Old times

I was sitting in a city circle tram. I now can't remember if it was something that I really saw or it was on my mind. The vision was a kid holding a tubed ice-cream. He was sucking on it with facial expressions so precious. Precious because I was seeing myself in him.

Grandma used to make those ice-cream in tubes for us. Later on Mom made them too. Normally it would be made of milo and evaporated condensed milk. The ice-cream was considered quite a luxury as it would only be made when a new can of condensed milk was opened. My parents and grandparent are/was people that don't/didn't waste even a single drop of water. So every last bit of the condensed milk sticking to the wall of the can was diluted with hot water and mixed with milo powder.

And when the mixture cooled, it'd be poured into plastic tubes and later frozen. I remember it was so exciting to chew on the ice, like a treat you would get only when you had done good. I remember how hurriedly I was to tear off old calendar pages to wrap around the ice tube using my little hands.

Sometimes it's not just milo ice but with red beans as well. Hmmmm, the taste seems to have come back on my tongue. Sometimes when we run out of plastic tubes, we would just use cup that we got from MAS. Yes Malaysia Airlines. I remember I used to roll my eyes when Dad/Mom took all the cups from the airline when we flew. I didn't realise the act would bring me such a memorable part of my childhood. The best part when using a cup is that all the good stuff like the thick milo powder of the red beans would all be at the bottom of the cup. There's always treasure at the end of the dig.



Only if I could preserve all the memories with my family in a plastic tube and store it away in the fridge, only to be chewed on whenever I would feel nostalgic and homey. Definitely need to recreate one of the unforgettables with Mom and B&S when I next get home.

Soul-ed Out

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are quite expressive and thoughtful. You see the world in a way that others are blind to. You are a very grounded, responsible, and realistic person. People may not want to hear the truth from you, but they're going to get it. You believe that people see you as larger than life and important. While this is true, they also think you're a bit full of yourself. Your near future is calm, relaxing, and pretty much what you want. And it's something you've been anticipating for a while now. For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

Glad that it's over

After quite an uneventful week, my weekend spiced up eventually. I had seen on TV the ad by gl0baLRags - it's supposed to be a sale of branded stuff at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. So I finished one of my job applications after work on Fri, which was about 4 already and trammed to MEC. Initially I even suspected that I went to the wrong place! Having not known that there were actually 10 showrooms at the MEC, I followed a girl who seemed to be shoppalicious. We walked past each room and my legs were getting a bit sore.

I think the building itself was at least 500m in length and we were talking towards the end of the building. And then the call came in - a call from NSW, by the look of it. Gosh it's a recruitment agency and I was shortlisted for the assessment day on Monday. Great! But the bad thing was that I was about to go shopping and I had to do this phone interview right there and then! But phewh, I managed to scraped through. (Just in case if someone would ask - I wasn't shopping for myself that day. I had spent enough money already)

Even though the role was not what I wanted but I was still stressed out over the weekend. The more I researched and prepared the less confident I felt. There was no way I would be doing B2B sales. Not at this stage.

However the intensity of the upcoming assessment day (yes, that's what it is called - the recruitment agency would assess if I was fit for their further recommendation to potential employers) was lightened up by the graduation ceremony of a fellow ex-housemate (sounds a bit like BB doesn't it? Fellow ex-housemate). So Sat morning was filled with lotsa of frenzied posing, directing and photo shoot.

Afternoon - stressing out with the interview again...

We went to Old Kingdom for dinna at night. It'd been a while since I last went there with my family. It was the first time that I was eating at a big table with other 11 people. Normally we would just get a small table. That was a first. Another first was of course the infamous caption was no longer waiting on us. The ducks were being cut by another young fella. However, we did get to see him when we were about to leave. He was really kind and understanding to bring us a couple of boxes as JK & PJ were taking away some duck bones. I remember I asked for bones of 10 ducks once before. And man, did I not enjoy the duck porridge and fried noodles with duck meat after that!

After dinna we went on Collins St as planned to hit one of the bars - The Long Room. It was damn nice to finally get out and about again in the night scene. I had not done that for a long times since my (drinking) buddies were all gone from Melb, leaving me with those who don't drink! Dressed to the sharpest (that's me, hello), we strutted along Collins St with me trying to remember where it was. Even though it was just 5 past 10, the place was already overcrowded with patrons.

