgia. I remember when I was in primary & secondary school, I used to buy this particular brand of loaf of bread every week. The bread wasn't packaged in plastic, like now. It used to be wrapped in oiled paper (like the kind used for wrapping chicken rice) and the shape came in a rectangular shape. I remember they used to give stickers with the bread too and I would immediately open the wrapper after I buy each loaf. Oh, those good old days.

Now, everything is plastic!

Singapore Flyer

2008-08-29T20:55:00.001+08:00

My colleague and I attended a HR (kinda) networking event at the Singapore Flyer today. Many countries have got the giant ferris wheel - first UK then Malaysia and now Singapore. So what's the big deal? For UK and Malaysia, you get to see parts of London and KL. But for Singapore, you see the whole city cause the country is so small! Ha! Ha! Ha! Here are pictures:

It's quite an eyesore, ain't it? All those construction going on... not a very beautiful sight atop the Singapore Flyer.

Spectacles From The Future

2008-07-19T22:04:00.001+08:00

He went to the future, bought a pair of glasses which he thought was cool and came back looking like an idiot. hehe

My boyfriend wanted to get contact lenses with astigmatism (in contact lense lingo, it's called "Toric") so the Optician was trying to test his eyesight.

I thought he looked funny so decided to photograph the moment.

Tulamben - Bali, Indonesia

2008-07-16T18:02:00.003+08:00

I went to Bali (4th - 8th July) for 4 days and 4 nights. Due to air travel, I could only dive 2 days to avoid suffering from Decompression Sickness. I did a total of 6 dives. It was a really satisfying trip. There was so much to see, compared to Dayang, Johor Malaysia. Here are pictures, to show you non-divers and non-active divers what you're missing *grin*:

Pictures courtesy of Laurence

Of course, we couldn't photograph some sea creatures because they were either too far or swam away before my friend Laurence could click the camera shutter button. I was lucky enough to sight the following:

White-tip Shark
Black-tip Shark
Blue spotted Stingray
Turtle
Sea Urchins
Giant Puffer Fish (It was almost half my size)
A whole school of Bump Head Parrotfish
Giant Oysters

So, who wants to get PADI or SSI certified now?

Public commuters are a Nuisance!

2008-07-14T13:18:00.002+08:00

Have you experienced inconsiderate/ irritating people who talk on their mobile phones in public places like the cinema, the concert hall or just people who just talk too loudly? Well I have seen my fair share of weird, disgusting and plain annoying idiots. Here they are:

Ah Em (50+ aunty) toying with her dentures in public bus, producing irritating *clek clek clek* noises. Stops every time I turn to look at her but start again as soon as I turn away. I can't get my usual morning pre-work sleep!
Ah Pek (50+ uncle) plucking his moustache with tweezer and sticking the extracted hair onto the metal poles in public bus. He's been mentioned in my previous post (Click here to view).
Young couple (below 20) necking and kissing in MRT, causing awkwardness toward all other passengers. They took up quite a bit of space too as the guy was swaying about, responding to the girl's tender licks and spits.
Let me think and I'll update this...

Those were some horrible experiences and I hope you've not had such luck.

Bali's Best

2008-07-11T13:36:00.003+08:00

I just came back from a diving trip in Bali. Here's my favourite food in all of Bali:

Do insects that get sucked into vacuum cleaners stay inside or die?

2008-07-01T22:20:00.001+08:00

Ants, Dust mites, Cockroaches, Fleas, Mosquitoes, Flies - don't you just hate them? Even if you have a sparkling clean room, they may just appear out of nowhere!

I bought a vacuum cleaner recently. I sucked some these damned parasites with my vacuum cleaner and I wondered if they would crawl out of the vacuum? Or if they would actually get horny in the dark and start multiplying?

The reason I ask is, there is a big hole where the vacuum cleaner is connected to the hose. The insects could crawl out from the hole. Especially cockroaches, I hate them!

I searched online and asked around but no one seemed to be able to give me an affirmative answer. So I decided to email Philips from whom I bought the vacuum cleaner and get an answer straight from the manufacturer.

A Philips representative called me and confirmed my worst fears - insects (especially cockroaches) that get sucked into vacuum cleaners do not die from the heat nor the power of the suction. His advise is to discard the dust bag and replace it with a new one.

So I hope I clarified the same question which might be on some of your minds.

My Baby!

2008-06-30T09:59:00.003+08:00

"vacvac306 has safely landed on our premises and is surveying its new home", my sister sms-ed me. Here's are pictures of my newborn lying on my little bed:

I couldn't wait to open and hug it. I was so impatient that I forgot to remove the plastic bag covering vacvac306. Plastic bags could suffocate, I'm a terrible mother!

Isn't my baby gorgeous, with or without plastic bag?

Yakinikutei Ao-Chan

2008-06-28T22:34:00.003+08:00

My boyfriend, sister and I went out to celebrate my aunt's belated birthday today. My boyfriend had earlier recommended this Japanese barbeque restaurant in Meridien Shopping Centre. He said that it was really good and so I suggested the place to my aunt and made reservations. After I did that, he tells me that the place isn't cheap. Dang! He told me to be prepared to spend about S$150 - 200 for 2-3 people.

The tables come fitted with a grill. See below pictures; one of them showing my boyfriend drooling at the delectable spread:

You have the option of ordering a la carte or set but I think that the a la carte is probably more worth it. Plus you can choose exactly what you want to eat. They serve mainly beef with choices of chicken and pork too but it seems that their specialty is beef. I tried and it's good. The plate that we ordered (see below, half eaten) costs S$55 before GST.

