It's the time of the year again.

Xmas dinner at Joanne's!

This year, a monstrous 9+kg turkey will be making its appearance. Oh why do I have to work tonight? Why why why?

Nevermind, I will tapau the turkey to Casablanca. Tee hee.

I love porn. Especially high-quality porn done tastefully like this - they just send me hyperventilating and mess up my pulse rate.

Of course I'm talking about food porn. What were you thinking?

Hibernation time is here. Temperature in The Sandpit has dropped significantly over the past few days that I couldn't resist snuggling under the blanket and reach for a good book. And reading soon leads to sleeping the day away.

Sigh.

Oh well, that pile of clothes waiting to be laundered could wait till another day.

Recently had training with a few of my batchgirls, hence we did some catching up over dinner and shisha.




Alice, as always, is hilarious and full of sarcasm.

How time flies. It's end of the year already. And inevitably, amid the celebrations, this time of the year also makes one look back and reflect over achievements and failings. The should-be's and the could-be's. The happiness and the heartache.

Next year will be exciting.

Fall.

When the warmth of summer is all but a fleeting moment and there's a certain chill in the air.

Fall.

When the forest is ablazed with flaming reds and yellows, and some part is gleaming with silvery tips.

Fall.

When I chase away the autumn cold with a cup of coffee liqueur in the company of a warm-hearted soul and chat the blues away.

I'm sick of working with lazy Indian crews who basically do nothing but a waste to space and oxygen. I'm sick of crews who pretend they know everything but inserted 4 compendiums in a 2-seater. I'm sick of sucking up to gay CSD who acts like bitch on Prozac just so that I don't get hell in a 7 hours flight. I'm sick of being moved around like a pawn in a chess game just because some people do things in their favour and decide I should suffer instead. I'm sick of flight deck who gets all worked up when a Muslim converts to Christian and proceeds to proclaim later on "ex-Soviet countries girls are easy".

I'm sick, sick, sick.

Goodies from Shanghai.



And lots of cheap Lucky B&W 120 and 135 films. And a set of Holga colour filters with filter holder.

Now excuse me while I go burn some films.

Oh la la, I want one of these babies. I need one. Now.

Maiko, you MUST get hold of the orange baby when you're back in Japan.

Got back the 2 rolls of film on my Holga and made the costliest mistake - the shutter switch was at Bulb position all the time. I remembered setting it to Normal, so I guess it accidentally got pushed to Bulb. I finished almost 2 rolls before I realized the mistake, hence most of the photos came out blurry! The guy at the photo lab must be chuckling when he saw the photos. And each photo costs roughly RM 4, from the cost of the film to have it developed, scanned and printed. Ouch.

The last few photos that came out OK after I realized my mistake (not colour corrected or edited by PS whatsoever).

No, I will not forget about the war. And I will never forget the kindness and hospitality of the Bosnian people. The small alleyways peaking around the corners in Bascarsija. The picturesque countryside with tall columns supporting the railway. The tooth-achingly sweet Bosnian baklava.

And the climb uphill to the apartment where I was staying in Bistrik (always after a full meal, bloody hard work).

No, I won't forget.

All eyes will be on Permatang Pauh today. The people of Permatang Pauh will dictate the course of direction of Malaysia in the coming years, that of a "rich government for rich people" or to take an unknown path towards a reformed political governance.

For the first choice, we are fucked. The second one, it's 50-50, but if we could let BN fuck us up for 50 years, suddenly the second choice seems as appealing as free baked beans for life! (Okok, maybe not baked beans, I use baked beans as an example as I heart baked beans).

So good people of Permatang Pauh, bear in mind that your votes are not only for yourself, but the whole fate of the nation lies in your votes.

Update: DSAI won the Permatang Pauh by-election with a landslide majority of 15,671 votes.

Selamat Hari Merdeka, peeps. Have a good holiday on my behalf, Princess here has to work.

For the first time in my life (varsity life not counted), I actually have 3,4 books lying around waiting to be read. I'm as busy as can be, plus more. Was struggling to finish Harumi Murakami's After Dark (it's a thin volume by the way) even after a few sittings and as a result, kinda lost the surreal feeling normally associated with his writing. Sorry, Abang Murakami.

