We've arrived in Malaysia..yayy! Body clock's a little out of whack especially when it comes to meal times. Feel like I'm constantly eating just to satisfy my tummy when it growls according to Australian time and eat again when everyone else is eating according to Malaysian time.
Even though it's only 3 hours but sleep has also been sorta affected..woke up at 5am (Msian time). Coincidentally Ken and I both woke up at the same time to go to the toilet. Was a little difficult to go back to sleep but managed to do so. Then woke up feeling lethargic because we had too much sleep.
Since Ken and I live approximately 45 minutes apart, we have decided to go our own ways for the next couple of days. He's also going to go to Johor for a family Christmas celebration where else I have chosen to stay put in the Klang Valley. Anyway, we decided to get 2 prepaid numbers, 1 for me and 1 for him. But....they wouldn't work on our Aussie 3 phones. Thankfully, my parents still have a couple of'old' phones so I'm using my old Samsung phone and Ken is using the super old Nokia 3310...i think that's what it is. Would be embarassing to be using one of those in the iPhone era but don't really have a choice!
Anyhoos, did some shopping, loads of eating, met family last night at my cousin's son's 3rd birthday party. I don't know if it's a cultural thing but there were some interesting conversations. I don't mean to make fun of my family members but some of the things I heard were...
Person 1: I want to learn how to make smash potatos.
Person 2: It's very easy. Just boil the potatos and smash them.
Person 3: Congrats, I heard you got a full scholarship. Are you bonded?
Person 4: Thanks. Ya, I'm bonded to my mum's friend.
Person 3: ??
Uncle 1: What's your brother's name?
Joy: ?!?!?!?!? Josh.
Merry Christmas peeps!! :)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
1000 Steps - Kokoda Track Memorial Walk
Taking up the 1000 steps challenge was awesome! It has been a very long time since I've taken up a physical challenge...I can only remember...
Mount Kinabalu when I was 8 years old. I can't remember every detail but can remember enough to remember how scary it was but also a once in a lifetime opportunity. Some people say I never really made it because I was carried half the climb. haha. True but I have the cert to prove it!
Running 1.5 km in school twice every year just so I could pass PE. I was always the last few to finish. haha. Almost got sent to detention because I never attended any sporting activities. Demerit 40 marks :( I think the school gave up on me and I never got into trouble after my first year in high school.
Can't think of anything else...hm...
Oh oh, working out with my personal instructor at California Fitness gym in Malaysia until I threw up. Yes, in front of everyone!
I just can't seem to push myself physically.
Anyways, I almost gave up when it came to the 1000 steps too but I had to do it for Ken because our friend loves challenges and I didn't want to be the reason why he didn't finish it. So I pushed myself with Ken at the back cheering me on. I said let's go home 2..3 times. He kept saying he could see the top. I think he was lying coz I could never see it! When we finally reached the peak, I almost blacked out and felt like throwing up. I know, gross, sorry. Finally got myself together and celebrated our climb! Going back down was easy peasy and laughed at all the half-dead climbers on their way up. hohoho.
I don't think I will do it again but at least I did it once. Yay!
Here's the evidence of our climb.
I look so pale..that's how unfit I am.
When you reach the top, don't expect anything fancy like a signboard to pose with. There's nothing, absolutely nothing except a few benches to sit on.
The starting line. Bear in mind that you have to walk for about 10-15 minutes (Joy's walking pace) before you reach the bottom of the steps. I was already tired after that walk!
My coach.
1000 steps. It's true, look at the signboard.
We made it!!
Mount Kinabalu when I was 8 years old. I can't remember every detail but can remember enough to remember how scary it was but also a once in a lifetime opportunity. Some people say I never really made it because I was carried half the climb. haha. True but I have the cert to prove it!
Running 1.5 km in school twice every year just so I could pass PE. I was always the last few to finish. haha. Almost got sent to detention because I never attended any sporting activities. Demerit 40 marks :( I think the school gave up on me and I never got into trouble after my first year in high school.
Can't think of anything else...hm...
Oh oh, working out with my personal instructor at California Fitness gym in Malaysia until I threw up. Yes, in front of everyone!
I just can't seem to push myself physically.
Anyways, I almost gave up when it came to the 1000 steps too but I had to do it for Ken because our friend loves challenges and I didn't want to be the reason why he didn't finish it. So I pushed myself with Ken at the back cheering me on. I said let's go home 2..3 times. He kept saying he could see the top. I think he was lying coz I could never see it! When we finally reached the peak, I almost blacked out and felt like throwing up. I know, gross, sorry. Finally got myself together and celebrated our climb! Going back down was easy peasy and laughed at all the half-dead climbers on their way up. hohoho.