Don't worry if you can't cook because all you need to do is just turn the meats every once in awhile. Other times, you leave it on the grill. See it curl and cook and smell the sweet aroma of burnt meat - smells even better than your outdoor barbeque. It's all good and tender too. And even if you cook it just right, the meat comes out delicious with that slight burnt taste yet still retains its juiciness.

My boyfriend also ordered some side dishes. He got a bowl of Plum rice for himself and salad (tastes a little spicy and sour, like kimchi - which I didn't like) to share. Unfortunately, he had to finish it himself as none of us liked it. Boyfriend also ordered a bowl of edamame (green beans) for me. We shared but I ate most of it! *grin*

There were 4 of us for dinner that night. We ordered 1 mixed beef platter, 2 plates of chicken, a small plate of mixed pork, 3 bowls of rice, a salad, an edamame, a plate of corn, 2 glasses of soft drink and 2 green teas. The bill came up to S$139. (My sister insisted on paying half the bill as she wanted to treat my aunt too. Thanks sister, you're such a darling!) As I had mentioned, it wasn't cheap but I guess it's pretty worth it. I totally enjoyed myself. And here's a picture of my HAPPY sister to prove it:

Yakinikutei Ao-Chan
100 Orchard Road
#02-22/26 Hotel Meridien
Singapore 238840
Tel: 67356457

Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday: 12.15pm to 14.30pm & 6.00pm to 11.00pm
Saturday to Sunday: 3.00pm to 10.30pm
Public Holidays: 3.00pm to 10.30pm

Casio W93H

2008-06-28T17:35:00.007+08:00

2 years ago, my boyfriend bought me a Tissot analog watch. I love it and I use it everyday. But I'm going diving next week and I'm afraid that the watch might (for whatever crazy reason) fall into the deep blue ocean. So I went to Burlington Square today to buy me a cheap watch.

I found one which was about the right size, is 50M water resistant and best of all, it only costs S$24.00! It was a quick buy so I didn't really take note of it's other features. It was only after I went home and played around with my new toy that I realised, it's a pretty darn good watch!

Main Setting
- display of "hour:minutes:seconds"
- display of day of the week and "month-day"
- can use either 12-hour or military time

Countdown Timer
- can countdown anywhere from 23:59:59 to 0:0:1
- 10 second alarm beep when it reaches 0:0:0
- while not counting down, it displays the time
- can beep at regular intervals (for times greater than 5 minutes, it beeps on every minute divisible by 5; for less than five minutes, it beeps on the minute; for under one minute, it beeps every ten seconds, and on each of the final five seconds)
- can automatically restart the timer (this can easily do Tabata intervals by having it countdown from 30s; after the first cycle, it will beep from 30s down to 20s, which is your rest time, and then you work from 20s to 0s, when it begins to beep and do the cycle again)

Stop Watch
- counts up from 0:0:0 to 23:59:59.9
- can start the timer on a five second delay, which gives you a beep for 3-2-1-0
- while not counting up, it displays the time
- can set the watch to begin a 10 second beep at a goal time; for example, if you want to run a 55s 400m, set the goal time to 45s, at it will begin to beep to let you know how hard to push it

Alarm
- an alarm can beep for 10 seconds, twice a day

Dual Time
- displays the time in another zone

Other Features
- light button which illuminates the display for 10 seconds
- option to make the light turn on when the watch is held parallel to the ground (in the normal fashion of checking a watch)

I love Pimples...

2008-06-26T23:35:00.009+08:00

... especially on my forehead!See, if you count them - there's about 14 of them on my forehead. They started appearing after I used The Body Shop's seaweed skincare range. Don't think they're bad, just doesn't suit my skin I guess. I've stopped using, hope the pimples go away as quickly as they appeared.

Door scrapes skin off foot

2008-06-26T22:20:00.006+08:00

I had a blister from wearing my newly bought flatted shoes. So the skin on my ankle was tender. Today when I tried to close the toilet door, I roughly banged the door against my ankle and the skin came off. Here are pictures to show you my agony:

It only hurts when it gets wet though.

Gecko Tattoo

2008-06-23T14:19:00.003+08:00

The Great CLEO Swimsuit Shoot

2008-06-21T20:23:00.000+08:00

In my post Bikini anyone?, I had signed up for the Great CLEO Swimsuit Shoot. It is CLEO magazine's attempt at The Largest Ever Swimsuit Shoot. Today, 420 girls in swimwear (mostly bikini *wink*) turned up for the shoot at Siloso Beach and together, we broke the national record and earned ourselves a spot in The Singapore Book of Records. All voluntary participants, like myself, enjoyed free mini-massages, spray-on body art, music and a bag full of summer goodies. Here are some pictures to share with you:

Lump on my Neck - 3rd update

2008-06-17T14:22:00.000+08:00

Note: If you don't know what lump I'm talking about, then read this post first.

HISTOPATHOLOGY REPORT

Gross
Two pieces of tissue, measuring 0.8 x 0.5cm and 0.8 x 0.4cm. (A1-2, no reserve)

Microscopy
The histology shows a dermatofibroma. There are intertwining fascicles of spindle shaped fibroblastic and histiocytic type cells with typical storiform configuration. Nuclei are plump, mitotic activity not significant. The lesion is present within the lower dermis and extends into the subcutis as well as abuts against the skeletal muscles on the deeper aspect. On the periphery, there is a focal chronic inflammatory infiltrate and displaced appendages noted. Covering epidermis is unremarkable.

No malignancy is seen.

Diagnosis
Right Neck Nodule

Dermatofibroma.

