Saturday, February 26, 2005

First week of school

This week I've embarked on my journey of my final year at art college. AAAAHHHHHHH! It's sort of welcome, and also unwelcome, if you know what I mean.

Well, it seems to be really serious this year. We've got loads of work to do and looks like there ain't gonna be no rest for us seniors. I don't mind having a lot of work to do, as long as I've got TIME to do it.

(Is anyone sick of hearing rappers speak with bad English? Like this from Eminem : "...when we was teenagers..." I'm sure he knows that's not right. But why say it? Does it sound cool? Is it good to teach the young ones bad English? I'm sick of hearing people calling it 'American' blablabla... it's English, and English it should remain.)

ANYWAY. Yes, it's true, there's a whole lot of assignments we'll be given this year, and we'll be expected to produce a dazzling portfolio at the end of it so that we can all get good jobs in good agencies etc. How stressful. I hope I can cope with it as time goes by.

3 months to Grandpa G's arrival!

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Paris, Paris, Paris!

Did I mention, after much thought, I decided to give up on the Mukluks? Yep.

Anyway, my ticket to England is booked! I'm going in July, hopefully the weather's cool enough. I've also been thinking and thinking about going back to Paris and do the parts I missed out on last time (and also do some parts I did last time). Only thing is, Grandpa G, who'll probably be taking me if I go, doesn't really like France! Pfff...!

I just visited some websites for Paris hotels, and just looking at the pictures and finding rates and availability reminded me of when I was planning my last trip there and it made me want to go even more!! Thing is, I probably won't have any money at all for the trip, so I really will have to rely on Grandpa G, whom I hope will be willing to spend a bit of money just for lil me.

I'm getting so excited about seeing Paris again. I don't know what it is about the place - maybe the scenery, the buildings, the air... but I just really miss it! I know my good friend Malaysian Devil will be positively delighted to hear me say this HEHE... yes, yes, I know, Paris is a wonderful city.

I like walking down the little lanes, seeing the windy roads, cars parked inches from each other... then you get the really huge, wide roads, the Arc de Triomphe (absolutely love it) and Champs-Elysees... and of course, I have to go to Montmartre which I missed out on last time, and which I really regret not visiting. Would love to take pictures of the Tour Eiffel, which I didn't last time cuz I only visited it on the first night, and didn't feel like carrying my camera. Sigh... just thinking about it is making me so excited. If only my French were good enough for me to move there instead of England (ssh...HEHE).

And Paris is so Expensive! This time I don't think I can live more than 2 or 3 days there. My bank account is so wiped out after getting the ticket to England.

Anyone care to give me some spare Euros lying around?

Friday, February 18, 2005

I seriously need a PEDICURE!!

Going for dinner tonight with the gang... don't know really know where we're going yet, but I hope it's nearby, inexpensive and good.

I'm still wishing for the Return of the King Extended DVD! I know I can get it for myself, but I just feel like I'd rather spend my money on clothes. You know what I mean (if you're a girl).

For the past 3 days I've been so infatuated with Mukluks. You guys know what Mukluks are? They're the most ADORABLE boots with moccasin shoe base and fur from ankle to mid-boot! WOW. And for someone as boot-crazy as I am, it was really a struggle for me not to hit the "Buy It Now" button on eBay. In the end, my practical side won, and I decided to use the money I "would have spent" on the boots, to buy me the new Glamour UK (if it's out - February's seems to be missing) and other casual baby tees.

Okay, some general knowledge here. Mukluks are originally from Canada and incorporates Native Indian design in the form of embroidery or beads on the boot. They use real rabbit fur and the material is usually some animal skin, like sheep skin.

That's it for the general knowledge of the day. Don't you feel a little smarter?

And before people start screaming at me, OF COURSE the boots I was going to buy wasn't made of real rabbit fur! (Those cost more than GBP150 for the cheapest boots) But of course I wouldn't buy things made of cute rabbits' fur! I had 3 rabbits before for goodness' sake. And while I agree it's not nice to keep rabbits shut in a cage (I did let Russ out to run occassionally), better than skinning them and using them as fashion right?

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Post-Chinese New Year

Technically it's still CNY, but since people have gone back to work, the holidays seem somewhat over. Today, however, is called "Yan Yat" for the Cantonese, meaning it's "everyone's birthday"!! YIPPEE!

So as you know, I went up to Penang for CNY last week, and no worries, I'm safe... no more tsunamis there.

Penang is a LOVELY place. It was part of the Straits States when we were under the British rule way back when. As a result, it has many old colonial buildings, some turned into heritage mansions, some turned into restaurants and shops, and others demolished in favour of more efficient space-saving condos in prime real estate areas. Here, I have some images of Penang for you who have never seen it.

ps. Penang is also really famous for its food.


I think this is the Assumption catholic church. Tiny, but pleasant looking.

