I-Heart-You Day

Warning: Lotsa self-taken lovey-dovey photos ahead. Risk of suffering from sickness such red-eyes, nausea, dizzy and self-destruct. Just kidding lah. Nothing 18SX like Chen and his angels.

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After hours and days of brain-storming of how to top, I mean surprise Bobby with my card and gift, finally the long waited day was here.

It was not just for Valentine's day. It was for his belated birthday celebration as well.

Unfortunately his birthday fell on Monday this year and I got no time to prepare and also the energy driving up to BSB just to have a dinner with him then rush back. That's why we had it postponed.

Checked in the hotel at almost six.

Coincidentally, it was again the same room that we had checked in last year!

(The same thing happened for our anniversary celebration last year too. Same room again for Eastwood Valley)

Love the mirrors

You know, the whole dolling and dressing up just to make the night perfect. We rarely have the chance to do that because:

1. We're lazy and it's time wasting

2. Unpowdered face is more kissable

3. We only get to see each other maybe once every 2 weeks or less.

Just the night before Valentine's, we were still thinking where to eat.

Somewhere not over-commercialized and thus blood-sucking.

I asked Uncle Jan about Vintage Rose but the last table was taken just 5 minutes ago before he text the boss. Sam told me about Twelv but we went there for V-day two years ago (2006) and the service was really slow.

Instead of looking into each other's eyes and saying all those mushy-mushy stuffs, we ended up cranky and kept complaining to each other when is the food coming. Very hungry lah. Some more, we didn't get the "Special Gift" as promised because it's out of stock. There, my unromantic valentine's experience with Twelv.

Last last, we picked Manjaro.

The place we went for our very first Valentine's day.

They had both buffet and set dinners. Bobby thought that the buffet menu looks more attractive but I was concerned about Cheesie's post, What not to order on first date.

"Oi, if eat buffet later you just keep on eating and ignore me how? Like talk half way, "Wah... got lamb. I go take ah.", then off you go. Very sien one wor..."

But he reassured that that won't happen.

Because I look more delicious than lamb legs and roast chicken. Hahahaha!

Candle light, beverage menu and a stalk of carnation..

Yes, he didn't get me any flowers and it is totally fine with me. After several attempts of surprising me with roses wrapped in that tacky transparent wrapping which is very much diss by me, he had not get me any of those ever since.

He told me that he did wanted to get my 99 roses but his bank book said no. I told him I would prefer the bouquet that Nicole got for her mum, which is made out of $10 and $5 cash notes.

Never wilt and keeps me happy all year round.

What you saw in the above picture were all that I ate for the night. May looks pretty little to you but its already the best I can do.

I don't know why some people becomes super kiasu (takut kalah) when it comes to buffet. They must eat their heart out until they get so bloated and can't move at all baru they consider its "worth it".

"All you can eat" buffet means eat all you can, and not eat till you vomit and die.

I enjoyed the variations of food to be indulged rather than keeping record of the quantity.

Seriously, the food... THUMBS UP!!! Love the Shepherd's Pie to bits!

Way better than the gold-gold-big-big-sea-side hotel's buffet and of course, cheaper too.

With mere B$27.80, we had:

- Seafood Chowder with dinner rolls

- Chicken Liver Parfait

- Soft Shell Crab

- Assorted Mini Quiche

- Cold Pasta

- Mixed Salad

- Deep Fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls

- Shepherd's Pie

- Roasted Chicken with Herbs

- Pan Fried Salmon with buttered lemon sauce

- Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Mushroom Cream Sauce

- Almond Butter Rice

- Lemon Tart, and lastly

- Chocolate Mousse!

The place was well-decorated with a lot of red hearts and all ladies were given a stalk of carnation. I don't know why carnation instead of the old school rose. Maybe it means, "I love you so much that I want to celebrate Mother's Day for you with out children"?

Everything was perfect except for having an odd couple sitting next to us on the left with no communication at all but just eat, eat and eat. Told Bobby that I hope we won't end up like that few years later because I think having endless things to talk to your partner is like the ultimate enjoyment. From weather to current news to politics, voicing out our point of view and exchange ideas, isn't that like the best de-stress tool?

