Our Family Story

Media Invite: World Press Photo 11 Press Conference

2012-01-29T20:32:00.002+08:00

After attending the Press Launch for the 4th Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta on Saturday, I received another media invite:

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Malaysia and TNT Express Malaysia presents the World’s largest and most anticipated photo exhibition!

The World Press Photo Exhibition, the largest and one of the most anticipated photo exhibitions in the world, has reached our shores, Malaysia, presenting a striking collection of over 160 award-winning press photographs from all over the world.

A culmination of press photographs, the exhibition is a result of a worldwide annual contest on press photography. This year’s competition attracted 5,691 photographers from 125 countries including Malaysia and in total; a record number of 108,059 images were entered in the contest. 55 photographers representing 23 nationalities in 9 themed categories – Portrait, People in the News, General News, Spot News, Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, Nature, Arts & Entertainment, as well as Sports; were awarded with prize recognitions.

And I am honored to be one of those invited to cover the event. I can't wait to attend the event, see the world's best press photography.

Please watch out for my blog post after the event. I will sure be asking my photographer-cum-husband to take a lot of shots. Will also try to sneak some shots when I have a chance. :D

Excited much?

You bet!

The Joys of Teaching

2012-01-28T18:07:00.000+08:00

Teaching means having to learn at the same time. Believe me, I can’t tell you how I have been reviewing High School lessons since I have started teaching. People could never really underestimate t the teaching profession. It’s not as easy as it sounds, actually. More than the teaching you do within the four corners of the classroom, you have to model so many things and inculcate in them principles that are useful to them as individuals.

So when friends ask me how my day in school was, I always think about how teaching can be fulfilling and tiring at the same time. But honestly, I have come to love it. I may not be out there building metal buildings as what I am supposed to do because that's more like my profession, but to be a part of someone’s young life, to be teaching them and be an influence is joy enough.

Photography Support

2012-01-28T18:03:00.000+08:00

I am so grateful to have a family that is so supportive of my passion for photography. I am also blessed to have friends who are so helpful in coaching me in this hobby. Of course nothing compares to the feeling of getting praises from friends everytime I post photos in my photography blog or in facebook.

I still no expert and have so much to learn still, but I am getting there. Being the handy and techie person that I am, I would not be surprised if I’d actually do good in fixing bikes and cars! But I should get to know how flat washers and bearings are used. Just the thought of it makes me laugh-- I could not possibly do that kind of job. For now, I guess I’ll stick with photography and strive to be best at it.

Cameron Highlands

2012-01-26T15:40:00.000+08:00

It's been a long time since we didn't visit Cameron Highlands. But glad we had a chance to do so this week. We drove up to Cameron Highlands sans the kids. :D

It's the first time we did a spontaneous trip. We didn't book any hotel rooms for us. But we went anyway. It's good to be adventurous sometimes. It's exciting.

The first thing we did was check out hotels in Tanah Rata. That's the center of Cameron Highlands. We usually dine at Rosemary's. But sad to say they're no longer there. But we saw there was another western restaurant, Belle's Cafe, right below Planter's hotel. We had an early dinner there.

Checked out some hotels and finally settled on staying at Bala's Chalet Hotel and Restaurant. Amid the lush greenery lies this beautiful and cozy chalet. It's quite worth staying there, knowing it's peak season and yet we were charged for only 180RM per night. If you are tight in the pocket, though, just skip having meals there.

The next day we went to have breakfast at the Cameron Valley Tea house. Had a nice hot cup of masala tea with ham sandwich plus a gorgeous view of the Cameron Valley (Bharat) Tea Plantation.

Drive to Cameron Highlands

2012-01-26T11:38:00.000+08:00

It was a spur of the moment decision. Kids were supposed to be with their grandparents for a few days. So we decided to pack our bags and drive up to Cameron Highlands. On the way up, it started raining heavily. It was almost 0 visibility so we took a really slow drive.

I wanted to listen to the radio only to learn our car stereo was spoiled. And so I thought of using my hand phone that has an fm feature. But again, I didn't bring the head phone. It only works when I put the head phone on. LOL.

I think the next time, I have to invest on a music phone that will have sennheiser hd 202 ii headphones so I can listen to music when I want to. I am a music sucker. What can I say?

Anyways, it was a long and slow drive but glad the rain stopped when we reached Cameron Highlands. Will post more about my trip later.

My Family's Celebration of Chinese New Year

2012-01-22T01:06:00.002+08:00

One thing I love about Malaysia is that we have so many holidays. Malaysia is so culturally and ethnically diverse. We have at least 3 major groups living here: Malays, Indian and Chinese. Amazing how inspite of the long years of mixture with other cultures, each group still maintain its tradition, culture, language, etc.

My family is not Chinese but when my son knew we would have school holidays because of Chinese New Year, he suggested we celebrate the holidays, too.

And so today, we decided to have a party. I tell you, my family loves to party. You should know that by now. LOL!

Schenker said he would be in charge of the party. So he decided who to invite and what to prepare for food. So he invited our Brazilian friends and his best friend and his family who are living in our area to join us for barbecue.

I cooked some fried chicken and nuggets, bought some frankfurters to grill and bought some ready-to-eat satay from the outside shop. My son's friend's family brought a couple of pizzas and some firecrackers. My kids were so excited to play with the firecrackers! We usually don't allow them to play firecrackers but since we're celebrating Chinese New Year, we let them.

Chinese New Year won't be until Monday. But we did the party today. I am telling you, I even prepared ang pows (red envelopes with money inside) for the kids! Really a Chinese-y night we had. I guess this is going to be a tradition from this year onwards. LOL.

To all friends and family celebrating Chinese New Year 2012, Gong Xi Fa Chai!

Holiday Plans for 2012

2012-01-22T00:47:00.001+08:00

I know I have been talking a lot about going for holidays these days. I guess one feel that way when one feels stuck (stuck at work, stuck at family commitments, etc). But really, I have always been a holiday planner. I love to do it, knowing that most of the time, when I plan on going somewhere, somehow, it becomes a reality.

And so that is why I have been talking a lot about going for holidays. Actually, I’ve been planning for a holiday for 2012. Turkey, Korea, India, New Zealand and Barbados are in the radar!

Barbados offers a wide range of activities to fill up our holiday itinerary. There is just simply so much you can do. I am pretty sure barbados holidays will be fun, whether its tranquility or thrills, you will enjoy the country.

We all have heard of Barbados, but where exactly is Barbados? Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea.

The hubs and I both enjoy adventures. We found out that Barbados is known for its fascinating submarine adventure and beaches. I think if we can save enough money we might even be able to spend a day on a luxury catamaran. We have always wanted to go for a luxury holiday, and I think this could be the one. One of our dreams is to feed and swim with sea turtles. Imagine swimming with them! Scary thought, but I think they are really beautiful creation.

Yes, we would definitely go snorkeling. What is a holiday at the beach without going snorkerling. We might even try windsurfing. Like I said, we are on an adventure trip, and are so game to trying new beach activities.

So the Barbados holidays is something we are really looking forward to. I am going to do a bit more search and see what other adventure awaits us.

New Year's Eve

2012-01-21T03:33:00.000+08:00

One of the best movies I have watched so far this year was New Year's Eve. It's a star-studied movie. It's a chick flick and yet a decent movie. You can rarely watch chick flicks nowadays that are quite decent, I should say. The movie speaks of love and romance and the reality of couple's lives.

One of the reviews said:

I don't think I understand people at all. I watched it despite all the bad reviews and I didn't regret it. I'm starting to think people are really bitter, it's a really sweet movie about new years and how people feel around that time of the year, it actually gave me a warm feeling, so yes, it's not a deep smart full of effects movie, but sometimes people need a movie like this, I'm all against unchallenging movies, but I don't think this was the case at all. It's the perfect new year movie, that gives you hope for the year to come and live everyday fully. The variety of characters is okay, as you get to know them enough to see a little bit of yourself in them or not,and it's really interesting to see what different people go through at that time of the year and how they feel and what they hope to change. It really is a warm,hopeful movie, at least that's the way I saw it.Sometimes we need to take a break and take a deep breath, that's the movie.

I totally agree. There are some parts that I got teary-eyed coz it was just soo touching.

Have you seen the movie? Did you like it?

Family Boat Ride

2012-01-21T03:25:00.000+08:00

Schenker, my 7 year old son has been asking us to go on a boat ride. I think he even asked if we could hire a boat and go on a holiday or a cruise. Either that, or hire a camper van so we could go camping. LOL. We have been thinking and we finally decided that we would take the family on an island trip.

We made a trip to the Andaman Sea and decided to rent a boat (image above, Schenker on a boat ride with his friend from South Africa) so we could go on a cruise except that it’s a smaller boat and not a real big cruise ship. The ride on the boat was just overwhelming. As we traveled, we saw beautiful mountains, clear sandy beaches, beautiful landscapes and experienced the bright sunny weather. The kids absolutely loved it, and I am glad, the trip widened their perspective of life and the wonderful creation.

I guess one day when we save enough we might be able to go on a nice family cruise, and I guess Family Cruises would be a great way of bonding, away from the hustle and bustle of life.

I must say the boat trip we made to the islands made us appreciate life and the beautiful nature. Life is bigger than we think, indeed.

Tender Love by Force MD

2012-01-21T03:16:00.000+08:00

I have been listening to this song over and over and over again. And again. LOL. I just can't get enough of it. Tender Love by Force MD.

I am not sure when this song came out. But judging on how the singers look like, it seems like it's a couple of decade old song.

Here's the lyrics of the song:

Here I lay all alone
Tossin turning
Longing for some of your, Tender Love
I'm waitin for the right moment to come
So I can thank you for,

All the tender love you've given to me
Oh baby
Tender love (Tender love)
Love so tender
Holdin me close
baby I surrender (oh baby I surrender)
Candles they light the dark,

Now I see how
lovely these feelings are
All the tender love you've given to me
And I want you more and more
(can't resist you)

oh and I feel your touch
Tender love
And your loving me straight from the heart
(hold me nearer)
reasons beyond our love
All the tender love you've given to me
(all of your love, baby)

Tender love (tender love)
Love so tender
Holdin me close
Baby I surrender (baby I surrender)
Tender love (tender love)
Love oh, so tender

Hold me,
Close to you
Girl, I surrender
Tender love (tender love)
Love so tender
Hold me close to you girl
I surrender, baby

Tender love (tender love)
Love so tender, baby
Hold me close
Hold me close
Hold me close to you,

I surrender
Tender love
(tender love)
Tender love
Tender love, give me some of that tender love
Tender love

Escapade | Away from Kuala Lumpur

2012-01-21T02:45:00.000+08:00

Just lately we’ve been thinking of just going on a short escapade, away from the busy bustling city life in Kuala Lumpur. Although Kuala Lumpur, commonly known as KL is a beautiful metropolitan with a beautiful tropical city-look, it would be just nice going somewhere far away from the normal routine of life, and just chill-out at the beach.

