2011 resolutions

I make a list of resolutions almost every year since I first heard of the term and found out what it is about. I find that having goals gives us something to strive towards to in life, just my opinion. I need a direction, something to work towards to in life, a deadline, discipline.

This year, I decided to list my 2011 resolution differently. I decided to list it on 43things.com and decided to have only 3 items on the list. Well, I can have more but I think it's more achievable if I just focus on 3 instead of, say, 10.

Listing it on 43things.com also allows me to see who else have the same resolution as me so that I won't feel so alone in trying to achieve it. Reading their entry regarding their efforts towards achieving those resolutions will also sort of encourage me. Furthermore, it is connected to my Facebook so my friends who read that post will hopefully keep me accountable. The reason why I didn't achieve some of my resolutions in the past is because there is no accountability.

Anyway, here's my 3 resolutions for 2011.

1. Lose 10KG by year end.
2. Pass my exams, specifically internal exams as I would require more than a year to complete all my CIMA papers.
3. Learn a new recipe every month.

Happy new year in advance!

Vicky

How to kill a snake

I was reading the Bible this morning and the passage is Genesis 3 and as I was reading this passage aloud (I usually read the Bible aloud), I came across verse 15 which gives us a hint on how to kill a snake and if snakes could read, how a snake could kill a human, considering how dangerous a snake can be, and a bite by a snake could kill a person.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." - Genesis 3:15, NIV.

If you're wondering who's the you in this verse, it refers to the serpent or the snake. I have never been attacked by a snake before, though I've seen many and touched some, mostly at zoos. But if I ever see a snake in the wild, I try to crush its head. Easier said than done.

Hope we never have to kill a snake,
Vicky

Langkawi: In Words

Last weekend, I went with my family to Langkawi. It's an island in Malaysia. We went there by Firefly. The plane left on time and I had a comfortable ride. The muffins served on the plane was really fresh and tasty.

The hotel we stayed in was Hotel Bahagia, a new hotel but with aggressive advertising as I see pamphlets of the hotel almost everywhere. The room was rather not too big, not too small. Anyway, I won't be expecting too much from a budget hotel. Service was excellent.

On the second day, we rented a car and drove around Langkawi. We went to a number of places such as Durian Perangin waterfalls (nice place to hike and take pictures); went to a few beaches such as black rice beach, Tanjong Rhu, Pantai Cenang; We also went to Galeri Perdana which has a collection of gifts and awards given to the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahatir Mohamad; we also went to Handicraft Cultural Complex where you can buy batik and watch a glass-blowing demonstration. After watching that demonstration, you would see the price tag on those glasses as expensive anymore. Real hard work; we also went shopping as Langkawi is a duty-free zone. Bought mostly chocolates.

On our last day there, we went for a private half-day tour organised by the hotel as part of the package we bought at Matta Fair. Since we went to most places already, the tour guide took us to some places we had not gone before like Cable Car and Canopy Walk, Mahsuri Tomb and Burnt Rice field.

Had a lot of seafood there. Food is cheap at the town area.

Hope to go to Langkawi again in the future, wish to go island hopping
Vicky

Grateful to death

I'm currently reading Like a Flowing River by Paulo Coelho. There are plenty of inspiring and profound stories in there and I'm only halfway through. I'm quite reluctant to put the book down from the moment I started reading it. But I have to, as I have tests to study for, assignments to complete and tutorial questions to do. Yeah, same old, same old, a pile of workload on my table waiting to be cleared, a weight on my shoulders waiting to be lighten.

Anyway, today as I was the story titled "My Funeral", these lines captured my attention and really got me thinking. Although I don't think of death often, however I know I'm not immortal. Certain events in my life will keep reminding me of that fact. I hope that when my time comes, I'll be ready to meet my Maker.

Those lines are:

And death is possibly the most important thing. We are all walking towards death, but we never know when death will touch us and it is our duty, therefore, to look around us, to be grateful for each minute. But we should also be grateful to death, because it makes us think about the importance of each decision we take, or fail to take; it makes us stop doing anything that keeps us stuck in the category of the "living dead" and, instead, urges us to risk everything, to bet everything on those things we always dreamed of doing, because, whether we like it or not, the angel of death is waiting for us.

Alright, got to go back to preparing for my test tomorrow.

Happy Deepavali!
Vicky

No time for movies

I have been so busy lately. Been busy with assignments, doing tutorials, attending classes etc. So busy that I find that I have hardly much time for myself or to go out with friends for coffee, to shop or for movies.

At the start of this semester, I decided to set aside all my Sundays to rest and relax. Well, I did get to relax the first 2 weeks, I think. After that,assignments kept pouring in like a heavy downpour. To prevent myself from drowning, I decided to start doing my assignments as early as possible. Hopefully, there won't be any last minute work. And since I'm can't stop thinking about my responsibilities as a student even while resting, most of my free time are filled up doing assignments, tutorials, studying, reading books recommended by lecturers etc.

Furthermore, the holiday season is coming and soon everyone will be on holiday mood. I hope I won't be a scrooge or a party pooper then.

