the sidewalks of orchard road on christmas eve...simply shocking...

a singapore christmas

wow...the celebrations just ended for me. this is my first year celebrating christmas in singapore.i must say that it has been an interesting one, jam packed with heaps of fun and activity.to put it simply, it's an enjoyable and eye-opening experience.

one can never forget the joys of christmas shopping. haha.. i think i'm beginning to sound like a girl =p it's just the feeling you get when the person whom you are buying the gift for likes your gift. christmas is a season of giving, isn't it? i think the best gift can even be the simplest gift... such as a small candy/chocolate, it's the thought that counts. as for me, i'll be happy to even receive a card. really, the best gift for christmas is love. just as God sent his Son to die for us, i feel we should adopt an attitude of giving during this advent season. there's so many lovey dovey things associated with christmas too..such as kissing under the mistletoe and all the romantic things that happen during christmas. lovely time of the year indeed!

after a long day of shopping and wrapping of gifts, i went to aunty julie's place for a family christmas eve dinner.i took the way through namly road to her house, and ascended namly hill as a shortcut. boy, i sure miss running down that steep slope during tahan training before i joined council. i still remember we had to run all the way to the top and then back down in roughly 1min30sec. the worst but most important part was to keep pace with your group, mine being the cooks. we cheered everyone on...and we made the time together. ah..such beautiful memories.anyway, when i reached a.julie's place jason was already there, all excited about his new digicam =p. chris was playing the guitar entertaining all of us with some jazz pieces. well, it was dinnertime once mike finished preparing his foie gras and cherry sauce. the sauce is one of the best i ever had (ingredients: lots of cherries, some wine, chicken stock, sugar, and some butter too, i think.) we had a feast that night - soup and baked salmon from mezza9, fresh oysters, foie gras with cherry sauce, roast duck, this vege called 'rocket'... served raw, lightly fried asparagus and 'mini-cabbage' (argh, can't remember the name for this one) we also had red wine with our meal and a chocolate cake from secret recipe for desert. hmmm...this menu is certainly the best i ever had. i think i should learn up and practice some cool recipes so that i can prepare it for potlucks or perhaps serve my guests in the future.

after dinner, me and jason headed down to orchard to meet up with wai hong. the bus ride was exceptionally long thanks to the traffic jam ala KL style. as expected, orchard road has been converted into a warzone of people spraying foam all along the streets. thanks to the experience i had back in malaysia( along jalan bukit bintang), i escaped any such attacks and treaded orchard road up and down twice from tangs to ps almost unscathed. we were joined by tow of wai's friends, angel and her sis ana. interesting people. we were supposed to watch kung fu hustle at 1am but since there was no tickets available, wai hong came up with an ingenius plan of catching that show at 4.30am in cine, which we just simply agreed to. now, we spent the 4 hours prior to the movie practically doing nothing besides walk, talk and drink. we actually planned to saty at the food court at the basement level of cineleisure but everyone was told to leave by the guards at around 2am. *sigh* i was almost burnt out by the time the movie started, almost dozing off during the boring advertisements. haha. once the movie kicked off it was laughter and surprises all the way, and i miraculously stayed awake throughout the movie, as if i took a drug to do so or something. the movie was typical stephen chow, there was more action than talking so the fact that i am watching it in mandarin didn't really affect me that much.

once we stepped out of the cinema at around 6.20am, i was at the brink of collapse. my frail body is giving up on me...must've been the shopping and walking all day prior to the movie. i realised also that the streets of orchard are cleaner now, i think the cleaners must've worked all night to clear up the mess generated by the hyped/crazy people on christmas eve night. really, i urge everyone who has not been to orchard road on the night of christmas eve to do so at least once. it's a really good experience, albeit a shocking one. i am utterly disappointed by the way some youths behave aggressively by spraying directly onto passers-by. it might get into the eyes and cause eyesore and irritation. maybe i'm a little too serious, but i think they should not over-do it. this makes me wonder sometimes, in how many ways the christmas message have been interpreted differently?

i only managed one hour of sleep, then dragged myself to church. sang carols and exchanged greetings. got some small gifts and cards here and there. some commented my new hairstyle is cool ^_^. went for lunch with alvin, allan n justina, then back. prepared my gift for gift exchange, then ZZzzzzz.....