Went back to Melaka to see my Nana two weeks ago. His eye was still stitched up then. Where last time a yellowish-green eye used to be, now sits a thin scar deeming him forever unable to open his left eyelid. Oh well, one less evil stare to contend with (if you have an iguana, you'd know what I mean).

I must thank Mama and Papa Tju for the hassle of finding a reptile vet (It's totally non-existent in Melaka, save for the nice lady vet, Dr. Cindy from Zoo Melaka). And also the numerous trips to UVH Serdang (I don't think my parents ever ventured driving beyond Nilai). Special thanks also to Dr. Nor from UVH for taking care of my Nana. She even went to pasar malam to buy fruits and vege for him. Unlike the stupid male vet from Klinik Haiwan Valley who couldn't wait to get rid of my Nana when I first brought him for consultation.

Dr. Cindy removed the stitches from his eye few days back, and Nana temporarily lives in the house. Mama Tju will bring him to the bathroom and he will automatically poop. He used to be toilet-trained when he was living indoor for a few years (but sometimes he would get naughty and pooped in the upper bunk of the double decker). And he's eating normally again, but only if Mama Tju hand feeds him. Lazy bum.

At the end of the day, even though he does not wag his tail like a friendly dog (his tail serves more useful purpose like lashing out at enemy, thank you very much), does not come running manja-ing like a kitten, we know he DOES recognize us and reciprocates in his own special ways.

Just steer clear when he gives the evil stare.

My Nana underwent eye enucleation in UVH at 6pm today. The vet said he's recovering well from surgery.

I'm so fucking relieved.

Dear God,

If you're really God, please please please make Nana's eye recover. My heart ached when I finally got to see how bad his eye was last week. My heart bleeds when I called Mum today and she said Nana's eye got worse. Even so when I'm so far away and could only imagine God-knows what pain he's going through.


Dear God,

You know I seldom ask anything from you, but this time, please if you can, make Nana recover. I know you love Nana more than I do. You're not really serious about making him wearing an eye patch (like Jack Sparrow), are you?



Peeps, if you know any good vet specializing in reptiles in Melaka or PJ/KL, do let me know. I brought Nana to a vet last week and the vet gave an antibiotic shot to Nana. She also gave some antibiotic tablets and eye drop. Nana has finished all the pills. However, his eye got worse after applying the eye drop, so Mama Tju stopped the eye drop immediately.

So please, if you happen to read this and know a good vet or encounter similar problem or have any info that could help me, do drop me a line.

Here's a wet tongue flick from Nana (he does that alot).

Nana, I'm going back to see you. I'm super tired after going to and fro New York and Geneva in 5 days, but still, I must see my Nana. So you better be good.

Finally bought a Holga. They say plastic is fantastic. Well, I will soon get to make my own conclusion.

I got to know from bro that my Nana got injured a few days back. So I called Mum and she confirmed this. Apparently, one of Nana's eye is swollen (like a guli) and Mum suspects that he accidentally poked his eye at a loose wire from the cage.

Mum couldn't bring him to the vet as he will run away and start bobbing his head whenever she goes near him. He must be in pain now and terrified for sure. I wish I was back home, holding him and calming him down. But thankfully, he's eating as usual.

Nana, get well soon ok? Don't start running away or thrashing around else Mum couldn't bring you the the vet. And then you'll end up blind and have to wear an eye patch.

Today is Klyie's last day in The Sandpit. She now adds to the statistics of people I know who have left.

No more delicious, nutritious herbal soups for me.

I couldn't see her off as I need to work. But rest assured, babe, my thoughts and best wishes are with you.



I still remember our first trip to Hong Kong together. Traipsing around Tsim Tsa Tsui looking for food (and felt beaten seeing an auntie downing a bowl of noodles, a bowl of dumplings AND a plate of choy sum). Or how I had to buy clothes as all I had were thick sweaters (due to weather misinformation by you-know-who). Come to think of it, she was the one I spent most of the layovers with.

Dear Klyie, you are perfect the way you are. Do not always feel the need to please someone in order to be accepted, as if that's the case, then that person is not worth your time nor effort. Thanks for all the wonderful memories (cycle until cibai also sakit) and ALL of us shall meet again one fine day, sipping coffee in Old Town instead of airport Costa Coffee.

And stop buying so many shoes! You're not millipede!

Now go blow their minds away in KE.

