On the hunt.

My Sunday began at 4:30am. Trust me, I rose...but i didn't shine. And what would possess me to do an insane thing like that? Why, the annual KK City Tourism Treasure Hunt of course! My colleagues and I joined last year and had a blast, so no harm in doing in again right? We had the same team sans Haw, so our new driver was Fauzan (who also happens to be the Company driver). So what does the hunt entail? Basically, you get a bunch of clues to solve by roaming around the city, checking out signboards and completing challenges to score points. Time is limited so you and your team have to plan well. And at 6am, it takes a while to get your brain up and running.
First up, 'decorating' the car. Team 93, anda bersedia?

My team: Barney's Band. You know, the purple kinda grows on you after a while...

Yep, feet are in order. I wore the same pair of Nikes i had on last year. Heh, mana la tau bawa nasib...

This year, they made us 'warm up' before the flag off. Stretching i can handle. But no one should be forced to the Pocho Pocho at 6:30am.

Charlie - rearing to go like the rest of us.

And we're off! I love (trying to) solve the puzzles. I'm such a geek, I know.

Jusliah: "Maybe if you stopped taking photos you could help me here?"

Panas but there's always time to take a photo!

These are some of the 'treasures' we had to source for. We had to go to four locations before we found a 'lokan' (a local shellfish).

One of our pit stops was Monsopiad Cultural Village. You'd be surprised how many KK folks have no idea where this place is, tsk tsk...

Time to walk on stilts or as they call it in Kadazandusun, mamarampanau. Big man to contestant: "You don't cheat ah..."

And we also had to carry bags of rice. 60 seconds for teams of two to identify specific 4 rice brands lined up in a warehouse. They then have to carry the rice sacks to the starting point. We didn't do too well here. Hey, YOU try identify 4 brands among what seems like 5 million...

Exhausted and not fussy about chairs, the day finally ends. We didn't win anything this year (we were fourth last year!) but I had a fantastic time. So fantastic that I'm looking forward to next years' hunt!

Nip/Tuck

I've been hooked on this for the past week. I got my cousin from Manila to buy the DVD set, Seasons 1-3 and I've couch potato-ing ever since I slipped the first disc in.

I caught the first few episodes during my trip to KL some 2 years ago. I bunked at my ex-boyfriend's apartment (don't give me that look) and while he went out clubbing over the weekend, I indulged in his DVD set (see, i told you not to give me that look).

Anyway, ever since that day, I've been meaning to pick up where I left off but never got around to it. Till today. If you've never heard of this series, then boo to you. It's about two plastic surgeons in Miami, one a (questionable) family man who seems more 'married' to his job than his wife and the other a dashing, devil-may-care, unscrupulous, beds anything with boobs type of guy. As with any series, its loaded with drama, splashes of witty dialogue yadda yadda yadda but what makes this series a man among the boys is its no holds barred footage of plastic surgery in action. It'll make you go, "Holy crap, he's flipping her stomach out!" but still keep you glued. Like watching a really bad accident on the road - You just can't turn away although you know you should. Needless to say, it is SO worth it to get the DVD set because it's uncensored. I think they were (are?) showing it on Malaysian TV but with amount of gore and sex(y) scenes, I'll be impressed if at least 15 minutes of the show gets through our censors.

"So we'll just add another boob here..."

Nip/Tuck will make you ask a lot of questions. First up, would YOU get plastic surgery? Where? Why? It leaves you in a very interesting quandary: Plastic surgeons are often accused of making a quick buck at the expense of making women feel 'imperfect', hence they will recommend areas that need 'fixing'. But are they really the bad guys here when in the long run the women who've had plastic surgery actually feel better about themselves?

Michael Jackson: A big plastic surgery 'Don't'

In one of the episodes, a psychologist tells the surgeon that one of the potential clients (overweight and not exactly Prom Queen material) should not undergo surgery as she was suffering from depression due to low self-esteem. Basically, the girl in question had been suffering from depression for years because she never felt pretty. Now with enough money, she can finally get liposuction and the whole works.

Now here's the interesting part. The psychologist and surgeon do not see eye to eye. Surgeon thinks giving her plastic surgery will do her more good than any anti-depressant drug she's been taking. While Psychologist thinks the only reason she feels ugly is because she's depressed. (Chicken and egg anyone?) Long story short, they deny her surgery. She blows her brains out.