I heard there are some really gorgeous beach resorts in Magaluf. I heard that it is just like the infamous Langkawi Island as they say. Not knowing where Magaluf was, I did some internet search and realized that Magaluf is a major holiday resort on the Spanish Island of Mallorca, and they especially known for their three main white beaches of Palma Nova Beach, Magaluf Beach and Mallorca Beach.

The beaches are known for sun-tan spots and water sports. Although I am pretty sure I would not need a sun-tan, I would think westerners would find the beach a sun-tan haven, and knowing me and my hubs, we’ll probably opt for the water sports.

I also read that they have a water theme park known as Aqualand Magaluf. It looks like they have some thrilling water slides and speed tubes. It does look like this will be a fun place to be.

Something I would really forward to, if ever I could really go for holiday in magaluf, would be the quaint traditional food and the craft markets for souvenirs. Souvenirs are something one must never forget to get when going for holidays in Magaluf. They have some really pretty indigenous cultural crafts that I’m sure my friends and family would love to have.

In My Dreams - Reo Speedwagon

2012-01-21T02:13:00.000+08:00

I must be in Grade 6 when I first heard this song. Loved it since then. It's a very easy-listening song. My sister just posted this on her Facebook timeline and it really reminded me of some fond memories. Not that I had a boyfriend at that age. It was just lovely to listen to the music.

Anyways, here's the song In My Dreams by Reo Speedwagon. Such a cute smile he has. Just pardon the first few seconds.

Love List for Couples

2012-01-21T01:59:00.000+08:00

When hubs and I married each other, we both knew that we were going to have a great marriage together. We had so many common interest, and one of them was going on holidays. You know, on our first month of marriage, we sat down and wrote down the 7 non-negotiobles on our Love List.

This is something we wrote down for everyday. Everyday we touch, cuddle, kiss, hug, say ‘I Love You’, compliment each other, and laugh. These were the stuff we told ourselves we would do, and to be really honest we still do them. I am so glad we enjoy these special moments together.

Then we agreed on things we want to do once a week. We agreed that we would sleep in, talk, clean the house, clear conflicts, chill-out at the malls, restaurants, and we would have passionate nights. Well this one we couldn’t do it all, but the passionate nights is something that has been a challenge because when the kids came along, they took all our energy away so much so we don’t have any more energy left at nights. Funny,but true. I’m sure all couples with kids can attest to that.

Then we agreed on things we want to do once a month. We agreed that we would have special romantic dinners, hubs will buy me flowers, give each other something (doesn’t matter how big or small), and visit parents. You know, hubs hasn’t failed in giving me flowers once a month eversince we got married. He’s just so romantic. Every month he would by me African Daisies, or also know as Zebras, and I just simply love them.

Then we agreed that every quarterly, we would go on holidays for at least 3 days, and 2 nights. In the early years of marriage, we kept to our plans, but as the children grew older and started going to school, we couldn’t go for breaks once in three months. Now we go for holidays once a year, and in fact, last year we were able to go for two holidays, once to Australia and another trip to Thailand.

Then we agreed on things we would like to do once a year, and we agreed on spending time to do a personal reflection of the year that passed by, talk about new year resolutions, and go for a long holiday somewhere special.

I am so glad we had this ‘Love List’ for building intimacy in our marriage. I’ve been waiting to say this the last, the most common thing we both share is we both share the same birthdays! Isn’t that awesome!! Oh, you know that already. LOL!

Escargot

2012-01-18T20:02:00.000+08:00

Have you tried eating escargot? Japanese love to eat them. They make such excellent dish out of escargot.

When we were young, we used to have a river at the back of our house. The river was so clean then. I remember going to fish and collect snails. Kohol, we call them. My mom would cook it in coconut milk. We had fun taking the meat out of the snails before eating them. That was probably 30 years ago.
Then I went to Indonesia for a conference with my husband. Our Indonesian friends took us out for their local cuisine and ordered Kohol (tutut in Bahasa Indonesia). I had a good time eating them and good time of remembering my childhood days.

Travel As Things-to-do in Our Love List

2012-01-18T19:58:00.000+08:00

One common interest amidst the many others both me and my DH have is we both enjoy going for holidays. We have traveled quite a bit and we have enjoyed every single moment of it.
We have enjoyed meeting people of different cultures, understanding their worldview, and even appreciated their food. The experience has just widened our perspective on life. Life is really bigger than we think. There is just so much to enjoy in life.

Interestingly, we travel so much, and one might wonder how do we do this, or they might think that ‘money is growing on trees in their lawn’ , but the reality is we always search for cheap holidays so we can stretch our dollar and cents to the max.

Even our trips to the US, we were able to enjoy cheap holidays. We had friends who were willing to host us, and we used discount coupons to save on meals and shopping.

One of the things we wrote on our ‘Love List’ when we first got married was we would go for holidays every quarterly. In the early years we were able to keep to that commitment but as the kids grew older and started going to school, we had to slow down on holidays as holidays become more expensive. Nevertheless, we have still been able to go on short holidays because of cheap fares.

Garlic Shrimp

2012-01-18T19:30:00.000+08:00

My girl loves anything shrimp. So I make sure shrimp is on my grocery list. I have different kinds of recipes for shrimp.

This time, it's garlic shrimp.

It's very easy. I don't follow any recipes and I don't do measurements.

Here's my easy recipe for garlic shrimp.

You will need:

garlic
soy sauce
shrimp
butter
loads of love

Heat up the butter on a pan, sautee the garlic, add shrimps. Season with soy sauce, sprinkle some coarse black peppers.

Didn't I tell you it's a simple recipe?

Heart-Healthy Breakfast

2012-01-18T19:17:00.002+08:00

I love preparing healthy breakfast for me and the hubs. (The kids would only satiate themselves with either peanut butter sandwich or chocolate sandwich.

This is what I would normally prepare when I am in the mood to prepare breakfast:

heart healthy omelet with light mozzarella chees
canada bacon
greens
loads of love.

Turkey, Oh Turkey

2012-01-18T00:20:00.000+08:00

Hubs is visiting Antalya in March (I can't stress it enough - LOL), and I am getting very excited (how many times have I said this already? Hehehe) as I might be going with him for a short holiday. I have always been very curious about Turkey. Every year we see lots of Turkish tourist here in Malaysia and they look really nice and pleasant.

Hubs is planning on extending our stay after his meeting so we can travel around Turkey. One place that really caught my attention was the place called Dalaman. Dalaman is a district situated on the southwestern coast of Turkey.

image borrowed from mygooroo.com

I googled and found out that Dalaman is known for its international airport (and Dalama has the most expensive airport in the world?) which serves as a gateway to the tourists who visit this part of Turkey every year, heading especially to seaside resorts to the west and east of Dalaman such as Marmaris, Fethiye, Köyceğiz, Dalyan, Ölüdeniz and Hisarönü.

Now, if you know me, I love hanging out at the beach. Besides swimming at the beach, I just love watching the sunrise and sunset. They are just simply so beautiful. It just makes my day! I love snorkerling too, and that’s definitely going to be in our itinerary.

Now I am getting very excited, and I need to find flights to dalaman turkey from Antalya. I’m sure there are cheap flights, and I want to look around for the cheapest fare possible so that I can keep the extra funds for our holidays.

Oh Turkey, you’re toasted. I’m coming! (another big hopeful grin)

Jirah's Photos

2012-01-18T00:11:00.000+08:00

I have posted these in my photography blog but I want to post this here again. Photos are taken in Grass Hill, Ranong, Thailand.

Who would have thought there's such a nice ranch-like place in Ranong? It felt like I was in the US when I shot these photos.

I shot something like 400+ images, all in raw. These two are my favorites.

LDR (Long Distance Relationship) | Will It Work?

2012-01-18T00:04:00.000+08:00

I was just interacting with a friend on Facebook who just got engaged to her British boyfriend. I could just imagine how they're feeling right now being away from each other. It reminds me so much of how my husband and I have gone through with an LDR - Long distance relationship.

You see, I was posted in Thailand and he was in Malaysia. It was really hard for both of us. That time, there was only Yahoo Messenger and phone calls which would cost up to 5,000 Baht for me (sometimes). There was no budget airline yet. Airasia was still in the making that time. And so my husband would brave through train/bus traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai to Phuket just to see me.

It was hard when I think about it... but in love, there's no such thing as impossible. You would brave anything just to go through it... or through that person.

If both are right for each other, it's worth the hardship, too. In the end, you will appreciate each other more. And what do they say about lovers being far from each other? Distance indeed makes the heart grow fonder.

Why do I feel lovey dovey tonight? Hmmm... Sugar and Richard are both to blame.

Here's to both of you... may God bless your relationship. May you enjoy getting to know each other better... and let distance make your heart grow fonder.

Bodrum | Will I Ever See You?

2012-01-17T23:52:00.000+08:00

I’ve been searching and reading a lot about Bodrum lately, specially knowing that I might be going with the hubs to Antalya, Turkey in March this year.

image borrowed from bodrumresortguide.com

I read that one place no visitor should miss is the famous Bodrum Castle, which overlooks the harbor and the international marina. The castle was constructed in the 15th century during the crusades of the middle ages. I saw some photos of the castle, and it is really huge and beautiful. Oh well, all castles are beautiful and huge, I guess I was just overwhelmed by just looking at the beautiful photos.

One other place we must visit is the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. This museum won an award in 1995 as a European Museum of the Year. I can’t wait to go take photos here. There are going to be lots of archaeological shoots that will be fun to take.

My darling hubs and I are definitely going to visit the islands around the Bodrum peninsula like Rabbit Island, Orak Island or Black Island. They are all known for fun activities by the beach like riding the waves with a jet ski, sailing with a catamaran, doing some para sailing or windsurfing.

All this is going to be a lot of fun. I am going to look for cheap flights to Bodrum. I am sure there are good offers online.

Here I come, Bodrum! Errrr... I hope! *hopeful grin*

Malaysia Airline Flashmob at KLIA

2012-01-17T23:45:00.000+08:00

Passengers arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Saturday, 14 January 2012 were greeted with a flash mob as they made their way out of the Arrival Hall on Level 3. Much to the delight of unsuspecting onlookers, plus the odd stare in disbelief, visitors at KLIA witnessed some 100 singers and dancers break into spontaneous entertainment as part of Malaysia Airlines' special flash mob event held to welcome the New Year with a bang.

Loved watching this. It speaks so much of Malaysian culture. Very diverse, multi cultural society and yet there's so much unity.

God bless Malaysia!

Chinese New Year 2012 Coming Up

2012-01-17T23:36:00.000+08:00

Now that I have starting working, I become very conscious of the holidays. I used to just shrug it off. LOL. But now, it's 3 more days and it's holidays! Yay! Oh but please, don't get me wrong. I am loving my new job. Really thank God for this blessing.