The Doctor says that it is benign. In layman terms, he said that it was a cluster of scars. Like scarred tissue. Whatever, so long as I'm in no danger. hahaha

Lollipop

2008-06-14T23:20:00.001+08:00

Looks yummy, doesn't it? I can imagine the minty - sweet flavour in my mouth. What kind of lollipop do you think this is? Those soft gummy kind or the hard shelled type with juices in the middle? Perhaps this next picture might explain a thousand words:

Yup, that's right. It's a lollipop belly ring. To be precise, they are called Candy Stripe Belly Button Rings and I got mine today! The piercing artist is my long time school and classmate, Tee Wen. She's pretty good, check out her blog for more details. I strongly recommend Tee Wen to humans who are interested in hurting yourself.

Lump on my Neck - 2nd update

2008-06-12T10:40:00.003+08:00

Note: If you don't know what lump I'm talking about, then read this post first.

I went to see the specialist today to have the lump removed. The first time I had a surgery when I was a kid, around 6-7 years old. My Mother was still alive then. All I remember was the nurses drawing blood from my arms and giving me GA (General Anesthetic). The next thing I know, I woke up and was lying on the bed and the surgery had already been done.

Today is my 2nd surgery in. The Doctor said it would be a minor surgery so I thought, he'd just inject me with LA (Local Anesthetic) and remove the lump by sucking it out with a syringe or something. Well, this is how it actually went:

The nurse asked me to remove my T-shirt, bra and pants
Then I was made to wear those disposable surgical robe (or whatever you call it)
I had to lie down on my side
They covered me with this operating disposable cloth where there's a small whole in the middle - from which the Doctor will work through
They injected anesthetic which hurt a bit
Then the Doctor started to scrape and I heard "krrek... krrek..." noises which made my hair stand
It didn't hurt but I could feel him pulling/ pressing on my neck
There was blood (I could hear from their conversation)
Then there was a part where he used static to clean the wound too. I felt a bit of pain there

And finally, here's a picture of the tissue in my lump and me after the surgery:

Bikini anyone?

2008-06-06T14:57:00.005+08:00

Click here to find out more.

Lump on my Neck - 1st update

2008-06-04T12:05:00.003+08:00

Note: If you don't know what lump I'm talking about, then read this post first.

I went to see the specialist today and he confirmed that it's just a benign cyst. Meaning, it's harmless. It's only under the skin. I can leave it there or I can have it removed. He said that if he removes it, there will be a little scar. I have opted to remove the lump on 12th June.

I think, a little scratch mark is less visible than the lump. Right?

public toilets ARE filthy

2008-06-03T08:40:00.010+08:00

No matter how clean and sparkling they look, please do not be deceived by public toilets. I will share some of my experiences with you.

Rule #1: Never sit on toilet bowls
Many times, I've seen urine and period (sometimes shit too) stains on toilet covers. Often, the cleaners wipe them but only with tap water. They seldom use disinfectant so imagine sitting on someone's acidic and toxic wastes.

The solution is simple - carry disposable toilet seat covers which you may easily flush away or line the toilet seat with toilet paper. Alternatively, squat in a sitting manner (half squat/ half sit). That way, your pee won't drip down your thighs and you're safe from the toilet seat.

Rule #2: Never use anything that you drop on the toilet floor
I'm sure you've stood in front of the mirror to put on lipstick or comb your hair before, right? Well if you drop your accessory, throw it away! I have personally seen (cross my heart and hope to die) cleaners dip their mops in the squatting toilet bowls and flushing the toilet (to clean the mop I guess?) then use the same mop to mop the floor. Imagine using a lipstick that has fallen on a floor cleaned with toilet bowl water!

Rule #3: Tear away the first piece of toilet paper
Many times I've seen ladies come out of the toilet cubicle and straight out the toilet door. They do NOT wash their hands after using the toilet. You can't be sure if they have touched the toilet paper that you're about to wipe on your private part so please, tear away the first piece. I guess it's not environmentally friendly but health comes first right?

Rule #4: Do not touch sink taps and toilet main door
Similar to rule #3, many people (I have seen countless times and am very disgusted) do not wash their hands after they use the toilet. So try your best not to touch the doors or taps with your hands.

Solution - wash the tap with soap and water so that it's clean when you use it. To open the door, use your foot or hold on to some toilet paper and open the door with that. Or... if you see someone else opening the door, quickly rush out the door behind them.

Rule #5: Layer the surface of water with tissue
Put at least a layer of tissue slowly onto the water in the toilet bowl before you shit. Else, your droppings might cause some water to splash onto your ass. (Thanks for reminder, SJ!)

I'm not a hygiene freak but I get really disgusted with these dirty public antics. I mean, how can you use the toilet and NOT wash your hands? I'm more disgusted than anything. Please, always remember the 5 toilet rules above.

Lump on my Neck

2008-05-29T09:02:00.005+08:00

My cousin discovered a little lump on my neck. I didn't realise I had it because I don't usually look specifically at my neck in the mirror and the lump isn't big. But it is visible. See for yourself:

You'll see two lumps. It's the skin coloured one on the right. The left darker one is a mole.

I went to see the General Practitioner on 27th (Tuesday). After much touching, handling, pinching and a little molesting - she said that it looked like a sebaceous cyst. According to her, it didn't look or feel like a lymph node. In other words, it is a harmless lump. It's probably just a buildup of fats or oil.

Then I highlighted that my Mother died of cancer (stomach) and she thought... she'd better send me to a specialist, just to be safe. So my appointment with the surgeon is next Wednesday. I simply can't wait...

My Sister Loves Me

2008-05-28T21:42:00.003+08:00

wicked aura batucada

2008-05-18T15:26:00.004+08:00

They are a mobile LIVE Singaporean percussion troupe and I love them. I have seen them on the streets of Orchard Road, at a private event on Mount Faber and they are fabolous no matter where they play! Here's a demo of their music:

Check out their official website for more information.

