Merry Christmas! You'll love this...

Sorry guys, I never got around to mailing out my Xmas cards (again) but this MORE than makes up for it...!

Have a great holiday and (as Will says) MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY.....and he should know. It can't get any gayer than this... Click on the picture!

quickie!

I'm posting this in a jiffy as I've got to run the kids to school and do a million other things today. I took an emergency day off BECAUSE TNB LEFT ME IN THE LURCH LAST NIGHT AND ALL OUR FOOD IN THE REFRIGERATOR WENT BAD COZ THERE WAS NO POWER FOR 9 FRICKIN' HOURS!!! And my husband's away so there's no way I can leave the kids at home alone with the new maid and NO FOOD.

I can't BEGIN to describe how pissed off I am at TNB. They will hear about this soon on the radio, I promise you.

TNB, you suck.

Yaaaay! Tis (almost) the season to be jolly!

I can barely contain myself; the holiday season is quickly approaching. It’s time to shop for gifts, decorate the tree, and plan for holiday parties! If it is your turn to host, you’ll benefit from these Christmas dinner party ideas. Take some time to look through the following tips. Then send out the invitations and get ready for some holiday cheer!

Have a Dessert Party
Avoid preparing a six-course dinner by throwing a dessert party. Bake Christmas cookies and treats in advance and freeze them. When it’s time for the party, pull out the desserts. Make cider and eggnog to go with the goodies. You can also ask guests to bring desserts for more variety.

Candy Cane Match
A friend gave me this idea. Buy a collection of assorted candy canes. Break each one of them in half. Hand out the various halves, giving one to every guest. Then ask them to find the missing half of their candy cane. This game also works with frosted Christmas cookies.

Eat and Run
There’s no rule that Christmas dinner parties have to be held inside your home. Suggest going to a holiday movie or Christmas event in the area. The group can eat out at a restaurant before or after the event.

For a variation of this Christmas dinner party idea, hold a quick meal in your home before the outing. Ask each guest to bring a dish or dessert. Enjoy the holiday food, and then head out to the movie or to view Christmas lights. This is a good way to spend time together without having to prepare huge meals and host a party all night long.

Deck the Halls
Ask each guest to bring a small Christmas wreath. When they arrive, have them place the wreath on a board or string them on a hanging cord outside. You can also buy materials for wreaths and have guests create their own during the party. Display the artwork and vote on the best wreaths. Hand out prizes to the winners.

Christmas Open House
For this party idea, send out invitations with the times of the open house listed. This way guests can drop in when they have a chance and leave when they need to. Set out a simple buffet, such as cheese and crackers, sausage, sandwiches and hot soup. You may want to have a “build your own eggnog sundae” area for fun. A table with frosting to decorate sugar cookies will keep the children busy. If you are feeling ambitious, have someone dressed up as Santa Claus ready to listen to guest’s wish lists.

Gift Exchanges
Consider having a gift exchange. We did this last year as we had a mixed group of friends over for a sit down dinner and not everyone knew each other. Ask each guest to bring a wrapped present. When all have arrived, have them sit in a circle. The first person chooses a gift and unwraps it. The next person does the same. This person then has the option of keeping the gift or exchanging it for one that is already opened. Besides gift exchanges, you can ask guests to bring cookies or ornaments to exchange.

Tips for Planning
To get ready for the Christmas dinner party, be sure to start planning early on. Start by making a guest list. Choose a theme and send out invitations. When thinking of Christmas dinner party ideas, remember to stick with foods and recipes that you have successfully made in the past. Make as many desserts and dinner dishes as possible ahead of time. Clean the house a week before the event. Set the table or buffet the day before the party.

You may want to ask others to help you with Christmas dinner party ideas. They can provide advice and extra hands to pitch in with the work. Plan ahead this holiday season; then sit back and enjoy the company of family and friends.

Sophie

My little girl

Just some new photos...

This is my husband and niece.












Sophie and I.

Feni

First, to answer a question from a previous post - Oct 2007 issue of Women's Weekly Magazine. Your friendly neighbourhood hair salon will probably have it. On another note, the February 2008 issue of Her World will have my unphotogenic mug in it somewhere, so do keep a look out. Heh.

If you're wondering what I'm having for dinner tonight, I'll tell you. I'm having a bit of rice with some ayam-kentang thingamajiggy my NEW maid came up with. It's quite tasty. I think it's ayam masak kicap but it's a rather exotic version of the one I'm used to. No veg, as I couldn't be bothered - my husband is a tad wee bit late tonight and I never eat well when he's not around. I actually amaze myself at how much of an effort I put into dinner when I know it's not just me eating. Left to my own devices, I'd have a yogurt (or McDelivery!!!) and call it a night!

Actually, I've been really depressed lately. You see, I've been let down. Feni broke my heart. My ex maid. The one I favoured. The one I had so much trust, respect and reliance on. I put her on a freekin' pedestal and she jumped on my head and danced on it.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I truly am. While I didn't 'spoil' her, she had fiscal bonuses, perks and a heck of a lot of respect and genuine affection from us. What amazes me is that she didn't seem to appreciate all or any of it. She could still steal from me and lie to my face. My dissapointment, well, if it ever happened to you, then you'll know lah. Who I feel for are my children, because they miss her and ask for her every day.

You know, what with her bonuses and such we gave her for taking great care of Milo and Sophie, she could have gone home even now with a fair bit in her pocket. Now, because of the various deductions, she's only going home with her basic pay. She insisted that she wanted to go back to the agent - probably thinking she would somehow work out a way to become a 'freelance' maid, but they will definitely send her back and they won't give her anything beyond what she officially earned. Even if I insisted, the money won't get to her. They'd take it. I'm sad for her because I feel despite the stealing and duplicity, she earned it by caring so well for my children, but now I'll have no way of 'rewarding' her for that service.

My friends ask me why I even bother agonising over it. She made her bed and is lying in it. Padan dengan muka dia. But it bothers me. Just like it bother me when I'm changing my son's nappy and he asks me in a sad, quiet little voice where his Kak Feni is and why she left. It bothers me when Sophie refuses to eat the food she normally relishes.

It fucking bothers me why she threw it all away.

Shazmin the weight loss guru

Ok, so everyone wants to know how I lost 10 kg, but no one seems to realise that it took me almost a year to slowly and quietly do it, and the one person (cough!) I really have to thank, isn't actually a person, but the mutt, Bugly.

Bugly made me walk him twice a day, EVERY DAY. Considering I've been sedentary on the point of catatonia, the result of our daily endeavours were quick to be seen. Once I started seeing a looser waistband, I felt increasingly motivated to watch what I ate, and consciously stayed away from the evil Big Apple Donuts!!! (evilevilevil!!!)

I stopped licking my kids' plates clean. I've stopped buying junk food. I drink more water. I eat more salad and meat. As much as it kills Daniel and I, we've stopped going to Devi's Corner and Raju's every Saturday morning.

I've stopped adding sugar to things; I might add the occasional Equal, but only if it's handy and I'm up for it.

Do I consider this a diet? Not really - I wanted to heal my chronic foot pain. Losing the weight did that. Do I consider it a sacrifice? No, because I have other vices I will not give up that I enjoy more than food. Have I stopped eating carbs? No, I'll have the odd cake, croissant, toast and nasi kandar, but not in the heaping mounds of yore. Do I lapse? All the time, but I've stopped beating myself up over it. Tomorrow is another day. Do I feel good? YES.

I feel good because I have more energy. I can buy clothes off the rack again (yaaayayayaaaay!). I feel good cause I'm looking good! Damn! Peeeeweeeet! LOL

If you've been trying to desperately lose some weight, take this advice: be mentally positive. Be strong. Visualise the healthy, trim You. Eat better. Get off your arse. Be mentally strong. Have a sense of humour and good luck!

Xox, Shaz- who went from sz 20 to 14 in less than a year. Slowly does it lah!

It's been a fun, hectic week!

My God, last week was a NIGHTMARE - my favourite maid proved to be a 'talam dua muka' so we had to sack her (trust me, it's a looooong story and I just don't want to go there), and I was just embarking on a new career at RedFM, so yes, last week was FRANTIC. This week, however, was a breeze and lots of fun in the mornings on the Red Breakfast with fellow host, Will Quah, who's been absolutely lovely and welcoming, as has the rest of the team at RedFM. Thank you, guys.

I haven't updated this blog for ages, sorry about that. Not much happened when I was at home raising the kids (for 2 months - haha); it was just the usual tedious everyday stuff you all probably know and love, so there's no need to bore you with the gory details of attempted potty training, toddler tantrums, nocturnal wanderings around the house and refusals to eat. In a way, I'm kind of glad to be back at work, but I'll miss the chaos as well as the leisurely strolls down the supermarket aisles (sp?) in the morning and my solitary coffee mornings at Starbucks where I can actually READ the paper in peace.

I've GOT to tell you about my mad scramble getting to work et al, but as you know, at the mo, I've got a pair of rowdy kids tearing up the sofa to make a fort! I'll see you all later!

Check out the RedFM group on Facebook! Go to www.facebook.com now!

Sorry, dah lama sepi tanpa berita...but, finally, I'm baaaaaack!

My God! What a weekend I had! We had to sack the maid and I was shitting bricks the whole weekend agonizing over how we'd all cope what with me going back to work and all....

Yes, you heard right. My days as a bonbon eating tai tai are OVER.

It was fun while it lasted (till the maid buat hal and I had to do some actual parenting - haha!), but now I gotta go out there and make some money coz...coz...mama always needs a new pair of shoes...? (smirk)

So, if you want to catch the latest (aherm!) mix on red fm, catch Will and I, bright and early, starting Nov 5th, on 104.9 in the Klang Valley. Other valleys, check out the Red website for details!

Love yaaaaaas!

ps: I've lost 10 kg since August! Yaaaay me!

hi all!