And our right, there was a big family celebrating an elder's birthday if I'm not wrong. It was all cheery and warm. Erm... a little noisy actually. Quite a bit of "mood-killer" because we picked the wrong table and Bobby basically need to shift his chair all the time for people to get passed.

Back to Gadong

Weekend night in Gadong basically means one thing,

"Find Parking till you want to bang head against steering wheel".

We went to The Mall Cineplex first to get the tickets for CJ7 for the next day because we didn't want to rush the night and squeeze with 100+ couples in the same place watching how they rubbed against each other.

Hahahhaaa.

Man, its like the whole population of BSB age 15 - 35 cramped in the third floor and making it so difficult to walk.

I thought I was in Harajuku or Taipei. Everyone was well-dressed either looking like Avril Lavigne (for age 17 and below), Ayumi Hamasai or Rainie Yang (age 18 to 22) and JolinTsai (age 23 and above).

It was so damn extreme!
I only managed to spot less than 10 girls/ ladies wearing "normal looking" attire with just simple shirt and jeans/ skirts and tidy hair.

Bumped to a couple of friends and one of them was Mr. CookieMonster. Not only the poor fellow was dateless, also he got ditched by his brother and ended up wandering alone in the jam-packed Mall looking couples lovey-dovey passing by.

Friend, got win ah?

* * *

There was this very young couple, I think maybe at around age 14 (secondary 2) wearing all couple-ish with the theme "PINK" holding hands and stood in front of me while going down the escalator.

Once stepped off the escalator, the girl shouted really loud.

"HAIYOO! WHY YOU DON'T HOLD MY HAND ONE!"

Hahahhahaa! It was so cute and funny!
But I didn't manage to take their photo in time lah. Sayang.

And also, there were some people holding a basket of Ferrero Rocher flowers asking guys to buy a stalk of candy for their partners.

Bobby and I tried to "escape" from them because both of us are quite soft-hearted and easily convinced when it comes to this thing. Don't know how to reject that is.

But this time both of us improved!

Sweet looking girl : Hi mister. Buy a flower for your partner?

Bobby: *look at me*

I looked back at him hoping that he received the hint of "I don't want. Don't buy."

Bobby: *in very broken Mandarin and pointed at me* Er, she had it already.

Sweet looking girl: Not very expensive one. Buy lar.

Nonnie: Hehe. We don't want. Thank you ah. Bye bye.

(Walk away quick quick)

Phew~ That was close.

I know if we continue to layan her sure the soft-hearted boyfriend will fork out whatever the amount it is and bought it.

Those who bought it, care to tell me how much is it?

It's not about the money really. But, no point bah you get what I mean?
If Bobby gave it to me and I ate it, the stalk will be flowerless and left nothing but the plastic wrappings.

If I keep it, then it will grow dust and attracts ants to invade my room. And I still have to dump it having my mum looking angrily at me.

Lose-lose situation.

Remember dear, cash money bouquet.
=p

Back to king size bed with plasma

He's gaining the weight back! Can you see?
=D

Camwhore a little before we proceed with our cards exchanging

2008

A year ago, 2007.

Same room, same couch, same boyfriend.

See how "big bone" he was just a year ago?

The perfect neck rest, his arm

Force to layan me

Silly faces

10 minutes later... his attention went to the TV
Sigh.

Curse you ESPN!

Out of boredom while waiting for the match to finish...

Finally, minutes later when I was about to knock out...

Card exchange time!

For Me.

For Him

Instead of hearing "Wow!" and "Wah!" from him, he pulled down his face and said, "Eee... why so nice one? You make my one look so bad lar."

-___-"

Since when it became a competition har?

He disallowed me to spend any money for his birthday and Valentine's. And so I make lor. Not bad right? It's a "Candle Snow Globe".

Got water and glitters inside one really.
Tell me if you all want to know how I made it and I'll post up the DIY lesson up.

As for the card, it looks really ugly lah.

But the photos are "drag-able" one
Also the hearts.
100% my own original idea okay~


Next morning, on the way down to makan breakfast

Damn bagus!

Plus Nasi Lemak, fish porridge, roti canai, breads and cereals.

Eat full full go back see TV again

After checking out, we went to Jollibee for lunch (still very full after the breakfast) and bumped in to Max. Introduced Bobby to her and she claimed that there's no such need because "everyone knows Bobby from your blog lah".