Addiction

2008-05-17T10:23:00.002+08:00

ad·dic·tion [uh-dik-shuhn]

–noun
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.

In the dictionary example given above, addiction is related to drugs. What if I am addicted to an online computer game? Does that count as addiction? *grin*

Pulau Dayang Open Water Dive

2008-04-06T23:15:00.007+08:00

Day 1
We left Singapore at 7pm in a mini van/bus and left for Mersing, Johor. There was a jam at the customs (because of Mas Selamat Bin Kastari) but luckily we were only stuck for about half an hour. On the way, we stopped somewhere around Kluang for dinner. I ordered some local wan tan mee which tasted nothing like what I had in mind! The noodle was awful, the taste is yucky and I ended up not finishing my food. I only ate the bits and pieces of char siew that was in the bowl.

When we finally arrived at the Mersing ferry, it was around 11:30pm. We had purposely whiled some time away at the coffee shop because the ferries don't leave until a certain time. We boarded the ferry at about midnight. My darling boyfriend who drove 6 hours from KL met us at the ferry. I was so sleepy and was hoping to watch 40 winks on the ferry but we were seated at the back where it was rocky, noisy and hot. I did snooze off once in awhile but it was not sleep.

Poor boyfriend was feeling so hot that he didn't even get any sleep at all.

It was pitch black when we arrived on Dayang Blues Resort (the ONLY resort on Pulau Dayang) as it was already 3am+. I was very tired but I couldn't sleep yet because I hadn't brushed my teeth. I was a little sticky but I was too tired to bathe. I just quickly flossed my teeth, brush them then went to bed. As you can see in the picture, that's me gawking at the size of the room. It is a really tiny room with just enough bed for a double decker bed.

Day 2
Woke up at 8am. Went for a buffet breakfast. Then around 9-ish, we went for our first dive! We were supposed to do some drills that we had learn during the pool session but somehow we didn't. I went in with a full tank of air and came up with about another half left. Not bad breathing for a beginner diver, I guess. *smile* I got a bit nauseous on the boat when waiting for other divers to surface. But I managed to keep my breakfast in my tummy, unlike my boyfriend who puked as soon as he got on the boat. *grin*

We went back to the island after the first dive so the boatmen could top up the aluminum cylinders with air. The resort people had prepared lunch and so we filled our stomachs eventhough I wasn't really hungry. Alright, I'm a glutton.

During the 2nd dive, we did our drills and I'd say that my dive buddy Zaidi and I did quite well. There was one time when I forgot to exhale when the regulator came out of my mouth though so I had to repeat. One very important thing when scuba diving is to always breathe normally at all times. After the dive, we went back to the resort again. By this time, I was really tired and exhausted. The resort served very yummy banana fritters which I gorged down with ice cold syrup drink.

Soon after, we left for our next and last dive of the day. Here are some of the sea creatures that I saw during my weekend dive trip:

After the 3rd and last dive of the day, we all came back for a multiple choice question test. The passing mark is 40 and I got 43 out of 50. Yay! I was so tired from all the dives and the weather was so hot (as with all beaches) that I got so tired and groggy. It's a wonder that I passed the test.

Day 3
Woke up at 7am, had a quick breakfast and went for our first dive. Seem to be getting up earlier every day! Came back, recharged the air cylinder then went for the 2nd dive at 9am. Came back, had lunch... bathe then waited for the ferry. The ferry was supposed to be here at about 12 but only came around 2pm. By that time, I had perspired and became all sweaty from the hot, sunny wait.

I parted ways with boyfriend at Mersing jetty. By the time I reached Singapore, it was already 9pm+ and when I got home, it was almost midnight. It was a tiring weekend but I must say that it was very fun. I would definitely do it again.

My last SCUBA pool session

2008-04-01T22:54:00.001+08:00

Actually Dominic thought that we did alright for the last pool session but some of us weren't very comfortable with the diving gear. Scuba diving after all, is an equipment intensive sport. As shown on the left (clockwise), we have the fins - for your feet, Buoyancy Compensator - to be worn as a life jacket, Snorkel - for breathing, Mask - for your eyes. But that's not all. You have the regulator - for underwater breathing, weights - to help you sink and maintain a neutral buoyancy underwater and most of all, the aluminum tank - for oxygen.

The oxygen tank carries 200 bars (or 3000 psi) of air so it weighs about 20kgs. That's like carrying a huge pack of rice on your back. I also didn't like the regulator in my mouth. Makes me feel and look like an idiot.

Anyway, today a different instructor taught us our 2nd and last pool session. He is Koh Kiam Kiat, recipient of the "Best Instructor Award". How lucky are we that he will be training us for the Open Water this weekend. He is so detailed, patient and knowledgeable. I am glad to have taken up the Open Water Course with Diventures. I guess I'm ready for the sea. Here I come...

My first SCUBA pool session

2008-03-26T17:02:00.002+08:00

I went for my first scuba diving practical session today. It was held in the Outram Secondary School. There are altogether, 4 of us Open Water newbies. There's Khalil - the big macho guy, Zaidi - the joker, Linus - the energetic NS boy and myself. The scuba instructor is Dominic Chow. He's too skinny for a scuba diver and he's got tattoo all over. But he's quite cute. Don't you think so?

Scuba diving is not an intensive sport but divers are required to be fit so they don't die from exhaustion or the likes in the sea. My boyfriend had previously told me that there would be a physical test but I wasn't aware that it was going to be today! I have not exercised for 2 years and I am definitely not fit to swim 200 metres non-stop.

I managed to finished the 200 metres but was really tired from it. Right after we were all done, they made us tread water for 10 minutes. I was quite comfortable with it cause my Dad (thank you Pa!) trained us in treading water when I was very little. But Khalil and Zaidi had a really tough time.