Most of my students are Chinese. So now, I can already feel that they're already in a holiday mood. One of my students told me she couldn't wait for the New Year to come coz she's looking forward to getting Ang Pows (red envelopes) from her family and relatives. Chinese people believe that in giving red envelopes (of course, with the money inside), it will be a good luck.

And so, I believe that as early as it is now, Chinese folks are already preparing their Ang Pows. For other people, there are many forms of red envelopes and they could also avail someredenvelope radio codes to give away. For some, they get thrilled when they get money instead.

And so, yes... like I said, 3 more days and it's holidays. What's coming up for school break? I have yet to plan.

Yaaaammmmm Seeeenngggggg!

Poh Kong Auspicious Collection: 2012 Year of the Water Dragon

2012-01-17T22:34:00.000+08:00

Last December 2011, I had a media event invite from Poh KOng for the Media Briefing: Poh Kong Auspicious Collection: 2012 Year of the Water Dragon where publishers could preview and photograph/videograph their upcoming Auspicious Collection.

To welcome the year of the Water Dragon, Poh Kong has designed an exclusive collection of dragon-inspired gold jewellery that is modern while keeping true to Chinese beliefs, customs and traditions.

I responded to the invite but here's the problem. I got a follow up email asking for my phone number and car plate number, for security reason. That time, I didn't have phone yet... and my husband couldn't send me to the place because he had another appointment to attend with. I didn't even have a business card to begin with! Now I am trying to make clear business cards for my blogging media events. I didn't see the need until I had to decline because I didn't have id to show.

Anyways, I was really very excited coz I am a Poh Kong consumer. My husband got my engagement ring from there. We also pierced Samantha's ears from there. I also got a couple of jewellery from their TRANZ Collection (four-leaf clover designed earrings and pendant).

I hope I can get another media invite from them in the future.

Holidays to Egypt

2012-01-16T19:24:00.000+08:00

Traveling has always been fun for me. I like it that I get to meet different cultures, people, personalities, and worldviews, besides appreciating all the other plus points about the country.

Hubs will be flying to Antalya, Turkey in March for meetings, and I know that Egypt is about 765km from where he would be. That could just take less than 7 hours by drive to get there. This could only mean one thing, I might want to go with him!! As soon as his meetings are over, we’ll go rent a car and drive to Egypt.

Yes, you’re got this spot on .. We might be going on holidays to Egypt! I’ve heard lots about Egypt. Read the news, and even had friends who had been on holidays to Egypt. They all have one common appreciation about Egypt. They absolutely loved the architecture, especially the pyramids, and its beautiful people. The buildings are absolutely stunning especially for photography.

I just can’t wait to make a trip to Egypt and go on a photoshoot, and yes, I am going to drag my husband with me, I am sure we will both enjoy doing some photoshoots as we both enjoy photography. The only photo of a pyramid I have is the image above and that's just a replica of an Egyptian pyramid with a Sphinx - Sunway Pyramid mall. LOL.

Flightless Bird, American Mouth

2012-01-16T19:13:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, after watching Breaaking Dawn movie again, I played their wedding song entitled Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Fir and Wine.

I love the melody of the music. It's very danceable. You can easily get carried by it's rhythm. I very much care about the lyrics of the song I like to play, especially that I have a tendency to play the song over and over again for hours.... sometimes, for days.

And so, here's the lyrics of the song Flightless Bird, American Mouth.

I was a quick wet boy, diving too deep for coins
All of your street light eyes wide on my plastic toys
Then when the cops closed the fair, I cut my long baby hair
Stole me a dog-eared map and called for you everywhere

Have I found you
Flightless bird, jealous, weeping or lost you, american mouth
Big pill looming

Now I'm a fat house cat
Nursing my sore blunt tongue
Watching the warm poison rats curl through the wide fence cracks
Pissing on magazine photos
Those fishing lures thrown in the cold
And clean blood of Christ mountain stream

Have I found you
Flightless bird, grounded, bleeding or lost you, american mouth
Big pill stuck going down.

It's a very strange song, with seemingly nonsense lyrics but when you dig deeper, the message of the song could be great.

Travel to Australia

2012-01-16T01:15:00.000+08:00

Traveling has always been my passion and desire. Little did I realize that one day my dreams would become a reality. I have travelled to lots of countries, but just last year, I was able to travel to Melbourne, Australia, and go on drive on the Great Ocean Road and take the 12 Apostles Scenic Flight and yes, take aerial photography of Port Campbell Bay too. Isn’t that awesome !!!

It was indeed an amazing experience.

How did we get there ? We used a family car hire, and of course a GPS, and we keyed in the address to Port Campbell. Port Campbell is the hub of the Great Ocean road, and lots of people stop-by to spend a night camping or staying at motels, but since we had a nice car, we spent the night in the car. It took us about four to five hours to get to Port Campbell. The route took us through Geelong, then to Port Campbell through Princess Highway.

The two beautiful hubs at the Great Ocean Road are Port Campbell and Princetown. They are both hubs for accommodation, meals and leisure.

We enjoyed spending our time at the world famous Twelve Apostles. They were absolutely stunning. I was so glad I and Schenker took the scenic flight to see an aeriel view of the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge which is exactly a replica of a sea horse.

We hung around a day just spending the day enjoying the magnificence of God’s creation, breathtakingly gorgeous , needless to say. The ocean was simply so blue, a true reflection of the beautiful sky. What made it really special was I spent the beautiful day with my family enjoying precious moments one would always cherish.

40th Birthday Surprise

2012-01-07T16:15:00.003+08:00

They say Life Begins at 40. And because of that, I wanted to make sure my husband would remember his 40th birthday.

You see, my husband and I have the same birth dates. He is just one year older than I am (now you know how old I am already - go figure! LOL). And so ever since we got together as a couple, we ended up not having a party for our birthdays. We just go out, give gifts in private, etc. But this year, I wanted to make it special for the hubs since he's turning 40 already.

Last month, I contacted a caterer we both knew.

I wanted a cocktail party, I said. And so, she gave me her list of menu. It looked really great and decided on it. But you also have to remember that we did a cocktail dinner for our wedding reception. Both of us want to make our parties more relaxing. Sitting down would make it less relaxing and very formal. And so, if we did a cocktail party, every one could have a chance in moving around, talk to friends, etc.

It's a good thing I contacted Lilian Jesudasan of A Family Affair Party Planner a month earlier coz they had such a huge event to cater to this week.

And so, I secretly contacted our office colleague, few friends, and our family a few weeks before the party and some, a few days before the party. I wanted to make it small but a cozy and relaxing.

Our theme was Red and Black Cocktail party.

And so, please let my photos say it all:

The venue was at the STAMP Ministry house. One day before the party, I asked my husband if I could go out and have a girls' day out with my Brazilian friend, Viviane. He sent me at 3pm, I only went home at 1:30am - the next morning! You can just imagine how worried my husband was because it was definitely a first time for me to go out and come home late! He tried calling me but I never dared answer his phone calls, lest the he would suspect I would be doing something fishy - which was really true.

I loved the way A Family Affair Party Planner a.k.a. Aunty Lilian and family did the food - suited according to my taste, I should say. My favorite was the cheese platter. I do recommend them if you need a contact to cater food for your party.

Family and friends waiting for our entrance. Had to call my friend Davi we're already at the gate. This time, my heart was really pounding so loudly, I almost couldn't move. My alibi was to come to the ministry house because I forgot something from Viviane... and I needed to pick it up that time. And so, when we reached the place, I asked if he could go inside instead. The kids insisted they wanted to go with daddy and I thought of using the opportunity so I also said I wanna go inside and suggested he turned off the car engine. LOL.

My red and black dress from Voir. My red stilettos (image above) is from URS. Samantha's dress is from Little Princess, in Sunway Pyramid.

I made a very surprised husband. I was glad. I thought I was the only one who crafted a surprise party. I did the party on the 3rd of January coz everybody would start school/work on the 4th.

Birthday Cake: D7000 DSLR Cake by AFA Party Planner

On the 5th, my husband and Samantha picked me and Schenker up from the school. We went out to have dinner at Nando's. When we came home, I saw this on the table: I felt numb. I didn't know what to and what to say and how to feel. My dream come true (I goaled to get it by the end of the year in 2012)... I got it on the first week of January. My husband is the awesomest of all.

My very own Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR11 lens for my Nikon D7000. I gave my husband an edible DSLR Nikon D7000 Birthday cake and he gave me the real thing. Hehehe.

Like I said, I didn't like to be surprised. But to get a surprise like this? It's all worth the effort. Thank you so much, Lord for my gift - my husband.

Happy birthday to me! LOL!

P.S. I personally wanna thank my friends Viviane and Davi for driving me around to find stuff for the party deco. Malaysia is so pathetic when it comes to buying things for arts and crafts. I left the house at 1:30am, making them really tired... Hehehe. But they were really really helpful in putting up the decos.

I want to thank my dear sister Eugenia for helping prepare the food.

My bro-in-law Babu and family for 4 bottles of Champagne.

Bernice for taking photos (I had to give my camera in secret so she could take photos when we arrive at the venue.

Kim Lilian Jesudasan of A Family Affair Party Planner for the cocktail food. On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFA.partyplanner

Really awesome to have family and friends celebrate our special days. Thank you, Lord for them!

My Moka Pot / Stovetop Espresso Maker

2011-12-26T12:44:00.002+08:00

I finally got myself my own Moka Pot. I have been looking for Bialetti Moka Coffee Pot | Espresson Maker for a couple of months (since my friend mentioned about it, that is) now and I couldn't seem to find one near my area (Subang Parade and Sunway Pyramid). So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I was in Phuket and I went inside The Coffee Lover cafe and saw on the display this Moka Pot (image):

I bought it for 650Baht (around RM65), along with a pack of Gimoka L'espresso All' Italiana Caffe'Si coffee bean. It's obviously a copy of Bialleti but I guess I can make do with it until I find the original one.

Heard I can get one from Ikea or Ikano but I haven't been to those places for ages now.

The first thing I did when I got back home yesterday was to try it. I used the Kona coffee my sister sent me from Hawaii.

It was really good, full bodied, thick aroma coffee that would satisfy even a nostalgic soul.

And so, How to make a great cup of coffee using a Moka Pot? I searched youtube for an easy answer:

And so, I would like to welcome my Moka Pot to my coffee family. I enjoy drinking coffee. I love it brewed full bodied with milk froth on top.

Starbucks French Press, Milk Frother and Elba Coffee Maker:

Beach Bum No More

2011-12-26T12:15:00.000+08:00

My friend’s mother is handicapped. For so many years, she has been in her wheelchair and have been immobile almost half of her life. She has missed a lot of the outside world since she is confined mostly to the four corners of her house. She used to be a beach bum but when she met a vehicular accident and became paralyzed, she has not been to the beach or to any resort with pools for a swim. One time her sons brought her to one of the resorts in the city and she was just as ecstatic to see the beach and the inviting waters of the pools.