I don't think I will do it again but at least I did it once. Yay!
Here's the evidence of our climb.
I look so pale..that's how unfit I am.
When you reach the top, don't expect anything fancy like a signboard to pose with. There's nothing, absolutely nothing except a few benches to sit on.
The starting line. Bear in mind that you have to walk for about 10-15 minutes (Joy's walking pace) before you reach the bottom of the steps. I was already tired after that walk!
My coach.
1000 steps. It's true, look at the signboard.
We made it!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Twitter me?
Ok this may sound silly but I don't get Twitter! I just signed up for an account since there's been all this hoo haa about it. So I finally joined and next thing you know, my friend wants to be one of my followers. Here's the thing, how did he find out? I didn't send out any emails...or did Twitter send them on my behalf without my permission? Can't be right? Hm....anyhoos, I'm trying to figure it out still...hm...especially how sentences start with @...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
On becoming an adult
When I first started this blog, it was called 'Frameworks' with a description of me, a thirsty traveler in transition. I wasn't thirsty for booze as is the 'thirsty traveler' on Discovery Channel but I had just come out of high school, entered college, uni and only starting to experience life.
Once I graduated and started work, my blog became, "Frameworks: On a Break" I suppose I named it that way because I knew I would come back to Australia. Even though at that time, I didn't know how long I would be in Malaysia, I knew it was only temporary. I felt as if my life was at a pause. I was just filling my time with anything...there were no goals, no career aspirations, I was just living each day as it came, I didn't earn much but spent lots. I really enjoyed those days but there were days when I wish I could just 'move on'.
After 2 years of being back in Malaysia and almost a year of being in Australia, my blog has once again changed its title. It is now, Frameworks: Journey resumed. I guess I feel that my life has finally begun. In material sense, we bought our first car (second hand Camry), saving up for a house, landed a good job...
Emotionally, I think I've had to grow up and toughen up at such a rapid rate in the last year or two. I've had bad experiences when I was a child but it's different from the adult experience...
*Scolded by a the man selling Chicken Rice because I was really young and didn't know how to order, what more in Cantonese which I don't speak.
*Scolded by my piano teacher, she would smack my back when I hunched and always had to hold back my tears.
After finishing uni, I never thought about what being an adult meant. I guess most of us don't really think about it. We just 'become'. My 'becoming' happened after I started dealing with nasty people..
*Victim of road rage. I was driving and almost hit a motorcycle and didn't realise it. He then drove near me and was screaming, shouting, etc. I was petrified, kept my distance and he eventually drove off.
*Scolded many times at work by senior employees from other departments. I've never been treated so disrespectfully before.
*Scolded by clients (parents and mature aged students mainly). Very demanding and difficult clients.
You'd think after such experiences, I would have toughen up. Not really, that was just the beginning.
When I came to Australia, I did not have to deal with road rage or employees scolding me (people I knew). Here, it's the strangers who are the most aggressive.
*Today, a kid (prolly 9 years old) shouted F* you because I didn't want to give him a dollar. He was with 2 other teenage boys and they were obviously going to buy cigarettes.
*Pulled over by a police because I was driving slowly (it was the suggested speed limit) and when the police stopped the rest, they all shouted and were pointing at me. The police scolded them and was very nice to me. Ken had an opposite experience where police shouted swear words at him when he was driving in the city. He still doesn't know why till today.
*A man shouted 'for goodness' sake' rudely at me because he wanted to get off the tram and I was in his way.
Anyway, this is not meant to be a negative post. I guess I've just had to deal with many new and negative experiences that I've never had to deal with before. Every time I have to deal with a new experience, I just don't know how to. It's like driving a car for the first time...what do I do? where do I start? Am I meant to feel this way? Should I react? I only know how to run to God, like how I used to run to my mummy and daddy when I was a child.
Well, I guess with all these life experiences, I can now say that I have entered adulthood. I can hear my dad saying...
Welcome to the real world JOY!!!
Once I graduated and started work, my blog became, "Frameworks: On a Break" I suppose I named it that way because I knew I would come back to Australia. Even though at that time, I didn't know how long I would be in Malaysia, I knew it was only temporary. I felt as if my life was at a pause. I was just filling my time with anything...there were no goals, no career aspirations, I was just living each day as it came, I didn't earn much but spent lots. I really enjoyed those days but there were days when I wish I could just 'move on'.