-___-"

Can someone tell me, why do my friends get more attention and recognition than me?

Just like SL. He went out lunch with his colleagues and someone saw him and said, "I know that guy. He's some blogger's friend." Told me that he can't do bad things anymore because its dangerous for him already.

But never once someone talk to me and say, "I know you Nonnie! I read your blog!".

Is it because I look different from my pictures and real life?
*shrugs*

Anyway, Max was asking us the million dollar question, "When you guys going to get hitched ah? You guys dated so long already, can liao laaa."

"No money how to kahwin?"

"No money got no money punya methods mah. You can have dinner at the beach. So romantic kan?"

"Ya, bring chicken wings and ask my guests to help themselves BBQ-ing right?"

"And give them fishing rod ask them fish themselves. ", added Bobby.

I wish I can do it girl. But being the only child doesn't allow me to do so.

And somemore she asked Bobby to straight away "reserved" me by registering scare later taken by someone else. Said it till like I banyak market a lot of suitors like that.

"Register liao so mafan. What if we break up later leh? Have to pay for divorce again."

"You got think want to break up one meh? You don't want to be with him forever one meh?"

*speechless*

You can never predict the future right? Even though I look all cheerful and optimistic, I'll always remind myself to do the reality check from time to time. Too many sad divorces or scandals nowadays and too little happily-ever-after fairytale nowadays.

Of course, I will work hard for my relationship no worries.
=)

One last thing, please do not magnify all the actions and words only on Valentine's Day. Why does it matters most just because it's V-day? For me, any moment spent with him is memory earned and bonus.

I know it sounds really naive.
But I thought I'll feel happier that way.
(Well, some of you married men/ women might be laughing at me now. But I don't really care)

No, its not belated.
Its just 364 days earlier.

Remember, you don't have to wait till your birthday, anniversary or Valentine's day to have excuse to celebrate.

Everyday or any day can be a special one as long as you have the heart.

The Dreadful Trip

Short Note: 

Happy Birthday Everyone! Today is the Seventh Day of CNY and everyone is getting older.

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The most frequent asked question when I got back, whether in MSN or face-to-face is, "So.. how's your trip?"

Seriously, I had no idea how to answer it because for what I thought was, the main reason for this trip was to pay my sick grandma a visit and celebrate CNY with her and the rest wouldn't matter so much. Thus I just replied with a smile, "Errr.... Ok kua?"

Not until Jewelle pinpoint the question, "How was your bus trip? Is it better or worse than what you expected?"

Itu dia. The question I can answered without constructing sentences in my brain first and can go on and on until somebody stop me.

WORSE of course!!!

(And I still feel like complaining MASWing for not having extra flights knowing its festive season and everyone want to balik kampung...)

Some stupid people even asked me, "Why don't get business class? Pay a little more nya mah.."

-___-"

"Hello! It's a Fokker plane and you want me to sit with the pilot in the cockpit is it?! Check your info before asking me stupid question you idiot! "

And one more thing, Sibu "not equal" Kuching!

I can't believe some people actually thought that Sibu and Kuching are same. I think his Geography teacher will cry and climb out from his coffin to knock his head.

Know why, because my silly friend asked me "Aiyooo... Why you don't take AirAsia? Got cheap tickets what." 

Then I replied that AirAsia doesn't have flight connecting from Miri to Sibu, so does RBA fyi. Only MASWing.

And he shouted in astonishment, 

"OH! Kuching and Sibu not same hia? I thought same one"

*bang head against the wall. I mean... his head, not mine*

Here, a map for your people out there who still have no idea where Sibu is.

Saw that? To go Sibu from Brunei, I had to pass by Miri, Niah, Bintulu, then baru arrived. 

Total distance? Count yourself.

Takes only an hour to fly from Miri to Sibu but 8 hours with a bus!

Who says money cannot buy time?

If I get to pay B$175 (return flight) to MASWing, I'll save myself a spanking total of 14 hours of traveling!

Air fare - B$175.00 (RM 397.25 - Rate 2.27)

Bus fare -RM 40 x 2 trips = RM80.00

So now I know, the price to pay for 14 hours is RM 317.25.