But unfortunately, it was so hard for her to swim in the pool. Her son just wished that the resort had an ada pool lift that can really help her mom go down the pool. Nevertheless, she still enjoyed the sand and the cool waters of the sea. Somehow, she was able to experience the things she used to do before.

iPad 2 for a Blogger/Teacher/Photographer

2011-12-07T11:25:00.000+08:00

I am now seriously thinking of getting an iPad2 for my future work. After talking to my new boss, I am convinced I need to have an iPad, for apps and e-books for my high school subject references.

Not only that, I also want to store some of my shots (okay - maybe few good shots) for my photography portfolio.

And so, I thought at first of getting a 32GB iPad with wifi. No, I don't need a 3G. I fin d that everywhere I go nowadays I can easily get online. But then again, when I'm out I try not to get online. With the 32GB, I can couple it with an external hard drive. I do have one for my recent and current photos. I don't store them in my laptop.

But then again, after getting comments from my post yesterday, I am thinking probably I should just get the one that has the biggest memory. The price difference for a 32GB and 64GB iPad2 with wifi is only 300RM. So for the double up size, to pay a wee bit RM would be a good idea.

I am ordering online. If I ordered yesterday without the engraving, I could have gotten it by Saturday. But I do want the engraving. So it takes more days to do that.

So what I'd do is, just before going for a our family trip, I will order so I can get my engraved iPad2 after we come back from our trip.

My priority accessories would be the smart cover (I need that to protect the white iPad) and a camera connection kit.

Yes. I am excited for my 64GB iPad2!

A Driver's Must-Have

2011-12-02T23:40:00.000+08:00

One of the challenges about driving in a place that you are not so familiar of would be getting directions. Sure, maps always come handy but it takes so much skill to use them! Not to mention of course that some street names have been changed, so you would end up asking around.

When we traveled in the States, we had a friend lend us his car to use. Driving on the right side of the road was enough challenge for hubby who has been driving on the left side all his life--- plus the directions! Thankfully we had gps tomtom. I cannot imagine having to drive around such an unfamiliar city without it!
A GPS definitely is every driver’s must-have.

Old Movies and Old Songs

2011-12-02T23:35:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I just feel like watching old movies, the ones I really liked in the years past. Sadly there would not be any copies of those films sold anywhere or if there would be, they would definitely cost a fortune.

Thanks to youtube video download, I could have access to those prized movies again. On top of that, I could also listen to old songs that bring so many great memories! Amazing how technology can sometimes take us back in time, and the fun times that come along with it.

Mercedes SLS AMG from Transformers: Dark of the Moon

2011-11-24T22:08:00.000+08:00

I was watching the latest Transformers movie, Dark of the Moon and I couldn't help but notice this one hot car. Mercedes Benz SLS AMG.

It was supposed to be a gift for Carley from her boss Dylan (played by Patrick Dempsey) but it turned out to be Soundwave, one of the Decepticons.

Mercedes Benz SLS AMG. Here's the red version of it. It's creamy white in the movie.

I just love its curved gullwing doors which is probably Mercedes SLS AMG's trademark.

Nikon D800

2011-11-21T07:54:00.001+08:00

I know I just upgraded from a D90 to a D7000 but why am I excited for a new upgrade? It's just Wow. Nikon is rumored to launch a new model, the Nikon D800.

This rumored Nikon D800 DSLR is packed with great features, having a massive 36 megapixel sensor. It offers the same feature as that of D3s, having 51-point AF. Compared to D700, this is rumored to be smaller and lighter.

Nikon will probably release it next year only. That's just a wild guess because nobody knows when it's going to be launched. But I guess everyone who's itching for an upgrade just buckle up and must hold off til this new model, Nikon D800 comes out.

Rumored price of D800 is said to be around $3900.

Image from: nikonrumors.com

The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey

2011-11-20T09:27:00.000+08:00

Just found out the LOTR crew got to New Zealand to shoot The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey in June this year.

I saw this video of The Making of The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey, on Day 1.

I had goosebumps all over. It brings so much Lord of the Rings Trilogy crazy memories. And yes, I think, I am going to get crazy again.

Here's the video of the Day 1 of the making of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Are you excited? Because I know I am. :D

Puss in Boots

2011-11-20T08:49:00.001+08:00

A friend sent us a message. Puss in Boots in One Utama, free tickets, on November 22nd, would we like to watch? Of course we would. I know the kids would love it. The showing will be at 9:30pm but well, the kids don't have classes anymore so it's okay, I suppose.

"Puss in Boots", is a 3D animated adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation, the makers of the "Shrek" series. Directed by Chris Miller ("Shrek the Third"), and produced by Guillermo del Toro ("Splice", "Blade II", "Pan's Labyrinth"), the feature stars Antonio Banderas as Puss and Salma Hayek as the love interest, Kitty. The film is based on and follows the character of "Puss in Boots" from "Shrek" and his adventures before his first appearance in 2004's "Shrek 2". The prequel's story centers on the swashbuckling cat and how he comes to meet Shrek and his friends, while introducing its colorful new characters.

I am excited to watch Puss in Boots with the kiddos.

Update:

This was us before the premiere of Puss in Boots at 1 Utama. The kids truly had fun with the movie. Heard Samantha laughing a lot! Thanks Bernice for the free passes for the premiere of Puss in Boots the movie at 1 Utama.

Tailored Fit for Baby Bumps

2011-11-19T11:43:00.000+08:00

Getting pregnant does not mean giving up your being a fashionista or a stylista. Fashion after all knows no size, age, state or condition you are in. Many baby bumps have been romped off in stylish maternity clothes, many stores and brand companies have specially made maternity dresses and have catered to this part of the population.

So those who are having a baby soon will no longer have to worry about fitting in their skinny jeans or tank tops as there are lines of these clothes tailored fit for pregnant women. Some can even be used even after pregnancy so your money is all worth it.

Mission Impossible | Ghost Protocol

2011-11-19T11:35:00.001+08:00

And who doesn't like Tom Cruise' Mission Impossible movies? I have seen all and glad to know there is going to be another one coming out soon.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

When a terrorist bombing destroys the Kremlin, the United States government initiates a black ops "ghost protocol" and disavows the entire Impossible Mission Force. Ethan Hunt and his team are to be blamed for the attack, but are allowed to escape as part of a plan to enable them to operate in the dark, outside of their agency. However, Hunt is warned that if any member of his team is captured during their mission, they will be charged as terrorists planning to incite global nuclear war. Ethan (Tom Cruise) is then forced to work with ex-IMF agent Brandt (Jeremy Renner), who knows more about Hunt and his past than even Hunt himself.

Here's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol official trailer:

Showtime in Malaysia cinemas of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is on December 15, 2011

Hailstorm in Subang Jaya, Malaysia

2011-11-13T16:28:00.007+08:00

Amid the storm, sometimes, there are surprises.

We came back from church, had lunch, and we talked of watching a Hindi movie. But it started raining... like really heavy rain - cats and dogs you may call it.

The kids asked if they could play in the rain. I said yes.

I let kids play in the rain from time to time. I want them to experience what I had experienced before. My parents would let us play/bathe in the rain. Those were fun and very memorable experience.

But the wind started changing directions. Thunder became louder and louder. Power tripped. And so I asked the kids to come in the house. While they were putting on clothes, I closed the door and watched the rain from the closed glass window. I was going to start feeling melancholic.

Then I started seeing pebble-sized white stuff bouncing off the ground. The first thing that came to my mind was jasmine flowers. Our neighbour has them. But they couldn't be bouncing off the ground.

I slowly opened the door, stepped outside and took a closer look. There, I saw some small ice balls!

Hails! Hails! It's hailing! I screamed at the top of my lungs. My husband panicked at the loud scream. He thought something happened with me. There's a hailstorm in Subang Jaya!

Kids came out. And I showed them this:

hailstorm in USJ, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

It's a rare thing to happen in a country that's tropical. But hails do happen in Malaysia. Last year, in May 2010, I read that there was hailstorm in Damansara which caused panic and anxiety to the people.

How does hailstorm happen actually?

According to Malaysia Metheological Department forecasting director, Saw Bun Liong, hailstorms do happen in Malaysia:

“Some clouds can build until they are very high in the atmosphere. At certain altitudes, the cold will cause the water droplets to freeze and form ice.

“When it rains, the pellets fall down too fast to melt, causing hailstones,” Saw said.

I guess it's a bonus for us as a family to see hailstorm. I mean if it's snow in a country where there's winter, it's not a surprise at all.

But to see ice drops in a tropical country, it's a rare thing.

My family is happy to experience the miracle.

Indeed, sometimes, there are surprises amidst the storm.

Image below: That's our lamp post that broke off during the massive thunderstorm in Subang Jaya that struck at about 3pm today.

It was exciting to see hailstorm but the scene caused by the massive thunderstorm in Subang Jaya was scary.

Also, it so happened that the message in church today was on the Storms of Life we face sometimes. They happen so we can be prepared on some things to come. The preacher talked about Daniel and how God prepared him to face "the lions" in his life.

And the reason why I was happy to see the hails was because I asked God something. He did answer me and thought it was enough. But showing me rare things like this just spelled: With.God.Nothing.Is.Impossible.

Here are more images I took after the thunderstorm in USJ. The USJ 13 park is facing our house or our house is facing USJ 13 park.

The Hobbit in 3D

2011-11-11T13:24:00.001+08:00

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The first book I read (courtesy of my friend Joe Williams) after watching The Fellowship of the Rings, the first in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was The Hobbit. So when I heard that Peter Jackson was going to do the movie, I was ecstatic.

What's more amazing is that they're filming The Hobbit in 3D. I am quite excited for it to come out... which will be in December 2012. That is quite a long way to go but still...

Also, since The Hobbit is shot in 3D, they're using 48 Red Epic Digital Cameras. I dunn o what it means but it just spells high technology making of the movie The Hobbit.

Here's the scene behing the Making of The Hobbit in 3D:

And so what have I been doing to prepare myself for The Hobbit? I watched The Lord of the Rings Trilogy which I finished watching last night. I bought myself one set of LOTR Trilogy that -of course- includes The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers and The Return of the King... all original and all extended versions. Yeah, I know I spent quite a bit on this trilogy but I am sure it's worth investing and keeping this set. One day, I'm going to watch the trilogy with my kids, when they're ready.

I hope next year, in December 2012, when The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey comes out, they will be ready to watch it with me.

Synopsis:

First of Peter Jackson's two-part epic fantasy film, adapted from the 1937 J. R. R. Tolkien novel of the same name. "Lord of the Rings" director Jackson returns and also serves as producer and co-writer. "The Hobbit" follows the journey of titular character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of 13 dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever - Gollum.

Are you ready to watch The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey?