Sorry lah for the long absence....been busy with Hari Raya and organizing Milo and Sophie's party.
Just dropping a line here to say....I'm still ALIVE!

Take care and have a great week!

(got to run, Milo's not wearing nappies at the mo...I'm on standby...)

Errr, saudari pengacara....atau...puan?....by the way, are you PREGNANT?????

Hooooooh yoh, I tell you. Amir Muhammad was right; politicians DO say the darnest things.

This morning I was at The Equatorial Hotel KL, to emcee the AI Grand Prix 2007 media press conference and launch. The whole thing was going splendidly, when out of the blue, our Minister of Tourism, turns around, looks at me (in the middle of his speech) and asks me point blank if I was pregnant.

What the-???!

There I was, standing leftish to the podium, calculating the timing of the various VIP speeches yet to come and wondering if I'd have time enough later to go to Marks And Spencer's after this gig, when this gem of a question hit me in the face from out of the blue. Like a two ton truck.

Needless to say, it was the last thing I expected. Usually at these things, the press asks questions of the VIPs and ignores the emcee, not the VIP asking the emcee on her marital and fertility status!

Anyway, it's bloody funny now, but at the time I was so shocked I just nodded and gave him the thumbs up.

Thanks for thinking out loud how fat I am, dude. You rock.

What the faa.....????

Ok, while I'm actually supposed to be out walking the dog I'm supposedly supposed to get rid of (believe me, this deserves a post of its own), I choose now instead to update my blog, which incidently I've done this very morning. I tell you, either I'm an overflowing well of literary greatness or a latent procrastinator, you choose. Daniel would pick the latter, but he knows me only too well.

I was pretty gobsmacked when I read today's paper. PM suggested we keep our kids in school till 4pm to keep them out of harm's way, either from gejala kuning, perverts, murder, loneliness, boredom, juvenile delinquency and what have you. Now, unlike a few people I know, my immediate reaction was..."Bloody hell! How many people I know (with normal jobs) get back from the office at 4pm???!!!" Gila kaa?! Are you, like, for real?

Anyway, I'm sure we all have our comments and whatever on this issue, but the long and short of it is, at least for me - I think people (and here I should really use the singular, except I don't wanna go to jail or whatever) should live in the REAL WORLD, not the la la land of the gomen sector, before making dumbass suggestions to the rakyat - who, in all probability, work from 8am - 7pm.

That said, Bugly needs a walk and a wazz desperately.

A busy woman's schedule

Check this out: my schedule this week...

Monday - Send Milo to school. Get haircut. Buy food at store.
Tuesday - Take Milo to ENT specialist at Pantai Hospital. Order his birthday cake for next week's class party. Buy food at store.
Wednesday - Send Milo to school/ he has full dress rehearsals for Oct concert. Take Sophie for her MMR shots at Pantai Hospital. Buy food at store.
Thursay - Send Milo to school. Get pedicure and manicure (my feet look frightful!!!). Meet with my company secretary to discuss company issues. Buy food at store.
Friday - Send Milo to school. Go back home to meet my possible future manager/writing partner to discuss writing and tv project and other things. Maybe buy food at store later if hubby calls and doesn't want to go out for dinner tonight.

See....I have some sort of routine going on. I know the 'buy food at store' thing could be done in bulk at the beginning of the week, but I can't get organized enough to know what to cook on any given day, plus it gives me something to do lah. Of course, the 'go online and see what other bloggers are up' to is a given lah. For a good laugh, check out 5xmom punya blog. She's like the female version of Unkerr Richard (sorry Lillian!!!)!

The non-adventures of a Malaysian tai tai

Taitai. As if. I find I'm driving around MORE now that I'm not rushing off to work!

Just got back from a short little holiday and am getting settled into what my SAHM (Richard, that's "stay at home mums"!) actually get up to when they're not getting their eyebrows embroidered (which, incidently, I have just got done! *snigger* YeeeoooOuch!) and their hair washed (ditto): it's ferrying their offspring hither and nither, burning up fossil fuel and trying to get some semblance of a weekly meal plan together that's not mindbogglingly boring and uninspired.

I want to get together for coffee mornings with my pals, but...they're all working. And it's bulan puasa, so scratch that.

My SAHM friends just want to talk about their kids, which is ok, I guess, but aiyoh, there's more to life, nooo???

I just spent close to RM 200 on books this morning at MPH. I guess this bonbon eating taitai is going to be occupied. At least till next Friday!

[I know you all want to be me! Muaahahahaaaaa!]

Today - 18th September 2007

Wooohoooo! Merdeka! Actually, I had a ton of mixed feelings driving to work for the last time today...but, it's ok lah. I think I'll manage to get through my last 3 hour shift on MIX FM without bawling like an idiot. It's 11.04am right now and it's been good.

Took the ole digital camera around the office to snap photos of my colleagues. I'll post them later. You can check out Richard's blog, he's got some up already! Click on Unkerr Richard on my link here.

This is it, folks.

Keep smiling.

Come dance with me????

Ok, this is truly bizarre. Just the other day I was watching E tv and they did this special on celebrity contestants on that American reality dance show called "Dancing with the Stars". I remember actually sitting there thinking: "Waaaah...how cool is that??!" and the next day...I get a call from *** asking me if I wanted to take part in the Malaysian version of this show!

?????!!!!!

OMG. Well, once the gooseflesh settled, it was really tempting, especially seeing as hecklah, as if I have other pressing things I should be doing in the next three months! Actually I do, but this would've been a great reason to procrastinate and have a load of fun. The committment would be pretty heavy though, there's 5 hours dance training 3 time a week, a full day of recordings and the live vote-in show on sunday night. That's for 8 weeks, if one doesn't get voted off in a hurry lah! Anyway, still pondering it - I don't know lah.

The thought that perhaps the producers may want a 'comic element' (ie. me) did cross my mind, but that said, if I do enter, maybe I might get sympathy votes instead (you all vote yaaah!)- or what Howard Stern fans did to get Sanjaya all the way to the semi finals, just to screw with Simon Cowell! God, that was hillarious.

Anyway, have not made up my mind....what you think aaah?

Goodbye, Mix fm!

Hi guys, sorry for the long absence, and actually, to tell the truth, I wasn't going to write this goodbye/loveletter to you here in this space - because really, this space represents the new era of my life, and I don't necessarily want anything mix related on it, but, oh hell. Here goes.

After 10 lovely years, I am moving on. The Universe has conspired for my Greatest Good. I wanted to spend more time with my family. I got that. I wanted more money. I got that. I want to pursue my dreams of creating something from scratch. I'm getting that! My Genie delivers, and for that I'll always be grateful.

So, if you feel compelled to mourn, pleaselah...don't be sad. Be happy! I'm still here and I'm still me.

Keep in touch. Peace! And after this post, we'll talk about other things! :-)
Shaz

(my last day on air will be Sept 18th 2007)

oodles of poodles and cashoodles

I've been busy reading lately, and hence the lack of a new post here, but you guys enjoyed the picture of Milo staggering blindly without his pants on (below) didn't you? Ah well, always out to entertain the masses, I tell you.

Like someone with attention deficit disorder, I'm currently reading 4 books simultaneously: 1) Marley and Me, 2) some internet marketing book that promises to make you a millionaire (but only IF you take up their various e-seminars and buy their tools), 3) The Secret Keeper's Daughter, and 4) Poodles (a book about the breed).

Oklah, the last one I bought on a whim because I saw the cutest poodle puppy at Midvalley but my hubs said "OVER-MY-DEAD-BODY!", so there goes that idea, but really, I'm not crazy over small dogs either, but this dog was Cuteness Personified. I'm learning that Poodles are one of the most intelligent breeds of dog and don't shed their fur. You can teach a poodle to crap in a litter box! Wow. Amazing.

Rabbits can also be taught to crap in a litter box, but seeing as we've not managed to teach ours to do that, I guess I should just be happy with my lot. It's a bit of a zoo at my house, anyway!

Now, I'm on page 68 or thereabouts on the Internet Marketing book by some dodgy-looking Singaporean guy in a Nehru dinner jacket and I can't - for the LIFE of me - understand the concept AT ALL. Hmmm... I must be really stupid because, I'm really straining to understand it, you know? Coz, like, I too wanna be an Internet Millionaire???!! Hallo??! *sniggering madly*

I would LOVE to hear what you think of I.M. I'm sure you have an opinion on the subject. I just want to understand it. (brain, work!)

anak aku

This is my eccentric little man. He insisted he wanted to keep his visor on and pants off. His girlfriend Anais is in the background. She puts up with his oddball ways.

another week begins......

Whoa....must get back on track....must get back on track....

I refrained from eating a Big Apple donut all week, only to succumb to those coconut-covered chocolate balls (I had 2!) at Ikea - and they weren't even good! Sheeesh, must learn to pick my vices...

Anyway, we had a great weekend...digging hols in the garden planting new plants (see Swissie's blog for pictures) and shopping for garden furniture - we went all the way to Subang Parade because my mum said she recalled there being a furniture shop on the top floor. Well, we travelled all the way from Sg Buloh to Subang Parade and discovered that where there was a furniture mall now stands a Celebrity Fitness! O-kaaaay...that put an end to that little expedition.... I ignored the subtle universal message (ie. the gym) and we went to Ikea instead - konon-kononnya to look for these outdoor chairs/table -but really, I just wanted to eat some meatballs.

It's really great to see some old friends - and make new ones - here on this blog. I'll try and pick up more nifty little computer tricks to spruce this website up a bit!

Have a great week!!! Eat meat!

????!

take the poll!

Would you rather....take the poll and:
a) dance around it
b) not touch something vile with it even if it was 10 feet long
c) see how you can make really "tough" decisions
...hmmmm!
Scroll below, look right and...have fun!

Glazing it over...