after church on sunday, rushed back to get the stuff to make doorgifts. went back to school to get council dance cd, climbed gates as usual, then coro to buy choc goodies for everyone. reached claire's place at 2+ pm to start decorating her house, preparing doorgifts and cook! i think i'm the unofficial kitchen i/c for today...i was like giving advice and making most decisions about food matters. hehe. stayed in the kitchen for quite some time, i really enjoy that job! the wok's my weapon...hahawent to take a stroll with tiong around acs barker coz he has not seen the school before. we had an interesting time at cold storage too. haha. i shall not elaborate on what we did here. anyway, by the time we went back to claire's, the baked potatoes were already done. time to cook all the other food. took a break towards the end with a game of pool. i think zack will make a formidable opponent to me. the fun that followed throughout the night was just superb. took photos, ate the yummy food, sang carols. seb recited poetry... so romantic of him. played a lotta games too... passing the parcel was interesting. there's this forfeit where you have to pass a poker card using your lips... haha. samuel was nominated the guy with the nicest body by i.wong, haha. sam, you're the man! funny funny antics by zac n zing too. something i noticed during the games session, thought provoking for me...shall not discuss. dance till you drop didn't get a very good response, but the last part which was the gift exchange was nice. yixin was a bit surprised that i was her 'christmas angel' haha...hope she liked the 'classy and nice' vase i gave her. i got a nike armband from weilin which was really nice too. yay! helped clean-up, then finally return to hostel. long day indeed. christco kebahbah! we rock! 3 cheers to everyone for giving full support and participation to christco.

hmm... thought of this very lame joke just before turning in.
christmas ~ x'mas

christCo ~ X'Co?

wish you all a blessed christmas and a great 2005!

work amidst the holiday season

finally blogging again after i return to singapore. i'm beginning to miss home now...finally after studying in this island for 3 years. sigh. wished i could reverse my holiday, then i'll be able to spend christmas in malaysia. decision made earlier so i'll have to live with it.

i got transferred to a new room - cooler, smaller but without an internet connection at the moment. it's going to cost me a bomb to transfer the line. i am sometimes disappointed with the boarding school for not informing boarders to expect that their room will be changed after one year. i think that piece of information, or any that is of such importance, will affect decisions of many boarders especially those involving money. hey, we scholars living overseas have a tight budget you know.

i'm looking forward to 31st's christmas party! it's gonna be a night of fun...playing all those games we prepared, laughter..looking at how stupid some of us can be, dancing...dance till you drop!, and surprises..yes, when we exchange gifts. i went to ikea with 6 of the council girls to shop for decor stuff...everyone bought their gift except me. quite undecided what to get for my friend...i'm not telling! some secrets are meant to be secrets after all! shopping can be so fun, especially if you are trying to make something creative out of ordinary stuff!

orientation banner's almost done...yippie!

a walk down memory lane

today started off really bad. went all the way to taman melawati to process my new MyKAD but i didn't manage to get a queue number despite having waited since 7am[ it opens at 8am]. it's really funny how the JPN branch operates - you do not obtain your number from a machine but rather... a person will stand at the entrance distributing them. there's less than 50 people infront of me and yet when it was my turn there wasn't any left. i suspect bias and unfair treatment but well, just what can you do when a person decides to act that way? well, this could just be one of the common flaws of the country's government.

i must say that my afternoon was just pure bliss. met up with mr ngooi and hc for lunch at sushi king. well, we tried to help our dear tutor save by not ordering any set meals, only eating sushi taken off the conveyer belt. had a really great conversation with the both of them over lunch today. i always get whacked by hc for saying 'wrong' stuff. haha. mr ngooi claims that i always get 'brushed aside' by hc, esp when our views differ. =) it's really hilarious chatting about study, life in general and of course...his girlfriends!

i'm so glad hc liked her christmas gift - a evito parvoni hairpin ( i hope i got the name right) saw her prom pics too...really transformed person. elegant. no movies to watch, so we decided to take a stroll to the old bungalow up in taman taynton...the place where we were taught english while we were in secondary school. when i reached that place, i greeted all my old friends who are still residing there (the pigeons). to my surprise, the poem i wrote back in form 2 for inter-class choral speaking competition is still there! i'm really touched. it's like bits of memories all over the place. didn't stay for long as mr ngooi wanted to go for his nap =) me n hc strolled back to leisure mall...havn't had such a leisurely walk with her for ages. i got treated to bubble tea (yay!) then we took the same route back to her home...that same old road..jalan mutiara 6, then jalan mutiara 2. she almost got locked out of her house when no one at her place seem to respond to her calls. never been inside although offered, but well, she had to go out again soon anyway.

