Testing testing.

Hope this doesn’t appear as a duplicate post.

“Your face looks rosy, dear. Very healthy. How nice to be working outdoors most of the time!” my mom commented with an indulgent smile.

Aaah, my dear mom. No doubt she worries every time I travel to an off-the-beaten track kind of place. But whatever makes me happy makes her happy. And my dad and mom’s constant moral and tangible support means a lot to me. Thank God for them.

The thing was… the last time someone commented on the state of my complexion, it wasn’t flattering. In fact, it went something like this, “Are you feeling ok? You look pale, like you are going to fall sick or something.”

That comment was said just a few hours prior to my mom’s comment. And in between, the closest thing to exercise I did was to trawl a little in a shopping mall.

Two polar opposite statements by two reliable sources. One rosy and one pale. How could this be?

Then I glanced at the empty mug on my hand. A few minutes ago it contained a heavenly mixture of milk and Bailey’s Irish Cream. Long-time readers would know how my face goes aflame when I down just a teensy bit of alcohol.

Thus, the mystery behind my red face was solved. And mom wants to try some of that one day. I can’t wait to corrupt my mother. Haha.

“When she wants something from me, she bugs me endlessly until I get it done for her. But when it’s my turn to ask for a favour, she conveniently forgets. It makes me feel so sad lar,” a friend said.

“Yalar, my sister is also like that. I gave up trying to ask any help from her already. I’m so disappointed!” another friend said.

I feel for my friends, I really do. It’s only fair to expect to give as good as you will eventually get. A person who keeps taking and never gives nor contributes anything in return doesn’t sound like a good friend.

But where do you draw the line? Is friendship actually a barter-trade in disguise?

“I wished she’d stop calling me on the phone at odd times of the day, especially when I’m out having a meal with others,” said yet another friend. But she can’t tell that friend to stop calling her so incessantly nor ignore her incoming calls because this happens to be someone she needs favours and support from time to time.

Call it friendship management, if you will but I’m not buying that. I believe while every friendship is unique and precious in its own way, you still need to set your own boundaries. It’s better to tell someone who matters to you what you can or can’t commit to rather than to go along with it and resent that friend and let it come out in unhealthy ways later on. And if she is indeed a good friend, she may not like your boundaries, but she will definitely respect it.

Of course, being non-confrontational by nature, there were many times when I let things that hurt or irritate me slide or pass me by. Sometimes it was for good to let things go – I probably misread that person’s intentions and it wasn’t such a big a deal anyway. Or I don’t plan to make that person a permanent fixture in my life, so I don’t bother telling that person that her behavior was hurtful to me.

But for friends who count and whom I’ve kept silent on their behaviour, I wasn’t doing them nor the friendship justice. The problem was finding the right time and the words to say it.

And then there’s the self-check questions such as “Am I pulling my weight in the friendship?” “Am I expecting too much from my friend or vice versa?” It sure ain’t easy to be a good friend.

And after all these years, I’m still learning.

I was supposed to be traipsing around for work purposes this weekend but that was unexpectedly postponed.  And now I have a whole weekend where I can just chill out at home.  It sounds absolutely scrumptious!

I haven't been back home for the past two weeks and really, it's about time I do.  But first, I've got to meet up some friends whom I haven't laid eyes on in yonks.  Already they are wondering if I have forgotten them.  I haven't. 

And I haven't forgotten the existence of my blog either.  Today I installed a plugin that allows me to post to my Serendipity blog via email.  So darn cool hor?  Bluetooth has become indispensable to me as that's how I sync my pda.  Digi's unlimited gprs plan is also vital and I can check my mails and surf the net everywhere I go.  I used to laugh at people who tot more than one phone but now I can't live without my two phones!

Of course I could get a new dual-sim card phone but that would just be splurging money unnecessarily.  So, two phones is good for now.

No, I’m not in the least bit angsty. But listening to other people’s frustrations and all made me realise that it makes a huge difference how we handle the seeming setbacks in life. If we continually look at things in a negative way, blaming everyone except ourselves, then we will be stuck in the same miserable rut.

“Since that person came into the picture, my life has been a literal hell,” you say.

Ok, yes, perhaps that person has bad communication skills and PR. But hey, what was your contribution to make that person angsty towards you? If there’s anything that I’ve learned, it’s this: no one is entirely blameless when it comes to most angsty situations. Maybe your face resembled their Auntie Rosie who used to pinch their cheeks and go, “Oh, so cute! So cute!”

“We never used to do things that way! We were happier before!”

No one is happy when they are required to change from their comfortable old ways. For every bad feeling that you experience from having to change to suit this person’s requirement, it must be difficult for that person, too. Changing someone’s mindset and habits is not an enviable nor easy task. If I had a choice between being the change implementor or being the implementee, I’d rather be in the latter’s shoes. Changing my own self is easier than trying to change a herd of old dogs.