After 2 years of being back in Malaysia and almost a year of being in Australia, my blog has once again changed its title. It is now, Frameworks: Journey resumed. I guess I feel that my life has finally begun. In material sense, we bought our first car (second hand Camry), saving up for a house, landed a good job...
Emotionally, I think I've had to grow up and toughen up at such a rapid rate in the last year or two. I've had bad experiences when I was a child but it's different from the adult experience...
*Scolded by a the man selling Chicken Rice because I was really young and didn't know how to order, what more in Cantonese which I don't speak.
*Scolded by my piano teacher, she would smack my back when I hunched and always had to hold back my tears.
After finishing uni, I never thought about what being an adult meant. I guess most of us don't really think about it. We just 'become'. My 'becoming' happened after I started dealing with nasty people..
*Victim of road rage. I was driving and almost hit a motorcycle and didn't realise it. He then drove near me and was screaming, shouting, etc. I was petrified, kept my distance and he eventually drove off.
*Scolded many times at work by senior employees from other departments. I've never been treated so disrespectfully before.
*Scolded by clients (parents and mature aged students mainly). Very demanding and difficult clients.
You'd think after such experiences, I would have toughen up. Not really, that was just the beginning.
When I came to Australia, I did not have to deal with road rage or employees scolding me (people I knew). Here, it's the strangers who are the most aggressive.
*Today, a kid (prolly 9 years old) shouted F* you because I didn't want to give him a dollar. He was with 2 other teenage boys and they were obviously going to buy cigarettes.
*Pulled over by a police because I was driving slowly (it was the suggested speed limit) and when the police stopped the rest, they all shouted and were pointing at me. The police scolded them and was very nice to me. Ken had an opposite experience where police shouted swear words at him when he was driving in the city. He still doesn't know why till today.
*A man shouted 'for goodness' sake' rudely at me because he wanted to get off the tram and I was in his way.
Anyway, this is not meant to be a negative post. I guess I've just had to deal with many new and negative experiences that I've never had to deal with before. Every time I have to deal with a new experience, I just don't know how to. It's like driving a car for the first time...what do I do? where do I start? Am I meant to feel this way? Should I react? I only know how to run to God, like how I used to run to my mummy and daddy when I was a child.
Well, I guess with all these life experiences, I can now say that I have entered adulthood. I can hear my dad saying...
Welcome to the real world JOY!!!
Vegie Hut at BoxHill
Vegie Hut has become one of our favourite restaurants. They serve vegetarian food (Asian style cooking) but their food is really really yummy. We had dinner at this place with a vegetarian friend a couple of months back and since then have loved going back there. I suspect the owners or chef could be Malaysian because they serve a really good mutton rendang and they also have asam fish on the menu but have yet to try it. Love the crispy duck!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Moody Me
I've just been having the craziest mood swings for the last couple of weeks. I suppose they could be due to...
1. Work - New role, tonnes of things to learn, not able to assist clients quickly because I'm clueless, new and challenging colleagues, no place to eat lunch because I can't eat lunch in front of my computer anymore and I can never decide where to go.
2. Personal laptop - My DELL laptop is reaching its final stages. It takes forever to start up, load or switch between programs like Mozilla and Word. It's soooo slllloooowww. Been debating between a 20inch desktop monitor or buying a laptop from Malaysia (cheaper?). Slow computer = can't blog/can't email/can't connect = frustration
3. Lack of sleep - I'm always tired. Need to change my diet!
I've always been quite an introverted person but it has never really been an issue. Recently, I've somehow developed a form of social phobia. Last year I followed Ken to a party organised by a society/club he was part of. The party was held at a pub and quite a number of people turned up. I kept sticking to Ken because I didn't know anyone else! Suddenly, I lost Ken and I ended up having this panic attack that I had to go to the toilet, calm myself down, call my friend who lives in the city and I bailed. I just couldn't take it. I was so nervous and anxious.
This has happened on a number of occasions too. Recently, at Ken's company's annual dinner. I felt really really nervous and to make things worst, we were sitting right across from Ken's critical manager. I was so freaked out that I said to myself, "I forgot to pray! I need to pray now so that God will help me calm down" After that, I felt much better and we found some younger colleagues, 'coincidentally' all Asians, and I actually ended up having quite a good time. But I just don't understand why I've been feeling anxious in social situations.
Man, something is seriously going on with me...