We finished lessons at about 10:30pm and I got home close to midnight. As I am typing this, my arms are aching, my chest hurt, my legs are weak and my back is strained. Darn! Can someone give me a nice soothing massage?

Disgusting People

2008-03-22T00:26:00.000+08:00

I dig my nose. So... who doesn't? I do it whenever I am in the toilet. That way, I can wash both my nostrils and fingers with water and soap. My sister sometimes find it disgusting eventhough I do it in the toilet. Well if you wanna hear disgusting, then read on...

A few years ago, my friend and I were taking the bus (number 13) in Singapore from Marine Parade to Lavender MRT. We were seated just beside the exit door so there was no obstruction and I could see the whole front part of the bus from where I was seated.

An old man boarded the bus and stood next to a pole. The next moment, he retrieved a tweezer from his shirt pocket. Right after that, he started plucking his facial hair and stuck the hairs that he had succesfully extracted onto the pole that he was standing next to! Throughout the journey, he just kept doing that. Pulling out hairs from his beard, his mustache and even some of his nostril hair. All the while, sticking each of his facial hair to the pole.

I got so disgusted that I grumbled and complained non-stop to my friend. I wanted to shout at that old man and tell him off but my skin was crawling and I felt queasy. I am not a health freak but after that incident... I wash my hands thoroughly after every bus ride! Maybe you all should too.

Scuba Diving

2008-03-21T13:30:00.003+08:00

That's not me in the picture

I've always wanted to take up scuba diving but fear kept me away. There are so many risks involved and as we all know, there's no gain without risks eh? My boyfriend is an avid scuba diver and he encouraged me to take up the sport. He even paid for my open water scuba diving certification. Thank you Shin!

There are many levels of certification. You will have to start with the Open Water Diver, which is what I'm taking. Then, followed by Advanced Open Water Diver, Emergency First Response, Rescue Diver, Master Scuba Diver, DiveMaster, Assistant Instructor and finally the Instructor Development Course. But that's not all. They also have specialized diving certifications. Please click here if you would like to read more.

The other reason that kept me from learning is that scuba diving is an expensive sport. For my open water certification, it costs my boyfriend S$495. Whoa! Enough for me to buy new shoes, bag, clothes, watch and lots of junk food! How many of you can scuba dive?

1st Year Anniversary

2008-03-18T21:44:00.003+08:00

Today is my grandmother's 1st-year anniversary. Feels like just yesterday that she passed away but I guess time flies. My grandmother was 83 and she had accomplished so much in life. Almost everyone who meets her likes her. She gets along fine with people from all races or ages. She even speaks English. For people of her generation, that is quite a wonder. Sometimes, she is even more broad minded than my father. I have lots to learn from her. Hope she is very happy now, wherever she is.

Chinatown in Singapore during CNY

2008-02-05T10:47:00.000+08:00

My cousin Ti & her fiance Kent, sister Ying and I went to Chinatown last week to buy some Chinese New Year goodies and it's so fun. Well it was for me...

The usually quiet and empty Chinatown streets are now filled with rows of temporary shacks/ stalls that sell various items like sweets/ dried foods/ clothing/ slippers/ lighting/ Chinese New Year decorations etc.

As you walk along the streets, these hawkers will just push you a sweet/ food and ask you to try it. They'd even open the wrapper for you so all you had to do was pop the goodie into your mouth. One of these guys (typically Ah Bengs) even asked sister Ying for her handphone number! Then there's this other guy that just shoved the mochi (soft chewy dessert that tastes like mua chi) into cousin Ti's hands.

When looking at Chinese New Year clothes, one of the hawkers told us that it'd look very nice and "prestige" (without the ous) on us. The same hawker also said that my "heel" was too big so I couldn't fit into the dress. I later found out that he was trying to say "hip".

Eventhough it's darn crowded, I'd love to make a trip to Chinatown every year! Happy Chinese New Year all...

CNY 2008

2008-02-01T19:49:00.000+08:00

Yay! Chinese New Year is here. When I was young, I always looked forward to CNY because the whole extended family will be back (as I live in the ancestral home) and we get to catch up with everyone. There'll be gambling, eating, chatting, more eating, fireworks, late nights, gossips and even more eating...

For the past few years however, I have not bought anything new to wear during Chinese New Year. I just couldn't be bothered. This year however, I was so into the festive mood that I went to buy a cheong sam (traditional Chinese costume for ladies) to wear on the 1st day. I even bought one each for my sisters. I also bought bak kwa (barbecued sliced pork) *oh yummy* and some other goodies for sinful indulgence.

CNY could have been better. Here's why:

My grandmother is no longer with us and this will be the first CNY without her.
My cousin Alvin is in hospital because of a foot infection.
Not everyone will be coming home for CNY. At this point, only about 5 families.
All my uncles/ aunties (parents included) have become Christians/ Catholics so we would no longer carry out certain CNY traditions like burning incense paper, praying to the Gods and elders etc.

But this year, my cousin Ah Ti and her fiance and also Cara's boyfriend, Dave will be joining us for CNY. I guess you win some and lose some so I'll just enjoy it and here's a Happy Chinese New Year to all of you...

Romantica

2007-11-01T20:51:00.000+08:00

We had bought some stuff and the salesgirl put them all in a big plastic bag. Whilst trying to sort out which belonged to who, I just casually said "Oh why don't you just bring it home and we'll sort it out over the weekend", to which this reply was received: "See lah, she wants me to keep things for her again". I got so angry with that remark, I just stomped off and refused to talk. As I was on my way home, I received an sms and here's how it went, word-for-word.