As they say, it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

“But the person is so strict and unreasonable! Merciless, too!”

Oh well. If they are given the authority to enforce the rules, play by their rules. And if the rules suck, try to find channels to appeal and change it.

Last resort… leave. Like I did when I was embroiled in a pit of angsty-ness that was impossible to change. Sometimes angsty-ness is God’s way of telling you that it’s time to leave for another pasture.

And that’s not such a bad thing, isn’t it?

Have been missing on the blog but I’ll try to make up for lost time. Here are some updates:

First of all, I noticed that my weight fluctuates based on where I am stationed. After a visit to a chocolatier, I ballooned to epic proportions, just to lose it all again when I started training for a mountain climbing expedition. Chocolates are poisonous.

Secondly, my sis has given birth to a brand new babe. A darn cute baby boy who has gotten me to visit them at least once a week. Babies are poisonous.

Thirdly, I’m running out of Chek Hup coffee and the places that I shop at don’t stock it. I’m now staring at my last packet of go-juice with bated breath. Chek Hup is poisonous.

Fourthly, I started swimming lessons recently and kissed my water phobias good bye! And get to meet this very cute swimming instructor if I turn up on Weds and Thurs. I found a new sense of bravery to flirt with this cute hunk behind my swimming cap and goggles. But take them away and I’m reduced to ghastly stiff smiles. Cute swimming instructors are poisonous.

So there you have it, my list of poisons thus far. What’s yours?

:D

It wasn’t supposed to be a Prawn Mee pig out day. We thought the prawn mee at the shop at Sea Park would be decent enough for a photo shoot. But after looking at the bowl and taking a few shots, I realised that no amount of photoshopping can save and transform the sad looking bowl with a mutilated egg into something worth salivating over.

So I asked James where the best prawn mee in town is located.

“Champ’s,” he said without hesitation. And pretty soon, we were there. We weren’t disappointed. And we ended up eating more stuff than we should.

Of course the Prawn Mee at Champ’s costs about 4 times more than the one at the Sea Park coffee shop. But it also tastes 4x better. So you really do get what you pay for lar.

Here are the pics. You be the judge.

The Prawn Mee @ Sea Park coffee shop

The Prawn Mee @ Champ’s

James and his loves

Champ’s Bistro

Lot F10, 1st Floor, Centrepoint,
Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama,
47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
03-7722 5800
Open from 10:00am to 12:00am daily

A friend of mine got herself jabbed with the Hepatitis A immunisation shot just so she can enjoy her favourite dish – steamed cockles.

I watched her dig into a bowl overflowing with cockles. Her fingers expertly prying open the shells. Dark brown liquid trailed down her fair hands as she triumphantly tweezed out the springy cockle flesh with a toothpick, dipped it into generous dollops of chili sauce and popped the whole mess into her mouth. She gave a satisfied sigh and momentarily closed her eyes to savor the cockle.

As I chewed and slurped my sedate and clear tomyam noodle soup, I thought to myself, “What is the most sacrificial act I could do for the love of food?”

I, for one, I would never jab myself for cockles’ sake. And as much as I love pork, I would not consume of its flesh when the threat of the JE virus hovers near. Same goes for mad hen, mad cow, mad whatever disease. I’m no vegetarian and I hate fake meat with a passion. But when push comes to shove, I am one of those types who eat to live. If I have to go temporary vege or fish-tarian then, so be it.

But would I jab myself if it means saving a dear one’s life or restoring my sight so that I can read all those glorious tomes of books again? Of course I would and I’ll do even more. But to subject my poor arm and veins under the merciless ministrations of my local GP for the sake of enjoying my seafood, that I would not and can not. Especially when the shot doesn’t last a lifetime and my cockle-loving friend will have to get herself jabbed every couple of years or so just to keep her immunity levels up.

To each his own, I guess. Whatever makes you happy, man.

Yep, I’ve moved out of the nest a couple of weeks ago. Yep, it’s something that’s rather overdue and something that any independent and self-sufficient person would have wanted. The benefits are great.

Immediately after moving out, I found myself more energetic because I do not have to brave through hours of traffic congestion each day. It is such a relief to be able to reach office within 10 minutes, too! Besides time, I save a ton of money on petrol (darn the hike though!) and toll. And because I don’t have to spend hours on the road commuting to and fro work, I have more time to socialize as well.

But still.

I find myself looking forward to going home at the end of the work week. For all the freedom and independence accorded to me by moving out, I still crave the comforts of the warm, loving home that I come from. Where my parents go all out to make sure I have everything I need and more. Where my brother, my one closest lifelong companion resides. Where I have all the space to dance a jig about and a big comfortable bed. Where I can unwind, recharge and recuperate from all of life’s ills. Aaaaah… it’s undeniable – I’m the happiest at home.

Moving out just makes me appreciate that fact all the more.