I'm telling you, this show is riveting. Stay tuned.

Ang Pows: Reason #233 for Staying Unmarried Another Year.

It was another Chinese New Year celebration at the Leong residence. As if on cue, our Chinese-ness will rear its shiny red head once a year. Hence, the lanterns, family reunion dinner, purchasing illegal fireworks and ANG POWS!


Every year, the lucky unmarried individuals 'kow-tow' to the 'Marrieds' to get those lovely red packets filled with moolah. I know it's a whole fun deal for the kids but for mid-20 to 30 year olds who are still collecting the ang pows, it's like getting paid for staying single another year!


As the years pass, my eldest brother doesn't find it so amusing anymore...




Of course, the ang pow collection time is always followed by cries of "Aiyah, bila la you all want to kahwin?!" What, and give up these every Chinese New Year???
Me and my cousins flaunting our earnings for the year. Find us a guy worth marrying and we'll give these up. Of course the aunties and uncles are making it tougher each year. It used to just be kisses on both cheeks and bowing down three times in respect. THIS year...I actually had to mimic a lion dance. So hilang glamour. That Leong sense of humour is both a curse and blessing, i tell you.



So what do you do once you receive these auspicious red packets? In the true spirit of Chinese New Year, there is only one thing to do:

GAMBLE!




All in all, it was festive, loud and prosperous Chinese New Year spent with flesh and blood. On the eve, we all gathered at our kampung in Papar (just a 40-minute drive from home) and let the good times roll. Me and my cousins pictured below (incomplete as some are far far away and one particular one in the jungle) :

I like this photo of my bro and cousin Brian (right). But spot the monkeys:


Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Warning - Holiday mooditis strikes again

Kawan kawan...Am still in holiday mood. Be right back with more tales of the Fridaycat!

140206

He takes out a box from the glove compartment. A tiny card follows suit. "It's not much, but..." he says, handing it to me. "I didn't get you anything," I say, a bit embarassed by my lack of thoughtfulness. I open the card first. A small spray-painted heart with cats crawling around. It makes me smile. I open the box. He holds his breath. "I hope you like it," he says. I have no words as I trail my finger along the pendant. "Did you make this yourself?" I ask. He gives me a goofy grin. "It's a small thing..." he says. I wore it around my neck. It was perfect.

Just like him and his goofy grin.

CSI:KK

Time: 5:54 pm
The crime: Homicide

The victim:

The suspect:

Meet Blanket. Harmless, lovable domesticated pet by day...And ruthless killer by night. Actually, he kills anytime of the day. I have four cats but Blanket takes the crown as the deadliest hunter among them all. He's always been active but the last few days he's been on a killing rampage!

It started with blood trails in the living room and I panicked, thinking one of my cats was injured. And then i heard a 'thump thump' in my brother's room. Lo and behold Blanket was happily tossing a semi-dead sparrow in the air. Feathers everywhere. Dad cleans the mess.

9 hours later, I come home from work and the minute I step in, it doesn't look good. Feathers EVERYWHERE. Up the stairs, in the kitchen, in my mum's bedroom. And just as I feared, Victim #2 (see pic) was lying lifeless near the TV. I clean the mess.

The next day, Blanket gets adventurous and more daring. He leaps and bounds into the living room with a bigger and furrier victim. My parents panic and give chase.

Dad: Suspect is on the move, go go go!
Mum: We have a victim down, calling for back up...

You'll never guess what Blanket caught.

A baby rabbit.

It was still alive albeit freaked out beyond belief when my mum saved it from Blanket's jaws of death. We tried to nurse it back to health. My brother ran out to buy rabbit feed, mum got the basket and blanket (no, not the murdering-cat type ofBlanket) ready. I cuddled it and fell in love in an instant - its a baby rabbit, how could you not? I'm guessing it belongs to someone in the neighbourhood but before I could knock on doors, it died the next morning.

Woe is he who crosses the path of the merciless Blanket.

Purr.

It's Saturday night. I'm wearing my favourite satin pajamas in bed, listening to Lily Allen and blogging. I've got an 'online date' with Haw and then I'm gonna hit the sack and not worry about the alarm clock waking me up because it's Sunday.

Bliss.

*sob*

I know it's getting to that time of the month when I get emotional a wee bit easily. I was watching National Geographic and they had something like 'Most Shocking Scenes' from the animal kingdom. Everything made me go "wow, that's amazing" until they showed a clip of a female hippo and her baby waddling in the water. She was going to 'introduce' her baby to a herd of hippos nearby, hoping to get accepted.