Incoming sms: I'm sorry
Outgoing sms from Yi: Wanna be angry w u also cannot, u so cute. But... I also never leave ANY of my things in ur room except 4 my red bag k? Tell me la, what are u keeping 4 me?
Incoming sms: Your heart

Wow... isn't that just the most romantic text you may have ever received? When I received the last text, my heart almost melted but at the same time, I felt like puking - because the sender of the sms is my sister Ying.

For Better or Worse?

2007-10-23T21:32:00.000+08:00

Approximately 6 years ago, my home country introduced Ragnarok Online (often referred to as RO) to students in all of Malaysia. It was an effort by the Government to keep boh sia kids (students who play truant and loiter in shopping malls, dangerous and quiet alleys etc.) home. I guess it worked for awhile because my sister Ying and brother were hooked on it.

RO is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. What it means is that hundreds of players will be able to play the game simultaneously online so everything happens in real time. These days, there are many of such games. There is Maple Story (which is the one I'm addicted too), World of Warcraft and many more...

My question is, whilst the Government is able to keep students off the streets, how are they able to control the amount of time these students spend playing games? I play these games almost every night after I come back from work and some of the players I meet are as young as 9! I see them online on weekends too. So introducing these games, are they more harm than cure? Think about it...

20 seconds

2007-08-15T17:54:00.000+08:00

What takes 20 seconds? hehe

My urine!

Everytime I pee - from the moment I hear the tit-tit-tit of the urine to the very last drop, I time myself and it takes an average of twenty seconds.

How long does your urine last?

Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid)

2007-08-11T23:59:00.002+08:00

Since last night, I had heart palpitations. My pulse was about 115 per minute. After I slept awhile, it slowed down to about 80 but whenever I walked, I could feel my pulse and it was beating very fast. Today when we went to the airport to send Ah Chi and Khor Khor off, I stood at the baggage counter to check my weight. I got a shock when I saw that I only weighed 48.8 kgs! Just 3 weeks ago when I donated blood at SGH, I was a hefty 51+ kg!

That got me worried a bit. But I had to go to class as we had to present our group project. So I went to class anyway. After class, I headed straight to the Singapore General Hospital. Walking from the MRT to the hospital made by heart beat at 120 per minute. I had to wait awhile but the whole thing took a few hours! I arrived at the hospital at approximately 4:25pm and left at 11:30pm. 3 Khor Tiew, Papa, Mummy and Ah Ying came to visit me at around 10:45pm and brought me home. 3 Khor was at a wedding dinner so she couldn't come.

I have Hyperactive thyroid. It measured at 66.9 (which is supposedly quite high) and double H. I don't know what all these terms are. I have been given an appointment to meet with the Endocrine specialist. I'll check with him then.

I'm quite sad because I am a regular and avid blood donor. With this condition now, I am no longer able to donate blood. *sigh* Oh and don't worry all of you. I have seen the doctor, I am on medication so I'm fine, just wanted to tell you what happened to me today...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located just below the Adam's apple. The thyroid produces hormones that affect your body's metabolism and energy level.

The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves' disease. This occurs when the body's immune system overstimulates the thyroid.

Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are:
- Jitteriness, shaking, increased nervousness, irritability
- Rapid heart beat or palpitations
- Feeling hot
- Weight loss
- Fatigue, feeling exhausted
- More frequent bowel movements
- Shorter or lighter menstrual periods

Hair for Hope Blog

2007-07-18T17:48:00.001+08:00

Hi all, if you would like to read all about my hair-shaving experience and view pictures - please click here to visit the blog I specially created for Hair for Hope 2007.

Hair For Hope 2007

2007-07-01T23:44:00.000+08:00

So many volunteers! Can we find them?

Hey I think that's Yi's hair.

Oh there they are! Hey Marcus! Hey Yi! Look here... To your left – at the camera!

Nice smiles

Finally Yi gets a seat after queuing 3 hours!

The lady's helping her tie her hair so that she can donate the whole lock of it to Locks of Love

Regretting your decision to shave eh?

No, she's happy to do it. Look, she's hysterical. Probably going mad. Ha! Ha!

Oh no... there it goes. Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz Yi says that the machine creates a buzzing sound and vibrates so her head feels fuzzy.

Hmm... not bad, she looks like she's getting a Mohawk cut.

I'm so nervous I can't stop laughing, Yi says.

Is it really gone?

I'm scarier than Darth Vader. I've got a stare that can burn you and hair that will choke you to death. Grr...

Hehehe That tickles!

Oh wow! There's a certificate of participation. Cool! Or is that a Masters in Baldness? *grin*

Don't they look like spiky footballs to you?

2007-06-22T13:34:00.001+08:00

I first heard about it last year. I wanted to do it then but I was unsure. I had just started work and I didn't think it was appropriate. This year, they're doing it again on 1st July. I was very confident at first. I was headstrong about doing it. I didn't give a damn and wanted to just get it done. I even told my sister, my boyfriend and some friends. Some were supportive, others tried to talk me out of it. Sister (Ah Ying) and boyfriend are so supportive and said that they will join me.

But now... I am getting jitter bugs. I feel a bit scared and I have my doubts. What if I break down? What if I can't take the embarrassment and pressure from it all? I suppose it will be bad (why shouldn't it be) but it will all die down. Everything simmers after sometime, doesn't it?

Anyway, there have been a few very supportive people like my sister and boyfriend. Thanks for cheering me on and asking me to do it. Just like how I always feel scared no matter how many times I've donated blood - the wonderful feeling of satisfaction that I get from knowing that I helped someone just supersedes everything else.

If all or any of you are interested in what I will be doing, check out this space for updates...