Anyway, if I could find the time to relax, there are some movies that I would like to watch. Most probably I would end up watching them after my final exams, so I'll be watching it on DVD. Yup, my final exam as a TARC Advanced Diploma student. I don't want to resit any papers so I have to work really hard now. First on the list is, of course, Love in Disguise, for obvious reasons. Followed by Hachiko: A dog's story because I'm a dog lover and the dog in the movie is so cute and lovable. Watch the trailer here:

Finally, a movie that will be in cinemas this December - Narnia. I'm a big fan of Narnia.

That's all, have a good weekend.
Vicky

Garden of Good and Eva

I tried Garden of Good and Eva, one of the six Benefit Crescent Row fragrances. I wanted to try Laugh with me Lee Lee but there's no more perfume left in the bottle :(. So I ended I trying Garden of Good and Eva. I tried the others before, on cards given by the sales person but not on my skin yet. This time I would like to try it on my skin to test if it smells good on me.

According to Benefit, Garden of Good and Eva has a crisp and fresh citrus floral scent. I prefer scents that are fresh as it is more suitable for me. After the salesperson sprayed this scent on my wrist, I kept sniffing it because the I like the scent so much. One more good thing about it is that it lasted quite long :)

I also like the packaging of the fragrances in the Crescent Row collection. It would surely stand out when I put it on my shelf. Packaging is also one thing that I look for when buying perfume. A perfume may smell nice but if I don't like the packaging, I would not buy it.

Of course, price is important too. Since I have a budget, I would buy something within that budget and that gives value for money.

Anyway, I didn't bring that Garden of Good and Eva home with me yet. Since I'm not in a rush to buy a new fragrance, I would like to continue trying out fragrances as there are many choices available in the market today. Especially when I didn't get to try Laugh with me Lee Lee on my skin.

At the end of the day, I don't want to regret buying something.

Have a good day!

Vicky

Bukit Gambang Water Park

Last Saturday, I went with my family to Bukit Gambang Water Park. It's located near Kuantan, Pahang.

We were there from morning until closing time at 6PM. I enjoyed myself at the lazy river, wave pool and the slides. Some of the slides would give you an adrenaline rush but you would need a lot of stamina to climb the stairs to the top. And in the wave pool, it's better than swimming in some of our seas as the waves can get really big. Just make sure that you're a good swimmer when the waves gets big or hold on tight to your tube. As for the lazy river, there are certain times when it's calm and certain times where there are waves. Of course, it's more fun with the waves.

What I like about this place are the slides and the cabana (which you have to rent). There are only a few cabanas around the water park so make sure you get there early before all the cabanas are rented out.

One thing that gives this water park a competitive advantage is the cashless system. We can deposit money into our wristband which has a bar code and use it to pay for food, rental of tubes or cabana etc. At the end of the day, we can get refund on the balance of money that we did not use.

This water park is ideal for families and it's cheaper than Sunway Lagoon. Plus, if you're tired of playing at the water park, you can head over to Kuantan.

Vicky.

The 18 Martial Arts

I think Wang Leehom's latest album was aptly titled "The 18 Martial Arts" because Leehom is indeed versatile and talented. He doesn't stick to one genre but is constantly trying out different genre and different sounds like R&B, hip-hop, combining Chinese ethnic minority music with modern music and so on. Maybe that's why I'm a big fan of Leehom. I like variety so I don't have a favourite genre. If you ask me today what's my favourite genre, I may say hip-hop but if you ask me the same question next week, I may say rock.

In "The 18 Martial Arts", Leehom combines chinese orchestra with pop music. I didn't like it at first it could be because I'm not as exposed to chinese orchestra compared to western orchestra but after listening to the album a few times, I'm starting to appreciate it. So if you know of any chinese orchestra performance nearby do let me know. I guess appreciating this new sound created by Leehom is a cultivated taste. You've got to listen to it a few more times in order to enjoy it then you'll want to listen to it the rest of your life.

I'm game for whatever new sound Leehom is going to create in the future. Here are the music videos to some of the songs in the album.






Vicky

Exams soon

My exams will start in a few days time and I think I'm almost prepared. Anyway, it's not all study, study, study for me. Last Thursday, I attended a friend's surprise birthday party planned by his brother. I tried vegetables from Sarawak (which I think was delicious) and keropok (crackers) from Indonesia. After that, we had a jamming/karaoke session followed by a tour around his house. After touring around his house, we watched Ip Man, because it was getting late, I left halfway through the movie. I think I over dressed because I was in LBD while most of them dressed quite casual, but a number of the girls were in dresses as well so I'm not alone. Furthermore, it's the first time a lot of them got to see me in a dress as I seldom wear except to go to the MPO or formal dinners.

I'll be back after my exams,

Vicky

Coraline

I read book in phases. For example, when I'm in a John Grisham phase, I'll read all John Grisham books that I can get my hands on. After that phase is over, I'll move on to another phase. Phases I have been in as far as I can remember are Nicholas Sparks, Stephanie Meyer, C.S. Lewis, John Grisham, J.K. Rowling and Smallville books. Those are just those that I can remember, I've read far more books than that.