Okay, okay, I should stop whining and get on with my blog.

* * * * *

Our bus start jalan at 8.30am and we arrived the terminal at 8.20am. No sight of bus seen but plenty of "bus-mates" waiting with their red-white-blue big plastic bag and Jacob's box.

Thank Buddha there's no chicken, ducks or goose this time.

And also the stinky liu-lian, durian.

(Sorry peeps, you're reading a non-durian-lover's blog)

I don't know whether its because the salesman is very charming or my mum got tutup-mata by "you-know-what", she always ended up buying tickets from the company which has the buruk-est bus. 

I wasn't with her when she went down Miri to get the tickets. So it was only till we arrived the terminal and searched for the bus then baru know, "MA!!! WHY SURIA AGAIN?!"

Well, seems like it doesn't matter much to her because she fell asleep just after 15mins of goyang-goyang in the bus. Leaving me alone with my Whitie battling against other Pokemons.

 

(Face pixelated because I look horrible with that poor skin condition + dark eye circles with o make up.)

One of the thing I hate about taking bus is that it pull over a lot of times whenever seeing the natives waiting along the road.

I don't know if they had already bought the tickets before it and made that special request for the bus to stop by their house, or it was the bus driver making some extra cash for giving them rides to the next kampung.

It's really annoying.

For those who drove to Sibu told me that it normally took them 6hours plus to arrive, minus another hour if they're driving like the tofu-guy in AE86 drifting along the bengkang-bengkok hills.

So why do bus takes 8 hours to arrive?

Because they keep stopping over lah!

*urgh!!!*

Along the trip I saw a lot of wooden houses where the natives lived in and it really made me felt lucky that at least I have a concrete house with Astro and ADSL connection even though it's buruk and small like tofu cube.

Not forgetting a well-lighted washroom with proper toilet system to flush the stinkoes away.

 

(The above house you saw was considered quite pretty and nice already)

Stupid one. How to litter when there's no windows to throw out the rubbish?

FYI, the bus is air-conditioned thus no windows. 

Therefore if anyone farted or smells like ikan-masin... the whole bus suffered.

Another thing that really pissed me off during the ride was those selfish people who lowered down their seat leaving very small room to the person who sat behind.

Eh uncle, you think your seat is Business Class is it? 

Or the person sitting behind you was Mr. Fantastic, can just shorten his legs to 3".

First Official Stopover

where everyone get down the bus to buy food and pee.

Er no, I think I was one of the very few people who rather stayed in the bus than go visiting the stinky toilet.

I only drank half a glass of Milo and vomited it all out when I was on my way to the terminal. I have a really weak gastric. No food allowed before 9am else it will all end up in the nearest longkang or plastic bag.

No drinks = No Pee = No toilet visit = No vomit = Happy Me.

But it was already 10+ am when we reached the Niah food court and my mum bought me a packet of rice, with one chicken wing and a salted duck egg.

Almost similar to the Ayamku set meal, Ayamku Happy.

(Accept for the duck egg instead of chicken egg)

I think my mum still lived in the years when I was 9 years old and 100% carnivores eating no vegetables at all. Hi ma, I'm 24 and I do eat veggies now. 

I was already having bus-sick after endless rounds of Pokemon battles and forced to get down from the bus because of nature's call when it stopped at the terminal.

And all of my semi-digested Niahku Happy ended up in the basin and toilet bowl of Bintulu bus terminal female washroom. I can't believe I paid RM0.20 for it. Really puke till "mother also cannot recognized".

Seriously, I'll understand if it's an entrance-free washroom to be all stinky and dirty with used pads left widely exposed for everyone to see and also those stubborn floating poo-poo.

RM0.20 per entrance and the unflushable toilet bowls.... Man, money must be easy for you to earn.

Police check points

Of course you have heard of lot of scary stories about how people got robbed while traveling along the Mafia-Route and read forward emails regarding how mobsters find their targets by switching their head lights off waiting for cars from the opposite lane to highlight them.

So yeah, even though it's a bit time-wasting, but I guess its all worth it for the police to check. My mum was kidding that should threaten the little girl who sat behind her telling her that if she jump and sing very loud again, ask police tangkap her.

