Thursday, January 31, 2013

Gotta love long weekends

My Aussie boss used to muse that how we Malaysians have so many national holidays. We even got an extra day off when the national team won a football match, lol.

I don't mind really, especially when it is a Friday or a Monday, just wonderful!!!

Last Thursday, we had the Prophet Muhammad's birthday followed by Thaipusam on Sunday. A holiday that falls on a Sunday means we get Monday off too. So I took leave from on work for Friday, and had 5 consecutive days of rest. It was a good rest - I always think 2 days of weekends are just not enough. Guess I should not complain much, considering I have a 5-day work week.

Anyway, the bliss continues this week with tomorrow being another for us KLites. Yes, it is the Federal Territory Day on every 1st February. Falling on a Friday this year, means we get another long weekend.

Photo taken this morning on the way to work

Good morning, Thursday! Weekend's almost here =)


Gotta love long weekends...

NB: Happy Birthday, Kuala Lumpur, my birthplace.


Saturday, January 26, 2013

My first swing class

Instead of signing up to the gym this year, why not try exercising with some vintage dance moves?
The caption that caught my attention, whilst browsing the Poskod site.

Dance? Me? Why not? I have a love-hate relationship with dance. I love to dance, but it hates me with my two-left feet.

The KL Swing team is conducting free weekly taster class (that means trial class) at Sid's Pub, Bangsar South. I decided to invite my friend, LM to come along. Both of us went for the class with no inkling at all what swing dance is all about, lol. We just thought it could be fun, so no harm in giving it a try. Besides, Sid's is one of our fave hangout joints.

That was two weeks ago. We went to our first class last Tuesday. We arrived early (8pm+) as some of them were having their class. The taster class starts at about 9.45pm. We were nervous...but the instructors (Aizat and Sook Yan) that day were friendly and helpful.


Aizat and Sook Yan showing us the moves of Closed Position

We learned the basics of the East Coast swing... nice! So far so good, we decided to go back again soon for more! 


Can you spot me? 

Let's get swinging! 
From KL Swing's official site:
The Rough Schedule:
8.30-9.30pm-Lindy Hop class
9.45pm-FREE 30min taster class
We take absolute beginners through the basics of 6-count swing.
10.15pm (or thereabouts)-Social dancing begins
11.30pm-late - wrap it up

Floor: Is a bit sticky as it is tiled, so be shod accordingly! And ladies, please wear flats.

Do support the venue by buying drinks.


*pre-edited photos grabbed from KL Swing's FB page.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Valentine's comes early

With almost a month to go, Valentine's Day comes early this year with this surprise:


Thanks, Shayne!

P/s: Stay tuned, will reveal the gift later, nearer to the day.

P/P/s: Gift revealed here, edited @ 14 Feb'13.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Crazy things Part 2

Part 1 here

The sight that greeted me this morning in the office, my things are overturned:



No idea who had done that - asked my team mate who stayed late at work yesterday and he said he could not recall anyone going to my cubicle after I left.

Someone's trying to sabotage me? Just interesting...let's see what happens next.

Huh?

Crazy things happen to me lately.

One of it happened yesterday. Found a note (which was written on a piece of used paper) at my condo's front door -


If you don't understand Chinese, it says - when you chop things, please put a piece of cloth underneath the chopping board, thanks for your cooperation.

Haha! Funny... and weird... who would have left me this note? I stay alone and I rarely cook, hence I rarely use the chopping board. Maybe less than 3 times a year. I totally have no idea who did this... truly beats me...

Hmm..I think this can be categorised as one my amusing finds! lol


Thursday, January 10, 2013

(A)musing Finds - Butter knife

What is so amusing about a butter knife? I caught you - I know that question written across your head. Wait, this is not your ordinary household butter knife.

Check this out!


Attached to the butter tub! So user friendly, especially if you are thinking of a picnic, an outing - very travel friendly, right?

Just detach it as you peel open the butter tub.


Use the transformed cover to spread the butter on your bread, crackers...so on.


Done! Nice, eh?

Different colours for different flavours. Too bad we don't have it here, otherwise I will be their #1 fan.


Found a similar idea on a yogurt cup. Gotta love this, though I am a bit skeptical on this one - I wonder what happens if I accidentally hurt myself with the edge of the spoon? But I guess it is not sharp & made of pretty soft material.