Right now I'm in a Neil Gaiman phase. So far I've read American Gods and Stardust. I finished Coraline yesterday. I started reading Neil Gaiman books when my friend started talking about them, then I asked her to lend me some of her books to read. So she lend me American Gods and Stardust. I prefer Stardust over American Gods. I borrowed Coraline from the library.

There is a movie version of this book but I didn't watch it except for probably the first 10 minutes of it on my friend's laptop in my college's library. Anyway, back to the book. I read it within 1 day, 1 sitting and 1 afternoon. That shows how good the story is. Even though this is a children book but young adults like me would enjoy it too. If I could describe Neil Gaiman through his books in one word, it would be: imaginative.

Next Neil Gaiman book that I'll be reading is "The Graveyard Book"

Vicky

What your history teacher never told you

I received this from an email and copied and pasted one part of it here. Kind of creepy.


Have a history teacher explain this----- if they can.





Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights..
Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Now it gets really weird.

Lincoln 's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln .

Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.




John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839. Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy,
was born in 1939.


Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Now hang on to your seat.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford'.
Kennedy was shot in a car called ' Lincoln ' made by 'Ford'.

Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse.

Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And here's the kicker...

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe , Maryland.
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

Wrapping up Week 9

This is almost the end of the 9th week of my semester. In other words, final exams is just around the conner. My preparation for it is so-so. Since week 1, I've been preparing for it but in the middle, due to assignments and mid-term test, it has been taking a back seat. Now, I'm catching up.

So far, this semester has been very demanding. The gap between this semester and the last is very big. Suddenly, the way I answer questions is different. It's more towards application, case study and some creative thinking.

This week has been a busy one for me. On Monday I submitted my Risk Management assignment, while I'm going to submit my Integrated Management assignment tomorrow. Next week, is going to be another busy one. I'll be having my Moral and Ethics test on Wednesday and Financial Reporting on Friday. After that, I can relax for a while but I have to bear in mind that finals is just a few weeks away and I'm not even 50% prepared.

Oh, I would like to add another update on my favourite singer, Wang Leehom. He recently released the music video of his new single.

Another good news is that his fans in Malaysia can pre-order his album at record stores. I won't be missing out on this opportunity. I plan to do it either this week or the next.

See ya,
Vicky

Narnia & Love in Disguise trailer

These are the movies I would like to watch this year, if not, next year.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader



I've been waiting to watch this movie since I heard from friends that they'll be making this. I watch the first one and like it, watch the next one the first day it was released in cinemas and like it too. I think I'm going to like this one too. Furthermore, The Chronicles of Narnia are one of my favourite books and I don't mind reading them again and again. Same goes for the movies, I don't mind watching them again and again.

Love in Disguise



Number 1, I'm a big fan of Wang Leehom. Number 2, I like watching comedies. Put them together and I think they make a good reason for me to watch this movie. After all, laughter is the best medicine and I do need a really good laugh after all the stress I'm having this semester. I heard it's going to be in cinemas soon. But anyway, I think the final 2 semesters will be a stressful one for me as I'm in my final year.

This is totally unrelated but I want to congratulate England and USA for making it to the 2nd round.

One of my lecturers said that watching football (soccer) can help you release stress,
Vicky

Better Luck Next Time by Lifehouse

Better Luck Next Time - Lifehouse (Live)

Lifehouse is my favourite band and this is one of my favourite songs. This video is a live version of the song. They sound really good live. I wish to go to their concert. ;) I think I would really have a great time there.

I've been busy lately. Having Risk Management test next Monday. Integrated Management test 3 weeks later. I would also be rushing assignments. Hopefully, I'll have some time to breathe.

Happy School Holidays!
Vicky

Longest break ever

Had the longest break ever in my entire college life (hopefully this is the last time) from 9.30am to 4pm. During Moral and Etika lecture, I received a text message from my Financial Reporting lecture that lecture class is cancelled. So that means that after my Moral and Etika lecture ends at 9.30am, I'll be having a break until my Moral and Etika tutorial class at 4.30pm.

So after lecture ended, I went out with my classmates to Taman Bunga Raya to eat. After that, we went to Wangsa Walk, a newly opened shopping mall near my college to watch Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time since every Wednesday is cheap movie ticket day. When I looked around the movie hall I noticed that 1) most of them are students 2) they're probably from TAR College. I think if I threw a stone, it might hit someone from TAR College.

I think Prince of Persia was good but not great. The good parts of the movie are the action scenes and effects.

After the movie, we went to Popular Bookstore because some of my friends wanted to buy some books. I found two books there that I really wish to buy. They are "What the Dog Saw: And other adventures" by Malcolm Gladwell and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney. I read just the first few pages of both books. Maybe next time because I don't want to carry more books in my already heavy bag, plus I already spent so much on a few academic books recently that I don't feel like spending more at that moment.

We grabbed a bite then Eileen and I walked around Cold Storage before heading back to college for class.