We walked around trying to find seat but not to avail. But guess what - it was so damn nice to finally get to enjoy a smoke-free environment. The legislation came into effect since July 1st I think. It's so good now that I don't have to drown in second-hand smoke and my clothes will not be stinking when I leave the place.

Ordering drinks were a bit of a hassle. I ordered my cocktail from a new bartender - and effectively that dragged the gang down with me as well. Everyone was waiting long long for his/her drink. And according to sis the new bartender had to flip a How to make a cocktail - guide to a first-timer (OK - I added the title) and he probably burned with hand. It was a fun night when we're playing cards and talking nonsense. Someone still hadn't changed a bit when given alcoholic drinks.

Didn't stay out for too long as I didn't want to get a hangover and delay my prep for the assessment day. We went to Hungry Jack for supper (NOT ME) as we un-ashamedly asked for the 2-for-1 burger deal. Everyone seemed happy with that. Try that when you go to any Hungry Jack in the Melbourne CBD - it's worked so far. Just say the words just say the words - I wanna get the 2-for-1 xxx burger.

And then Sunday came - creeping on me that the assessment wasn't too far along. I basically studied for an hour then relaxed for the next, repeating the cycle for the rest of the day. Eventually I relaxed more than I studied. I got more nervous this morning. I felt like throwing up and throwing the opportunity away.

But I didn't - I went to the assessment anyway knowing that I would probably not get through. It was quite intensive - first thing up was public speaking which put me right into the graveyard. Something that I had known about myself but still not able to improve, much. It was good, nerve-wrecking fun anyway. I learned heaps. If anything, it's quite a reputable recruitment agency that originated from the UK. Group assessments were tricky though - I really didn't know how to work in a group that consisted of 14 people with 14 different voices all at the same time.

It was bitter sweet that I didn't get through though. Like WW said, it's better to do something that I'd enjoy. I felt the weights off my shoulder now - at least until the next interview comes along.

I got it!!

my Anya Hindmarch I'm not a plastic bag arrived this morning while I was pooping! Gonna strut the streets later with it! I got a blue US one for you too Mom.

A Horrible (shopping) Whore

That's me. Me - me - me - me. And Sherly would be standing there, arms folded, shooting a I-told-you-so look right at me.

Now I need to get a job at KFC. Angelene, I now need to 替人斟茶递水了咯!!!

Quoting WW, I have only myself to blame. That's why I think it's best for me to be living in small small Tanah Merah where the only shopping places are for me to buy groceries. I don't mind torturing my bank accounts once or twice every year when I go to KL to shop. But living in Melb where shopping centres are just tram stops away, I am no better than a drug addict.

Oh please Mother of Job, please answer my application letters; or can someone burn down the credit card control building of CBA?

I had been sitting on the Politix coat for a week and I threw in the white towel on Friday evening. Apparently, wait-and-see didn't work this time. Normally I would be able to sit it out if I didn't buy things on the spot. And today, I gave in to all my on-the-spot wants at Oxford. Except for 1 FCUK belt. However... I highly suspect history will repeat itself.

Since I love FRIENDS so much, should I follow in Rachel's footstep and cut my credit card?

I ♥ Huckabees

How could I have missed this film? Unglaubitch - was trying to go for a long-lost-in-my-memory German word but it didn't come out quite right did it?

What a cast - often the reason I see a movie - Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Mark Wahlberg, Jude Law, Naomi Watts and Shania Twain!!

Think I'll have to go to JB Hifi now!!

Stop Multiplying?

I wonder, if the solution to all the problems we have on earth lies in what people do in the bedroom and/or fertility centres?

First and foremost, fuel consumption. From dating to wooing to wedding (or rather it happens by deliberate accidents), how many energy has been put into it - transport, food, clothes, wedding ceremony (or just you know, hotel?) etc etc. And extravagant extra luxurious people have to import or export stuff or people to celebrate with them... All the black black oil is transformed into something called memories - which, can't feed the next generations.

If I were to believe in signs, like some churches blaming the homosexuals of New Orleans landed the place with Katrina, I'd say Tsunami happened because the earth was lack of lubricants - due to all petroleum being sucked up by human! Of course more earthquakes are bound to happen!

