10 years ago

A high school friend posted a status on her facebook last month:

"Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary, my Darling"

She posted that on the same week I posted my Japan trip photos

The irony is 10 years ago, I visited Tokyo Disneyland for the very first time; and I was actually visiting the playground again after 10 years!!! 

>.<~ this's bad. So bad.

Another Year

Spent my b'day with my most loved ones. This year is celebrated without any pretensions.
Glad to have Nara this year. Love you little man.

Retain Retainer

I guess I was free only for a few days. From now on, until the next 2 years, I need to put on a retainer on my teeth for 8-10 hours/day.
I find it more annoying than the braces itself, cos I need to put on and remove the retainer mould every now and then. But that's the price to look better, isn't it.

my retainer intact on my teeth model

The retainer is a a mould made of clear plastic. First my dentist made a mould from my mouth to imprint the teeth, then she made a gypsum model of it (as in the pic), and then she put a heated plastic sheet and vacuum it to make a perfect mould of it. Amazing, isn't it?

the clear plastic retainer

Got my Braces Off !!!

I finally got my braces off today!!!
After 17 months having my teeth guarded with steel, they're finally free.
The gaps are gone :)
And the funny thing, it actually feels awkward without the braces

Happy Chinese New Year

CNY is here. Not something that I like, I never really like any festives. Hate them. That one particular day, people are so flooded with expectations... And yet hardly fulfilled.
I mean, say Xmas, you expect to get a bicycle from Santa, but all you get is a sweater.
The wait and preparation makes you imagine the happiness awaiting, but when it didn't come... It feels like climbing a mountain in happy mood, and thrown down when you just reached the peak.

For Chinese new year, I don't expect anything. I just wanna be left alone. I do not wish to be part of the temple god/goddess offering, I refused to drive around the city to visit people for hongbao, I do not wanna be a part of the bad-karma clearing ceremonies (I am done believing those hocus-pocus things. I don't even read fortune-telling articles at all now. No more for me)
I don't pray to beg for "better" things, I think I am doing quite well now and I don't think I got any of those from begging.

My parents kinda want to "welcome" guests at their house. I am against it, cos some guests can be messy, some come in large group, some we have no topics to talk about at all... The main problem is, our new house is not really ready yet, we don't even have furnitures yet. And I also hate to do the dishes. No maids here. I hate to serve people, washing dishes, and mopping after every guest leave. So, no open-house this year. Yea, I am a lazy-bum and an anti-social. I just wanna be alone on this CNY, please let it be just like another public holiday where I can sleep late.

But anyway, this's first CNY for Nara, which is exciting for everyone; he is our centre of universe now. I even prepared a hongbao for Nara :) hhehehe... Love you little baby :)

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone. May this year be a start of something great :)

And this's what little Nara do with his hongbao... He played with it for like constant 15 mins without getting bored, what an achievement :) hahhaha...

umm...what is this? // let me check it out // yumm... not tasty, but  I like it anyway

Conned

Being conned is sucks, it leaves you with torn wallet and a big black hole on your ego.
How could I be so stupid?

The first time I go abroad to study, I was living at a dorm with multinational kids. They were friendly.
One day, a HK friend asked if I can help him, he got himself screwed by spending his money and his dad wanted him to send the bank statement back; meaning he need to get his bank account balance right. So he was short of money and asked me if I can help him. Being a nice friend, I did. and not long after that, he fled. never to be seen again. I was shocked. I was being nice and I simply get conned.
My parents didn't scold me, they just said "the money lost is for your lesson, hope you learned"

Recently, I decided to get a new car, I called up the sales girl and got a quote. I trusted her, I just bought a car from her 2 months ago, she sure knows what I have the capability to purchase more from her, hence she would give me the best deal.
I really trusted her until we had some discussion about some little details, like... what colour of accessories would I like? So trivial that I even asked my drivers to handle it. But then, I found out that she quoted me a f*cking crazy price!!!
Though abit too late, double checked the price and yes, she bluffed me, so I would buy the accessories from 3rd party now, not from her.
I asked her nicely for better price for the actual car, and she turned her back and asked me to talk to her boss. What choice do I have? I called up her boss, and the boss, of course not in good mood (assumed from his voice), but at least he gave me a better deal.
So all is good, right? NO, the sales girl got upset and defended herself saying "that's not fair, I need to talk to my boss"
WTF, making me pay extra USD2000 is definitely not fair!!! Really wanna snap on her. But ehm.... I was as calm as clam. Hahahhaa
I pretended that I dunno what she talked about, why do I have to pay extra for nothing?!
Though at the end I do get a good deal, it actually hurts that someone actually try to cheat you while you trust them

