on a break

We were so excited to get cheap tickets, we forgot to check the weather forecast. No wonder it was cheap, it's the rainy season pula.
Oh well.
I don't understand people who plays their computer games LOUDLY during the flight. Very rude really. If you must, use a headphone.
One thing air stewardness really needs to learn is to speak properly and clearly over the intercom. I don't understand a word you're saying.
Some even laugh out loud when they make a mistake. *tsk tsk tsk*
It's REALLY hard to get good help these days huh?

S&M appropriately

One of the national BM newspapers launched their local edition last Sunday and I was there for ‘work’ purposes

For me, the highlight of the event was not the launch gimmick or the not so great performance or even the comical ‘frame’ show by the ‘princesses’ who needs a lesson or two in modeling.

Never in my craziest moment would I imagine Rihanna’s S&M as the ‘soundtrack’ of the souvenir presentation to the Guest of Honor who happens to be the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah.

Cause I may be bad
But I'm perfectly good at it
S*x in the air
I don't care
I love the smell of it
Sticks and stones
May break my bones
But chains and whips
Excite me

… while the GOH poses for the media with his souvenir.
*LOL*
It was priceless.

By the way, public places should use the censored version of this and any songs. I caught Ekiel singing to the uncensored version of Forget You he heard from the mall. *bangs head on wall*

Bieber Fan

Ekiel loves Bieber.

I don't understand why the world is crazy about Bieber. I shall not say anything here because someone might just spam my whole blog. *Whistles*

Ekiel knows all the lyrics and forbids anyone to change the channel if he's on TV.

He also gets super upset if I were to say anything mean about Bieber.

Funny oh.

REALity TV

It's that time of the year again people where everyone becomes a critic and the never ending argument about who should stay and who should pack their bags and go.

There is something about reality TV that everyone loves.

I have no complaint about the AI10. Each contestant bring a different flavour to the show and damn they can sing. At the end of the day, it is a personality contest and I was not surprised when Pia was out. During the 'Mariah & Whitney's era, she would be perfect but at this 'century', the crowd wants Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Katy Perry.

We, well at least I do, champion songs that celebrates individuality, saying what we think out loud and standing up for ourselves.

We no longer want to say sing sad ballads; I'd die if you leave me. Hell no. We now say, boo hoo so what?

Now, Scotty is an entirely different story. When was the last time you hear someone with that kind of voice? I'm not a big fan of country music, but I love when they boy starts singing. Throw in some good manners and a charming smile, all the mothers wishes him as their son in law. He is a rare species like that.

However, it is slightly different here no? Our reality TV is a confusing mess. I keep asking myself, 'Is this is the best among the thousands who came for audition?' The whole 2 hours, there was not a single performance where I did not cringe while watching.

There's also that silly twist they add in hoping to make it 'interesting'. Please larr. It's just a plot to make more 'ka-ching'.

It's so Marketing101.

Why didn't they select that four, though I only see one, talented vocals earlier? Vocals: tick. Physical package: tick. They are even better looking and better singer than the existing students.

So very the drama one but I guess that's our culture kan?

Everything is exaggerated.

Yesterday Once More

I love The Carpenters.
I grew up listening and singing to their songs.
So when the Palliative Care Association announced that The Carpenters will be performing in this year’s show, I was, excited.

Nice kan the lighting

Of course they are the tribute show who called themselves ‘The Carpenters From Kempsey’. Written by Darren Mapes and Linda Nagle, The Carpenters From Kempsey takes you on a hilarious journey whilst reliving all the wonderful music of The Carpenters including Close To You, Top Of The World and There’s A Kind Of Hush. So it says in their profile.

However, that hilarious journey wasn’t that all funny.

There were few amusing bits, but the part with the “imaginary” children choir and when the lady hiked up her skirt and does that weird little dancing, OMG, that was dreadful. Maybe it was just me who did not get the “foreign” humor.

BUT they did sing The Carpenters’ hits beautifully.

Like the lyrics in Yesterday Once More,

When I was young
I’d listened to the radio
Waitin’ for my favorite songs
Waiting they played I’d sing along
It made me smile

Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where they’d gone
But they’re back again
Just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well

Those were the days when I faithfully listen to the radio every night hoping someone somewhere would ‘dedicated” me a song. *sighs*

What happened to that hopeless romantic young girl?
She grew up.

Anyway, the PCA collected RM77K through the painting auction.
I love the stained glass elephant by Mimie which were sold for RM7K!

Among the paintings that were auctioned that night. This collected RM20K

* Photos by Sutera Harbour Resort

I didn't managed to get a good video of the performance for I was seated WAY at the back, but I managed to get this when The Carpenters From Kempsey performed at the PCA House the day before.

Funny

Me: Ekiel, you're eating too slow! An ant eats faster than you!
Ekiel: (looking around) Where's the ant mommy? Where?

black and blue

I came home from work to be greeted by a very sad Ekiel.

Ekiel: I know you are mad at me Mommy.

I knew something was wrong, and when he lifted his head, my heart sank. I was literally shaking.

His mouth were swollen and blue in colour. Apparently he fell face first on the concrete floor at school. The image of him falling in my head still gives me the shivers.

He came home with dried blood stain on his mouth. My mom freaked out thinking he had busted his whole mouth. Only when she cleaned the wound, she realised it was only the top bit that was bleeding. She panicked and forgot to take a photo of it first.