Secondly, CO2 emission. With the world pushing prices up by carbon trading, wouldn't it easier if we just produce less human? As I have many times pointed out that human is cancerous to the earth, from fuel consumption above, from the point where a sperm penetrates an egg, how much CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere due to our actions? Going for check-ups at the clinics, baby clothing, baby rooms and millions of other baby, somewhat unnecessary, gadgets. The productions and transportation of these items - are the burning torches responsible for melting poles.

Look at India & China where the population explodes like an atomic bomb. The whole world is screaming for energy sources. Wind lar, sun lar, geothermal lar, biomass lar, even nuclear. But why aren't we stopping the source of all problem - OURSELVES? Instead, we have been digging out more petroleum and producing more CO2 along the way just to find alternative energy source, or so they claim.

When it's all so glorious about wind energy or nuclear energy to generate electricity, does anyone actually think about whether it is possible to carry a nuclear reactor in a CAR or BBQ with some bio-waste? And until that actually happens, how many more million human will be borned to consume how many more trillion barrels of petroleum and produce how many more zillion tonnes of CO2?

Is this one of the side effects of demoCRAZY, where majority agrees that we can breed without feeling responsible for the earth mother? Is it sensible to suggest human trading than carbon trading? Is it even humane to suggest that we should limit birth? Is it a bad instinct for species survival to think what I think? Like Agent Smith, I think our out-of-control multiplicability is definitely crashing our Matrix.

On

.. my face there's a pimple ready to ripen and become juicy. I thought I was done with pimples - I'm a man of a certain age, you know, pimples should stay away from me! Furthermore I also shiseido my face twice a day, scrubbed once or twice a week. They only grow on a certain area of my face, which is the lower right part, near the jaw line. Really felt like popping it. It'd be some kinda of a relief, after a sharp pain followed by a tear or two.

.. my desk there's Tony Parsons' The Family Way, Anita Nair's Mistress and Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. Since I'm only part-timely employed with lotsa of spare time at night, I guess a little reading wouldn't hurt? I wonder how long has it been since I last enjoyed reading... Discounting Harry Potter. I have not touched too many books other than celebrity news (actually I don't read but just skim the pictures), academic must-read, online news and blogs. Since when I joined the Malaysian club where the average Malaysian only read no more than a few books a year! I have become one that refuses to read and think??!? I just want something easy for the eyes and I'm sure to become mentally retarded and illiterate soon!

.. my bed my quilt is still unmade. Some people don't make their beds. For example my youngest brother. We have to remind him almost every other day. We used to yell at him but that hadn't worked out too well I'm afraid. He does it better now, with occassional slips of course. Sometimes I hope that he would be different to other youngest siblings. However, he can't help being rude, demanding, inconsiderate, lazy, irresponsible and having a foul mouth! And somehow it's always the Mom that has to take the hit. Whenever I'm back home, his rough edges are tamed a little. I wonder if I should shoulder such responsibility. I'm not blaming my parents but I think they are a couple of tired parents. So tired that they now lack the superiority we used to fear, especially Mom's. It's strange to see that it's their edges have gone blunt, if I may say so. Now back to my bed. I think my bed is really out of order... I won't be too surprised if there's one night where the whole thing collapses. The saying is really now, good night, sleep tight, and don't let your bed collide?

.. the balcony of my apartment, now this is amusing, there are a couple of branches of a certain plant, rotting away. I so want to pick them up and go from apartment to apartment above mine, to find out who has lost some limbs, to a plant. I can't blame the weather if it was the wind that broke the branches. But I would be furious if some idiot cut those branches and just d-r-o-p-p-e-d them. I think sis was nearly hit by an empty beer bottle when she was out on the balcony. Often, our balcony also acts as a fail-safe due to its width. Whenever people above me washes their balconies, which they are not allowed to do, my balcony catches all the water. Soapy, dirtful water. I remember those branches being fresh, as they just appeared out of nowhere when I peered over the balcony one morning. Now, they have turned brown and wrinkly. Haha, I should actually put them in a vase and it'd serve as a decorative piece in the office of the corporate body.

.. my never accomplished to-do list, the number 1 task is to haul my ass to the gym and get fit. I don't want die of a heart attack or on a theatre table. You know ar, xxxx has just done a heart bypass surgery. So young lar you see.... Mom's kind words are ringing again.

.. my chair, I'm sitting quite uncomfortably. Not because of the chair, but I think I have got to sit on something else now. And you say that I don't share enough?