We (or maybe just me) tend to lean to others (ie: experts) for things that I am not familiar with; say like renovating a house, fixing a car, or even having a medical opinion.
My gosh, those so called experts sometimes are really experts... in blood sucking.
Little that we know that we might be bluffed. We are so reliant on them that we hardly get 2nd opinion.
and when we finally did, we realised someone been strangling our neck  and draining our wallet for so long without us to realise

The irony is that, I think I am smart enough to feel, sense, and know that I am being cheated; but the problem is that I was actually being cheated before coming to the realisation.
Not particularly amazing thing, but I consider myself lucky and smart (enough) to at least  know what I got myself into. I do know people that are conned but still thinking they are getting the best deal in the universe.

In this case, I dunno who is luckier, me or them:
I have to get through great deal of remorse to swallow the bitter fact that I've been conned and learn the damned lesson; While those suckers who never realised being conned are actually still brimming with smiles with an invisible victory wreaths on their head.

Special thanks to my guardian angel for the protections and wisdoms.
You have opened my eyes, though it's not a pretty scene that I see now, but I know the big picture will be wonderful. Thank you.

Where Ghost Stories Come From?

I haven't had my proper office at our new showroom yet, so I am still sharing a room with some of my staffs.
I easily overheard what they chit-chat during work.
Girl 1: Did you guys know that, "ABC" (our male staff) was locked in the toilet, twice? 
Boy 1: Really? How?
Girl 1: He just couldn't open the door, it was just locked. There's no one outside, it's just locked.
(ABC is a clumsy boy, he usually become a target of other boys' pranks)
Me: Someone is playing prank on him...
Girl 1: No... Really, there's something/someone that locked him. When he managed to get out, but no one is outside there (talked in mystery tone)
Boy 1: Did you guys smell jasmine? The smell is getting stronger here... seems like something is not right!
Girl 2: OMG, I thought it's just me! So something is really locking ABC!!!
Me: Sigh... I have a box of jasmine here, I just brought it down, gonna deliver it to temple later. I need to finish some work first.
Girl 2: No...!!! Not that, you put in box, the smell couldn't come out (spoke in mysterious way)
Me: Gee!!! I opened up the box to prevent the flower to sweat inside the box.

Gosh... luckily I am not stupid enough to lose my senses. These kids are just creating stories, and yet still manage to wet their own pants.
Many of ghost stories coming for mere imagination added with fear spices. The more they spread, the more fear-spices added into the stories.
And it got far... faraway from the real thing.
Btw, I never heard ABC complained about getting lock. and he looks totally fine to me.
I just couldn't let them create silly stories for my new premises.

Talking about ghost stories, it's funny that those who spread them are loud people, and usually comes with a brain that doesn't process much.
Last time when I was in Europe with our tour group, the bored tour leader was trying to kill sometime before we were dropped at hotel (I think he tried to buy some time, the hotel rooms were not ready for us yet)
So, he took us to drive around to see some buildings and castles. And he said "On the LEFT side is hundreds years old castle, which is now used as a hotel... bla bla bla...; and we kept on driving, and on the way back, we saw the same castle again, and the tour leader jokingly said "Ahh... magically, the castle is now on your RIGHT side"
No one really laughed at his jokes...

But the next day, a lady (Lady 1) was loudly saying "How come Western people have ghosts too? Lucky we didn't stay at that hotel, though it looks luxurious" 
Lady 2: Ghosts? What ghosts?
Lady 1: You were sleeping yesterday in the bus, didn't you? Don't you know that there's a castle full of ghosts?"
Lady 2: Castle? Ghosts?
Lady 1: Yesterday we passed a castle which is now a hotel, the tour leader said, your bed can moved from left to right when you were sleeping. You'll wake up on the other side of the room. The ghost moved your bed. I don't think there are any guests in that spooky hotel!!!
Lady 2: The left and right thing... The tour leader just made a lame joke about the castle was on our left, and we made a U-turn, and it was on our right. Nothing spooky. When did you heard about the bed moving stuff?
Lady 1:  (laughing sheepishly) Well, .... I thought he talked about ghost

WTF!!! See what I mean? These are just little example of people who loves gossips could exaggerate stories into irresponsible ones. These people should be banned from talking.
Lucky I wasn't fool enough to believe and get scared.