My sister read my latest post and said, "Read your blog re. benua gelap - man, you can stand as a Nationalistic Party candidate (or even a member of the UK Conservative Party). But I see what you mean - very creepy to have some guy tailing you. Quite impressed by your Malay though...". And I thought, wow, so right. Some person who doesn't know me reading that post may see me like a Pauline Hanson fan or purist. I am not, I'm all for diversity. Just don't kacau my shopping and eating forays in the mall...

Speaking of which, I've SO got BIG APPLE Donuts & Coffee on the brain....! I cannot function at the moment, counting down the days to my 'cheat-day' (I'm on the protein diet at the mo) so I can toddle (or waddle?!) off to Big Apple at The Curve to eat my one glazed donut!!!! *shiver*....Sedap gilerr.... Have you guys tried it? My, at first I was sceptical...but when I sank my teeth into one of those babies, I was converted. So was Daniel and Milo! Oklah, I AM a bit of a purist; I like mine plain and just glazed, but Daniel likes the chocolate one with the mocho filling and Milo will eat anything. Sophie didn't eat hers on account she was already in bed when we came home from the mall, but she's an easy kid to feed. So is Milo, since he was happy to eat her share! LOL

"Hmmmm....donuts...."

Well, the protein diet is paying off...I started in the last week of June and today, Aug 10th, I'm 4 kg lighter! My orthopaedic doctor commented that I looked great and the pain in both feet has more or less disappeared. It comes back to bite me in the nose when I eat too many sausages (it's the salt/msg/preservatives/crap that they put in them), but otherwise, I think I'm CURED!!!!! Yaaay! I am soooo envisaging myself at 58kg by December. My mantra is:

"58, 58, 58!...I AM at my Perfect Weight!"

...now...let me just get back to my Big Apple fantasy....

A diatribe on the tribe

Ok, the post you are about to read may offend some and totally reveal my latent racist and paranoid tendencies...so...if you feel you may get offended, please do bugger off and read Oliviasy's blog (ha ha) instead. Don't say I didn't warn you, ah.

In fact, this stuff is SO hot...I'm going to switch languages so orang luar yang berkenaan dan tidak berkenaan tidak boleh nak baca dan menimbulkan huru-hara. After all, these are just MY feelings and take on the whole thing, based on my horrible experience.

I must first, however, apologise for mangling our national language and my mother tongue in advance. Despite my score of A2 in my SPM examinations in 1991, I still suck. Don't even mention Syarifah Amani; let's not go there (haha).

Baiklah, you all ada perasan tak sejak kebelakangan ini, punyalah ramai "pelajar-pelajar" dari benua gelap yang datang ke sini dan merayau-rayau di sekitar bandar. Malahan (che wah, my BM not too bad lah), mereka yang sepatutnya berada di kuliah masing-masing, bekerja di tempat seperti TGIF dan merempat di merata-rata tempat. Ini takdelah jadi masaalah, cuma yang tidak menyenangkan saya adalah perangai setengah-setengah daripada JANTAN mereka yang KURANG AJAR. Case in point: (sorry, must switch back to English for literary efficacy and effect)...

I was walking around One Utama one afternoon last week, wanting to check out the sales by myself, coz god knows if I bring the kids and hubby, tak senang aku nak shopping! So, as I was walking from store to store, I noticed from the corner of my eye that this thuggish yet blingin' character was checking me out - which was creepy in itself - but he had begun to follow me. The quicker I walked, the quicker he walked! I practically RAN into Marks & Spencer, and there he was, like it was perfectly normal to be tailing some lone woman from one end of the mall to the other! I was really freaked out, and PISSED, because, a) I really wanted to buy something and look at clothes, and b) I get really ANGRY when I'm scared, don't know why, but some people are wired differently I guess. So I reckon he knew I knew he was following me - he was pretending to shop, for God's sake!, but I kept glaring at him. He then had the cheek to act like he just saw me, and proceeded to try and chat me up.
At which I raised my hand before he could finish (a la 'talk to the hand coz the face don't give a damn'), and said, "F**k Off, don't you dare talk to me and if you don't stop following me, I'll scream and get the security guards!".

That did it, and I was able to leave M&S without being trailed by this guy.

Now, my impression from this whole thing was that, a) he thought he was all that and a bagga chips, knowwhatI'msayin', b) Malaysian women MUST be easy, c) nobody is safe from harrassment.

Another case in point: Also at One Utama, I had the misfortune of lunching alone at TGIF a few weeks earlier and my waiter was this guy yang sama bangsa dengan penyangak tadi tu. The whole time he was 'serving' me, he gave me the distinct impression that he wanted to throw me down on the table, rip off my clothes, and eat me alive. Now, as flattering as that can be for some, for me it was just an invasion of my personal space and showed a lack of service training. I gave this guy my most withering aunty look like I could so totally see right through him, at which he stopped being a twat and served me properly. What was up with THAT? Do these people think they're hot or something???? I mean, gosh Will Smith is hot. But....hello????! Sheeeesh. Give me a break lah.

Now, please don't get me wrong. A prude I am not. Kinda like, been there, bought the tshirt, know whatI'msayin' But what offends me delicate little sensibilities is that...the sanctcity of the pick up...has been shattered! It wasn't like I was in some seedy night club looking to hook up, I was shopping in broad day light and eating in a family restaurant! Is there no shame?! No RESPECT?! No bloody COMMON SENSE? For God's sake, I even LOOK like somebody's harassed mother!

Back to the bigger problem, not that you all think that strange guys trying to pick me up at OU is a life and death situation for all to ponder on. The question is: kenapa kerajaan kita ni bagi dia orang ni masuk? AS IF lah dia orang ni pelajar legit. Please lah. Kenapa dia orang ni datang ke sini, dalam banyak-banyak tempat?

Mesti dadah punya pasal.

You see, ekonomi sini kan sudah bagus...yaddayaddayadda, you all know the storylah. Besok, tak lama lagi in the near future (sorry, was that statement redundant?), we're going to have a bigger drug issue in this country - when MY KIDS and YOURS are in their teens - an issue that could be NICKED IN THE BUD today, if only someone smart in the education department or immigration (good luck) would just STOP this madness. Look, I'm all in favour of people immigrating to better their lot, but when I observe young predatory males like these who are obviously smart/scheming enough to find a way out of their beleaguered countries to come here (and we've all seen Tears of the Sun and Blood Diamonds!), I beg to wonder how much culture they are bringing along. By culture, you know what I meanlah. Just look at the rising crime rate in Taman Desa and the reports in the dailies.

Ok, now that that's off my chest - I shall abruptly stop this diatribe. I will probably get into hot soup for all that I've said, but c'monlah.... we're all thinking it. Huh?

Am I da man!????

Check out these glow in the dark beauties!!!!

I was busy googling 'relective tape' and this is the best website I've found:
http://reflectivelyyours.com/homepage.html
...but only a loony like me would bother looking for stuff like this...

I'm in a relective mood...

It's 2.25am and I was tossing and turning thinking about the 3 Big Apple donuts still in the fridge.

I decided to put myself out of my own misery and eat one of them, and I still can't sleep so here I am. Also, my latest obsession is keeping me up - reflective stickers!

Ok, actually, it's creating stuff that's keeping me up....all the things I want to do when the time comes that I'm actually free to do all of it....and working out by walking out is one of them.

Getting back to the reflective sticker business. I'm a busy woman, as you well know, so the only time I get to walk Bugs is really early in the morning before getting ready for work and after dinner, so it's relatively dark outside both times, and it's all I have to do to dodge speeding cars and try not to get killed in my own neighbourhood, so I've been giving a lot of thought about the creative ways I can be seen in the dark.

Trolling the internet provided many expensive solutions; trolling the nearest Ace Hardware store provided others. Because I didn't want to wear a bright neon highway vest a la pekerja JKR, I came out of there with a roll of bright orange reflective tape and less rm 13 in my pocket, and I just knew things would get interesting. So I carilah benda nak stick the tape onto - the leash, my dilapitated Nike Airs, and in the last 3 hours, tossing in bed trying to sleep...I have fashioned, in my mind's eye, the perfect reflective sash - very much like the ones worn by Miss Universe pageant contestants...

Ok, so here's where you wonder, "waaah Shazmin has lost it, man!"...no lah, I have no latent desire to compete in any beauty pageants, though many years ago in primary school I did fashion a prefect's tie from my blue school pinafore belt. I really really have nothing better to think about than this.

I'm going to post a picture of my modified glow in the dark shoes tomorrow night - if I still can't sleep!!!

Desperate Housewives - Malaysian style

I was watching 'Johnny and the Sprites' (!) and thought, wouldn't it be great if some hot gay guys would just move in next door? I mean, the house has been empty for months now, and if I could choose between a nice family with a cute yappy dog moving in and a bunch of hot gay guys, the eye candy would definitely win lah. I mean, if they decorate like Nate Butkus (sp?) and bake like Nigel Skelchy...waaaah....happiness is, man!

Anyway, the latest suburban drama to unfold is my neighbour's maid getting it on with the postman. I tell you, the excitement. To cut a loooong story short, the maid has been siphoning money from various family members, and mailing it out to her friends (on top of getting it on with the postman), stealing bits and bobs, trading these bits and bobs for other bits and bobs from other maids in the 'hood and being a general scheming little cow. It just so happens, she told my neighbour that MY maid told her I was getting her a mobile phone (all lies), so she wanted one, she was willing to pay with her gaji thus far. Anyway, I don't know if this little drama had anything to do with the fact that MY maid just only the same afternoon asked if she can have a day off to meet with her 'relatives' and makan angin in town.

All very dodgy.

My maid is a nice person, she takes great care with the kids, she's respectful and quite on the ball with the housework. I've given her a substantial monthly increment after a year of service to show her we appreciate her, and to motivate her to continue being a good employee. I mean, I ain't no Trudie Stylar lah. I want my help to be happy working for me. But I feel you give these people an inch, they'll take a mile. She's giving me a real headache now because if I say CANNOT!, she'll sulk and possibly neglect the kids or worse, jampi my food! On top of that, she has it in her mind to buy a handphone! aaaaaaerrghhhhh.....