Oh this is the famous Blue Mansion. It belonged to the famous Cheong Fatt Tze who was an incredibly rich and successful Chinese businessman for his time. Apparently his dwelling is absolutely 100% Feng Shui perfect. You can go for a tour of this house and learn more for RM10 Adults. It's really very interesting.

Some Indian shops [Bollywood Indian Fashion and a minimart] next to a Hindu temple.

The oh so famous and oh so posh E&O hotel. Very swish, very expensive, very classy, incredibly beautiful.

Some Chinese shops down a street. Kedai Ubat means medicine shop.

MC Exhibit 3 : This man is not so interesting as others I've seen in Penang, but just wanted to illustrate that Penang is the Land of the Motorcycles.

Peking Hotel, a budget hotel in a nice building. Hopefully there are no rats. Next to it is the SOHO Free House serving home cooked food. Never been there, but looks good.

I think these are Malay shops. The one with the red sign looks like a minimart with the blue ice cream box in front, and the one on the right looks like a clothes shop. Very old-fashioned and quaint, isn't it?

St George's Anglican church, I think. Doesn't it just look so British? You can really see the difference between this and Catholic churches.

Monday, February 07, 2005

My Wish List...#4? And about Chinese New Year.

So here's presenting the fourth(?) installment of My Wish List :

  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King extended DVD
  2. More Calvin and Hobbes
  3. Less addiction to eBay
  4. More (affordable) party heels and less office heels in the shops
  5. A ticket to England that's less than RM2000
  6. Lots of loaded 'ang paos' this CNY
  7. A new flush handle for the toilet




Chinese New Year

With CNY just round the corner (February 9 and 10), I'll be back in Daddy's hometown - Penang - Pearl of the Orient - recently hit by the tsunami. Not hit very badly, thank goodness, but affected all the same. I think it needs more dried beancurd and mandarins this Rooster year ;)

So here's a toast to lots of ang paos and a list for you on CNY symbols :

  • Black moss seaweed and Egg Rolls = Wealth
  • Dried Beancurd = Happiness
  • Chicken = Happiness and Marriage or Family reunion (if served whole)
  • Eggs = Fertility
  • Fish (served whole) = Prosperity
  • Lychee nuts = Close family ties
  • (Longevity) Noodles - A long life (esp when lifted high above the table with chopsticks!!)
  • Oranges = Prosperity
  • Peanuts = Long life (again - although why eat to long life when Buddhists/Taoists believe in reincarnation?)
  • Pomelo - Prosperity and Fertility
  • Seeds - lotus seeds/watermelon seeds etc = Many children
  • Mandarins/Tangerines = Luck

Friday, February 04, 2005

Men's Fashion - What's That??

Hehe... even with men's fashion getting more adventurous these days, sometimes men still don't see the light. They're probably the most clueless in formalwear or officewear, eg. ties. For instance, how many of you guys, or you girls' boyfriends, tie their tie knot in only one way? [FYI, did you know that most guy's tie their knot in the Windsor style? At least in my experience.]

So here, I've stumbled across a very interesting website on ties and 8 DIFFERENT WAYS to knot your tie. Girls, do your guys a favour and teach them how to knot their tie, and how to choose patterns. Guys, you have no idea how much a well-dressed and neat person is admired by girls!

Here's the website : Ben Silver Classic Style :: The Classic Tie Knots

Also, check out the meaning of different knots. Click on "All About Ties" then "History of the Tie".

Useful information for parties, eh? :P

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Idiots on eBay Malaysia

I can't even BEGIN to describe how upset I am. Remember a few posts back about the eBay bidder who bid on my item a few hours before auction end, then apologised for bidding accidentally? What an idiot, right?

Well, I just received a negative feedback from that person because I left him one! Tell me, is it my fault for leaving a negative feedback when someone has caused me so much trouble with relisting the item and only selling it at half the price it was going for before he "accidentally bid" on it?

I'm truly sorry it had to be like this, but I really don't see why someone should leave me negative feedback when I was upset with that person for not being responsible. I also left that negative feedback because I'd emailed that person 2 or 3 times asking about his next action, if he really wanted to buy it... just to let me know what he wanted to do. But NO... no contact at all. What am I supposed to do then? Just sit and wait? I really don't understand Malaysian bidders on eBay. Half of them are GREAT A+++ and the other half are total asses. Typical Asians. Always have to have an eye for an eye.

And now I have this negative feedback on my score, it'll look SO bad when you don't see that "positive feedback score = 100%" on my profile. Aarghh... that's really upsetting!

And to top it off, I'm just waiting to get another negative feedback from this troublesome buyer who's so sarcastic and calls me intolerant for keeping her item for more than 2 weeks after auction end without any contact and leaving her negative feedback. Is it so damn difficult to contact someone?

Curse these monkeys' asses.