:)
Vicky

The Five Love Language for Singles

I just finished reading "The Five Love Language for Singles" by Gary Chapman. According to this book, there are 5 love languages namely:
Quality time
Acts of Service
Words of Affirmation
Gifts
Physical touch

Each of us has a primary love language which is one of the above. Some of us may have two.

While reading this book, I learned how to identify the love language of those close to me. I also discovered my love language which is quality time.

This book is targeted to singles. Before this version, there is one for married couples. I urge all of you to read this book. I believe knowing and speaking a person's love language can help improves relationship.

At the end of this book, there's a quiz you can take to find out your love language. For more information visit Five Love Languages website.

All you need is love,
Vicky

Skinfood Peach Sake Pore BB Cream

Skinfood Peach Sake Pore BB Cream (Googled image)

I absolutely love the scent of peaches in this product. It smells really pleasant. It is easy to apply and blend and I can see an immediate result on my face after I put it on. I see an immediate result after using this product. My complexion looks much better. It is suitable for oily skin. It managed to control the oil on other parts of my face, however, my nose seems like a lost cause. It comes with SPF 20 PA+ but for someone who spends quite some time outdoors, I would require a higher SPF. I'm pleased with this product and will continue using it.

Happy Skinfood Peach Sake Pore BB Cream user,
Vicky

3D2N Penang: Day 3

My last day Penang. Since I slept late the night before, I decided to wake up slightly later today. Had wan tan mee for breakfast at Chowrasta Market. The difference between the wan tan mee here and the one I usually have in KL is the one I had has lard in it making it tastier which also means that it is non-halal.

Went back to our hotel after breakfast as we have to packed our bags and check out before going for the ground tour arranged by our hotel. Actually, they contacted a local tour guide and told the guide that we're interested in a tour. The guide picked us up from the hotel at 9.30 a.m. in his car. Along the way, he pointed to us various places of interest like Penang Governor house, Millionaire Street, Christian Cemetery, famous schools and hospitals.

Our first stop was Kek Lok Si. To go to the Pagoda, entrance fee is RM2, while to take the cable car up to the Kwan Ying statue, it cost RM4 return ticket. After that I had Assam Laksa and coconut water at a coffee shop near Kek Lok Si.

After that, he took us to Coffee Tree where we can try out all sorts of coffee, chocolate, tea and honey for free. You name it, they probably have it. The place looks popular with Middle Eastern tourist as I saw a lot of notices or signs written in Arabic. The Penang White Coffee is nice, in fact it's the most popular coffee among customer in the shop judging by the number of packs on display. I bought some home.

The next stop is Penang Botanic Garden since we can't go up to Penang Hill. Though we can either take a jeep up which is expensive or hike up which is something I might do in the future with a bigger group of friends. You can hike up to Penang Hill from Botanic Garden it takes about 1-2 hours depending on how fit you are. There are plenty of monkeys at the Botanic Garden and they dare to snatch water bottles from tourist.

Next, we went to see the reclining Buddha (4th longest in the world) which is in a Thai temple and a Burmese temple opposite. That was our last stop then the guide dropped us off at our hotel. From our hotel, we went to a shop nearby for lunch. Then we went to McDonald's in Prangin Mall to kill time since we have to be at Five Stars office to wait for the van to send us to Sungai Nibong bus terminal at 4 p.m. Arrived in 1 Utama around 9.30 p.m.

I hope to go back to Penang again some day. The next time to stay at Hard Rock Hotel and probably to hike up Penang Hill (if I'm fit enough.)

Had a great holiday in Penang
Vicky

P.S. Pictures of my Penang trip are on my Facebook.

3D2N Penang: Day 2

If you don't know your past, you'll be like a leaf that doesn't know you're part of a tree - The Little Nyonya

Woke up early in the morning. Had breakfast at Line Clear near my hotel. This place is famous for it's Nasi Kandar but since I don't really fancy Nasi Kandar so I had Roti Canai and teh tarik instead. After that, we walked around Chowrasta Market. This market is way better than the night market in Batu Ferringhi. I think the one in Batu Ferringhi is catered towards tourists while you'll usually see locals at Chowrasta market. Saw the famous popiah skin maker, didn't buy any because I don't have the ingredients to make popiah there. I wouldn't mind just eating the popiah skin (it's fresh!) but my friend would think I'm weird.

After walking the whole stretch of the market, we took a CAT shuttle bus which is free of charge to Little India. Little India wasn't what I had in mind, maybe I went there too early. After that, I had a plate of Char Kuey Teow at a coffee shop a stone throw away from Pinang Peranakan Mansion. When I finished my Char Kuey Teow, we walked over to the Pinang Peranakan Mansion. It looks small from the outside but huge in the inside. I like the architecture of this house as well as the Baba Nyonya culture. I think the people in those times were innovative and resourceful. The tour guide was good in explaining the Baby Nyonya culture and lifestyle. I think he watched "The Little Nyonya" too. "The Little Nyonya" and "Iron Lady" was filmed in Pinang Peranakan Mansion. The tour guide also gave some tips on how to live a long and healthy life. Among other tips he gave, he warned us not to use plastics and Styrofoam.