I thought all this drama was over with when we got rid of Joy, but...it never is, huh?

We be the Sunday people!

Here's the article that came out last Sunday in the NST - for the benefit of my family overseas who won't be getting a copy delivered to their front door!

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/Sunpeople/Sunday/
Features/20070721121305/Article/index2_html

it's a bit long, but if you really want to read it, I'm sure you can figure out how to sort this out!

Saving Private Ah-Chong

I can be a downright nasty beaatch when it comes down to it.

It was a long day yesterday, the air was muggy and oppressive with humidity, I was in a sloooow checkout line at Tesco's and practically everything was irking the bejesus outta me. Plus, I was late picking up my son.

After paying, I discovered that I'd left my parking ticket in the car - and needed to validate it to get out. As I was fuming at my own stupidity, a young credit card promoter unwittingly put himself in my direct line of fire.

"Ah! Hi Madam! You have this credit card ahh?! You wanna Try Apply one!? Few moments only!".

I was scrummaging through my handbag when he approached me, and I lifted my face to him and practically ROARED, like in the cartoons you see the guy's hair all kena tiup angin-like from the roar? It was like thatlah! : "WILL YOU JUST PLEASE GO AWAY GET OUT OF MY FACE DON'T DISTURB ME CAN'T YOU SEE I'M BUSY HERE?!!"

The bugger blinked and said; "Sorry!" and I felt like a heel.

At the time, it felt good to bellow like that, but it was so bad. I really regreted it. The poor guy was just cari makan, you know. How could he know I was having a bad day?

I'm going to go back to Tesco later to look for him and apologise.

how I love the smell of napalm in the morning...

Ok, so maybe it's just the haze coming back - it is almost August...

I was out walking Bugly this morning and thought who the heck is out barbequeing this time of the day? but realised it was actually smoke from elsewhere.... Brace yourselves, it's baaaaack.....

80th post

party or what!

My husband thinks I'm nuts. I'm obsessed. It's mid July and I'm all ready to book the clown and cake for the kids' birthday party in October!!!

I'm going super hectic this year because I was so slack last year, I forgot Milo's cake for his daycare party, but his teacher, Mrs Razee, was kind enough to go down to the local Berry's to pick one up for him!!! AND she put together party packs for the kids at school! My God, how embarassing was that. Anyway, husbands don't understand these things so I told him to just shut up and pick up the tab when it comes.

Seeing as poor little Sophie had to cancel her very first party due to Milo's eye infection in June, I decided that Milo would share his special day with his sister in October. We've been to a few kids' parties lately and the clown thing is kinda big, isn't it? Milo used to be terrified of clowns, but like I said, he's seen quite a few now, so he's seasoned lah. I asked him if he would like a clown, and he said yes, but somehow, I think he said it absently because he doesn't quite know what options are out there. Truth be told, neither do I, so if you have any ideas or tips (or recommendations!!!) please drop me a line and I'll be eternally grateful!

Things I need info on: (please help!)
Clown/baloon artist/or gigantic bubble maker/blower
Magicians
Face painters
Caterers
Canopy, tables, chairs (for the parents)
Cake (a FANTASTIC one!...or two)
Website where I can download and print cool party invitations, thank you cards, etc.

I've got this fantasy circus theme in my head (only because it's unisex and tremendous fun), but my husband is drawing the line at renting Shetland ponies for rides up and down the street (think of the lawsuits should anyone be bitten, kicked or knocked off!)! I could get each kid to sign an indemnation form at the door! Man, actually I'm wishing it was MY birthday party! Maybe Pauline next door will let us hook up a wagon onto her huge dog to give rides to the little ones (again, another lawsuit waiting to happen).

What kind of kids' parties have you thrown or been to that are great fun for 2-4 year olds? What kind of games (of the non-competitive kind) can you suggest? What are the contents of the greatest party packs your kids have received? HOW DO YOU KEEP IT ALL IN YOUR BUDGET!???? Pray do tell..

79th post

so true, so true...

Here are some home truths, in case you haven't noticed....

Men:
1. All men are extremely busy.
2. Although they are so busy, they still have time for women.
3. Although they have time for women, they don't really care for them.
4. Although they don't really care for them, they always have one around.
5. Although they always have one around them, they always try their luck with others.
6. Although they try their luck with others, they get really pissed off if the woman leaves them.
7. Although the woman leaves them they still don't learn from their mistakes and still try their luck with others!

Women:
1. The most important thing for a woman is financial security.
2. Although this is so important, they still go out and buy expensive clothes and stuff.
3. Although they always buy expensive clothes, they will still say that they never have something to wear!
4. Although they never have something to wear, they always dress beautifully.
5. Although they always dress beautifully, you hardly care.
6. Although you hardly care, they still expect you to compliment them.
7. Although they expect you to compliment them, when you do, they don't believe you!

ps: Thanks Zane, for this one!
17-July-2007

78th post

googoo ga ga!

I love babies. They are (generally) very cute. My sweet little baby is no longer technically a baby, but if there's something I can pass on to any new parent, it's this: http://www.gourmetgoo.com/

Check it out! If you're too busy (or lazy) to cook up a storm for your little ones, get this stuff!!! It's so good, i even use it for dipping chips, nachos and veggie sticks in (when i forget to buy dip). Just add a bit of salt!

Sophie grew up on this stuff, and her favourite is the spagboll, chicken rice and the Sweet Veggie Medley. The best part is....jengjengjeng!...they DELIVER!!!! To your home or any mutually convenient location! Yaay! So Richard, please aah, your little Marissa needs some solids by now and baby cereal is not the only option out there!!!!
Have a great weekend people!
Fri the 13th - July 2007

77th post

wet, wild weekend!

The first time I went white water rafting, I was about 8 years old, and it was with my dad and sisters, and the late Tan Sri Othman Yeop and his daughters in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

25 years later, I found myself on a grey raft, barrelling down Sg Selangor from Kuala Kubu Baru with my husband and his friends and the great guides from Khersonese Eco-X. Mind you, the last exciting this I did lately was jump off a (stationary) boat amidst a group of tame Japanese snorkellers, so this was a nerve wracking ordeal! I didn't think I had it in me to be quick and light (ahem!) in an adrenaline fuelled situation. I mean, you have to have a certain level of fitness to do extreme sport. The guides were really cool, because they assured us that it was pretty safe and gave us a complete safety briefing and covered the many scenarios we may encounter on the trip down Sg Selangor. Mind you, there are some awesome rapids here, but the fact that it hadn't rained in 2 weeks would mean that the water level would be lower and yes! we actually had to angkat the raft a couple of times to get past rocks and what not. But in other areas, the water was WILD and I actually saw my life flash before my eyes!

Whooooohooooo!!!!! It was a great day outdoors, and I won't promise to put any photos here as I didn't take my camera down with me - we were floating in the water halfway down the river and everyone was wet!, but do check out the link below if you're interested in doing something other than manouvering the parking lot at Midvalley Megamall this weekend...

12-July-2007 (thanks to Tai Ching and Frank for organising the trip! Let's do it again!!!!!)

http://www.thepaddlerz.com/gallery.html

http://www.thepaddlerz.com/indexmenu.html

76th post

How will you age?

Have you seen anything new and exciting on channel 77 on Astro? On the off chance my kids are behaving badly, I get to confiscate the tv remote and watch MY channel for a change, and boy oh boy, there is some pretty scary stuff on tv these days...I particularly love watching face lifts and tummy tucks being performed, and marvel at how one's boozing and partying lifestyle can age one in a matter of computer simulated minutes. It's so fascinating! Everytime I tune in, there's a fat show on - if it's not teenage fat camp, it's some disturbingly obese group of people on a cruise ship trying to bootcamp themselves into shape.

The best one was this show about an Aussie mom and her gargantuan son, trying to change their atrocious eating habits. It was a little sad. I mean, I saw that and thought, is it just laziness, to feed your family all these processed, fat laden foods, or is it a socio economic issue that families from a mid-lower income bracket just can't afford to buy fresh food and produce.....?

To say that it was an issue of time constraint for food preperation, well, the mom was a homemaker. So, hello?!! I work, work-out and cook all our meals (granted, I don't do laundry, wash windows and all the other tedious stufflah). I deduce, that perhaps it's a lethal combo of laziness and ignorance, but here I'm just being judgemental (hello Shaz??? - read your previous blog! aherm). Or maybe, these people just LOVE to eat a lot of cheese sandwiches and fries.

Man, speaking of which, fries are currently on my list of banned substances, along with cocaine, crystal meth and Coffee Mate. I watched How Will You Age and decided to turn my life around. Seriously. I got two doctors to check me out and since I started actively following their advice, my jeans are looser and the inflammation in my feet mostly gone. I must say, having a supportive spouse helps. :-) He doesn't complain when I make a pot roast without any mash - he's cool with boiled veggies and a salad. He even ate the beef curry I made without any rice!!! I know that's sacriligious to most of you, but hey! I'm on a diet lah!!! He endeavours to join Bugly and I on our twice daily walks, which is great, coz his stride is larger than mine and I have to work harder to keep up!

If you've been looking to improve your fitness or health, or just to sit and watch a couple of home truths, check out 77. I love Shalom in the Home and Adoption Story. [God, I'm turning into my mother!]
3-July-2007

75th post

a day in the life...

I am a lazyass, bad mother.

The scenario: this morning - before leaving the house:
Me: Milo, what do you want for school today? A banana? An apple? Some grapes? Cheese sticks?
Milo: Me want JUNK FOOD!!! Muahahahahaaaa!!!(where the heck did he learn this word????)Ok, so he gets Twiggies, cookies and chips quite often, but I personally have never referred to them as 'junk food'....so, hello???
Me: Is that what your teacher says it is? (referring to his usual snacks)
Milo: Yes! Want junk food! Want junk food! (howling) JUNK FOOOOOD!!!!