Out of that 8 hours, I think I only managed to nap for maybe 2 hours. The rest of the time was all wasted on my Whitie, Female magazine and the latest Crayon ShinChan comic. And also, sight-seeing of nothing but green bushes and trees.

I think my Myopia (short-sighted) just got cured by the greenness.

* * *

Fast forward 3 days later, my return trip.

This time I smart liao, followed my mum and choose the bus company myself. Unfortunately, the big comfy bus (according to my cousin, she's already an expert in it) was out of seats so we had to take the second best one.

As long as it's not the oldest and the buruk-est with a stench of pee can already.

The bus this time

Equipped with leather seats and much more room compare to the red-and-white one. 

At least I got the mood to camwhore a bit

Messy hair with no mousse or whatsoever hair styling gel and no powder on face. Small and sleepy eyes still present and also the dehydrated but oily skin. 

This is what I saw at one of the stopovers. 

They hang Red Decorative Pineapples on the lamp post!!!

Wonder whose idea is it because damn creative lah. 

So Dong-Dong-Ciang-ish.

But so high up wor, couldn't do so without a crane or Superman helping though.

Oh ya!

There's a must-blog subject.... substance.... thing... bah, human lah that I'd mentioned to Jewelle that really made my return trip a whole lot "fun-er".

Here goes.

When the bus stop over at the Bintulu bus terminal, some of the passengers will get down and some get up. There was this fine Muslim lady sitting behind me and she went down for some refreshment.

And when she got up the bus, there was this bastard man (Malay/ Iban in his thirties) who took her seat with legs wide opened as if he was some sort of Tua-Pek-Kong making it impossible for the lady to get through. 

(Tua-Pek-Kong - One of the local Chinese deity)

And so the lady stood innocently and smiled to the man and said sorry. Meaning that she wanted him to move his legs so she can walked in. But that stupid fellow acted like he didn't hear a thing and continued with his mind-idling stage.

Oh ya, I think the Muslim lady is only maybe 20 or less than that because she looks like an undergraduate to me. Young and naive. 

I got annoyed by the man's gesture and turned my back and pointed, "That is her seat." and ready to return to my comfy position.

That freaking bastard looked at me, looked at the girl..

and looked away again with that *insert female reproduction organ* face.

The girl stood awkwardly with a puzzled face and looked really helpless.

Then the righteous genes inside me gushed out and I talked to that idiot again with an really impatient tone.

"That, is her seat! You have to let her walk in!"

That idiot the said, "Airport kah ni?"

I have no idea why he said that, probably he's out of his mind not knowing how to reply me because he wasn't expecting me to be so busybody.

Anyway, I got really irked by that response and talked even louder with a really serious face to the girl but eyes still on that idiot.

"You go show him your ticket."

(To shut that loser's mouth)

I think the girl also got stunned by my words because she looked really blank after it. I secretly hoped that she worshipped me for my bravery in her heart at that time. Hahahhaahhaa. I was such an heroine kan?

But girl, get some nerves to stand up for your rights.

You can't expect people to help you everytime in this cruel world.

And so the idiot moved his legs and let the girl get in finally.

While talking to the guy, my mum kept pulling me and asked me to ignore and keep quiet because it was none of my business. Maybe scare the guy tampar me kua?

(Tampar - Slap)

I don't know from where I got that courage to fight against a big man who maybe is capable of doing black magic and make worms crawl out from my body. I just know that if I don't help the girl, she very kasian. If he dare to do anything to me, I got plenty of witnesses in the bus because I did nothing wrong.

The funny thing was, when I told Theen and SL this incident in the car, my mum sounded really supportive and proud for my action.

-___-"

And after telling them the story, that two kanasai friends went silent for few seconds until I voiced out, "OI! Why no response? Should have praise me for my action what?!"

They two looked at each other and replied, "Don't know say you too BUSYBODY or RIGHTEOUS..."

Stupid friends. Show no support at all.

Next time you all kana bullied I won't help liao. 

Every time got something also pushed me out and asked me go talk to the person one.

*humph...*

Dear Buddha, 

please grant me some new friends who think I'm not clumsy, noisy and busybody.

Anyway, the photo of the freaking loser.