After the tour in Pinang Peranakan Mansion, we walked over to Jin Shi for some tea. I drank tea and rest while my friend drank tea and read the books there. Then we headed to Fort Cornwallis, Esplanade and the surrounding areas to take some pictures. When we are done, we took the CAT shuttle bus to Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. "Blue Mansion" was filmed here. Cheong Fatt Tze is super rich and I think he is a good business man. The guided tour is at 11am and 3pm sharp. It's a hotel too but I think I would have to pay through my nose. By the way, Cheong Fatt Tze is opposite the hotel where I stayed, Cathay Hotel.

We had dinner in Gurney Drive. I had fried oyster, assam laksa, tau foo fa and many more there. While waiting for the bus back to Komtar, I talked to a couple from Indonesia who were waiting for the same bus. They stay near my hotel. My Bahasa Malaysia is still good because they understood every word that I say and I was able to converse with them fluently.

When we got back, we went to Red Garden opposite my hotel for supper. I had Ais Kacang which came with a scoop of ice cream on top. They also added some soda into the ais kacang.

Vicky

P.S. Day 3 tomorrow. Pictures are on my Facebook.

3D2N Penang: Day 1

Took Five Stars Express bus from 1 Utama to Penang in the morning. The whole journey took about 4 and a half hours. The seat is comfortable and spacious. It can recline and there's enough leg room. During the journey, I watched Narnia: Prince Caspian. The Chronicles of Narnia is my favourite storybook. I think I watched this movie a few times, I don't mind watching it another time. I can't wait to watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader which will be released in December 2010.

When we (my friend and I) arrived in Penang, it took us quite a while to find the hotel as we weren't familiar with the roads and some of the locals only know the road names in Mandarin/Hokkien. However, we managed to find Cathay Hotel (the hotel we stayed in) after walking for what seemed to me like hours under the hot sun. Felt relieved to finally found the hotel. My first impression of the hotel is that it is beautiful in its own way. I like the architecture and interior design. It gives you the "back to 100 years ago" feel. Something that can't be found in modern hotels. Don't worry, the facilities are pretty modern. The room rate didn't burn a hole in my pocket either.

After checking in, putting down our bags, we took Rapid Penang 101 from Penang Road to Batu Feringghi to check out Hard Rock Hotel. It costs RM2.70 one way. Took a lot of pictures there. Every rock lovers must visit this hotel at least once in his/her life. I got caught up taking so much pictures in the lobby, swimming pool, beach, outside the hotel. I think I took the most photos here. When my stomach started making noises (not rock music), I realised I haven't had my lunch and dinner yet so we made our way to Hard Rock Cafe. At the cafe, I took some more pictures while waiting for my food to arrive. I really like the beef patty in the HRC Burger that I ordered, it's so juicy. I had it done medium rare.

I met a pleasant staff there, her name is Laida. So when you go to Hard Rock Cafe in Batu Feringghi, Penang, tell her I said "Hi." From today onwards, I'm going to save up enough money to spend a night at Hard Rock Hotel Penang just for the experience.

After eating, we went to the night market nearby. It was quite a disappointment. Then we went back to our hotel to bathe and sleep.

Vicky.

P.S. 3D2N Penang: Day 2 tomorrow. Pictures are on my Facebook.

What's God's will for me?

I have been asking questions like "What's God's will for me?"and "What's my purpose in life?" a number of times. I even asked friends to pray for me so that I'll find an answer to those questions. Well, my prayers were not answered until recently when I read this book which I borrowed from my church library. The book is - Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot by Max Lucado. When I borrowed the book I thought it was getting out of complacency. I don't even know what's sweet spot to begin with. However this book answered my question on God's will for me.

To know what's God's will, I would need to know my S.T.O.R.Y.

S - Strengths. The things I naturally do to accomplish what I love.

T - Topics. Things I prefer to work on.

O - Optimal conditions. Where and when I am most engaged.

R - Relationships. How I prefer to relate to people.

Y - Yes!. The outcomes that gives me the most satisfaction and joy.

As I was finding out what's my S.T.O.R.Y. I realised that I'm on the right track to fulfilling God's destiny for me.

I'm currently a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) student. CIMA equips me with the relevant skills and knowledge so that I can contribute in my future workplace. In other words, I'm studying what I enjoy and when I graduate, hopefully get a job I enjoy doing. Most importantly, I'm doing what God had created me to do.

Read this book to find out your S.T.O.R.Y.

Happy Labour Day in advance!
Vicky

The Simpsons Movie

I finally watched The Simpsons Movie.

The Simpsons and me
I remember when I was young, I used to watch Simpsons on TV. My favourite character is Lisa, still is. When my cousin went to Spain, she got me an exercise book with Bart Simpson on the cover.