So, to avoid a huge argument, I usually give in - I know he eats a balanced meal at lunchtime and dinner, so what's the big deal lah. But after this little exchange, I'm wondering what the other kids in his playgroup bring from home, carrot sticks and chicken sandwiches? Fruit salad? I know cute little Misaki gets sushi and some miso soup in a thermos...

Man, if the teacher is calling his stuff junk food, I am soooooo a bad mother for letting him eat it. I know it's horrible, but despite not exactly setting a great example to my child, I feel unfairly judged. It's not like I don't try to convince him to eat more fruit or want to make him a tuna casserole for school, but: a) he won't eat it and I don't want him starving at 10am, and b) if he eats anything heavier than a Twiggy, he won't finish his nutritionally sound lunch. It's almost a Catch 22 situation. So I let him have a little junk, because generally, he doesn't get it at home.

I know the teachers are trying to educate the children on eating well and all that, but...if memory serves me - the most envied kids at school in my day, were the ones who got to eat the junk.
Muahahahahaaa!
Sorry. I'm still a bad mother.
26-June-07

74th post

My dream dog

Ok, I hardly have anything new to blog about this week, as I've been in a downright pissy mood....but, looking at this picture ALWAYS makes my day. I really wish my dog looked like this, but instead, my dog is quite an ugly piece of work. Alas, what we do for charity! *smirk*

These are Bernese Mountain Dogs - it's too hot for them to live in Malaysia, so I hope that if you have one - you have a good air conditioning system in your home and don't let them live outside. That's really mean. If you have one and can't take care on them on account of this, the cost of feeding them, medication, time constraints, etc....contact me. I'll gladly take him/her off your hands! (our a/c is on 247 anyway!)...

73rd post

Soul Mate, anyone?

I've been wanting to post this little 'tip' for all of you who want to find, or recognise your True Soul Mate for the longest time. A message from Liv on the message board has prompted me to do it now. It's a prayer of sorts...please feel free to use a different header...

Dear Universe,
I am ready and willing to meet my true Soul Mate NOW. Let him/her be .....(list of qualities like: kind, generous, faithful, funny, rich, sexxxy, handsome, beautiful, smart, ambitious, etc). [here, you can even highlight specifics like - let him/her be SINGLE!!! great in bed, loves kids, great cook, enjoys the things I like, etc...YOU make a detailed list!]
Let us be compatible at all levels, in mind, body and spirit.
Let us both recognise each other when we meet.
Thank You, for bringing this person into my life Now!
I ask for this, for the Highest Good of All.Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Simple enough, isn't it? Hold on...there's more. You've got to BELIEVE he's/she's already HERE. You gotta feel that love thang....you know, the thing that makes your heart sing and walk on air...you have to feel lurvvvvve, baby....! Ok, if you think this is cheesy....tak pelah...Stay lonely and all by yourself! It's really lovely to wallow in self pity and continue b!!tching to all your attached friends a la Bridget Jones, but trust me....the 3 people I've given this (aherm!) Secret to, it worked for them, they all found/recognised their soul mates within a year and are happily married now, with people they are compatible with!!! Yeah, the Secret Cult of Shazmin membership is open to all...heh heh hehhhh.....

Trust that the Universe conspires for Your greater good.
Have a fabulous day, my people.

June 20th 2007

72nd post

a year older, a year wiser...???

Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened.

Isn't THAT the truth? I have chronic foot pain - early arthritis (!??) - and I'm thinking...what the hell???? I'm only 33, for God's sake! Ok, Sophie's tea party yesterday was almost a disaster. 1) Milo developed a really gross eye infection - so we had to call his cousins and tell them not to come. 2) The beautiful, pre-ordered ice-cream cake from B&R wasn't ready - due to a really stupid mistake on the part of the staff in their Bangsar branch. If you were there when I went to pick up the cake and saw the commotion, sorry for the huge scene I caused, I was flipping LIVID! Luckily, there was an Angel Cake House two doors away. My parents also braved the potential 'health threat' and rain storm and came bearing balloons and donuts.

A good time was had by all, with two very chocolatey toddlers needing a hose down afterwards!
....to fathers everywhere.....HAVE A ROCKIN' FATHER'S DAY this Sunday!!!

71st post

BABY NO. 3

Yaaay!!! I'm pregnant!

No laaah...just kidding!!! [Daniel would kill me if I revealed that here without telling him first!] :-)

Just thought I'd get your heart racing, since I haven't updated this blog for ages. Actually, we do have a new little bundle of joy - and he's 10 months old and verrrrry hairy! Couldn't come up with a name for him, so at the moment, he's called Bugly - for 'butt-ugly'. He's the perfect little pet - and knows how to sit on command! - which is more than I can say for my own 2 kids at the moment!

Speaking of which, Sophie is celebrating her very FIRST birthday tomorrow (June 14th)! I'm so excited! We're just having a little family tea party in the afternoon with the grandparents, and my sister and her kids, Layla and Johan. Lots of chocolate ice cream cake, sarnies and the requisite chicken nuggets and fries! Yum! She'll have a 'proper' big girl party when she turns 2, just like Milo did.It really blows my mind to think that a year has passed - she's practically (and literally!) running circles around us now, and being just as rambunctious as her big brother was, and still is. But you guys haven't seen her pictures lately, huh? Well, I'll just have to remedy that, won't I...
*thank you, Uncle Lawrence Yek for the lovely card and ang pow for Sophie! That was very sweet of you to remember her birthday!*

ps: I'm really not pregnant.

70th post

a new idola

Yeay, Jordin won! Ok, actually, the only thing I like about this year's American Idol is Jordin's wardrobe. I like seeing the clothes she wears every week, and she picks 'em well! She's living proof that BIG GIRLS can look cute and stylish and find flattering styles to suit their figures. Just don't stand next to a pygmy like Ryan Seacrest lah, or else you'll tend to look like a Giantess!
...Muahhhaahahahahahhahaaaa....!!!!!

69th post

now I've seen it all!

I was in The Village Grocer yesterday and saw something out of The Devil Wears Prada - but Malaysian style lah. The mem besar was a Datin-wanta-beast, 'nicely' dressed and overly made-up and ornamentaled as usual, but instead of the requisite Indonesian/Fillipina maid, she had a well dressed young man (!) in tow, pushing her grocery cart, and trying not to look as emasculated as I felt he must've felt. Don't get me wrong, I see plenty of guys doing the weekly shopping, but this was something else. At first, I thought they were a husband and wife duo, they were that close in age, even if she was a tad overdressed for the shops. It was when she started pointing at the stuff she wanted, and the way she barked at the poor man, I deduced this was her driver/p.a./kuli batak!It was fascinating to watch. I stood rooted to the spot, as initially I was going through a pile of kankung when I heard her first barking order: "Hah! Ambik kankung tu! Pilih yang bagus, jangan ambik yang lubang-lubang!". I was so enthralled by this little scene that I stepped aside for the guy to get to the kankung, myself mouth hanging open, still holding up the bunch I was about to bag and put in my own cart. The poor guy avoided my eye the whole time, and I just stared from him to her, like I was at Wimbledon watching a tennis match, to see how this scene would unfold.

Mak Datin pulak, ignored me (I guess I was that obvious), and shamelessly displayed her POWER by continuing in this fashion from the veggies, to the meat section and so on. God, it was breathtaking! I literally held my breath at the biscuit section - I was picking out Milo's school treats - and she stood right next to me, pointing at the tin of butter cookies on the bottom shelf right next to her own foot, and demanded her slave to get the tin, but the second one - mind you, not the one on the outer shelf. [you guys know me right? I was bursting to say, "Bend your fat back and get the damn tin yourself, you lazy, pompous git!!!"]...I didn't trust myself to speak, instead I just looked her straight in the face and rolled my eyes at her. As she passed me, I muttered, "...some people...!"

As for the guy in tow, well, he must need the money real baaaaaad to put up with that. It got me thinking, how many people I know who are actually in that position (or allow themselves to be) at work and in life. Are you one of them?
22-May-2007

68th post

the Universe answereth!

I asked the Universe (ahemm!) to cure my PERSISTENT NOCTURNAL COUGH and the Universe delivered a remedy via email (thanks, Lee!):

Try this remedy It works 100% of the time although the scientists at the Canada Researchcouncil (who discovered it) aren't sure why. To stop nighttime coughing in a child (or adult as we found outpersonally), put Vicks Vaporub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime,then cover with socks. Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about5 minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. Works 100% of the time and is more effective in children than even verystrong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.

It was a surprising finding and found to be more effective than prescribedmedicines for children at bedtime, in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly. An adult friend tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant andpersistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100%! She said that it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her, coughing stopped in a few minutesand believe me, this was a deep, ( incredibly annoying!) every few seconds uncontrollable cough, and she slept cough-free for hours every night thatshe used it.

So, if you have kids/grandchildren, pass it on.
If you end up sick, tryyourself and you will be absolutely amazed.

67th post

The Secret

May 3rd 2007

Hi party people, I've decided to write about The Secret today, because EVERYONE is asking me about it. I saw an article about this book in a magazine I was perusing in a bookstore one day, and it's just one of those things you take note of, but quickly forget, and then, you realise, for some reason, your subconscious filed it away...because the next time I was in the same bookstore, The Secret was right there, on the counter, next to the makan guide to KL and The Edge magazine. Ok, my husband Daniel tells me I have this legendary tendency to impulse buy all the time, but this was not an impulse buy. I stood there, with my Postman Pat vcds (for Milo) and Star newspaper, thumbing through the small tome, and had a dialogue in my head: Do I really need this, it's exactly like all the other mind expanding/self empowerment books I've read and own, why should I spend RM62.90 for this little book? I couldn't really justify spending all that money on this little book, expecially considering I hadn't yet paid my Maxis bill and bought the groceries (what else is new!) that week, but something was prompting me Big Time, so I did buy it.