I live in total darkness. The last light in the bedroom went off before I left the house. The living hall bulbs burnt ages ago. I'm transported back to stone age. Give me my club and leopard-skin wraparound.

Now excuse me while I go hunt for tonight's dinner.

GVA-EWR, onboard medical emergency. PA made for doctor, but no one stepped forward. Crew checked and there's a doctor listed in passenger list sitting at 24E.

Crew : Is there a Dr. XXX here at 24E? (Addressing row 23-25)

Pax@25E: Excuse me, we changed seats.

Crew : Oh, you changed seats with the doctor? Do you know where is he now?

Pax@25E: No, I just want to inform you, we (pointing to seats 25 A,B,D,E) changed seats. So for the second meal, please do not send the AVML (airline lingo for Asian vegetarian meal) to the wrong person.

Thank you asshole, for wasting 1 minute of my time. To you, your AVML is probably more precious than someone else's life.

I'm going to be very poor next month. Just did GVA-EWR for the whole freaking month. Recurrent lar, illegal for FRA lar, changed my 3 days unplanned leave and effectively disrupted the roster for the first half of next month. Worse part is, have to stay in The Sandpit for one week. One week!

Eat sand lor, since there's unlimited supply of it.

Some pics of NYC during my recent trip there. Specifically, of Times Square in Manhattan. It is located at Broadway and Seventh Avenue and extends from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. You will never ever get lost in Manhattan due to it's grid layout. Avenues run south to north and streets run east to west. At night, the whole area is lighted up with neon supersigns and generally buzzing with people. Like they say, the city never sleeps.












The Princess chiong-ed to the shops on the second day as it was Memorial Day and there's sale everywhere. In the end, didn't buy much as I just couldn't be bothered jostling with other people for space. And the queue was another major turn off. But managed to sapu a lot of lotions from Victoria's Secret nevertheless.





And of course, I had, what else, but McDonald's, in the land where the golden arches first came about. No wonder Americans are obese. No small, medium, large meal for your picking, everything comes in standard size, which is extra large. Ordered the Angus Third Pounder - Angus Mushroom and Swiss. And guess what? It's nice. Maybe it's because of the Angus beef or just my mind playing with my taste buds, but the patty is juicier and tastes more meat-like. The McDonald's folk probably forgot to throw in the sawdust while processing the patties.

Shit. I still cannot get over the fact that my Rome is taken away next month. So that I could attend some interview that shortlisted every Tom, Dick and Harry that bothered to apply. Talk about quality control.

I.Am.Seriously.Missing.Banana.Leaf.Rice.

To the extent of googling for pictures of it.

Huge mistake. The craving got worse. Oh man, what wouldn't I give for piping hot rice served on banana leaf now, with the waiter going around with the tiffin-like metal containers of assorted vegetables, pickles and curried meat, plonking everything on the leaf until you say stop. How can I forget the crispy papadums. And the chilled mango lassi (best!).

Aiyoyo, ini macam tak boleh lar. Mesti kasi tido itu otak, tak boleh asyik tengok itu gambar banana leaf rice lar, sister.

I haven't seen dandelions for a long time. Maybe I did, but I could not be bothered to stop and smell the grass.

I saw fields of dandelions in Munich. Bright yellow rosettes dancing in the wind. White puffy heads swaying gaily in the bright sunshine. They stopped me in my track. Suddenly I remembered the dandelions of my past.

Have you ever made a dandelion wish? I used to do that whenever I stumbled across dandelions. You hold a dandelion in your hand, close your eyes, wish upon it and blow all the spores away. Hoping your wish will come true wherever the wind carries it. Only to find out your innocence is lost along the way.























That day, I blew wishie after wishie of dandelions (yes, the dandelion clock is also known as wishie). White furry seeds floated blithely across the field. For that short moment, I regained my innocence.

I just got to know a surprising news from my best friend. Delightful surprise anyway.

I know what you did last Spring Festival ;)

Another reason not to get pissed drunk in public (apart from not being able to haul your ass back home) - You risk having embarrassing photos of you plastered all over the Net.







To these two guys sleeping in Ostbahnhof station 2 days ago, no, I will not take these down. But I could send you the full resolution photos if you want. *wink*

I always say my mum is the coolest mum. Old school cool. She's not exactly your typical conservative Chinese mum who, you know, forbids her daughter to hang out with boys or to listen to noisy music.