From designers: Yeongkeun Jeong (butter knife) & Cho Hye-seung (yogurt spoon)

Check out past (A)musing Finds:
Water-powered clock

Saturday, January 5, 2013

(A)musing Finds - Water-powered Clock

Attempting new series for the year - will be posting about (A)musing, (A)wesome, (A)mazing...finds that I come across. 


Starting on the list is this water-powered clock.
Just how can water power a timekeeping device?

This clock runs off a simple galvanic cell battery, which entails the emersion of a cathode or positive metal such as copper, and an anode or negative metal such as zinc in electrolyte solution. Sounds too scientifically nerdy?

Welcome to the world of horology! A horologist's goal is to find something that changes at a predictable, consistent manner with a steady rate. So what we have here is WATER. Think about the plumbing at home. Weren't you kept awake by that dripping faucet? Weren't you able to gauge how long it takes to fill up the toilet tank or your bath tub for that matter? There you have it, water.


All you need in order to power the eco-friendly water-powered clock above is a little water, and a splash of natural lemon juice.

Source: How Stuff Works?

Friday, January 4, 2013

First movie in 2013

The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey
The first of another trilogy series. Before watching this, quite a number of people told me it is boring. My take? NEVER! I love it!

The movie is about Bilbo Baggins, pre-Frodo's adventure. It all started with Bilbo's momentous birhday bash & rewind 60 years backwards. About the (much) younger & greener Bilbo, who was enjoying his life in his little 'hole' - his books, his arm chair, his garden, ...life was quite complacent and getting so comfortable until one day, he was spun into an adventure with a group of spirited Dwarves and Gandalf the Grey.

Some quotes I love from the movie:
  1. Gandalf: You'll have a tale to two to tell when you come back.
  1. Bilbo Baggins: Can you promise that I will come back?
  1. Gandalf: No. And if you do, you will not be the same.
Bilbo Baggins: I know you doubt me, I know you always have, and you're right. I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my arm chair, and my garden. See, that's where I belong; that's home, and that's why I came cause you don't have one.. a home. It was taken from you, but I will help you take it back if I can.
Gandalf: The world is not in your maps and books. It's out there.
Thorin: Loyalty, honor, a willing heart, I can ask for no more than that.
  1. Bilbo Baggins: I have never used a sword in my life.
  1. Gandalf: And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember... true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.

  1. Galadriel: Why the Hafling?
  1. Gandalf: Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay... small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? That's because I am afraid and it gives me courage.


Go watch it, if you haven't already. I am so looking forward to the two sequels.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

How was your 2012?

If you are to rank your 2012 - from a score of 10 (with 10 being the ultimate best), what would it be?

Personally, I would give it a 7 out of 10. It wasn't a bad year but not the best yet.

On the plus side - I had a promotion at work. I had managed to travel a fair bit. Health is ok, except for the usual migraines and occasional abdomen pain (ultrasound said I am all good), slightly overweight (too lazy to exercise still!) and consequentially (slightly) higher cholesterol /triglyceride level. My family's all well. I have got myself a new car and a new lens for my DSLR. Managed to complete writing two books on the side (my freelance assignments). Made some new friends...and lost some 'fake' ones one the way, I hope. There are many more things that I am thankful for... and I learned (and am still learning) to be thankful EVERYDAY.


On the minus side - Didn't really do a resolution-thingy but there are things in mind which I had wanted to accomplish - two of which I still had yet to make it last year. Well, this year...I hope, again. Next, I am still single/available (well, this could be both a plus and a minus, depending). I still cry when I think of the past, I don't know when I will stop crying - maybe another 5 years down the road?

Anyway, on the last day of the year a fellow colleague sent me the email below, and I was truly encouraged by it.

This year my friend was diagnosed with cancer & during our prayer meeting she prayed this:
Dear Lord, it has been a challenging year for me this year & I hope that next year will  be a better one.
If out of 1 to 10 & 10 is good, 1 is bad and 2012 has been 1 to 3 for you, let's pray it will be a better year next year. If 2012 has been 7 to 10 for you, let's hope we will have the wisdom & strength to overcome any challenges that may lie ahead next year.

What about you? How was your 2012? Is it a 1 out of 10? 2? 3? Hope yours was at least a 7 or better. And if it wasn't - let's march into 2013 with fresh hope and perseverance.

Fresh!

Fireworks as witnessed from my condo