I took it to bed with me that night, hiding on my side of the bed so Daniel wouldn't see what I was reading!!! I was so excited, because, while I already know and have applied the basis of The Secret in my life previously, sometimes, we live unconsciously, and the noise in our heads prevent us from receiving the good that is out there. One example - I used to say (ior rather, think) I was too tired and didn't want to do extra work (ie. voice recordings, emcee jobs), this after having had 2 kids while doing the Breakfast Show, so the Universe granted my wish. No work, no offers. What offers I had I'd turn down anyway, and most offers to emcee functions were on nights I had other previous (unpaid, social) engagements. This was the Universe granting my wish to not work. Ok....so this was interesting...I decided to try an experiment. That night I declared to The Universe, that I was ready to work again, easy work, mind you, nothing too taxing or odious, but I wanted to be paid well for it and use my public persona to gain advantages while helping others. The next day I got a call from !!! for a voice-over recording for a client, who also wanted me to become involved in a project related to the Pediatric Association of Malaysia. I would be paid **** just for showing up!Waaah....this was really something.Ok, to cut a short story even shorter (and not to sound like I'm so bloody terror and blowing my own horn or what), by the next week, I've had more work offers than I've had since I got pregnant with my first child, and a call from an Australian woman IN AUSTRALIA, mind you!!!!, to ask if I'd emcee a function for her client in KL. Who would've thought it!?? This was out of the blue...S

o, in parting.....Ask, Believe,....and Recieve....and don't try and intellectualise on the how's....just let the Universe sort it out and deliver it to you. Notice the little things. See opportunities and seize them. And most importantly, be GRATEFUL always.

When you pray, don't supplicate, appreciate!
Have fun and be a happy camper always.

66th post

these all inclusive vacations...

Man! That was some vacation! I think I need a few days to recuperate.... [ie. my poor liver!]

We are back now (of course) and when I get a breather, I'll post some of the MANY photos I took with my crappy little camera. I know, Richard, I should invest in some heavier gear, considering my photo-journalistic talents (aherm!), but what to do lah...I'm saving up for a tummy tuck, to go with my new beach bag and bikini for my next trip to some far-away destination (ie. Club Med Bora Bora)....maaaan...I'm a wee bit addicted now to these all inclusive type holidays....If you've never taken one, you have GOT to do it, just once.

I had my reservations at first, coz the cost is substantial (even despite getting 3 nights out of the 5 free). These holidays don't come cheap. But once you're there, you'll realise it's money well spent - because any worries about hidden costs and the entire bill are well sorted out in advance. You just show up, make happy and have as good a time as your conscience will let you without you waking up the next day thinking - what was I thinking!??! Damn!LOL

We spent almost the entire week by the pool, and took breaks from it by going on the boat to visit local coral reefs teeming with tropical (and very large) fish to snorkel twice a day, visits to the poolside bar, and our noon break for lunch, which was a smorgasboard of French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and some Maldivian cuisine. Food heaven. Yummmm....One did not get hungry or thristy in this place, that's for sure. Breakfast and dinner was the same deal basically....and you could literally tell the Singaporeans (I was the only Malaysian there that week, otherwise Malaysians pun 2x5 lah) from the rest of the guests from their loaded plates and food combinations. Lasagne with sushi and barbequed pork ribs, anyone? Yeah, exactly. LOL! Yes, a great time was had by all.

The only downer was the trip back - our flight was 3 hours delayed and yes, there was that stopover in Colombo...I used to love flying, but it's getting a bit tedious these days. The older I get, the more intolerant of silly people I am. In general. There was this *silly (nationality withheld for sensitive reasons) guy spitting from the side of the boat, then his woman got into the spitting mode too, and they were oblivious to the dirty looks from the other passengers (and the people still in the water!), so I had to be the heavy and tell them, 'Dude, that's really disgusting, man." The guy didn't understand english but I think my face said it all coz he apologized and quit spitting. Really. Betul betul no finesse lah. Ai yaah...that also must tell.

Anyway, Club Med Kani Maldives gets two thumbs up from Daniel and I!

65th post

The honeymooners!

I'm off on my second honeymoon come April 18th 2007! See ya's later!


Club Med Kani, Maldives

64th post

the best and the worst

Despite my crazyass schedule, I amaze myself that I can find the time to read not one, but two books a week!Yay me!!! (smirk)Anyway, sometimes I lock myself in the loo to hide from my kids so I can sneak a paragraph or two...

The best book I read this week was/is (I'm still rereading it, it's THAT good) The Secret by Rhonda Byrne and the WORST book was Happy Housewives by Darla Shine.Uwekkk...Happy Housewives made me really sick. I googled it afterwards and saw what other women thought of it, and I wasn't wrong. Too bad I didn't google it before I spent about RM68 for it. Yikes....Now the RM 61.90 I spent on Rhonda Byrne's book was money well spent. I mean, if you've read Norman Vincent Peale's "The Power of Positive Thinking" (I read that 10 years ago), Neale Donald Walsh's "Conversations with God "-books 1, 2 and 3 (ditto), it won't be anything new to you, but if you've become disconnected with the Universe, it's a nice little refresher. My weekend recommended reading. Enjoy!

63rd post

a touch of the super...

...natural....!

I am exhausted. The last 4 nights, Milo (who's sick) has been keeping us up with his coughing, wandering the house at night and not wanting to stay in his bed. My husband has threatened to lock him in his room at night, but I thought that was a bit crazy, so I 'volunteered' to spend the night with Milo last night to basically, keep him in his room and not wake up the whole household with his nocturnal shenanigans. O-kaaaaay.....so I spread a blanket on the carpet and camped there on the floor in his room. He kept sitting up to make sure I was there - which was annoying, as I was perpetually on the very verge of sleep and had to keep answering his, "Mummy? There?" ...grrr.... I rolled around in this fashion for an hour before deciding it would be less uncomfortable squeezing in with him on his single toddler bed! Waaaaa....don't ask me how I did it, but there we were, cuddly like a Mama bear and her cub (with mama bear's fat ass hanging off the bed!), and before I knew it, we were both fast/half asleep (Milo kept waking up to cough).

Now here's the wild part: in the daze of the night, I dreamt (or really, it might have been real) that someone was pulling my hair. As I was sleeping on the edge of the bed, facing my son, it was highly unlikely that it was him. So I reached back and grabbed a shadowy 'arm' and told 'it' to go away. I think my exact words were "Oi, f@&# off lah, GO TO THE LIGHT. Now! I Command you." I felt this presence wasn't malevolent or anything, but merely mischievous. I didn't feel mortally concerned. I only feel 'mortally concerned' when the hair on the back of my neck stands up or the air temperature changes in the room (which has happened before!). The imp (for lack of a better definition) hung around a while, then went away. Creepy, huh? I wonder if that's what's been keeping Milo up at night lately. I believe my son is as sensitive to this as I am, so maybe got lah, but then again, maybe it was just a vivid dream brought on by the extreme discomfort of sleeping with a hacking toddler in a too-small bed.

I had another 'dream' a few months ago, where I was talking to a deceased friend of mine and told her how I was letting go of my spiritual 'gifts' and she clutched my hands together so firmly (to tell me not to let it go) that I actually woke up BUT still felt her nails in my palms. Maybe they were my own nails...who knows, but it left me feeling oddly comforted. Not so comforting though, was when I was sleeping next to my husband one night and this evil voice in my left ear told me something so disturbing, and then proceeded to snuff the very breath from me (kena hempap lah, what else), and I was awake at this point, but couldn't scream, so I was whimpering loudly to wake my husband up to 'break the spell'. But that's the strange thing, I was AWAKE when it happened. When my husband woke up, it went away with a roar. I kid you not![Twillight Zone music] Has anything like this ever happened to you?

62nd post

my malaise

March 23rd 2007 -
Malaise and Malay are spelt differently but sound the same. I think I got chronic malay malaise...A couple of nights ago, I couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs to watch CNN. What I caught was a coffeehouse discussion on American GIs back from Iraq, who are now actively anti war, and since that day, it's disturbed me a LOT. These were men and women who stood and fought for their country and believed they were doing the right thing. They have brought home with them the truth of the war in Iraq and what American soldiers were asked to do. 'Dishonerable Duty' was a catchphrase that I heard a lot in this CNN special report.

These vets are now actively campaigning to bring back American troops and to stop their government from sending more troops over to Iraq.

What disturbed me wasn't so much the hype. Yes, the war disturbs me, but what disturbed me more was that all these people, mostly younger than me, have a real purpose in their lives, and they're doing something to make a change. They believe in something. At the moment, I am sorely lacking a belief in anything and a real purpose in my life. When you think about the many contributions individuals and groups are making for positive change in the world, you tend to wonder, "For what the f*** am I here?". I am truly depressed just thinking about it.