What I think of the movie?
This movie focuses mainly on The Simpsons, nothing much from the other characters in this movie. If I can describe this movie with one word, it would be this: hilarious. I've never watch a good slapstick comedy for quite some time. Though it can be quite adult at times. The plot is simple and if there is a The Simpsons Movie 2, I think I'll go watch it.

Currently listening to Lifehouse live shows on Youtube,
Vicky

The Guardian

About 2 weeks ago I started reading Nicholas Sparks novels. So far I had only read 3 of his books i.e. Nights in Rodanthe, A Bend in the Road and The Guardian. Among the 3 books that I read, The Guardian is my favourite so far. It's a love story plus a thriller. So it keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The hero of this story in my opinion is a Great Dane named Singer. I like stories and movies involving dogs. My favourite movie involving a dog at the moment is 1o Promises to My Dog, which is a Japanese movie. My favourite books involving dogs are in the non-fiction category, Marley and Me. Marley reminds me so much of my own dog. In the fiction category is this one, The Guardian.

There are romance writers and then there is Nicholas Sparks. His books are really great and it's worth your time reading them. You'll fall in love with his stories immediately.

Can't wait to read Nicholas Sparks next novel, The Wedding
Vicky

Play On

I think Carrie Underwood took more risks with this album and I think the risks she took, work well for her. In my opinion, this is her best album yet. She also wrote more songs in this album than the last and I hope to see her writing all the songs in her album on her own in the future.

She has stronger vocals and better interpretation of songs. It's obvious in songs like "Look at Me", "Someday when I stop loving you", "Mama song", "Temporary home" and so on.

I like the duet with Sons of Sylvia in "What can I say" though I've never heard of this band before but in one part, I think Carrie Underwood outdid them.

There are also a number of fast songs in this album, among all the fast songs I like "Play On" the most, an amazing song which provides a nice ending to the whole album.

Play on Carrie Underwood!
Vicky

Assam Laksa for the 1st time

Had dinner at Cinta Ria@DJ yesterday and I ordered a bowl of Assam Laksa. So two first here, first time eating at Cinta Ria@DJ and first time eating Assam Laksa.

I always thought that Assam Laksa is super spicy. I used to picture myself, sweating and drinking lots of water with plenty of ice in it because the spiciness is burning my tongue, and yes I'll be sweating too. But when I tried this, it wasn't as spicy as I imagined it would be. In fact I enjoyed eating it. I like sour dishes. So it was sour enough to for me. This dish cost RM7.50 which I think was reasonable for a restaurant like this.

If you don't know where this restaurant is, it's beside a restaurant famous for its claypot rice in Damansara Jaya. The signboard for Cinta Ria@DJ is in red so you can't miss it.

Assam Laksa is on my food list when I go to Penang,
Vicky

Kris Allen

Kris Allen has been my favourite since I watched his Top 36 performance on American Idol Season 8. I think that was the best performance that day. I could remember that performance till today. Since that performance, I've been looking forward to seeing Kris perform every week. I was elated when he won American Idol.

This post is regarding his debut self-titled album.

In this album, he showed more than just his ability to sing. He also showed his ability to write songs, with 9 tracks in this album co-written by him.

There's a balance of fast numbers and slow songs in this album. The themes in this album are life and love. "Let It Rain" and "Lifetime" provides encouragement during tough times. I find "Live Like We're Dying" catchy and meaningful. "Heartless" is different than the one in he sang in American Idol but this version is as good as the one he performed in the show. I think it was a good thing that "No Boundaries" was not included in this album. My favourite song on this album is "Red Guitar" a song which he wrote pre-Idol which is basically about a guitar that he got for his wife.

Salespeople from two different stores tried to persuade me to buy Adam Lambert's debut album but I don't intend to buy his album though I like a few of his songs because I'm not a fan of Adam Lambert.

Watch the performance that caught my attention, here.

Kris Allen - Man in the Mirror

Vicky

Avatar

I see blue
- X Japan "Last Song"

When I watched Avatar, I saw a lot of blue and green. While watching this movie, it reminded me a lot about Pocahontas which I used to watch a lot when I was still playing Barbie dolls. I used to have a Pocahontas Barbie doll and the dress can change colour when put under the sun. Anyway, in Avatar, Jake Sully is like John Smith and Nyetiri is like Pocahontas. Watching Avatar is like watching Pocahontas with modern technology thrown in.

One thing I like about this movie is that it's nice to look at which I think is the saving grace for this movie. One thing I don't like about this movie is that it is boring.

I wouldn't watch this movie a second time but I might want to watch Little Big Soldier a second time because it has a good sense of humour.

No offence to those who like Avatar
Vicky

Little Big Soldier

I watched this movie yesterday at GSC Tropicana City Mall. I like watching movies at Tropicana City Mall because there's less people. The movie was also shown in Hall 1 which I like for it's comfortable seats and enough leg room. The hall was less than half filled.

This is not a detailed historical movie, so if you're looking for a movie on the battles during the Warring Era in China, this is not the movie you're looking for.

Little Big Soldier focuses on two people, that is a soldier (Jackie Chan) from Liang who wants to be a farmer and to be discharged from war who captured a general (Wang Leehom) who is also the Prince of Wei.