Clever Innovations that Make Life Easier

2011-11-07T20:43:00.003+08:00

Back in the days, paying employee’s salary was done manually and piles and piles of paper fill up office cabinets and tables, human resource personnel doing overtime computing number of hours and subtracting minutes of tardiness and the like. It was a very tedious task and the danger of putting wrong inputs can mean company expense and can also mean employee incompetence. So when the computer was invented, jobs became easier and faster to achieve.

Every day, more and more software and applications are being developed to provide solutions to home, office and business systems. One of these clever innovations is the payroll program which has turned payroll systems into a whiz. Genius minds have created ways and explaining payroll set-ups to hundreds of companies to make payroll trouble-free and effortless.

These applications are cost-effective and have made companies save thousands of bucks. With these computer programs and software present in the home and office systems, jobs have become simpler and margins of error are reduced significantly. They can also save time and allow employees to work on other stuff rather than concentrating on one task alone. These innovations have completely transformed our world and in a way have made our lives so much easier.

Coupon Codes as Marketing Strategy

2011-11-07T20:18:00.002+08:00

The Internet abounds with a whole lot of online stores and business all enticing users and consumers to purchase their products or avail of their services. Most online stores offer sales and deals where the buying public can save money. This is actually the trend now, many online stores give out coupon codes like Personal Creations coupon codes where a user can exchange for an item at a lesser price.

More and more businesses are doing this kind of marketing strategy to stay afloat in the cutthroat competition, and with thousands of competitors and rivals around, one must learn to take a step further ahead to survive.

Creme Brulee Cheesecake | Not for the Faint-Hearted

2011-11-06T22:40:00.000+08:00

We celebrated m y sister's 21st birthday last night. I made sure she's going to have fun. Invited my Brazilian friends to come earlier so they could help me with the preparation. I am so blessed to have them here. Really appreciate their help.

And so, since she's turning 21, I thought of baking 21 cupcakes that would have one candle on each top for her to blow. And since I wasn't really confident with my cupcakes, I am not into baking yet, I ordered Creme Brulee cheesecake from Secret Recipe.

I am telling you, that Creme Brulee cheesecake from Secret Recipe is to die for. Truly, not for the faint-hearted.

It was a night to remember as well. Have to post about it later.

Zumba Fitness, I Love

2011-11-01T00:36:00.000+08:00

After that sinful episode with Praline Mocha Frap from Starbucks with a very rich chocolate cake, I felt that I needed to take that much craved exercise. Been wanting to do Zumba for a long long time now but never got a chance to do it.

But today, I made up my mind. I googled some Zumba Fitness dance moves on youtube and here's what I found that I liked best:

Zumba is a latin-inspired dance fitness program that has spread throughout the world like wildfire since they first introduced it in 2006. I blogged about it in my fitness blog last year but like I said, never got around to do it.

The best thing about it is that when I posted on my FB that I started doing it, some of my friends suggested we do it together, no matter which part of the world we are all at. We just set a time of the day to do and we'll do it at the same time.

Isn't that exciting?

Praline Mocha Starbucks

2011-10-31T18:51:00.000+08:00

It is not a doubt that I love Starbucks coffee. I used to just drink instant coffees. But since a friend introduced me to Starbucks coffee 11 years ago, I started to like drinking real, brewed coffee.

But of course, when in Starbucks cafe, I'd order a frapuccino when I want it cold. I love Java Chips frap. I'd order Caramel Macchiato if I want a hot drink.

Recently, they offered Creme Brulee Macchiato which I missed. Really wanted to try it but... hmmmm... nevermind.

I and the hubs had a 3-hour escapade yesterday and we went to Starbucks Subang Parade. I saw a flavour I haven't tried before - Praline Mocha frap - and I tried it. It was oh-so-divine.

Starbucks Praline Mocha - Moderately sweet with a hint of bitterness. Its coffee base is the Anniversary Blend.

I.Love.It

A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

2011-10-30T22:12:00.000+08:00

For Twilighters who can't wait to see The Breaking Dawn Part 1, here's the soundtrack of the movie. A Thousand Years by Christina Perri.

Check it out!

Let me know what you think of the love song: A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. K?

Anyways, my sister and I can't wait to watch Edward and Bella's wedding at Breaking Dawn part 1. Is Edward going to give Bella one of those titanium wedding bands ? LOL. I am so into that story. Of course, not as much as the first time I read the books and watched the first Twilight movie installation. I guess I have mellowed down a lot. But since my sister is still into it, I kind of happy to go with her flow. ;)

Kona Coffee

2011-10-30T22:10:00.001+08:00

Considered as one of the most expensive coffees in the world, Kona Coffee is grown in Kona, Hawaii. It's been told that Samuel Reverend Ruggles brought the coffee from Brazilian cuttings. The combination of sunny mornings, little wind and mild nights in a porous, mineral rich volcanic soil creates a distinct taste of Kona coffee. It is only called Kona when it's grown in Kona, Hawaii.

Because of the rarity and and high price of Kona, some retailers sell Kona Blends where Kona is combined with Colombian, Brazilian and other foreign coffees. They usually contain 10% Kona coffee and the rest is comprised of other cheap coffees.

My sister Joy, who now lives in Hawaii, sent me several packs of Kona Blend coffee from Royal Kona. It's 10% Kona blended with other type of coffee. But there's one pack of 100% Kona Coffee from Muldavi she sent. I haven't opened the 100% Kona coffee yet. I am reserving it for special occasion. :P

How to enjoy Kona coffee?

If you have a Kuerig (which I don't have, it would be great). You can even serve a K-Cup coffee.

The taste of Kona coffee is affected by the quality of water you use. So when the water has a high mineral content, don't use it. Use the bottled water instead. Kona coffee is best prepared using French Press (which is what I have been using).

I like my coffee latte so I use fresh milk when I prepare my coffee. Here's how I prepare it. Warm the milk in a microwave oven, use the milk frother until the milk has enough froths/bubbles. Pour it over freshly brewed Kona coffee. I use 3 teaspoons of sugar for a mug of coffee. Mix it. And enjoy it. Best when the person you drink coffee with loves coffee as well. LOL. My husband is not a coffee drinker but he drinks coffee with me from time to time.

The Third Has Come

2011-10-30T22:09:00.000+08:00

It is a happy news. Our third has finally come! It's such a touching story that our cousin, who is a practicing doctor has delivered his own baby. I can't just imagine the emotional thing that took place while he was delivering his own baby. This baby girl is the 3rd princess in the family. Meaning, in Peter's side of the family, she's the third girl.

We are happy to welcome the third princess in the family. The family is indeed getting bigger and bigger, with cousins getting married and giving birth to babies. I think the next thing we know, we would all be checking out prom dress at tjformal.com for our girls. But that's a little too advanced to think about.

For now, all we need to do is enjoy the kids while they're young. I sure do.

Photo Challenge: Lifestyle Photography

2011-10-30T22:06:00.002+08:00

Hello, photography buffs!

I am back to my photo challenge once again. And this time, I'm on lifestyle photography.

My family and some friends drove over to Port Klang to visit Logos Hope ship. We wanted to buy some books for the kids. On the way though, right at the gate of where the ship was, one of tires of the car was punctured. We parked on the roadside and while our husbands were busy fixing the tires, my friend and I went to this field and took some shots with my girl.

First photo was photo processed.

Second photo was taken right off the camera.

Which one do you prefer?

The Benefits of Net10

2011-10-30T22:05:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Net10 for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Because of people’s busy schedules and work tables, sometimes basic things like reloading airtime are forgotten. Some people only realize this when they try to call or send a message only for it to fail because of lack of airtime balance. Doing a postpaid would also be so expensive so we need to look for a silver lining. Thanks to Net10, we do not need to look for it anymore. I guess a Real NET10 customer can say the same thing.

The benefits of Net10 are great: unlimited calls, texts, and data for only $50.00 a month and you can choose your own phone from any of the most trusted brands like LG, Nokia, Motorola, Kyocera and Samsung. Their services can easily be availed through buying your own Net10 phone then activating the service online in their website, www.net10.com . Here, you will see what What Rob has to say. By clicking the activate/reactivate button on the top of the page, the phone is easily activated. Try your new service by sending a message, calling or downloading any data. You can reload airtime balance online, in stores or even directly from your own phones.

They also offer and automatic plan which starts at $15.00 for 200 minutes through their Easy Minutes Plus plans. You can opt to Pay-As-You-Go and carry on your minutes just by adding whenever it is convenient for you. You are not also strictly bound to your plans as you can change it anytime you want without paying for any penalties.

From the US, Canada and Mexico, you can call to 75 countries worldwide for only 15 cents a minute. You can also avail of their International Neighbors program so that your loved ones can contact you even when you are in Mexico or Canada, you will be given a special number.

For your convenience, you can choose your own phone depending on your needs. There are phones that cost under $15.00 if you only need them for sending a message or calling. If you want more features like camera, Bluetooth capability and web access then you can get one for only less than $40.00. If you want something more than the basics like full QWERTY keypads, touch screens, mobile web and more then you can get it for only less than $60.00. It truly is less expensive than any other plans.

The other benefits of this is that you are no longer subject to bills with humungous amounts and it suits a person’s budget and needs.

For more details on their promos and plans, subscribe at http://twitter.com/#%21/Net10_Wireless and like their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/NET10Wireless. You can also listen to comments in youtube if you want to make sure that this service is for you, click these links for videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95JDEDY1kRI&feature=related, http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhmb47_net10-sharon-testimonial_tech.
Check out this review:

Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

2011-10-29T18:00:00.000+08:00

It's going to be Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez in November this year. In fact, Manny has gone to the US to prepare for his match against Juan Manuel Marquez.

People, are you ready for Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez match?

My Very Own Spa

2011-10-21T23:15:00.001+08:00

Being a stay at home mom, I oftentimes dream of being massaged and pampered. I am glad that once in while when I go on trips, I could get massaged, or have a manicure and pedicure. It’s also one of the things that I look forward to when I travel to Thailand. Their hair and body spa services are a lot cheaper than what they have here.

I was amused when I read about Orbeez Soothing Spa. It is such a colorful and enjoyable way to have your hands and feet pampered and massaged! I was thinking , wouldn’t it be great to have my very own spa here at home? That way, I can be pampered anytime I want!

Breaking Dawn Wedding Photos

2011-10-20T10:59:00.000+08:00

For all you who are waiting patiently for The Wedding of the Century, Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn Part 1 Wedding photos are here. I took some print screen shots of them from their official trailer.

The Dashing groom, Edward Cullens

The hot vampire guests!

Breaking Dawn Part 1 is showing on November 18th in the US. Just not sure when it's going to be shown in Malaysia. But I and my sister are definitely going to watch it. :D

Hope you enjoy my Breaking Dawn wedding photos!

Galaxy Nexus | Ice Cream Sandwich

2011-10-20T08:53:00.000+08:00

Have you seen this new hype?

Galaxy Nexus. Ice Cream Sandwich. LOL.