I just feel that I need to take a day off to think, clear my mind and figure out where all these negative emotions are coming from but I can't because it's peak peak at work. Sigh...
Lord, help me please.
1. Work - New role, tonnes of things to learn, not able to assist clients quickly because I'm clueless, new and challenging colleagues, no place to eat lunch because I can't eat lunch in front of my computer anymore and I can never decide where to go.
2. Personal laptop - My DELL laptop is reaching its final stages. It takes forever to start up, load or switch between programs like Mozilla and Word. It's soooo slllloooowww. Been debating between a 20inch desktop monitor or buying a laptop from Malaysia (cheaper?). Slow computer = can't blog/can't email/can't connect = frustration
3. Lack of sleep - I'm always tired. Need to change my diet!
I've always been quite an introverted person but it has never really been an issue. Recently, I've somehow developed a form of social phobia. Last year I followed Ken to a party organised by a society/club he was part of. The party was held at a pub and quite a number of people turned up. I kept sticking to Ken because I didn't know anyone else! Suddenly, I lost Ken and I ended up having this panic attack that I had to go to the toilet, calm myself down, call my friend who lives in the city and I bailed. I just couldn't take it. I was so nervous and anxious.
This has happened on a number of occasions too. Recently, at Ken's company's annual dinner. I felt really really nervous and to make things worst, we were sitting right across from Ken's critical manager. I was so freaked out that I said to myself, "I forgot to pray! I need to pray now so that God will help me calm down" After that, I felt much better and we found some younger colleagues, 'coincidentally' all Asians, and I actually ended up having quite a good time. But I just don't understand why I've been feeling anxious in social situations.
Man, something is seriously going on with me...
I just feel that I need to take a day off to think, clear my mind and figure out where all these negative emotions are coming from but I can't because it's peak peak at work. Sigh...
Lord, help me please.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Newspaper subscription overload
A couple of weeks ago, The Age launched this really attractive promotion. Basically as part of the promotion, you get The Age delivered to your home, on weekends for ONLY $2.00 a day meaning $4.00 for the weekend. Did I say, delivered to you? Plus, you get the latest Good Weekends Away book which looks really attractive priced at $29.95 at the local bookshop. Plus...you also stand a chance to win an amazing getaway for 2 to the Spa and Tamar Valley Wine Route at Launceston, Tasmania for 2 nights in a river suite, a 1 hour massage in the mud club day spa AND a winery tour. The Age calls this whole newspaper, book and getaway the 'Perfect Weekend'. And I must say, it sounds really good!
To be honest, the main thing that attracted me to this promotion was the book. Even though I don't travel much and don't really like packing, unpacking, going to the airport, blah blah blah, I do enjoy reading travel magazines and accommodation guides coz it makes me feel as if I've been there, done that even though I haven't. I wasn't too pumped about the 'a chance to win a holiday for 2 bit' coz history has shown me that I'm quite unlucky with things like that. But we all know it's not luck, it's just numbers and chances..yadidadada...
Oh yes and of course we were interested to read up on some Aussie news. We figured we'd do that married couple deal our parents did. Dad wakes up. Mum makes coffee and toast. Dad reads the paper. Mum joins in. Yes, a step closer to the American Dream!
So I signed up for the promotion and that weekend itself we got our first ever newspaper delivered to our home. We have a huge driveway with lots of bushes so searching for the paper in the morning adds to the whole excitement. There were 2 bundles on Saturday..we weren't sure why. Hmm...maybe it's Melbourne Cup...so more highlights? We rolled them out. There were like 6 different sections. Wow, this is worth more than 2 bucks, great deal! I felt proud of myself and opening the oversized paper in front of me made me feel a little bit more intelligent. Nice, I thought. The next day, we had The Sunday Age delivered to us. Oh, only 1 roll...that's alright. Sunday's paper was a bit more serious but still informative.
The next Saturday, there were 2 bundles again. Melbourne Cup has ended, what else is there to talk about? No, I'm kidding. Of course there is. There always is. There was...Arts or something like that. We unrolled them...don't you just hate it how they roll them up so tightly and shrink wrap them and the paper gets so distorted you practically have to use a steam iron to iron it out? So Saturday.....headlines, Arts, TV, Sport...yadida...don't think I'll read this bit...chuck this out...and this...and this too....hm....and this too...
The next thing you know, Sunday's paper arrives and we're like, we're not done with Saturday yet! So we rush through Sunday's paper barely storing any information in our heads to be used in conversations on Monday at work.