Yes, for my 'Ekiel's Injury' scrapbook.

Now the poor boy looks like a duck with eating problem. As a food mommy, I offered to chew the food first, but he gave me the evil look instead. The whole weekend he was whining about everything. He couldn't even open his mouth wide open.

gave blood alright, to the floor

This morning, I had to give him mints because he still refuses to open his mouth wide let alone brush his teeth. When he got to his class, all his classmates surrounded him wanting to see his mouth and I swear he was smiling from one ear to the other for all the attention.

bleeding for a good cause

I understand the anxiety of donating blood. I was nervous as hell during my first time too but to know that I may save someone's live, changes my fear to pride. And yes, the plastic bag of cookies and drinks are nice too. *winks*

If some of you wonder what happens during the blood donation, here's some pictorial for you.

First, they check your iron level with a cutter thingy. If your iron level is okay, then you proceed to the next step.

They will check your blood pressure to make you're fit for the blood donation. They also will ask you a set of questions based on the questionnaire which you have to fill out.

If everything is okay, go find an empty bed or chair and get comfy while you wait for one of the nurses to get the stuff ready. Yes, many will feel their pulse racing at this point. I sometimes still feel nervous too.

Once they inserted the needles, you just enjoy your time and watch the other blood donor's antic. Like the donor next to me, his friend who were not fit to donate, took the nurse's scale and weight the donor's bag of blood to the amusement of the nurses.

The blood flows into the bag and may take up to 10 - 20 minutes depending to your veins as per the nurse. Mine was pretty quick.

If you have no shame like me, take some photos!

And ta-da. Here you go. Fresh bag of blood. It was warm too!

I took a video when the needle were inserted to my vein. Trust me, it's not that bad but may not be suitable for viewing by some people. I so do not want to be responsible for a heart attack and what not.

Not that bad kan?

It's sad to receive emails or SMS asking for blood donations because the blood bank ran out of stock. With millions of people in KK alone, how can a hospital bank ran out of blood?

So come one, do your bit. If you need someone to hold your hand, give me a call. I would gladly do it.

Birdboy

We knew Ekiel was going to participate in a recycled costume contest two weeks before the event, but we couldn't decide the costume because our imagination and creativity went into over drive.

There were talks about water droplet, a tree, and at one point Ekiel wanted to be a pail. Yes, people, my son wants to be a pail. Then three days before the event, he finally decided that he wanted to be Birdboy, a character that was never discussed.

And because I am the world's *ahem* greatest mommy, I agreed without hesitation. Desperation usually brings the best of me.

Stuffs for the Birdboy costumes

• Lots of used one-colored plastic bags (one still have the oil from the banana fritters my dad bought that evening)
• One used box (the soggy box gave it a nice shape!)
• Used colorful angpow packets
• Wires
• Dried leaves
• Face paint (optional)
• Hair wax (optional)

I cut colored plastic bags into strips and use double sided tape to stick them together. I tried glue, but the plastic strips curled and it was VERY messy.

the wings

For the body, I cut a hole on the top part of the box for Ekiel's head, leave the bottom part open [for the legs of course] and two smaller holes at the side for the arms. The angpows are for the backside, feet and beak. I glued them using double sided tape.

the body

The day before the competition, I called EKiel from the office and told him to collect leaves for the feathers.

Ekiel: How many mommy? 10 enough?
Me: 10? You want to be burung bogel?
Ekiel: 26 millions?
Me: Cuba you try find that much.
Ekiel: You can count on me mommy.

Yeah right.

I went back and found two separate plastic bags with leaves in it. It was pretty obvious which were Ekiel’s collection and my mom’s.

sticking the leaves aka feathers

I used hot glue to stick those leaves because double sided and ordinary glue is not suitable.
Watch out for the hot glue gun though.

When I accidentally burn myself, all my son said, “Mommy, so senang pun tidak pandai kah?
Not only my skin berasap, my hati pun berasap juga larr dengar that statement.

By 9pm, I ran out of leaves because the gardener came the day before and cleared the backyard. It was Friday night and the event was the next day. I had to finish it because I had to go to work the next morning. So I told Ekiel and my sister, “Jom, we go find leaves by the roadside”. Thought they were hesitant, they came anyway. We were happily collecting the leaves when few cars slow down to look at what we were doing (maybe they think we’re PTI). My son said he is embarrassed and my sister was telling us to hurry as her reputation is ruined.

So I ran home leaving them behind. *evil laugh*

The next day, I had like 11/2 hours to get him and myself ready for the event so my sister did his makeup.
Ekiel had a choreography which he was supposed to do when he is on stage, unfortunately, he became ayam mati. He just stood there, forgetting to show off the nice wings I made, and left.

*bangs head on the wall*

Birdboy in action, or rather not in action

He won anyway. I truly believe he deserved to win based on his costume alone, which is the point of the event; to use recycle material and create an environmental themed costume. Yes, yes, also for the fact that I spend three nights finishing it.

By the way, he decided what he wants to wear next year. DRAGON!
*sighs*

I'm back!

Oh forgive me dear blog for I have forsaken you.

I was so positively sure that 33 would be good, no fantastic and smooth sailing year, but the world would not be according to me if it did no?