Jackie Chan portrayed his character well. I enjoyed his humourous antics and I think he's got all the best lines. Wang Leehom, still a rookie at acting, I think has improved a lot. Well done Leehom! It's hard to recognise him in this movie.

The cinematography in this movie is good. I feel like watching this movie a second time.

If you're thinking of watching this movie, just don't expect a lot of battle scenes and prepared to laugh a lot while watching this movie. I would give this movie an A.

That's my Chinese New Year movie.
Vicky

Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI

If you think this book is like the CSI you watch on TV, you might be very disappointed. This book is a memoir of Dana Kollman's (the author) experience as a CSI.

The real CSI, don't wear expensive business suits, anyway it's not a good idea to wear an expensive business suit or high heels when you'll be stepping on brain matter, digging a forgotten grave site. Yeah, and this book can get very graphic and funny. It was an eye opener for me as I don't really watch CSI but I watch Fringe, does that count?

The way she recounts the stories makes it comes alive as if you went for a "ride along" with her. In a nutshell, this is the real deal of being a CSI, so if you ever consider being a CSI or just being curious about what a CSI really do, read this book.

I picked up this book because of the book title and the interesting cover of a lollipop with flies.

Happy Chinese New Year!
Vicky

What Jackie Chan says about Leehom

Jackie Chan after working with Wang Leehom in his movie, "Little Big Soldier" which is coming to the cinemas near you soon has nothing but praises for the talented Leehom.

"God has been too fair with him. Why, he's almost perfect. He can play any musical instrument, write scripts, do musical arrangements, compose tunes, pen lyrics, sing his own songs while playing his own accompaniment, and produce, and produce his own albums. English songs, Cantonese songs and Mandarin songs ... he can do them all. He's also very handsome and can act. And, he's very hardworking too. His success is truly well-deserved. You might have seen hardworking people, but you might have never seen anyone as diligent as him. Why, he's even more hardworking than me. I'd known that he's good, but I never imagined him to be that good. Maybe it's all fresh and new to him. He'd keep practising whatever I teach him. It's like he's continuously making preparations for future projects. Even though he might not actually have any need to wield a staff or a sabre any time soon, he'd still keep on training."

Now you see why I admire Wang Leehom so much? It's not all about his looks, although I admit he's handsome but it's his talents, passion and dedication that I admire the most. Watching "Little Big Soldier" is on my to-do list.

"Little Big Soldiers" will be released in cinemas on 14 February 2010.
Vicky

Revolutionary Road

Just finish reading this book last night before I went to bed. Since I have 2 more chapters to go, I decided to just finish the book instead of continuing the story today.

Reading this book is like walking on a straight road where you can't really see the path ahead. It's about a couple who lives on Revolutionary Road. The guy has a stable but dull job, pretty wife, two kids and a home in the suburbs. As you're walking down this path, you see them chatting with their neighbours, they seem to look down on their neighbours. Then you see a turn, this couple now plans to go to Europe, to Paris to be exact. They're really excited about it. They can go to Paris start over again and live an extraordinary life. But then there's another turn, the girl got pregnant and they have to change their plans. So they decided not to move. And things went downhill from there.

It's a sad story with a sad ending. The story didn't turn out like how I expected it to be that's why I described this book as a road with many twists and turns.

Have a nice weekend,
Vicky

Ocean Eyes

Golf and alcohol don't mix
And that's why I don't drink and drive
Because good grief, I'd knock out my teeth
And have to kiss my smile goodbye
-Adam Young/Owl City, Dental Care

On the cover Owl City's Ocean Eyes album isn't a yacht as I thought instead it's a building on the sea. I can hit the replay button on this album few times in a day and yet never get bored of the songs. The songs always feel fresh every time I listen to it again. The lyrics are really meaningful, deep and witty. "Meteor Shower" is the shortest song in the album but it has really deep lyrics. Another song, "Vanilla Twilight" seems to tug at my heartstrings. I can relate to "The Saltwater Room" too, beautiful song.

"The Bird and The Worm" and "Dental Care" can make you laugh while listening to it. There are other upbeat/positive songs in this album like "Fireflies", "The Tip of the Iceberg" and "Cave In" that makes you look at the bright side and smile :)

A lot of people said that it takes time to warm up to Owl City's music but somehow I feel that his music draws me in and I feel so at home. The man behind Owl City has great musical talent and I look forward to listening to more of Owl City in the future.

Be his fan on Facebook, you'll like his witty wordplay on his status updates which is oh-so humorous at times.

By the way, I finished Mr. Siao Mandarin Class Season 1 and also watched Blood Diamonds yesterday. After watching Blood Diamond, you'll never look at diamonds the same way again. Ever. You won't want to call them your best friend.

"In America, it's bling bling. But out here it's bling blang." Danny Archer, Blood Diamond
Vicky

Walking tour around KL

Went out with Ai Vee yesterday. This is the first time we went out together since we graduated from secondary school. Can you believe it?