I was playing Pokemon on my DS happily while I heard loud snores from the back. It was him with his armpit showing to the whole world.

And so I took out my mobile phone and pretended that I was about to camwhore but in fact, I raised my phone high enough to snap a picture of him so I can show the whole world the face of this kanasai fellow.

So, that almost mark the end of my post.

Oh wait, do you know much diesel a bus consumed for such long travel?

200.59 litres.

RM316.53!!!

It is RM 1.578 for a litre of diesel whereas it's only B$0.31 in Brunei.

Double the price in Malaysia.

I heart you Brunei. 

You sell cheap fuel and is very kind to us.

The Lion wears Bata

Post to be edited later after I fully recharged from rounds of lamis and non-stop munching of the sotong strings.

Winnings so far, B$6.70. 

Hey, not bad for playing 10, 20, 30 cents games already. I just heard scary stories such as people who lost almost $10k in just a night.

Chill people, no need to play till so big kua?

Anyway, just a quick preview of what I'm going to blog.

Took hundreds of photos but I guess only 5% of it will be posted up.

Stay tune peeps.

Got a lot more coming, if I got the time to blog instead of being chased out to play lami again.

To the guy...

To the guy whom I had known for 7 years 1 month and 25 days...
(Yes, I made no mistake here because 16th January 2001 was the first time I saw you. It was your first day of school whereas I'm your senior by 15 days old.)

To the guy whom I thought was very "kanasai" because he only managed to wave thanks when I lent them (his buddies and him) my answer sheet for the assignment...

To the guy who tricked me into opening a porn site in the school c.c. when he was sitting few meters away from me by saying, "Hey, I can't access into that page. Can you check for me if you can?"...

(The stupider thing was, I lost count the number of times that I had fall for that dopey old trick. Sigh.)

To the guy who gave me ride home when I had no transport and got stuck in school for hours.

(As a matter of fact, I was the first girl who sat in his car when he just got his driving license =D I'm so brave right? Dare to sit in a noob's car with his few days old license. Hahhahahaa. )

To the guy whom I talked for hours on the phone complaining and whining about my (now ex-) boyfriend and him sighing about his (now also long-time ex-) girlfriend.

(Back in the days, we had already secretly thought that, "How wonderful will it be if he/she 's the one I'm dating. But neh... impossible lah.")

To the guy who also happened to be a lousy group mate for the very important assignment because I ended up doing everything whereas he sobbed whole month long for his piteous break-up.

To the guy who failed to be the hero rescuing me from my (ex)boyfriend when he threatened me not to leave because I wanted a split. It was my 19th birthday and that silly boy went to get me a birthday cake and got stuck in the traffic instead of hurrying to meet me.

To the guy who knows all my past history and likewise for me too...

(It's true. Things get easier when you started off as "friends" instead of plunging into the love sea and survive the big storm as "boy/girlfriend" all of the sudden.)

To the guy who would cook porridge or boil soup for me when I fell sick, and prepare an umbrella always whenever the thick clouds gather regardless of how people will look at him when he had an ella-ella-eh-eh in a shopping mall.

To the guy who can tahan my bad temper and have the patience to calm me down when I ticked off by some really small things.

To the guy who thinks that I'm the prettiest girl and call my tiny eyes, flat nose and pancake face cute when its obviously hideous and unpopular according to most standards.

To the guy who called me "Smelly", pinched my 3-layers-fat and thinks that it's cute when I jaling at him till my eyes also juling already.

To the guy who always answer me, "No, you look great. Where got fat?" followed by a warm hug when I asked the question that all men in this world had to answer average 2.5times daily and yet still need to entertain with a smile, "Do I look fat?".

To the guy who would spend hours and days for making cards and gifts for me and not getting a good night sleep after having a study marathon because my birthday fell in the middle of his finals every year without a fail. And still get somewhat good grades instead of flunking it.

To the guy whom will be graduating soon and I pray for him to get a good job so that things will go easier for him.

To the guy who has an unique sense of humour that will only show when he get familiar with the people. This guy can drive you nuts sometimes with his silly logics and absurd but creative explanations...

To the guy whom I had dated for almost four years and still don't get sick of...

To the guy who is turning 24 today,

Hey Baby,
Happy Birthday.