Run Ming Run

It seems like my travelling luck is increasing in this past week.
Again, my flight was delayed. But luckily this time, I didn't miss the connecting flight, I caught just right in time: at the time they about to pull the stair away from the aircraft.
Lucky, I was smart enough to ask a few ground-staff; some of them said I've missed the flight, but some said... "Lari, Mbak, Lari.....Cepatttttt" (= Run, sister, run, quickkkk).

So I ran like a drama scene through the plane parking lot. Passing like 2 planes and a parking spot before I could approach my plane. Breathless ...waving at the ground-staff  "Waittttttt!!!"
When I finally arrived at the stair end, the staff looked at me with a sharp eyes...
I got what he was trying to say, so I told him "On transit (... paused) my previous (... paused) plane (... paused) was delayed." My lung was about to burst..!!!
I don't care what he thinks, all I care is I caught this flight! Wohooooo!!!
Or else, there's a good chance of me staying overnight in that airport. They only fly once a day... >.<~
How cruel is that?

Thanks to my luck and my trusty legs, I was able to arrive at home safely. Even if that's without my luggage.
Hahaha, they didn't manage to transfer my luggage. Too bad, my bag couldn't run as fast as me.
But lucky me, there's nothing important there, just some dirty laundry.
At least they found my luggage and delivered it safely to me the next day.

it's back!!!  \(*o*)/

With my lucks this week, maybe I should get a lotto.
What do you think?

it's me

I think I look quite good in this pic, need to immortalise it on my blog * big grin*

Searching for Love under The Moon

It costs us 80NTD to get there from Taipei Station by cab. The name is 霞海城隍廟 (pinyin: Xiá hǎi chénghuángmiào) or translated into:  Xiahai City God Temple. The temple is small, yet it is crowded.  The crowd was endless, the pot was full with incenses, the temple was flooded with candies, cakes and flowers.

霞海城隍廟

The guardian of temple is 月下老人 = Yuè xià lǎorén - The Old Man Under The Moon (abb. Yue Lao)  – a Chinese god, who is responsible for matchmaking. Yes, those people who came here have one purpose in mind, to find their significant others.

As the temple received a lot of foreign visitor (last week when I was there, a troop of Japanese girls was there too), the temple staffs are responsible to teach newbies for the proper worshipping procedures. They are super friendly, they’ll teach you step by step patiently.

For FIRST timer:
- Get some gold-paper-money and incense, you can buy it on the spot for NTD50. You also need to buy some red-thread, and material for Blessed Tea material: sugar+red dates. Also available on the spot for NTD250. (please pay it yourself, do not lend money from others… or your love may goes to your friend. Hahaha)
- Go to the frontyard, pray to Ti-Kong / Jade Emperor

Yue Lao Shrine

- Get back to the temple, pray to Yue Lao. You need to tell him your name, birthday, and address. And then tell him the expected criteria of your future spouse. Be detailed, be VERY VERY DETAILED.
Don’t forget to promise Yue Lao, that if you have find your love, you’ll come back to personally thank him and bring him some “Happiness Cookies” as a token of thanks.

More shrines at the back

- After Yue Lao, continue your prayers to other gods in the temple. You won’t be lost, they put numbers on the shrine. Just follow the numbers, k?

- After praying to all gods, get back to the front yard and place your incenses in the big burning pot. For the gold-paper-money, you can just leave it on the table in front of the temple, they’ll help you to burn it.

pouch for red thread for sale

- The staff then will give your red-thread and place it in a special pouch (you get it for free – special for foreign visitor). You need to “add power” by circling the red-thread into the smoke from the front yard incense pot. Do it clockwise. Make a wish! Now place the red-thread pouch in your pocket or bag. Remember to carry it with you always, love can be found anywhere, you know!

- The staff will also give you some “Happiness Cookies” ie. candy, cake, or biscuits. – which was offered by successful couples as a thank you to Yue Lao. By eating those, may you get infected by their love-success.