We took the LRT to Petaling Street. The only thing we did there was to eat and eat some more. I had Tong Kee egg tart, Longan drink which is a must try on Petaling Street, Yong Tau Foo and Chee Cheong Fun which is in a market, you must walk in from some dark alley next to 7 Eleven. After that we went to buy some cookies for Chinese New Year. I bought a jar of Seaweed Biscuit at a discount. I always doubted my negotiation skills but at least I managed to negotiate a discount. However, there's always room for improvement. Need to negotiate more. Then I went to buy a piece of this pulut thing that is sold at Yau Char Kwai stalls at another stall. I always buy the same thing from the same stall everytime I go to Petaling Street and I won't get bored of it or try another stall because the one sold here is good. After that, Ai Vee bought Tau Foo Fa because we saw a lot of students buying from that stall. Then we walk to a skin clinic at Jalan Pudu because Ai Vee wants to buy cleanser. We thought it would be very far from Petaling Street but it wasn't, in my opinion. Since I was already full, I didn't get to try all the food I wanted to try.

From the skin clinic, we walked to Bukit Bintang area because we can see Berjaya Times Square from where we were standing so it looks quite near. As we were walking there, I remember the Turkish ice cream I wanted to try at BB Plaza. We took the long way to BB Plaza. Long story. Anyway, I got to try the ice cream, double scoop at RM5. The single scoop cost RM3. Not hard to find, it's located outside BB Plaza near some traffic lights. The man did a performance while serving me. Go check it out. I wish all ice cream stalls did that.

From there we walked to Pavillion which is near KLCC because Ai Vee will be meeting her friend at KLCC. From Pavillion, there's an overhead bridge with a sign that says to KLCC Convention Center. After you get down the bridge, you'll pass some building and eventually get to the Convention Center which is next to KLCC.

Wanted to go to Galeri Petronas but it was closed. So we went chatted at the foodcourt. It's a small world. Ai Vee's friend is coursemates with some of the cell group members which my cell group joined 2 weeks ago. After that we walked around KLCC and since the rain has stopped. (God is good! It only started to rain where we were already inside the convention center.) We went walk around the park and took some photos. Then went back in KLCC, but since it was rush hour and the LRT will definitely be packed like sardines, we decided to stay back and have our dinner at KFC. We went home after that.

That's the end of my self-guided walking tour in KL.
Vicky

Advertisement break

Taking a short break from watching Mr Siao's Mandarin Class Season 1 on Youtube. Now I'm at episode 6 already. Plan to finish the whole of season 1 by this week.

I watched a few episodes of season 1 on NTV7 before but due to time constraints I did not get to finish the whole series. I find it very funny, like LOL kind of funny. It's a made in Malaysia mandarin comedy.

Catch Mr Siao's Mandarin Class Season 1 reruns on NTV7, every Thursday at 11PM.

Season 2 will be released in April.

Advertisement break is over,
Vicky

1st day after finals

Went to 1 Utama yesterday after my last paper yesterday. Was there for a short while, around an hour. Initially, I didn't plan to go 1 Utama at all but this was what made me decide to go there.

One Sunday, I was alone at home, my family went to visit my aunt. So, I was at home reading newspaper while eating my breakfast which is just bread with butter and strawberry jam when I came across an album review on Owl City's Ocean Eyes. If you read my earlier post, you'll know that I like listening to Owl City recently. After reading the review, whether good or bad I had decided to buy Ocean Eyes since now I know that it's available in Malaysia. Nothing is going to make me change my mind.

One good thing about The Star is that they usually offer 15% discount off albums they review. You can get the discount as long as you're cut out the coupon and present it to the cashier when you purchase the album.

I'm listening to the album now, I'll write a review after playing the album for a couple of days.

Anyway, when I was paying for the album, I saw right in front of the counter X Japan Live in Hong Kong DVDs. I can't believe my eyes, Adrian and Andrew should see the look on my face, they'll never see the same expression another time. I never thought I can find a X Japan album here in Malaysia, let alone a recent concert DVD placed in front of the counter. I couldn't even find their album in HMV near City Hall MRT station when I was in Singapore.

I guess when you're not searching too hard for something, that thing you're looking for will appear just in front of your eyes.

Oh, I didn't buy the DVD in the end, shall wait for my friend who's a big fan of X Japan to buy it, then I'll borrow it.

Happy semester break AMA1 friends!
Vicky

Fingertips story

I read in an article in StarTwo, Monday 18 January 2010 ("Unveiling Uniqueness") that our fingertips patterns can reveal our personality, inborn talents and what not.

Here's what my fingertips reveal about me according to the article:

• I have high levels of initiative, enthusaism and determination.
• I may also be independent, competitive and bossy.
  
• I have the ability to think out of the box and can easily adapt to different environments. (The thinking out of the box thing seems true. My finance lecturer said that I tend to think over the box sometimes. So if she sees and out of the world answer when marking Finance paper, she can bet that it's mine.)

2 more papers to go. Exams end this Friday. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers.
Vicky