I know how people can get crazy with naming gadgets nowadays... but to name it Ice Cream Sandwich is really catchy. People would easily buy it.

But what are the features of this New Ice Cream Sandwich machine? See the youtube video below:

Galaxy Nexus is the next generation of Nexus devices co-developed by Samsung and Google. Nexus combines innovative hardware with the newest version of Android, 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, and the latest Google mobile services.

Planning a Road Trip to Thailand

2011-10-13T20:08:00.000+08:00

My husband and I decided that we take our kids to his work in Thailand at least once a year. Last year, we went to Ranong twice. One in June and one in December. The kids truly had some fond memories in Thailand.

And so, at the end of the year, we're planning a road trip again to Thailand. Plan on driving from Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai, stay there for a couple of nights, head on to Ranong for a few nights and to Phuket to celebrate Christmas! Of course, since we're driving with the kids, we make sure roadside assistance will be within reach. But really praying nothing will happen.

I am sure we'll have a blast!

The Avengers | We're in this Together

2011-10-12T06:33:00.003+08:00

The Avengers, which is showing on May 4, 2012, is an upcoming American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, based upon the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name.

Here's the official trailer for The Avengers.

When an unexpected enemy emerges who threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.

I am pretty sure, basing on the trailer... The Avengers is going to be awesome. Iron Man seems to be the hottest of them all. I just love his wits!

And yes, The Avengers soundtrack is We're in this Together performed by Nine Inch Nails. Check it out!

I wanna watch the Marvel Superheroes movies again though. I watched Captain America with my sister a couple of months ago at TGV Sunway Pyramid. We watched Thor on DVD that's connected to TV with long hdmi cables last month. I also watched Iron Man 2 with the hubs awhile back.

Really... The Avengers, basing on the trailer, spells A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

The Great Ocean Road | Aerial View

2011-10-07T08:59:00.002+08:00

This was probably my highlight when we went to Melbourne, Australia for a family trip. Okay. Not probably... but it definitely WAS my highlight. When we were planning for our itinerary (things to do while in Melbourne), a friend suggested we did the Great Ocean Road tour. I googled it and was interested with what I saw.

I have seen some great images and what struck me the most was the beautiful 12 Apostles and you could actually take the 12 Apostles Helicopter ride to view Port Campbell, London Bridge, Loch Ard Gorge and yes, the aerial view of the 12 Apostles. My heart skipped a bit at the thought but at the same time, thought it was impossible for me to so. But my ever supportive husband encouraged me to do it.

And so, yes... we went for the Great Ocean Road tour and took the 12 Apostles Helicopter ride and saw the magnificent Great Ocean Road and its world famous attraction, the 12 Apostles.

Here are a few of my photos I took from up there, Down Under:

This was right after we took off.

The Great Ocean Road along Port Campbell aerial view.

To be able to take aerial photography of the 12 Apostles still blows my mind away. God, my Father, is that awesome to let me experience this "explosive out of the world experience." I am indeed so blessed.

When we came home the other day and when I was looking at the photos I took, I just broke down in tears, in awe of God's faithfulness in my life. And to be able to do this with my son is priceless.Yes, Schenker was with me and I was thrilled he could come with me. Really. I can't thank the Lord enough.

More photos are coming, by the way. These are just teasers. :P

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T08:05:00.003+08:00

He has contributed much to the technology world. Steve Jobs has done so much. But what can I say? He is a great loss to world of technology. But his time has come. It has come to an end.

It is just a sad news. But some things we never dare ask why. It's all in God's will.

Steve Jobs just lost his battle to cancer. And all the world's in grief.

I am pretty sure we will miss Steve Jobs greatly. I posted his culmination speech in one of the university graduation on my Facebook last time.I thought it was the best and most inspiring speech to give to the graduates. Ever. Really. It's hot! I must find the link again.

Anyways, Steve Jobs... you have truly left a legacy. May you rest in peace.

I pray God will comfort the family and friends you have left behind.

Photo Courtesy: apple.com

Pregnancy and Birth in the US

2011-10-02T08:11:00.000+08:00

My friend S just gave birth to a bouncy little boy, J. He is such a darling. And for a few days old, he's such a strong boy. I thank God for him.

While holding him, I was toying with the idea... Hmmm... would I want another one? The kids had been asking me for a new baby and I keep telling them no, not really.

Pregnancy for me is a happy moment. Giving birth is, as well. But taking care of the baby for the first few weeks has always been a struggle for me. And I am not sure whether I would want to go through the challenge for the 3rd time.

And so I am presenting you this graphic. I like it because there's a lot of information about pregnancy and child birth. Take a look.

Larger View
Graphic located here, www.SonogramTechnician.org

Jobless?

2011-10-01T21:42:00.000+08:00

Unemployment has become a worldwide problem. I mean I have heard of this in our home country for years, but who would expect that this would be the same dilemma in the first world countries nowadays?

The news about so many people getting laid off by the day is just so disheartening. I hope this worldwide crisis will end soon. But there will always be opportunities for those who are patient enough to search online. ERP Jobs, for example, offer great opportunities for skilled people looking for a job.

So if you are one of those who are applying for a job the traditional way, try browsing online—there might be a job there waiting for you!

Loving Melbourne

2011-09-29T09:03:00.001+08:00

Last year, I was able to avail Air Asia's promo fare and got a cheap fare to Melbourne, Australia from Kuala Lumpur. I got something around 700$ for our return ticket. And yes, that's for the 4 of us.

Air Asia is a blessing from God. Now, everyone can fly! LOL.

Anyways, we are loving it in Melbourne. The kids are having fun in the cold. If that's the right way to say it.

On our first day, it was windy and the weather was on 15 deg celcius. The kids took off their clothes, ran around, shouting their lungs off: Yay! It's cold! It's cold! LOL.

We were targeting The Great Ocean Road yesterday but in the morning when we saw the news, the weather was not going to be good.. so we decided to divert to the Philip Island instead. The kids had fun at the Amaze n Things. I had fun too. It's just dizzying at the illusion sections. I guess it comes with age. But it was fun and educational at the same time.

We are loving Melbourne.

What can I say?

Thank you, Lord for the blessing!

The Human Body

2011-09-29T08:39:00.000+08:00

I love Biology. It used to be my favorite subject in school. I would spend hours and hours just studying about the Human body, it's cells, what it's made off and stuff like that. Now that I have a son who goes to a primary school, I have a chance to show off my knowledge. It just helps that I love to teach also. So now, my son not only learns Science in school, he learns some from me, too.

I guess the next topic I wanna teach him is the human body:

More here, at http://www.RadiologyTechnician.com

Isn't this an amazing? I can totally show this one. And I'm sure that he would test it on himself if I told him from this graph that it's impossible to tickle one's self.

I am pretty sure you would try it too. :)

I just did. :D

Archery in Sunway Pyramid | The Archer in Me

2011-09-25T04:02:00.002+08:00

It's been a long time since I wanted to take my son to an indoor archery in Sunway Pyramid. Last week, we walked past the sports center and he asked me when we can start playing archery. I promised we would go back the next week.

And so to fulfill my promise, we went to play archery today.

It was fun launching Schenker and my sister Jirah into the world of archery. Schenker had so much fun hitting archery targets. :D

I was thrilled to revive the archer in me as well. I tell you, when I started holding the longbow and the arrow, it felt like there was never a gap in years when I last played it.

If I remember correctly, the last time I played was when I represented my province to a Regional Competition when I was in high school.

Yes, I was a good archer. But now, I need to brush up the skill.

I want my son to take after me. He seemed to be enjoying archery. So I hope we'll continue doing it.

Blogger Shirt

2011-09-24T09:52:00.000+08:00

I know that shirts you're wearing define who you are. That's why, sometimes, I am careful on what shirt I wear.

But have you tried wearing a shirt and you get funny reactions? I have.

I wore a shirt on one of the days we were visiting Singapore. Now, it's not my first time to visit Singapore but I tell you, what attention I got was a first time. I have experienced a very good customer service wherever I went.

They probably changed over the years... but hey, who would walk you to a train ticket machine, buy the tickets for you and family and walk you to the escalator to show you where to hop on the train so you could get to Orchard Road? I was sooo loving it.

Anyways, if you want to get some funny reactions, get some nfunny t shirts at FoulMouthShirts.com. I also want to make more blogger shirts. My sister did for me. It wasn't looking very professionally done but it did serve the purpose.

What about you? Have you tried wearing a blogger shirt and got the attention you wanted?

Try it!

Jotta A

2011-09-23T22:56:00.001+08:00

I believe by now most of you have seen Jotta A singing Gospel songs in a Kiddie Talent Competition in Brazil. Jotta A, a 12-year old Brazilian just amazes billions of people with his great vocals and with his boldness in using his talent for God's glory.

He is amazing.

I do praise God for Jotta A.

Here's Jotta A singing Agnus Dei:

Here's Jotta A singing Amazing Grace (originally sang by Chris Tomlin)

Perfecting Portraits Challenge #4 | My Brazilian Friends

2011-09-15T01:01:00.001+08:00

Took this shot when we went to Ranong, Thailand last month. Back then, I didn't have any idea how to use my post-processing software. Now that I know the basic stuff, I've been trying my hand on post editing.

And so, yes... this is my Perfecting Portraits Challenge #4 : My Brazilian friends. They are fun to be with. I actually just started giving them English classes. Not a dull moment with them.

Image below is the original image, by the way. What say you? Does my above image look over processed? Hmmm...

Techie Kids

2011-09-14T07:12:00.002+08:00

When I was in elementary school, entertainment for kids usually just means playing endlessly outdoors, running around and playing hide-and-seek with peers. Nowadays, only a few kids are interested in playing outdoors. Most of the time, they just like to sit around in front of the television and play X-box, play station, etc.

Maybe it is just a generation gap, but I think kids mature earlier nowadays. Remember when you were in college and you still have to beg your parents to buy you a cell phone? Well apparently, kids as young as 10 years old already demands for a cell phone, and an htc desire 2.2 none the less! Oh, these techie kids..

Perfecting Portraits Challenge #3 | Serendipity

2011-09-12T09:09:00.001+08:00

We were at the Orchard Road in Singapore, goofing around, taking some snap shots with my sister and kids. Samantha was giving her out-of-this-world poses. Jirah, my sister would mimic her. Then I'd take shots some more.

Would you believe I got the shot I wanted without even trying so much?

Serendipity.

That's what I call it.

Original image below:

Here's my Perfecting Portraits Challenge series

Challenge #1

Challenge #2 | Family Photo

Hope you enjoy this series.

Homes and Decoration

2011-09-11T23:44:00.000+08:00

The homes from Architectural Digest are truly drool-worthy, from the actor’s homes to the businessmen to the ordinary people who are able to make palaces out of their homes. Some have simple yet elegant designs while others have weird eclectic tastes but one thing that binds them all are that they are models and are meant to be followed.