Yi's Pimple Remedy

2007-05-10T10:55:00.000+08:00

This is not tested and not tried so if you wanna check it out... please take extra caution.

- Use a tweezer and blackhead remover to squeeze every darn substance out from the pimple
- Use a joss stick and burn the pimple (so it gets charred and hardened)
- Use a plier to excavate and remove any remaining pimple
- Use sandpaper and salt to smoothen the surface of your nose/ face
- Put mask on your nose/ face to remove fine lines and scars
- Use some concelear to even out the colours on your nose skin

*Yi is not liable for any mishaps

sleep

2007-04-23T18:52:00.001+08:00

I am someone who needs at least 7 hours' sleep otherwise I feel tired and restless. The other person I know who sleeps as much is Ah Ti. Here's a guide on sleep. Hope you'll be able to sleep better.

Have your dinner at least 4 hours before bedtime
Drink a glass of water before sleeping
Follow the following steps for a good night's sleep:

The traditional method of sleeping on a pillow and hugging a bolster.

The pillow gives you comfort and prevents neck ache whilst the bolster gives a sense of security.

But if you don't have either one, try the following options: Double Pillow or Double Bolster

But one should never... and I mean never ever use a Bed as Bolster!

ps/ Female model is available for photo shoots and model works at very affordable prices. Leave a message on the tagboard for more information. Male model is probably suffering from a backache by now - so don't bother contacting him.

Christy Yi

2007-04-03T22:05:00.000+08:00

I was once told that I looked like the glamourous and beautiful Christy Chung which made me very happy. But we all know that's far from the truth. Last Friday however, on 30th March - I went for Capital's 75th-year Anniversary. Capital is the organisation in which I work - best employer anyone could ever have.

My colleagues had arranged for make-up artists to come into our office for S$70 per person which covers make-up and hair. I was very reluctant to participate and even rejected my colleague Nicole's invitation. At the very last minute, another colleague backed out and Nicole persuaded me again and so I relented.

I was actually quite happy that I went for the makeover. I have attached pictures below. I look rather amazing. The reason I so strongly refused in the beginning was because the last few times that I actually put make-up on - made me look like a transvestite. Anyway, as requested by my cousin Ching - here are the pictures. Enjoy...

My favourite picture is the one in the middle. I think I look the best there. The shawl around my neck makes me look rather glamorous too. Ha! Ha!

Tribute to Ah Ma

2007-03-18T22:25:00.000+08:00

I've known you for twenty seven years,
Lots of fun and happiness - give it 3 cheers!
Occasionally we do share some tears
I want to do it all again, bring on the beers.

You're one of the best amongst your peers
Lots of courage, you had no fears
Perhaps you're the blessing of a million fakirs
You were so strong when and as death nears

I guess you've gone to where you belong
You've taught me so much - the rights from wrong
I wish I could see you playing mahjong
I wanna hear you sing your favourite song

You taught me to be generous, forgiving and gracious
In all you do you were always positive and zealous
To everyone, you were warm, nice and selfless
I'm not religious but I believe you're God's princess

I wish you much happiness wherever you are
I wonder if you can see us whether near or far
Your death to all of us is like a huge gigantic scar
I love you so much, you're my SuperStar!

Why I stopped blogging

2007-03-07T23:57:00.000+08:00

It is because of a girl, the one you see on the -> right. Her name is Yeena and she is a level 43 bowgirl. To be more specific, she is a Ranger. She didn't start so powerful though. Yeena was born a beginner on 12 May, 2006 at 10:10a.m. She was a very adorable and cute little girl. With much training, she became a Hunter in a week. 5 months later, she passed her test, got a job and became a level 30 Ranger.

Now she's 10 months old and quite powerful. With a swift pull of her bow and her mighty archery skills, she is able to unleash arrows at the speed of a man-cycled trishaw. She is equipped with skills that emphasize dexterity and accuracy, along with other kinds of long-range attacking skills to make the hunter the ideal long-range attacker.

Yeena is a very friendly and outgoing girl. She is also sporting and fun. To celebrate the recent Chinese New Year celebrations, she is dressed in a traditional Chinese sam fu. She also has a lot of friends. Check them out:

From left to right: incubuseblis, tamino, superdupacow

cleanbow, qq12345678qq, lamedamage

skyzack, d4rkpaladin, kageskillz

Aren't they all good looking? This was why I stopped updating my blog. Because I was too busy Mapling!

Uport Contest Winner

2007-01-24T12:00:00.001+08:00

I just found out that I'm the Grand Prize winner of the Uport contest and I've won a pair of tickets to Brisbane, Australia! Checkout below, what I extracted from their website - for more details!

Take4

2006-08-21T22:47:00.006+08:00

Take3

2006-08-21T00:04:00.001+08:00

Take2

2006-08-20T23:10:00.003+08:00

Take1

2006-08-19T23:17:00.006+08:00

script

2006-08-18T23:37:00.000+08:00

In the final act of Pygmalion, Liza explains to Prof. Higgins the relationship she desired from him. It’s a tender scene that almost warms the Professor’s heart despite himself.

LIZA: No I don't. That's not the sort of feeling I want from you. And don't you be too sure of yourself or of me. I could have been a bad girl if I'd liked. I've seen more of some things than you, for all your learning. Girls like me can drag gentlemen down to make love to them easy enough. And they wish each other dead the next minute. (much troubled) I want a little kindness. I know I'm a common ignorant girl, and you a book-learned gentleman; but I'm not dirt under your feet. What I done (correcting herself) what I did was not for the dresses and the taxis: I did it because we were pleasant together and I come--came--to care for you; not to want you to make love to me, and not forgetting the difference between us, but more friendly like.