But things go horribly wrong.

One of the male hippos (alpha male i assume) isn't too crazy about junior seeing he isn't his offspring. Suddenly, there's chaos. The alpha male goes haywire, opening his jaws wide and thrashing in the water. Mummy hippo panics and leads her baby to safety. BUT the water gets too murky and the baby loses sight of mummy. Next thing you know, alpha male approaches baby hippo and has him in his jaws! He PICKS UP the baby hippo in his mouth and starts swinging the baby left and right. The baby hippo makes the most heart-wrenching squeals, totally helpless as alpha male drags him into the water and the baby slowly dies.

It was the most disturbing thing.

Mummy hippo comes back and nudges baby hippo, trying to revive him. OMG apa lagi...I start sobbing. And sobbing. And sobbing. Damn National Geographic. Damn PMS. Damn alpha male hippo. Why can't you men just get along?

Sigh. So anyway, I played futsal which is a great adrenaline rush and pick-me-up. We played with the Tourism Malaysia ladies. It was good fun and despite the fact I thought my heart was pumping so hard it was going to pop out of my chest, I managed to score four goals! Not bad for a shorty non-athletic me, eh?

Anyway, I gotta rub my sore feet seeing the person who normally does that is in the northern hemisphere *ehem, koff koff*. Gonna sleep like a baby tonight.

Hope i don't dream about hippos.

Feels right.

Ever have those days when you feel everything is in control and in place? Those moments are so rare that when I catch a whiff of it, I embrace it whole-heartedly. Today is one of those days. I may be extra swamped with work and chasing impossible deadlines, but somehow I've never felt more in control of my life.

And for the first time in a long time, I'm starting to find some peace of mind and enjoying the simplicity of my life. In some strange way, I've always found comfort in routine and the familiar. And lately, with my mum away for a break in Manila and our hired help officially gone, I have no choice but to go 'domestic' - dishes, laundry, picking up after my brother. After a long day at the office, the last thing you wanna do are chores but I find something therapeutic about it. Scrubbing the sink till it's spotless and arranging the glasses and cups according to function (cups are for coffee, glasses for water thankyouverymuch) keep me happy.

I even went shopping alone on Sunday - always a nice 'me' moment. I browsed the bookstore for an hour, went boutique-hopping and when I got hungry, I bought a hotdog and some orange juice and sat down to eat it. I paid all my bills on time and even went to the bank to make sure my finances were in order.

And for the icing on my cake, I just think of Haw and despite the gazillion miles between us, he still makes me smile.

I'll probably be ranting about something else come tomorrow but today, life feels right.

I almost forgot how good it feels.

Bag lady.

I've been bad, I know. I was in Sandakan on Friday, working on most of Saturday and on Sunday...I was just lazy. So for now, I bring you into the bag of Fridaycat. Inspired by Cindy & Jacq.

First of all, I don't carry a backpack with me although my contents might imply otherwise. I'm amazed I lug around this much stuff. Small bags are for wimps, haha.

1. My Feng Shui ally charms. Why not?
2. My pink coin purse, gift from Mia. My wallet can't hold coins.
3. Important meds: Panadol and my allergy pills. I get a bad case of the sneezies sometimes.
4. My thumbdrive. Penting dis.
5. Lipstick holder from China. A gift from one of my bosses.
6. (oops 6 is supposed to the rubber hair tie, forgot to label)
7. My Sonia compact powder.
8. Three lipsticks and lipgloss. I love mixing my lippies to get the perfect shade.
9. Clorets. Bad breath is a big no no.
10. Scholl Refreshing foot spray - I'm very self-conscious about my feet.
11. The bag to hold all my make-up, a gift from Sel.
12. My wallet, my life!
13. Tissue
14. Kacang from MAS. I dunno how that got in there.
15 & 16. My handphones. One for office calls, one for personal calls.
17. Notebook - part of the job.
18. My sunnies. Birthday gift from Haw.
19. Namecard holder
20. Three pens. I have this habit of picking up a pen and chucking it into my bag before i leave the house or the office, just in case I don't already have one in the bag. Hence, three (sometimes four or five) pens. And counting...

There you have it. Wow, I should downsize but I can't think of a single thing I DON'T need in there.

Maybe I'll just bring 2 pens.