And I was depressed about (Al Gore's) The Inconvenient Truth for the fact that even if I did change all my lightbulbs for energy saving ones and my fuel guzzling car for a battery operated model, my neighbours are still going to be driving their Nissan Muranos and Mercedes SLKs, or Proton Sagas and Kia Rios, for that matter. Would it matter? Would it even make a difference? Should one even bother????????! It's like, all the things that frustrate you about our country that you cannot voice for [fear] of getting hauled into jail, people in power who are not accountable for the things they say and do, policies that do not take into account basic human rights...all these lah. I was thinking, not that I want to be a hero or anything, but if I want to make a difference, in my own little way, shouldn't I SAY something? Hello? But...but....(stammering)...I'm just (basically)...a suburban housewife! Do I even have anything to be upset about? Then I thought, perhaps a younger more idealistic Shazmin would be out there making a difference, lending a voice and lobbying for change in THIS country....instead of chasing the almighty dollar to pay off a mortgage, car and student loans and private schooling for the next generation. Ai yaa...typical lah. I admire the heck out of Malaysian filmmaker Amir Muhammad for his stand and belief in making things real. Despite the bollocks he is constantly faced with from the censorship board, he remains true to his calling and vision. I hope his next project actually gets a public airing (the 1998 street protests in KL), as it is contemporary and happened in our day and age. C'mon, we were there lah. So, Amir Muhammad, Citizen Nades (for speaking out) and Matt Howard and the gang at IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War)...I'm not you, but I wish I were a little bit more like you.

http://www.ivaw.org/

61st post

highly sensitive

Apparently this Highly Sensitive Person thing is something of a movement. I spotted the book on a bookshelf at Times Bookstore a little while ago and had one of those amazing moments of self-revelation, you know, when suddenly you realize that you're not completely odd, you're actually really O.K. It must be something like when a Trekkie first sets foot inside a WorldCon, and they realize there are lots of people out there just like them.

The book itself is stocked with a fair proportion of dreck, but there's enough bullseyes in it that it goes a long way in explaining a lot of things about me, my husband, and about Milo, my little 'odd, shy, boy'. If the HSP thing has any validity in it, Milo and Daniel are both lodged firmly in that 20% of people with low stimulation thresholds (I'm slightly less sensitized!).

I've just started the Highly Sensitive Child book, where the proportion of dreck to substance is somewhat more bearable. One thing it points out is that HSC's end up having a much better time of it when their parents let them just be the way they are, rather than trying to get them to fit into some of the preconcieved standards that parents do carry around with them. But it's such a relief, so many of the things we've seen him do over the last two and a half years actually make sense now. It's such a relief to be able to stop thinking of him as flawed; he just has a different set of reactions to things is all.

So this morning I spoke to Milo's carer at nursery and she mentioned how Milo, at break time, just sat by himself and ate his snack, while all the other kids went running around. As a parent, you'd like your kid to have friends, to be popular, to get some exercise at least. But I have embraced some of the book's viewpoints, that that's the way he is, the way he needs to be, it's what makes him happy, and he's actually taking care of his needs. Wanting to eat lunch alone isn't a fatal flaw, it's not something that needs to be fixed, it's just part of what makes him him.

Then I hung up the phone so I could go to lunch myself. Alone, like I've done nine days out of ten for the past 20 years. I got out of my office full of people and out into the streets where I could carve some quiet space within the street noise and let myself breathe a little. I've always thought I should really eat lunch with my co-workers more, for years I've felt odd that I'm not going to lunch with somebody every single day, organizing these large, cumbersome fleets of people to go to some spot to eat together, or even staying in--they're all hobnobbing in the common pantry over their nasi bungkus while I'm Audi 5000!

And then it hit me, with the subtlety of a piano dropping onto my head. There I was, doing exactly the same thing Milo was, thirty-three years apart but on the same day. And you know what? I realized that if it was OK for Milo (or Daniel for that matter) to want to eat his lunch alone, it was probably OK for me to do it too.

It's nice not to be flawed. It really is. It's also nice to know that somebody close to you is not-flawed in almost exactly the same way you are.

60th post

Lost, the musical

9-3-2007
Waaaaa!I never thought I'd have anything in common with Paris Hilton, but there you go. Lose your handphone (ie. get it stolen) and all hell breaks loose. Please, I had NO back up whatsoever (stupid huh), and if you know I had your number, please please please sms me your number again. I know it's a bit of a song and dance, but I've got to build up my phonebook from scratch! It's the same number lah, but new cheapo handphone (Daniel, if you're reading this, sorry I didn't take you up on your offer, but offer again lah!!! Schmatz!).

These people, if you're reading this, do it NOW! :-)
Rafina
Sharmina & all in TTDI
Gracie & Kennedy (Ken I was just about to call you, too!)
Laila & Shaja
John & TerryJemma & gang
Lynette
Sita
Kem & Ashley
Zubaidah
Fara
Farah
Nathalie (Anais' mum) - I was just about to organise a playdate!!!
Jenny (Maya's mum)
Marco - so I can keep tabs on you-know-who!
Nelson, from Tokio Marine - oi! My road tax and insurance due soon, woh!...

my brain a bit berkeceramuk (is that an actual word?) at the moment, so if I didn't list you, please just sms me anyway ok!?? This is not a time for pride and sulking! :-/
And to the jerk who made off with my handphone, those are picture of my kids, you a$#*ole. What goes around comes around - in the Power of Three! I will mojo-jojo you till your dying day!

59th post

come dine with me lah!

I was watching MY FAVOURITE tv programme, you know, the one I have to fight with other members of my household, Come Dine With Me, to have 30 minutes of uninterrupted viewing, and came up with MY dream party guest list:
Author, comedian, genius and 'Pocoyo' narrator Stephen FryActor,
comedian Hugh LaurieActor,
comedian Tracy Ullman
The epitome of lurrrve, Prince Charles and Camillaerr,
Daniel Craig, sans Satsuki Mitchell! - he brings her everywhere, the tart!
"I don't mean to be rude, but" Simon Cowell
"Man, that was HOT, dawg" Randy Jackson
extra camp fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi
"Carry on!" Tom Gunn (from Project Runway)
Grumpy motor mouth Paul Teutel, Senior (from American Chopper)
Hysterically funny old b!tch Shirley Maclaine

Looking at the list, I've made a few observations:
50% of these guests are English
50% are gay icons
99% are ascerbicly witted (Daniel Craig being the exception)
1% is eye candy (see above ^ )

I'll probably have to sit between Paul Snr and DC, because their manhood would depend on it. Here's my stellar menu for the evening:
Apperitif - Kir Royal, Pineapple Bellini, Shazmin's berry*cherry G&T
Starter - Warm fig and goats' cheese with balsamico and rocket
Spiced pumpkin cappucino
Main Course - Rare lamb loin with a blanket of sauteed swiss brown, basil and sunkissed tomatoes in a light puff pastry 'purse'
Tossed chilled vine tomatoes with mint and cillantro
Dessert - Chocolate Fountain with fruit, sponge and marshmallows (a la the Shang KL buffet!); assorted cheese platter with fruit and nuts

See, I've taken everything into consideration. There's lightness with every course, and some substantial 'meat' thrown in there for the likes of the macho cavemen like Simon Cowell (huh?) and Paul Senior (don't know if they'd appreciate eating a 'purse' though!). Lotsa fruit and nuts too, for the fruity and nutty rest of us...I have absolute fantasies about having this uncanny bunch in my house. I think it would be a flaming riot! I wouldn't invite Paula Abdul though because she'd just drink all my booze and cause an embarassing scene - a barrel of laughs that'll just end in tears. Yikes, you know how awkward that can be...

58th post

ultimate con job

Ok, this is a classic! We listen to the "Mothercare - Wheels on the Bus" cd on the way to school every morning, and this little gem is on track 5. Let this be a lesson for our young daughters - it's never too early to make them savvy to the old adage, black is the con of man and all that rot. You have to wonder why the soldier in question is not wearing any clothes to begin with, ehh?!!

Soldier, Soldier, will you marry me
With your muscat, pipe and drum?
Oh no, Sweet Maid, I cannot marry you
For I have no shirt to put on
So off she went, to her grandfather's chest
And brought him a shirt, of the very, very best
And the Soldier put it on!

Soldier, Soldier, will you marry me?
With your muscat, pipe and drum?
Oh no, Sweet Maid, I cannot marry you,
For I have no tie to put on
So off she went, to her grandfather's chest
And brought him a tie of the very, very best
And the Soldier put it on!

Soldier, Soldier, will you marry me?
With your muscat, pipe and drum?
Oh no, Sweet Maid, I cannot marry you,
For I have no suit to put on
So off she went, to her grandfather's chest
And brought him a suit of the very, very best
And the Soldier put it on!

Soldier, Soldier, will you marry me?
With your muscat, pipe and drum?
Oh no, Sweet Maid, I cannot marry you,
For I have no boots to put on
So off she went, to her grandfather's chest
And brought him some boots of the very, very best
And the Soldier put it on!

oldier, Soldier, will you marry me?
With your muscat, pipe and drum?
Oh no, Sweet Maid, I cannot marry you,
For I have no coat to put on
So off she went, to her grandfather's chest
And brought him a coat of the very, very best
And the Soldier put it on!

Soldier, Soldier, will you marry me?
With your muscat, pipe and drum?
Oh no, Sweet Maid, I cannot marry you,
For I have no hat to put onS
o off she went, to her grandfather's chest
And brought him a hat of the very, very best
And the Soldier put it on!

Soldier, Soldier, will you marry me?
With your muscat, pipe and drum?
Oh no, Sweet Maid, I cannot marry you,
For I have A WIFE OF MY OWN!!!!!!!

Moral of the story: No man's going to buy the cow if the milk's for FREE and the cow is giving out freebies like Armani suits and Hugo Boss ties on top of all that! Ai yaaah, that also don't know, meh?!!

57th post

profound

I'm the old dog, trying to learn a new trick: the trick being the German language via cd in my car in between taxi-ing Milo to and from school, work and trips to the supermarket (there's always a jam to get stuck in and it's a hell lot more interesting)! So there I was, thinking, I'm going to wow Daniel with my linguistic prowess, "Ich muss haben Sie heute abend!" *wink wink* when the poor 'student' in the Michell Thomas German Language Series recording suddenly gets an earfull from the old geezer (MT). He was basically bulldozing the sentence structure to death and here's what the Old Man had to say:"No! No! Think!....Communication is a thought process......not just something that sounds gutt."