there was something i really wanted to say but i finally decided against. not the appropriate time yet, i feel. the walk today kind of resembled those you usually get in hongkong drama serials..long walks, just talking and enjoying each other's company while reminiscing the old times, things we've done together...like walking her home. it's been a long while since the last time i walked her back to her doorstep. recollecting pieces of yesterdays is really quite romantic sometimes, haha, don't you agree? i sometimes wish this walk will not stop; a walk to remember.

ps: i dug up three beautiful reminders/poems taught to me while attending a camp by Impressions..a motivational camp..back in primary school. they are found in 3 posts before this. enjoy!

My Life

This life is mine

I take the power

To choose what I want to do

And do it well

I take the power

To love what I want in life

And love it honestly

I take the power

To walk in the forest

And be part of nature

I take the power

To control my life

No one else can do it for me

I take the power to make my life happy

Today

This is the beginning of a new day
I am given this day to do as I will
I can waste it
Or grow in its light
And be of service to others
But what I do with this day is important
Because
I have exchanged a day in my life for it
When tomorrow comes,
Today will be gone forever.
I hope I will not regret
The price I paid for it.

A Short Course in Human Relations

The SIX most important words:

"I admit I made a mistake"

The FIVE most important words:

"You did a good job"

The FOUR most important words:

"What is your opinion?"

The THREE most important words:

"If you please"

The TWO most important words:

"Thank You"

The ONE most important words:

"We"

The LEAST important word:

"I"

The Golden Rule in Human Relations:

"Do unto others as you want others to do unto you"

makan mania

makan - eat!

i've been pampered with great food from different places all spread all over my beloved hometown - Kuala Lumpur!!!

a list of interesting fav's i've came across thus far

chinese restaurant@pandan jaya
butter fried prawn-something different from the usual ones where the prawns are coated with lots of 'flakes', the sauce is really butter-ish and a little spicy. can't work out how to prepare this one, so i'll have to patronise the same shop for more!
roast lamb cutlets- the mint sauce here is superb
teochew-style steamed fish - simply irresistable

chinese restaurant@cheras
butter crab - TO DIE FOR!!! this is the best crab i've ever eaten. served with sour dough bread(to go with the sauce), the crab is served in a claypot. it's finger-lickin' good, i tell you. another secret recipe i can't work out, yet.
fried kangkung with fermented bean - self-explanatory. easy-to-prepare. add some cili padi to flavor. heat oil, then throw in garlic. only short cooking time required....remember not to overcook.
fried sotong ring - include salt, pepper and some chili powder in the batter. will give it a more exciting flavour.

maju palace [it's a halal chinese restaurant]
haha, i was really amazed by this place. i requested for a table in the non-smoking area and i spotted someone smoking just 2 tables away. i asked the waitress "isn't this the non-smoking area?" she replied," there is no real difference" i was totally put off by that remark. why then even bother to choose between the two in the first place? next came the menu. the individual dim sum dishes were so expensive as though suggesting(or rather forcing) you to take the set meal, which was a business set meal for minimum 3 pax. as such, me n my mum can't order that. we had no choice but to choose to order from the ala carte menu. wanted to order 1 pax for a variety of dishes but guess what, "minimum order for each dish is 2 pax" what nonsense is that?!?! what if i came alone? can't i make an order? why can't they make special arrangements? is it because i didn't come dressed up with gold and platinum all over myself?
paid a bomb for that meal; luckily i learnt some tricks - what they probably did to prepare their signature dish.

mayo-wasabi sauce - blend wasabi(japanese mustard) and sweet mayo together. probably 3 parts mayo and 1 part wasabi(add more if you prefer it more pungent). simple as that! there's another similar sauce using mango puree i think, but not very sure on that though.