Unfortunately, Higgins is a permanent bachelor. When he is incapable of offering affection, Eliza Doolittle stands up for herself in this powerfully feisty monologue.

LIZA: Aha! Now I know how to deal with you. What a fool I was not to think of it before! You can't take away the knowledge you gave me. You said I had a finer ear than you. And I can be civil and kind to people, which is more than you can. Aha! That's done you, Henry Higgins, it has. Now I don't care that (snapping her fingers) for your bullying and your big talk. I'll advertize it in the papers that your duchess is only a flower girl that you taught, and that she'll teach anybody to be a duchess just the same in six months for a thousand guineas. Oh, when I think of myself crawling under your feet and being trampled on and called names, when all the time I had only to lift up my finger to be as good as you, I could just kick myself!

What diet?

2005-12-05T22:00:00.000+08:00

I've been complaining that I'm fat and need to go on a diet. I tend to eat less rice during meals. I'd take probably half a bowl of rice. I'd also take less soft or sweet drinks. However, when it comes to watching a movie in the cinema, I cannot stop myself from munching popcorn or snacks. I also like to snack when I'm watching TV at home.

Honestly, I don't think there's a point in me cutting down on my staple diet when I continue eating everything else. Ha! Ha! I'd really like to lose some weight. I'd like to lose a little on the arms, lots on the tummy, backside and thighs. However, I love to eat too much.

Vegetarians and health-conscious people eat to live. For me, I live to eat! Yum... Yum... Food, here I come!

christmas shopping time

2005-11-28T22:16:00.000+08:00

Yay! I got my paycheck today. Finally... I can buy Christmas presents for everyone! As I've already gone window shopping on Sunday, I sort of have an idea of what I will be getting for each and everyone. I just hope that they'll like what I have in mind. Some will be totally store-bought whilst others might be ½ store-bought and ½ handmade. Oh, I can't wait. I'm so excited... Hopefully when I'm done, I'll be able to take some pictures and post them. Till then, enjoy your Christmas shopping too!

super powers

2005-11-28T21:52:00.001+08:00

If I was a superhero and had special powers, this is what I'd be:

Yi swooshes down from her 18th floor apartment and flies toward the coconut tree. She grabs the coconut tree with her suction fingers and crawls down. As she walk toward the shore, a missile flies at an incredibe speed toward her. She quickly summons her magnetic forces and leads the missile in the opposite direction. Then she runs toward the water and jumps into the open sea. Her cheeks transform into gills and she swims fast and furious with her super sonic speed toward the submarine. As she approaches the submarine, she stares intently at the captain and blinds him with her ultra violet rays emitted by her eyes. She...

I could go on and on... I guess you get the picture. I wouldn't pick just one power, I'd have all of them! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Cheap Buy

2005-11-27T19:37:00.000+08:00

I went shopping today. I have friends who need to go shopping once a week to de-stress/ reward themselves etc. I'm not a shopper. Well, I am - a window shopper. I like looking at things. I also enjoy the music and the air-conditioning. However, I'm much to stingy to spend on myself so most of the times, I'd just look and stare in awe then walk away. I have no problems spending on other people though. The phrase Giving is Better than Giving really applies to me.

Anyway, I went to Carrefour at Suntec City today and they're having a sale. I bought a T-Shirt for only S$1.90! It's soft cotton. Not very thick but very comfortable. I bought a Black (M) for myself. I called my sister in Malacca, Malaysia (gotta share the good deal!) and she asked me to buy one of each colour! Ha! Ha!

I also bought a few pairs of shorts for only S$3.90. They're a steal, I tell ya. Very nice pastel colours. I'd take pictures of them and show you but my boyfriend lost my camera earlier this year so... too bad!

Test Tube Babies

2005-11-26T18:57:00.000+08:00

I went to visit a friend in KK hospital today who just gave birth. She gave birth to 2 very lovely dizygotic twins. The kind I've always dreamed of. A boy and a girl. It's perfect, really. I want both boys and girls and it'll be such a hassle to give birth so many times. So just once, suffer a little more but after that, you're done. hehe

Anyway, I was in the room with my cousin and I softly asked her "Are they test tube babies?" and she gave me this stare which said "Keep your bloody mouth shut!". Okay, I admit. As soon as I said it, I realised that it probably wasn't the right time and right place to ask that question. My cousin then told my friend what I asked and she questioned why I would think so. So I very truthfully and honestly told her that it wasn't easy to get twins, let alone unidentical. Plus, it's of a different gender!

Anyway, I checked with my boyfriend after that and asked him if it was too insensitive of me to ask that question. He thinks that I could probably cause the couple to lose face (feel embarassed) or come across as a bloody busybody. I agree about the busybody part. It's not my business to know whether or not the child was naturally or scientifically conceived. However, I tend to disagree that my question would embarass the parents.

First of all, if a man or woman has difficulty conceiving then it probably has to do with their sperm or ovums. Well, if there is any problem with these 2, I don't think it's their fault. It's just God's will! Nature! Pure bad luck! Whatever it is, I don't think the Man or Woman had deliberately inflicted hurt or poison against themselves so their genes aren't healthy.

So in that sense, I don't see why anyone has to feel embarassed/ useless/ weak etc. I think it's just perfectly normal. On the other hand, if the baby came out retarded due to over exessive drinking or smoking then the parents should be punished and laughed at. Or if the baby was born out of wedlock, then I think the parent should once again feel embarassed.

So with what happened today, I was wrong to question. I shouldn't have, it was too busybody of me. However I strongly feel that people should NOT feel ashamed of test tube babies. I hold absolutely no prejudice against them. Perhaps I've been looking at things from my perspective. What do you think? Is a test tube baby something someone should be embarassed of?