Waaah....tersenyap aku sekejap. I actually rewound that part and listened to what he said 3 more times! It's so true, though, isn't it? So many of us talk talk talk and it's just sound coming out of our pieholes, yakyakyaaakityyak, waawaawaaahblaaablablaaaaaa..... Can you think of one industry that can be revolutionized if you apply the above??? *smirk*******

On another note, I have a ton of cds littering the floor of my car, and now my son has convinced himself that his real mother is jazz chanteusse, Diana Kraal. He never fails to remind me as he fingers Diana Kraal's chirstmas album, "My mummy! My mummy!" all the way to school. Poor boy, I almost hate to break it to him. LOL
27-02-07

56th post

utterly incredible!

24-02-2007
Anyone who knows me, knows I love my sleep. My night time sleep. And anyone who knows me knows I went to great lengths to 'encourage' (as opposed to 'train') my kids to go to sleep on their own, in their own rooms, and to sleep through the entire night.Now, this is upsetting. For both Sophie and Milo, I loosely followed Gina Ford's methods in her book "The New Contented Baby book". I found the outline for daytime napping and feeding quite sensible. I was never militant about following it to the tee, but somehow, we managed to get our little nippers on a good sleeping routine that works even now (7pm - 6.45am). I ritually lend out my copy to friends, so much so this book is in tatters (sorry Richard! Gotta go buy your own!)! The methods outlined in this book, well has stirred up a lot of debate. Everywhere. Particularly on one of my fave websites. What's amazing is that the author has really freaked out about what people are saying about her and wants to shut down the website! Needless to say, it's now an issue about freedom of speech, not so much her childcare methods. Though these events happened like 6 months ago, it's news to me. If you have the time, check it out. It makes for incredible (incredulous!!!) reading.

http://www.mumsnet.com/lw/state.html http://www.mumsnet.com/PressCoverage.html

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/justine_roberts/2006/08/mumsnet.html

http://pewari.may.be/2006/08/09/gina-ford-vs-mumsnet-continued/

55th post

slapper (for lack of a better header)

I'm actually writing this as I'm doing Ross's Drivetime shift! Ooo-errr! This feels so BIZARRE...I feel like I'm actually channeling Ross and about to spew forth last night's footie scores, London-accent alllll....hee hee! V. v. strange indeed.Anyway, hope you guys had a great Chinese New Year. Ours was verrrry quiet. Couldn't get away on account of Ross being on leave, but that's ok....more inevitable annual leave for moi.....!Speaking of which, we've decided to cash in our winning ticket from Club Med Kani Maldives this April - God, I am so excited! My sister will be down from the States with her brood, so she's going to shack up at my house, with my brood while we're away for a week! Yaaaaay! Free babysitting! I just hope Milo's not too much of a nuisance, he's going through a 'phase'.... It's the 'angkat tangan' phase....you know, like when you tell him off or something, his immediate reaction would be to angkat his tangan and try to whack you? That phase. Yeah. I've gotten a call from school already. Yikes.I could say, "Milo, please don't terajang your little sister like that" in the sweetest tone, and he'll hurl himself (from whichever part of the room) within arm's length of you in this superhero stance. It's quite funny actually, but I can imagine what this must look like to another parent whose precious toddler is in the same class as him! Alamak, if you're a parent with a precious toddler in the same class as Milo, please accept my profoundest apologies in advance! We are working on it. Really, we are.
Gong Xi Fatt Choy!

20-02-2007

54th post

sore b.side

waaaa.....so much for the New Year's resolution to keep up the fitness program....I have a SORE A$$ just from climbing a couple of rocks at Ulu Yam over the weekend!At first, I couldn't fathom why my butt and thighs hurt so bad...then I remembered the 'physical exertion' (hah!) of clamouring over rocks, then wading in thigh high 'rapids' (!?) with a 2 year old clutching on me boobs for dear life. I guess my body's just not used to the exercise! Damn! I can feel the muscles in my backside I didn't know existed!Anyway, it was a really lovely trip down to Ulu Yam, I'll post some pictures later. How nice to have a lovely picnic spot so close to the city. Please tell me if you know of other spots I can take the kids to on the weekend! WE are SICK of the malls.

53rd post

makan what else?

Feb 12th 2007Really nothing new to report.Same ole, same ole. This week I get to NOT COOK. Yaaaay! The hubs is away til this Wednesday and I can do what the heck I please (culinarily speaking) and I pleased to make a bowl of curry maggimee, which I fell upon with relish and gusto. It took me about 1 1/2 minutes to down. Mind you, I'm still hungry, so I might call up Ahmad from Puchong (remember the McDelivery ad???! Brill!) for a top up Double Cheeseburger McValue meal. Or I might be brave and have a vanilla Herbalife concoction. Yurghh. Which shall it be? Decisionsdecisions.....

52nd post

things that make you go Hmmmm...!

Nothing super exciting to report. Just that I'm suffering from a really bad bout of phlegm - gets into my throat, irritates the bejesus out of it and makes me cough until I vomit. All Night Long, just like the Lionel Richie song...So needless to say, I've not had much sleep lately....but thank God my maid, Feni, has things under control. I must say, she's the best that I've had so far (and last year, I had 4!). She's so good, Milo even called her "Mummy" this morning.????!!!!!!!!!!????????Ooo-eeerrrrr.......don't know how I feel about thaaaaaat...... At least she had the sense not to say anything to make the moment even more awkward than it was! [unlike the other day, when we were outside and Milo heard the azan ringing in the distance, he put a worried look on his face and said, "Oooh! Momok!!!" - to which I laughed my head off, but Feni had the cheek to say, "hmmm, itulah, Milo tak di ajar...". Which shut me right up].Really, though. I like Feni a lot. She's smart (but a bit cheeky), caring, clean, efficient, trustworthy and thinks on her feet, especially where the kids are concerned...and you can see, she loves them a lot. They adore her....I wonder if Sophie even knows I'm the Mummy here....Milo, I'm sure, was just being a smartass, he's at that stage. He called me "Kakak" this morning, too, just to get a reaction! Monkey. So, I guess, don't freak out lah, haaaah? What you think?

Update: I got a super tip that cured my cough...a caller, Michael suggested eating a ton of jackfruit, unwashed - straight from the nangka/packet! Apparently, the juices/'slime' from the jackfruit has properties that are healing....another caller, Ronnie, said it is actually 'cooling'..I donno lah, but it seems to have done the trick! Thanks guys!

51st post

global warming, anyone?

Yo party people, check it out. I watched Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth and it's the best movie I've seen all year (no doubt, it's only January 29th but hey - I suspect it'll still be one of this year's best films judging on what Hollywood's been offering up lately). You MUST watch it.It's a real sitter-upper-eye-opener. Made me wonder why I brought kids into the world.We must do something....but what????


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/060524-global-warming.html

http://www.slate.com/id/2142319/http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13248532/why_gore_should_run__and_how_he_can_win/1

50th post

Milestones for Princess Lemongrass

Jan 15th

Sophie Shiloh Aman, aka Puteri Serai, just celebrated her seventh month last weekend, and to date, she has learnt to:1. Eat solids 2. Spit 3. Blow bubbles with her spit 4. Grab and pinch (faces especially) 5. Sit up unaided 6. Crawl 7. Pull herself up on the furniture 8. Scream with indignation when she wants Playhouse Disney Channel as opposed to Star World on the telly!She's very vocal, dislikes strangers who come too close, loves to lanyak the cat and adores her Milo, even when he's being unreasonable with her. At the mo, he can do no wrong, but I'm sure that'll change any day now!We adopted a cute brown rabbit over the weekend, his name is Button. That makes the 4th animal to join the menagerie chez moi! Last month we got two black gerbils. Of all the cute, furry little creatures we could've gotten, Milo picked these two ratty black rodents to take home! He named them Bubu and Bubu. I've since renamed the slimmer Bubu, Slick, since he's such a b*&stard to catch when you want to clean the cage! The fat Bubu got stuck in his little plastic house (it was hillarious actually, his big fat arse sticking out, little rat legs kicking!) and we had to cut through it to free him! Phew! That was a close one! I thought he'd had it! Bought the farm. Kicked the bucket. I don't know what I'd say to explain death and dying and heaven to Milo....Thank God that's been put off (I read that gerbils have a short life span anyway. So it'll be any day now!).Anyway, I took some AWESOME photos of all of the above, but still haven't worked out how to upload photos onto this site, so you all wait lah....It's a coming attraction. Watch this space.

49th post

Happy Birthday to the old gal!

January 9th. Remember this date.Happy birthday to MEEEEE, yaddayaddayadda...!I'm actually more excited about Richard taking his wife to the hospital this morning and HOPE that she has a safe delivery (today? Please??!) so Marissa and I can share the same birth date! Wooohooo! Wouldn't that be SOMETHING!???!Weird or whaaaaaat? But totally cool, maaaaah!Anyway, things have been on the up and up.... I got a call from BSC (Bangsar Shopping Centre) of all people/places and they told me the FANTASTIC news.....I'VE WON THE GRAND PRIZE in their Christmas Advent Calender lucky draw!!!!! I was flumoxed! The only thing I've ever won in my life was a Lionel Richie cassette from 7Eleven back in 1984! So, you ask, what did I win?......heh heh hehhhhh! This will make the hardiest of you contest professionals weep....!A 4 day, 3 night stay at Club Med Kani, MALDIVES, all inclusive!A Pearl necklace from Amita worth !!!A Gold and Ruby ring from Fa'iq Jewellers worth !!!!Costume Jewellry from French Bijoux worth !!!I was so excited I almost fainted! Now I can understand why some people make it a habit of entering contests. I almost didn't enter, but I had several receipts worth more than RM Xxx each (we were, errr, stocking up on food and etc for our xmas party) and I thought what the hecklah! It took me less than a minute to put my name and number on the back of the receipts and drop them in a box! I'm so glad I didn't listen to my husband who said I was being damn kiasu! HAHAHAhahahah!!!! Should I take him to the Maldives???....hmmmmm.....! Ok, ok darling, you can come lah!Thank you muchly, BSC, for making my day!!!!!Happy New Year? Yes indeeeedy!