i thought today why restaurants are charging us the extra 10% on top of the total bill for government tax. i doubt there is proper enforcement in the collection of this particular tax, as such many companies are simply charging this to earn more profit. by including the additional 10% surcharge on top of the base price( the price you see on the menu before tax) simply mean that when you eat at that restaurant, you have to pay the restaurant and also the government directly for dining there. i'd say consumers bear all the extra cost. in the case of singapore, where the government tax is included in the price that you pay, it appears more that the company is taxed for their earning, and not in the case of malaysia where the company keeps all the earnings (and more) while the consumer is subject to pay more to cover the taxes that was meant for the company.

one more recipe for the day...
fried rice - add any ingredients you wish, but seafood like prawns and cuttlefish are recommended. chicken meat is also fine. use rice that's been kept overnight so that it will not stick together so easily during cooking. first beat 3-4 eggs together, then fry. add in other ingredients. for a thai flavor, add tomyam paste and some belacan while cooking. cook all ingredients together with any seasoning first. rice goes in the last. serve while hot =)

that's all folks. will be trying out my uncle's famous hainanese beef soup/stew. haha. [he said the first thing i needed was a pressure cooker..so i guess you'll have to wait till i get one before i can prepare it for you guys]

MBTI personality test

Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

haha. found this is really interesting site off the net. the results i got too..hmmm. used to be an "I"... probably i'm on the border?

click here for all the other possible results.

memories of alma mater

haha! guess what i found while packing my room - the essay i wrote that got me into MBSSKL's editorial board 2001! i landed myself in the highlights department =)
MBSSKL - Methodist Boys' Secondary School, Kuala Lumpur

here it goes!

Holidays and honeymoons are over. it's time to return to the old grind once more. i regret that the holidays passed by so fast. anyway, i'm glad to be back in school and looking forward to the new year! i can remember vividly the excitement of the first day in school - meeting old friends and making new ones.

As the bell rang, my mind pondered,"who will be my new class teacher? Mr.? Mrs.? Will I get good, dedicated ones like the one I had last year? Whatever it is, MBS will always be my MBS - a historical building with its run-down furnitures, old school hall, strict discipline and... the field where we had lots of good times.

In MBS, life is never a bed of roses. We've exams to sit for, RMs to do (Rancangan Membaca/Reading Programme), projects to complete, activities to participate and to top it up, the Education Ministry has added one more task for us - NILAM! (Nadi Ilmu Amalan Membaca..i think so - it's another reading programme, this time started by the govt.) Besides all these, we're encouraged to build up student fellowship where sometimes strong bonds of friendship are sown.

With the new term, I'll hav to settle down with a whole new system, new books, new targets, and new schedule, as this is a PMR year for me.

My day begins at 5.30am daily. After my usual wash-up, I start off with 10 minutes of physical exercise - push up, sit up, chin up. then, I proceed with a good bath followed by a hearty breakfast. Then, I'm off to work (as a student). Here, like everyone else in Kuala Lumpur, I'm caught in the famous KL jam, eventhough it's still in the wee hours. After about hald an hour's drive, I reach my beloved alma mater.

As it's still early, I usually zoom down to the canteen for my usual hot Milo, just to de-stress myself. At 7.20am sharp, the school bell signalled us for our l-o-n-g assembly wich sometimes provides us with the occasional eye-openers or the usual boring and tedious do's and don't's. For such times, I look forward to Mondays, where we'll sing our hearts out our school song and national anthem, making us feel that tinge of loyalty.

In the classroom, we have to undertake averagely 9 periods in a day - be it a lesson or a lecture. In between lessons, it's the ultimate that we've to keep quiet, and keep the classroom clean. On rare occasions, we get free periods and we often long for a chance of football or basketball. If not, we do our infamous wonders in class - chatting our bone-box away. If lady luck is on our side, we'll have our teachers all year long, if lady luck decides to leave us, so will our teachers - maternity leave, study leave, transfer, etc.

Being an MBSian, I have a furtherplus point for my alma mater, I guess we're the only school in town with its toilet right in the centre of campus! I suppose it's location is to give easy access to students in times of emergency. On the other hand, our library is way up in the 2nd floor, with added disruptions from the buses and the LRT. So, these push our reading limits. In my hour of need, there's an 'underground paradise!', namely the canteen.

Generally, I think that the name MBS suites my school very well, as it's just like 'Malaysia's Best School'. And I'm glad i'm her student.

Loh Veng Hoong
3M 2001