I Love You.

Happy Chinese New Year

Safe and sound in Sibu now after 2 pukes and 8hours long duration with an annoying lil girl singing and jumping behind me.

Now at my cousin place using her cacat f.o.c wireless and "typing" with the freaking on-screen keyboard.

No photo yet 'cos it may takes forever to upload it.

HAPPY TIKUS YEAR ELIBADI!

Hope you all year year got fish, hansem and pretty always and wrinkles won't crawl up your face.

Bye. It's damn tiring to 'click' blogging.

Rich Boyfriend, Poor Boyfriend

It was not until my "god-brother" (a 17 years old kiddo whom I'd bullied since young) came to me and asked for gift ideas for his girlfriend then I realized how different is kids nowadays compare to us last time.

"Hey, tell me what kind of gifts should I get for my girlfriend?", asked the 17 years old young lad who just had his O' level result and now waiting for his 6th form enrollment.

"Dinner, flowers, chocolates, gifts.. the usual old school stuffs lor. You got money meh?"

"Money you don't have to worry for me. CNY coming sure got angpao one. Actually I already bought a white gold necklace but it is for our anniversary. So I don't know what to get for Valentine's day."

*jaw dropped for 5 seconds but yet had to pretend like its no big deal and continue chatting with him*

Omaigouda! Someone tell me how can a 17 years old afford a white gold necklace that cost few hundred bucks? Well... you don't have to tell me actually, I had already guess the answer.

1. Savings from their angpaos accumulated for years.

2. Tell parents they need $50 for reference books/ tuition fees/ misc and actually the amount needed is $20. Save the $30 balance for personal entertainment fee.

3. For smart kids, scholarship given from those business chamber association, Hakka association, Cantonese association and bla-bla-bla association.

4. Sell off their belongings maybe? Like Magic cards or I don't know, mp3 players or mobile phones?

5. Those born with silver spoon.... No need to say liao lar.

Ish. Kids nowadays...

A baaaaaa... Sour grape ba can or not?

How could I be so easily pleased with a stupid key chain and a Pizza Hut $5 meal just like that when I was 17? Why didn't it come to my mind that I should have "fish" a slightly wealthier person, or someone who's willing to be a robber just for me. Wah seh, like no romantic and noble... NOT! 

My first Valentine's Day was celebrated pathetically with a $10+ per head tacky dinner with a supplementary rose. Ya, that's how I got my very first flower, sekuntum, from the waiter somemore. 

Yet, I felt that I had the biggest smile and thought I was the luckiest woman girl because he got me a Panda plushie and drove all the way down from BSB to celebrate with me.

Silly girl.

(Bang head against wall and cried out loud)

I'm not trying to sound materialistic because I am not, at least I think so. Over the years, I'm still easily satisfied by a handmade card from a poor undergraduate. I told myself that it was his character and personality that make him a wealthy person and who he is that make me fell in love. 

Of course, I'm surrounded by a bunch of fairy-tale-like-princesses along with their not-so-charming-princes with stories that made me go "Wuuuu!" and "Waaaa!", showering them with expensive gifts and dinners who eventually turned out to be their chauffeur cum ATM machine cum  servant sum lover. Envious leh. 

Then I'll turned to the boyfriend and told him the thriller (for him it is, for me I called it romance) and followed by a million dollar question, "So when are you going to buy me expensive gifts like that har?"

Now I sound like a scary witch don't I?

I know I know. Everyone told me that I shouldn't compare because it was unfair to him and reminded (along with curses and swears) how lucky I was for having a boyfriend who would spent hours or days in making cards and gifts instead of buying the usual stuffs. 

"Hah, you think he'll still make you cards after he starts working? I don't think so. You better cherish all the (handmade) gifts given by him before you received none in the future."

. . . *speechless*

Girls, answer me honestly...

How many of you will prefer a handmade card to a genuine branded watch?

or,

Which one will melt your heart more? The moment when your boyfriend takes a piece of paper out of his pocket and read you a poem written by himself as a marriage proposal (Roses are red, violets are blue. Please marry me because I love you so), or when he takes out the pretty turquoise box with beberapa carat diamond ring inside?