This magazine could certainly be a good reference for those who would like to build their own house or renovate one. They have articles on color schemes, cord management, furniture, wiring and everything else related to interior design. What I love most about this magazine is that you see different kind cultures that are projected through the homes of different kinds of people from the all over the world. Its diversity is what makes people read this magazine.

Perfecting Portraits Challenge #2 | Family Photo

2011-09-05T11:51:00.004+08:00

I asked my sister to take this shot with settings pre-set. Post-processed via Photoshop CS5 extended using blend modes and such.

Took this after thePlan11 Youth Conference. We stayed one extra day for my husband to rest and for us to spend time with the kids. We've been running around like crazy during the conference and the kids were left on their own most of the time. Just love that friends took care of them while we were busy at the conference.

Loved the time we spent with kids by the pool side too where we had games and stories.

Thank God for the time spent at thePlan11. I had one of those wonderful moments of my life.

I thank God for the rest after the conference, too.

We are now starting to plan for thePlan13! Yay!

Here's the original photo by the way:

Here's Perfecting Portraits Challenge #1

Travel and Write

2011-09-05T11:14:00.001+08:00

Traveling through Europe would perhaps be one of the most amazing things I could achieve in my short, eventful and blessed life. Europe is made of small countries so if you drive it would take you quite a short time to get to another country. So in a very tiny span of time you get to see other cultures from different nations, containing different people and languages. It would be fun to write a book while doing that, just observing customs and seeing how people interact in different places. Just don’t forget to bring necessary documents, medicines, first aid kit and snow tire chains. It’s always good to be ready and proactive. If you do travel through Europe, please do not forget to share your experiences.

Would you Like to Wait?

2011-09-05T11:06:00.002+08:00

A few people like to wait. Wait for someone, wait for their food, wait for classes to begin, or wait for the right time. Sometimes you get bored waiting especially if you are waiting alone. But there are also positive attributes to waiting. It gives you time to think of things and life-changing decisions, it allows you to admire small things around you like the beauty of the restaurant furniture you were staring during the past two hours or to just simply ponder and evaluate your life. You need not be agitated or tensed while waiting for it could be a good avenue for sorting out your life’s daily mess. Waiting is not very enjoyable but as a rational and mature human being we should use this activity for our benefit.

Perfecting Portraits Challenge #1

2011-09-04T20:03:00.003+08:00

Finally, I have decided where to post my Perfecting Portraits Challenge. Last month, I had a chance to spend time with my mentor in Photography. And I have learned a lot that time. But I knew it wasn't enough, especially on editing photos. And so, when I knew that I was going to meet my mentor last week, I decided I should focus more on post-processing techniques with him.

The above image was the result of my post-processing...

Below is the original photo.

Mother and Baby Photography

2011-08-28T21:49:00.001+08:00

Since this is a family blog, I decided to post my the photos I just took of my friend S and her daughter Baby T. Taking photos of a pregnant lady almost going to pop is really challenging as she gets tired easily. Baby T didn't make it any easier either. she's just a toddler after all. But taking photos of them was really fun. I had a great time.

Also, I tried using the my new SB-700 Speedlight to no avail. I still need to learn how to use it. Like what my mentor asked me to do, please read the manual, Janet. It would help a lot. LOL. I will try. Really. I am not a manual-reader person but for the sake of learning how to use the flash gun, I will try to do it. (Read my lips: TRY). LOL.

I knew I gave it my best shot. But I also know I can do better.

What do you think?

Improved Customer Service with a Restaurant POS System

2011-08-28T21:32:00.001+08:00

Restaurant owners require the necessary management skills to increase productivity and speed up service to keep customers satisfied. Restaurant POS Systems make the daily tasks of a restaurant easier to manage which speeds up the restaurants efficiency and boosts profits. Once an order has been placed, a ticket prints out clearly in the kitchen for the chef without any lost orders or any confusions.

New technology has enabled table side ordering with an iPad POS System. Customers can place orders and pay with their credit card all from their table. Alongside the iPad POS System, an iPhone POS System enables the waiters to take orders on the go which sends the order instantly to the kitchen without having to go to the main POS system. These advancements in the point of sale systems will keep many customers satisfied and will help boost profits.

thePlan11

2011-08-28T11:49:00.000+08:00

I am so hyped up for thePlan11. In just a couple of days, we are going to drive down to Port Dickson to prepare for the conference.

We will have some great speakers, coming from all over to share what God has been doing in their lives and works.

I am leading a Social Media workshop and I am quite excited. I have been a social media user for several years now and I can't wait to share what social media has been contributing in my work.

I can't wait to take photos as well. I, along with my photography mentor, are going to shoot the conference.

So yeah, I am so hyped up!

Malaysia, are you ready for thePlan11?

My New Baby | Nikon SB-700 Speedlight

2011-08-25T09:22:00.003+08:00

Good morning, blogosphere!

It has been a long time since I really "blogged." If not for my new baby, I'd probably be waiting for heaven-knows-what to blog again.

And so, today, I want to introduce to you my new baby:

Nikon Speedlight SB-700 - a flash gun (courtesy of my travel blog) for my new Nikon D7000 (courtesy of the husband)

It just tickles me that yesterday, while considering buying a flash gun, I was feeling so nervous. LOL. Dunno why but... okay honestly, I feel nervous easily. It's probably because I drink too much coffee and coke. LOL.

And so, with the help of my photographer friend Jonathan, I decided to get this one. It's not as advanced as the SB-900 but it's good for a beginner like me who wants to explore Nikon flash photography.

I am so glad that finally, I am moving forward with my photographic pursuit. It has been a year since I first bought my first ever DSLR and I was quite slow the first several months. However, when I went to Ranong and saw my photographer friend, I had a chance to learn from him. I have learned so much that in just a couple of weeks, you can actually see the difference in my photos.

Why I chose SB-700? Like I said, it's good for beginners who want to explore more on the "brighter" side of photography. SB-700 features a rotating head, built-in bounce card, a supplied diffuser and both incandescent and fluorescent filters. This is an easy-to-use, yet sophisticated flash in a compact body. It also boasts an intuitive interface and easy-to-understand operating system which is indeed good for a not-so-techy-know-how like me.

I probably need to get a remote flash trigger for my next project. What say you?

Teen Angst

2011-08-24T02:46:00.000+08:00

I just read a Facebook post from a friend about teenager rebelling. According to him, parents always tell teens that they’re too young for love, too old for fun. Teens are mature enough to play dumb but still immature to engage in a grown up conversation.

It is no wonder that teens rebel, there is nothing left for them to do. Of course some parents may not understand this but teens all over the world have the same sentiments. And to top it all, they have to worry about school crushes, acnes, weight and the likes. So for all teens out there, don’t despair because everything shall come to pass, for now click here for diet pills, this may help ease your angst.

The Digital World

2011-08-14T09:13:00.003+08:00

Kids today are very digitalized, gone were the days of playing with neighbors in the streets creating and inventing new games. Now, most of the children stay at home to play or play in parks that are safer. The toys they play with probably need nimh rechargeable batteries or are remote controlled. Or they play famous sports like football, basketball, badminton, and baseball, and then they take these games home by playing it on their PSP, PS3, Xbox, and iPad.

Maybe because of the different kinds media and the children follow what the games are played on TV, movies and sports channel. That is why maybe some parents have a difficult time understanding their kids. Is this also the same for you?

Save the Date | Passion 2012 Live Link

2011-07-30T00:13:00.005+08:00

Passion Conferences just tweeted:

SAVE THE DATE. Passion 2012 Live Link uniting students around the globe, Monday night, September 26! Details to come!

I can't wait to see the live link.

Loui Giglio's messages are always very inspiring. Looking forward to hear the message. Worship music has been always awesome, especially when David Crowder, Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin and Christy Knockles lead the worship.

Truly glorifying God, drawing people to know His heart and call. :D The renown of His name!

I believe there will be millions of young people that will be blessed.

September 26. Save the date. :D

Here's the Passion 2012 Promo Video.

Money Matters

2011-07-29T22:11:00.003+08:00

Carlos Slim Helu is the world’s richest man since 2010. He is a Mexican businessman who owns telecommunications companies and has other holdings from various businesses all over the world. His father was a businessman before him and all of his children were taught business practices at an early age. Carlos was able to buy his first shares at the age of twelve and by the age 26, he was already worth $40 million. These achievements are exceptional and rarely does a person experience a success of this caliber.

Being one of the most influential men today, he was able to inspire many people through his business achievements and also his philanthropic deeds. Those who follow his steps become more hardworking and more intelligent in handling their money. Loans, credits, cash advance and the likes are planned meticulously and used to invest money in profitable businesses. This was how the greatest businessmen of today become rich. So if we want to become one of them, let’s plan well and invest well.

Social Networking for a Cause

2011-07-22T13:45:00.000+08:00

The only permanent thing in this world is change. Two decade ago, we would not have known concepts such as wifi, autocad, powerpoint, electronic mails and the likes. But now, these words are very common and people can not function without these things. And everyday technology is improved, applications added, breakthroughs discovered, and science accelerating.

We had a seminar on Social Media today and its implications to our communities and the world itself. Their presentation was like a lapel pin for their passions and the things that they believe in. It was symbolic and really represented their thoughts and what they want to do for the communities in the world. Social media affect our lives whether we like it or not, making the most of it or enjoying it depends on us. Others use it purely for entertainment, some for business and there are those who use it for their cause.

Believe it or not, there are still organizations in the world that are not using the internet for advertising because of the limitations it presents. So this seminar has been a help to those who do not use the media for socialization. Through social media, more people are reached at a lesser price.

Free Hand Spa at Yves Rocher

2011-07-20T06:43:00.001+08:00

Went to Subang Parade to take my family for a nice meal at Nando's. But walked past Yves Rocher that was offering free hand spa. But you can avail of its promotion if you show a store-wide receipt of RM50 and above.

My husband purchased something from The Body Shop. That's his favorite by the way. And so we had one free spa. And so I thought all of us could go. We took my mom for a dress shopping in Reject Shop. I bought a couple of black dresses for her and another - yes - another maxi dress for me and a denim skirt for Samantha (her choice). Separated the bill so we had four.

Since we had lunch at Nando's, we had another bill worth RM50 above. So all of us (Samantha included) went for a free spa. The girl who did our hand spa was very kind and so I returned the favor by buying an organic soap - blackberry flavour. Hehehe.

Liverpool Asia Tour 2011 - Malaysia

2011-07-15T10:12:00.001+08:00

There's going to be a Friendly Match between Liverpool FC and Malaysia XI tomorrow as part of Liverpool's Asia Tour 2011 at Bukit Jalil National Stadium which starts at 5:45pm), July 16, 2011.

Are we going to watch it?

A BIG, YES!

We bought free seating tickets worth 68RM/ticket.

This is going to be a surprise for my sister who arrived yesterday with my parents, as part of her graduation gift from us.