Apparently the Perfect Weekend attracted a lot more people than expected so there was a delay in delivering my FREE Good Weekends Away book. Anyway, finally received it this week and was thrilled. Haven't read it yet. The same goes with my much loved 2010 Ikea magazine and Coles Christmas magazine which I pinched 2 from Knox, one is for mum! There, justified.
Now after about a month, we realised that there's just too much in the paper! We're almost giving up on even attempting to read it. I reckon in due time, we would have a storehouse of newspapers nicely shrink wrapped and rolled up to be used as tools for the game, Public Caning. I'm not sure what they call this game in Australia but that's what they call it in Malaysia. Basically you go around beating people with rolled up newspapers in a circle who are not able to call out their friend's name on time. The game does sound mortifying but the thrill from it...indescribable. I embedded a video below of the game.
So that's the continuous newspaper saga that's been taking place in our home. Seriously, how do our parents keep this up? So much for the American Dream. Enough blogging, back to the papers. Why not? There's ONLY like a billion more pages to go! Woohoo!
To be honest, the main thing that attracted me to this promotion was the book. Even though I don't travel much and don't really like packing, unpacking, going to the airport, blah blah blah, I do enjoy reading travel magazines and accommodation guides coz it makes me feel as if I've been there, done that even though I haven't. I wasn't too pumped about the 'a chance to win a holiday for 2 bit' coz history has shown me that I'm quite unlucky with things like that. But we all know it's not luck, it's just numbers and chances..yadidadada...
Oh yes and of course we were interested to read up on some Aussie news. We figured we'd do that married couple deal our parents did. Dad wakes up. Mum makes coffee and toast. Dad reads the paper. Mum joins in. Yes, a step closer to the American Dream!
So I signed up for the promotion and that weekend itself we got our first ever newspaper delivered to our home. We have a huge driveway with lots of bushes so searching for the paper in the morning adds to the whole excitement. There were 2 bundles on Saturday..we weren't sure why. Hmm...maybe it's Melbourne Cup...so more highlights? We rolled them out. There were like 6 different sections. Wow, this is worth more than 2 bucks, great deal! I felt proud of myself and opening the oversized paper in front of me made me feel a little bit more intelligent. Nice, I thought. The next day, we had The Sunday Age delivered to us. Oh, only 1 roll...that's alright. Sunday's paper was a bit more serious but still informative.
The next Saturday, there were 2 bundles again. Melbourne Cup has ended, what else is there to talk about? No, I'm kidding. Of course there is. There always is. There was...Arts or something like that. We unrolled them...don't you just hate it how they roll them up so tightly and shrink wrap them and the paper gets so distorted you practically have to use a steam iron to iron it out? So Saturday.....headlines, Arts, TV, Sport...yadida...don't think I'll read this bit...chuck this out...and this...and this too....hm....and this too...
The next thing you know, Sunday's paper arrives and we're like, we're not done with Saturday yet! So we rush through Sunday's paper barely storing any information in our heads to be used in conversations on Monday at work.
Apparently the Perfect Weekend attracted a lot more people than expected so there was a delay in delivering my FREE Good Weekends Away book. Anyway, finally received it this week and was thrilled. Haven't read it yet. The same goes with my much loved 2010 Ikea magazine and Coles Christmas magazine which I pinched 2 from Knox, one is for mum! There, justified.
Now after about a month, we realised that there's just too much in the paper! We're almost giving up on even attempting to read it. I reckon in due time, we would have a storehouse of newspapers nicely shrink wrapped and rolled up to be used as tools for the game, Public Caning. I'm not sure what they call this game in Australia but that's what they call it in Malaysia. Basically you go around beating people with rolled up newspapers in a circle who are not able to call out their friend's name on time. The game does sound mortifying but the thrill from it...indescribable. I embedded a video below of the game.
So that's the continuous newspaper saga that's been taking place in our home. Seriously, how do our parents keep this up? So much for the American Dream. Enough blogging, back to the papers. Why not? There's ONLY like a billion more pages to go! Woohoo!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Project Alpha * awesome bloggers!
I've been watching Project Alpha and it's probably the first of its kind! It's a Malaysian production and Jojo Struys, the host who is simply GORGEOUS, goes around interviewing Malaysian bloggers. It's amazing how much these people dedicate to their blogs. It's also inspiring how people turn their blogging habits into businesses or create businesses out of blogs (like the famous Nuffnang or Nuffies). Anyway, you can check out the episodes on youtube
Go Bloggers!
Go Bloggers!
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