Come to think of it, I doubt that I'll like it if my boyfriend buys and pays for everything. Make me feel damn useless. There are couples with an ego boyfriend who insists on footing all the bills, also couples who still prefer to go dutch every time they go out for a date. 

We belong to the later. 

Sometimes I'll buy him lunch and he'll be paying for the movie tickets. 

Sometimes we split our bills. 

Sometimes he'll buy me ice cream when I start getting grouchy.

We even made a deal, "No expensive gifts before he starts working."

I planned to buy him a mobile phone for his birthday because 70% of dinosaur egg's paint had fallen off and the keypad already cacat. 

Ya, his first generation of colour screen with polyphonic tone with no bluetooth, no camera, no mp3 player mobile phone is called Dinosaur Egg. What a lovely name isn't it. Of course, he declined the idea. Silly me for asking him whether he prefer a slide phone or flip phone.

The foundation of relationship shouldn't be built on money but love, respect and trust, which I don't see it often nowadays. Maybe that's one of the reason why the term on/off relationship exists.  

The super classic Chinese slang, 

"Money is not everything. But without money, there is nothing" .

True that a token of love, aka gifts, can add bonus points to a relationship but I guess that is not everything. But without it, relationship can gone stale and boring too.

Note to my fat guy, this post is not to pressurize you or anything ya. I hope you won't feel disturbed by it and I just want to tell you, I love you even if you buy me a fake rose or LV bag.

Wait... save your money if you gonna buy me any bogus stuffs, just get me the double chocolate gelato you know I'll love.

DIY - Crawling Ninja

Other than the usual teaching-and-learning lessons in school, we also have co-curriculum activities every Saturday starting of with aerobic. And students will go to their respective clubs and have another joyous 30 minutes of "yeah-no-class".

I don't want to be in charge of Computer Club because I'm already teaching that subject and I couldn't come up with more ideas and activities for me. Thus I told my colleagues that I want to take Handicraft as my co-curriculum's activity.

It's not hard for me as you all know that I enjoy D.I.Y. a lot. So last Saturday, this is what I taught the kids.

Crawling Ninja!

Actually, instead of ninja I drew a butterfly because it's way easier to draw compare to a ninja.
So basically it can be crawling-*insert anything you like*.

What you need is:-

• Drawing paper
• Scissor
• Cellotape
  
• Drinking Straw
• Thread or string of any sort
• Colour Pencils
• Pencil
• Marker Pen

Simple right?
These are the things you can easily get it at home, especially when you're a parent.

Step 1 - Draw your ninja/ butterfly/ rocket/ ladybug/ or anything you like that is most likely to crawl or fly on the piece of drawing paper.

Mine

I called it the butt-imbalance-ninja.

So anyway, like I mentioned justnow, you can basically draw other things you like such as:

I know, the butterfly looks like a moth and the rocket looks like an elephant wearing a tower-hat.

Told you I can only draw stick figures.

My students even drew Naruto, bicycle, UFO and airplane.

Oh ya, don't draw as big as the size of an whale okay. Just maybe limit it to 10cm (height). And also, you only need to draw one side of it. Belakang no need.


Step 2 :- Coloring

You don't need me to teach you how to color right?

My semi-finished product

Step 3 :- Cut your drawing out.




Step 4 :- Tape the straws

Cut the straws into two, roughly at the length of 2cm and tape it to the back of your drawing (the blank side) triangularly.

Make sure its not parallel to each other else your ninja won't be able to climb.



If you're drawing other things, just make sure the straws are stick in the middle and not "senget" to a side.




Step 5 :- Thread-in

As you can see from the below picture, you're suppose to put the thread in from one end then through another.



Hang up your ninja to any sort of hook (in my case, I used the door knob of my wardrobe) with the hoop created from the thread and you're ready to play!


Step 6 :- Have Fun!



Your ninja should start from the end of the thread and pull your string or threads up and done and you can see your ninja moving up slowly.


I hope you get what I mean lah.

Anyway, I'd attached a short clip (only 7 seconds) of my final product.

p/s: I learned this from a book and I just want to share with you all, especially to all parents out there. Why buy expensive toys when you can have fun making one yourself and I'm sure your kids will be amazed.

My students even had a crawling competition at the end of the lesson.