She doesn't know yet ( as this is going to be a surprise) but if she accidentally reads this, I'm a dead duck. LOL.

WW - An Old Photograph

2011-07-13T13:02:00.000+08:00

I posted this on my other blog but since that blog is under maintenance, I am posting my old photograph here.

My high school graduation photo.

Can you guess which one I am here? LOL. Sorry. This is really old and you can't almost see me... but... oh well... Guess it's not hard to tell. I still look the same. Yeah, right! LOL.

For more White entries:

What do our Children See?

2011-07-12T06:54:00.002+08:00

Oftentimes we presume that our kids see what we see. Parents should ask the question, “what does my child see?”—and this does not only apply to what he or she sees physically. It could also be, “what is he or she focused on?” What we focus on are things that matter and are important to us.

If you are a parent and you are an athlete, you would see things from an athlete’s perspective. You would prefer to linger on the sports channel. What if your child likes to bake? Cook? Finds pleasure in watching those cooking shows? It means one thing: your child has set a focus. He or she has seen something—something you may not necessarily see.

As a parent, it is not our duty to let our kids see what we see. It would not be right to let them love what we love, either. Begin to see what your child sees and by all means, support them as individuals owning a different vision that you have. Let them soar to reach their potentials and highest dreams!

When Rewards Become Traps

2011-07-12T06:53:00.000+08:00

Children naturally look for rewards. It is likened to the “wind beneath their wings”. While it is good to reward our children, it can also be dangerous as a trap. It becomes one when our kids could no longer function well if we don’t give them the “price that’s right”.

When our kids would start to ask, “what’s in it for me?” It means that he or she did not understand well why he or she has to do something good. All those years that they have been obedient were all because of the rewards that they’ll get.

It is important therefore that parents would draw a big, clear picture why children have to do what they have to do. Sure, the rewards and the encouragements would be a part of the picture. It could still very well be the wind beneath their wings.

When kids become adults, they would not be lured by people who would give them rewards by doing something evil. They would understand that rewards come because they deserve it, not just to satisfy their wants and desires.

The Internet has it All

2011-07-10T18:04:00.001+08:00

Sometimes friends ask me where to get elegant and posh engagement rings since they know that I am always online and can check out websites of all sorts. So as a help, I direct friends to makemyegagementring.com since some of my other friends too have purchased items from this website.

This is just one of the many advantages of having access to the internet. I can just ask Mr. Google where, what, how, when and why and literally, in just seconds, answers will be given to me. The wonders of the internet have truly made a big difference in our lives and have made everything a little bit easier and convenient.

One more thing. Did you know that you can take online business programs?
Think of the possibilities that will open up to you when you learn all you
can, using online college
classes.

Diamonds for Me?

2011-07-10T18:00:00.000+08:00

Diamonds they say are a girl’s best friend. Well, I do admire diamonds and jewelry, but I could not afford to buy one myself. When my husband proposed to me, was I really expecting one of those diamond engagement rings? Well, not really actually, and did not receive one, I was still elated at the fact that I was getting engaged.

I got a more significant ring which was studded with garnet stone. If you know us, I and my husband have the same birth dates and that would mean we do have the same birth stone - garnet. He's just one year older than me. And on the side of the garnet, there were two small diamonds on each side and he explained that it meant: I love you.

One big diamond or not, what matters is that I was shown true love and that I was special in my husband’s eyes. That special treatment is still being afforded to me added with two adorable kids, my world is already complete.

Different Places Around the World

2011-07-10T08:41:00.002+08:00

Most places in Malaysia have excellent mobile coverage and there is a lot of variety to choose from. But this is not the case with some places. I have visited some areas of the world where mobile coverage was so faint it was practically invisible.

For places like that, it would have been helpful if we had a wilson cell booster. Speaking of which, it is time to get a new cell phone. I have gone without one for some time because there is a phone at home but in this day and age, I probably should have one.

I’m not really a techie when it comes to mobile phones, but that’s okay as I’m not really particular.

Preparing for Delivery

2011-07-10T08:39:00.002+08:00

Nothing gets one thinking like when there is going to be a new baby in the family. A good friend is expecting a baby soon and she went to find out about insurance options in Malaysia. One thing about Malaysia is that they have good coverage for any number of situations but what she also found out was that there did not seem to be any for delivery.

How funny. But I suppose it makes a lot of sense since there are always pregnant women who are going in to delivery. From my experience one thing I have learned is always to have savings particularly for delivery. That way, if any extra need comes up, like the need for an epidural, you are covered.

2011 Bersih Rally (Walk for Democracy) in Malaysia

2011-07-08T12:54:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow, Malaysia, or Kuala Lumpur to be exact, will be very crowded as they are organizing a Bersih Rally (that's a follow up from 2007 Bersih Rally) or Walk for Democracy in Malaysia.

Simply put, this is going to be a call to the Election Commission of Malaysia to ensure free and fair elections in Malaysia.

Actually, a number of NGO's are supporting this rally but I am pretty sure that the government will make sure there is going to be peace during the rally.

If you're heading towards Kuala Lumpur or within Kuala Lumpur, please don't be surprised that the traffic will be very jammed... or that streets will be closed.

Even then, we ask people from all over the world to please say a prayer for peace in Malaysia while the rally is going on.

Vietnamese Coffee and Brazilian Coffee

2011-07-08T12:08:00.002+08:00

Just have to say this.

We are having Brazilian guests with us, along with other people from different countries (Thailand, Indonesia, Nigeria) and if you know me, I like entertaining guests.

In our office where we had our meeting, I tried to impress them by serving Vietnamese coffee. Okay. I know coffees in Brazil are really good. But Vietnamese coffee was the best coffee I had at home.

I have friends from Vietnam who came to our house last year and gave me 3 packs of Vietnamese coffee and since I love it so much, I tried not to drink a lot so I can still extend its life... hehehe. In fact, I had to buy coffee from Starbucks so I don't use the Vietnamese coffee that much. LOL.

And so, this time, when we're having some guests, I took out my coffee maker and I served my guests Vietnamese coffee.

And the next day, one of them gave me one big pack of Brazilian coffee. Extra Forte. Dunno what that means. LOL.

I am just so glad I have one of those coffee machines that I can use to brew coffee.

Some small small things in life make a happy me and I thank God for blessing me with the best coffee in the world!

Funny Baby Onesies as Gifts

2011-07-02T13:36:00.007+08:00

Babies are just so adorable, cute, and cuddly. They’re priceless. Our babies or kids are like fragile things that we need to take care of every single minute and prevent them from being harmed. Just like babies, we need to take care of them, feed them, bathe them, clothe them, play with them, and prevent them from getting hurt. My kids are now older and they can do stuff on their own but that's what exactly I did as a mom when my kids were babies.

I mentioned about clothing our precious angels awhile ago. Yeah, I happened to search this site which sells baby clothes such as funny baby onesies, baby-bodysuits, baby bodysuits for boy and girls, baby blankets, bibs, hats and caps, and even underwear and panties. I got so amazed with their products, especially the onesies because the designs are so adorable plus its really funny one-liner sayings which make our babies look so great. It would be a perfect gift for our nieces, nephews, goddaughters and godsons, too. I have a friend who's pregnant once again. It would be be a cool site to check out for gifts.

Nonetheless, price tags don’t really matter for what’s more important is how we give and do everything we can for our babies to make them feel loved and accepted.

Shopping in Bandung, Indonesia

2011-06-29T23:55:00.000+08:00

I went with my husband to Bandung, Indonesia last week for a meeting. When I knew I was part of the meeting and was going with my husband, I checked online on what else to do in Bandung aside from our meeting.

And so.. what can you do in Bandung? I found there are just too many things to do. For one, you can go shopping. Second, you can go shopping. Third, you can go shopping. LOL. In other words, Bandung is a shopping haven.

They have a lot of factory outlets in town. I heard people from all over Indonesia and some parts of the world go to Bandung for shopping. I guess it would be more exciting if they do have bluetooth barcode scanner. You don't have to walk around, finding a scanner to know the price, or something like that.

Did I go shopping in Bandung? Yes, I did. But we only had 1 hour to do so. So it's not a happy shopping day. When you go to Bandung just for shopping reasons, give yourself a couple of days to do so, so you can get around all the factory outlets.

Finding Love Online

2011-06-21T23:08:00.000+08:00

Because of the pressing times now, many single men and women work hard just to be able to survive and due to the pressures of subsistence and existence, most of these men and women have no time to date or socialize and mingle with others. So their love life is poor and boring. But because of the advent of internet, technology and these so-called social networking sites and online dating sites, these lonely people have a found a way to light up their insipid lives.

As a result, men who felt like they could not find someone to love or accept them, or women who also felt like they will never get married at all, have found partners through the internet. Many love and life coaches have also emanated, providing steps on how to get a woman’s phone number or how to get a date or how to get laid tonight and eventually turn that woman into a girlfriend or wife. There are websites like Pandora’s Box (A Man’s Guide to the Female Mind) that have created ways and steps (scientifically based on how to attract women and let them stay with you.

In our world today, everything is almost possible, even finding a mate online is no longer an illusion, but a reality. Even to those who have already given up on love, there is still hope, a ray of light. All you have to do is just explore and discover.

Before and After

2011-06-16T08:44:00.000+08:00

The world has truly advanced now. Everything can be done online and every day there are new gadgets and technologies being invented and released in the markets. The technology has really made our lives convenient and things easier to do. Every institution and establishment have adapted to all these changes, even schools and school children alike.

Before, students take down notes on their paper notebooks, but because the advancement of technology, many students have dumped the paper for netbook computers and their pens for stylus. Even books have become e-books and the information is all stored in tablets. Now, what do you think would be the next innovation?

Instant and Express

2011-06-16T08:41:00.000+08:00

Almost everything can be done in a flash right now. Our foods for example can be cooked instantly or if we’re too lazy to cook, we just dine out or order from fast food chains. Paying our bills can also be done instantly via online payment options and even relationships have not escaped the “instant” or “express” mode. Some people find their dates online instantly, some guys send flower quick to impress a girl instantly. While others go on speed dating.

With everything going on express and instant nowadays, the personal touch gets lost in between. For me, it still feels better to be slow and sure, with no regrets in the end.

But of course, sometimes, you just need to do that. Especially now that Father's day is approaching, 3 days to be exact, you can send flowers quick. That's a sureway to show how grateful you are to your father, with no regrets.

KLCC Tuesday - Petrosains Science Discovery Centre

2011-06-01T18:24:00.001+08:00

2nd day of kids' school vacation.

We planned to go to KLCC (Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre) where the Twin Towers were... and where Petrosains Science Discovery Centre was.

But sad to say, we didn't book before we went. So the tickets were sold out that day.

My family, showing their sad faces:

And so we decided to go outside.

But it was cloudy and humid.

But we didn't want to spoil the fun....

So we went to Sunway Lagoon Club to have a swim.

You can tell the kids were very happy.

And it made a happy mommy. :D