But she does have the typical Chinese mum trait of comparing her daughters to someone else's. Those irritating "Oh, Auntie Lily's daughter scored straight As in her SPM" or "Why can't you be like ah girl next door, she mops the floor everyday without being told to".

Mum generally lets me do as I like (within reasonable grounds, of course). While Dad will go "You're not exactly going out wearing those, are you?", Mum will come to the rescue and retort with something like "Haiya, what do you know about fashion? Still living in the past is it?".

Mum let me buy my first and ever pet, an iguana. And she takes care of him all this time while I'm away. Heck, Mum even let me get my first tattoo done while Dad was furious and asked me to rub it away (as he put it). When I told her about my plan to do volunteering works in Peru after I leave The Sandpit for good, she didn't say much, except for "Take good care of yourself".

I guess she gave up trying to change my mind. She knows how hard it is to change my mind once I have my mind set on something. Sometimes I do wonder, whether I make her proud. Whether she's disappointed in having a daughter who doesn't follow the norm, who always have some bizarre ideas cooking in her head.

But sometimes I have the feeling that I am Mum's favorite (even Siew Li said so). Not that she's showing favoritism, she's always been fair, it's just this feeling I have.

We're raised in an environment where affection is not expressed verbally, but through actions. Maybe that's the reason I have trouble expressing my emotions. I could put feelings into words but ask me to say it out, I just go blank. I still couldn't bring myself to say I love her no matter how I try.

Today is Mother's Day. I couldn't celebrate it with her but I'd like to say this to her (even though she doesn't read my blog).

Happy Mother's Day. I love you.

Next year, I hope I could bring myself to say it face to face to her.

My absolute favourite dessert shop in Hong Kong - Lucky Dessert.

Because they serve ass-kicking durian soup. With two ulas of durian in thick, creamy durian paste top with pomelo sacs.


While you're there, do try the Mango Pastry Roll. Sweet, juicy mango flesh rolled in a layer of sponge cake and flaky filo skin (they do durian and banana as well, but the banana one is the best).




Alex, you've been told.

You thought it doesn't matter. You thought you're in control. You thought it'll go away. But then you thought babies came out from navel holes as a child too.

How could something so short-lived leave such a profound effect? It was never meant to be, it will never be.

I'm glad you are gone. Closure, they say.

I started HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) yesterday. Basically, as the name suggests, you perform cardiovascular in intervals, alternating between the highest intensity your body could take and then slowing down. My body is aching is to put it mildly.

I feel like dying is more like it.

Pax: Thank you, Diana. I'd love to eat in your restaurant again.

???

May the best men win (provided diving *cough* Drogba *cough* is not one of the criteria).

Update: Phew, luckily I did not manage to get the UCL Final ticket. Imagine flying all the way to Moscow to watch Man Utd and Chelsea play. Like hello, can watch on TV during EPL.

Congrats to Man Utd from a Liverpool fan.

See you in Moscow.

The Princess' bro asked her to come up with a funny birthday wish for himself (wtf), and she came up with this in less than a minute.

(Sing to the tune of Happy Birthday To You)

Happy Birthday to me,
Wanna go to party,
But I have no money,
So I run to mummy.

I know, I'm a genius!

According to a survey conducted, Zurich is the best city to live in as far as quality of live is concerned. It's hardly surprising as Zurich excelled in all the quality of living criterias such as personal safety and health, education, economic and environmental factors, transport and public services and political (one can vote for everything under the sun and Swiss generally go voting once a month!). Which is super for people living there, but for visitors like The Princess, it will burn a big hole in the wallet.

Expensive or not, The Princess went exploring nevertheless. She and Thembe, her South African colleague, went touring up to the highest mountain in Switzerland, Mt. Titlis. They passed by Zurich and Lucern before reaching Engelberg. One thing she noticed, roads in Zurich are all quite narrow. And Swiss like holes. How else do you explain the numerous numbers of tunnel found?



















We finally reached the highest point the cable car could carry us at 10,000 ft. And it was so cold I could have kicked myself for forgetting to bring gloves along. But not as so hai (stupid) as one girl she saw lar. See, she went up to snowy mountain wearing only tights and dress-top and high-heeled boots. This is what you call "oi leng mm oi meng".