Blessed Tea for Sweet Life

- And at last, the staff will offer you “Blessed Tea” (remember you bought some ingredient for tea? – this is the result). By drinking the tea, may your life will be sweet and peaceful. The tea is hot, but please do not blow your tea. As the action may also blow away your chance to find love

- Voila, done!!!

For SECOND timer, you can omit buying the tea-ingredients and the red-thread. After all the above procedures, all you need to do is to “add power” to your previously owned pouch. And you can take more "Happiness Cookie" and drink some Blessed Tea too :)  

What a lovely afternoon tea...

I visited the temple earlier this year. If you asked me, does it work? I have to admit that, IT DOES. It works, exactly like what I requested to Yue Lao. The problem is, my request wasn't detailed enough.

As for this second visit, I couldn’t bring myself to ask for a new love candidate. The one that he got me before was perfect, but ... (sorry, I can't tell you)

So, this time, I wasn’t really “panicky” to go to the temple. My friends were. Hahaha.

Btw, according to the temple staff, they received about 20something packages of "Happiness Cookies" DAILY. That means there are more than 7000 marriages a year!!! OMG, Yue Lao is so busy!!! Yue Lao, please pay more attention to me. >.<~

NOTE:
When I took these pictures, I overheard 2 boys who were sitting in front of the temple saying “Look at them, praying so seriously, why can’t they just open their eyes and pay more attention? Can’t they see that there are choices, right in front of their eyes”

I laughed, those boys were right. We prayed so hard asking for prince charming to sweep our feet away, but in fact, the perfect guy is right here, right in front of our eyes. Yet we choose to ignore them.
Pathetic, isn't it?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who is Yue Lao?
Here is the legend behind it (Believe it or not, I heard this story from mom long time ago when I was a little kid)

Yue Lao’s legend dates back to the Tang-Dynasty story “The Marriage Tavern.” A scholar named Wei Gu meets an old man in a tavern. Watching him thumb through a barely legible text by moonlight, Wei realizes he’s the netherworld official who binds together couples listed in the registry of those predestined to marry.

When the curious Wei asks who he is destined to marry, the old man replies that he will marry the three-year-old daughter of a blind vegetable seller in the market. Upset by the news, Wei orders a servant to kill the little girl. She survives the attempt, but scarred and is adopted by a provincial governor, who marries her to Wei Gu some 14 years later. After his marriage, Wei discovers that the flower petals his wife sticks to her forehead hide a scar from a knife wound received as a child, and realizes that Yue Lao’s prophecy was accurate.

Lucky Monkey

Early this month, I had to attend a meeting in Bali.

Of course, they also arranged a short tour for us there. 

So, on that fine afternoon, we all went visit a pura at Uluwatu. Before we reached the pura, our tour leader warned us about monkeys (Balinese Macaques) there. They are quite naughty, they like to steal glasses, hats, cameras, or any loose items.

We were all quite cautioned about the thieving monkey. But of course, accidents happened; a friend's glasses was grabbed by a monkey. Not to worry, the monkey did it on purpose; he just wants us to threw a banana, in return he'll throw the glasses back. 

After the glasses incident resolved, I told a friend, a myth said that if a monkey climbed on your shoulder (or head), it'll bring good luck.

Everybody thought it was a nice joke, I did too, actually.

a bonding moment with my little friend. He's not the one that attacked me :)

Not long after I threw the joke, A MONKEY JUMPED ON ME!!! Was on my shoulder for like 10 seconds. I was shocked, but not scared. I wonder what he likes from me, I didn't have any food or glasses on me. Anyway, the guard around Pura shoo-ed the monkey away.

My regional manager then joked that he waited to see what lucky stroke I would get by the incident.

At night, we had a fancy company dinner at Bebek Bengil. The company invited singers/game-organiser from Padang; the game called KIM - similar to BINGO, but the singer would sing out the picked-number spontaniously. She'll just create the song's lyric on the spot. Cool huh?

Anyway, there were quite a few round of the game, and the prize increases by the night. For earlier games, seriously I hardy get 4 numbers (we need 5 numbers in a row to win).

Before the last game (biggest prize) started, my regional manager teased me that the monkey that climbed me that afternoon didn't bring me enough luck, cos apparently I haven't win any.

I just laughed - well, I read about the myth in Benny and Mice's comic. I have no clue how true the myth is.

Plus at that night, I had an argument with someone dear to me, was really upset. Really wanted to go back to hotel and cry. Who cares about the prize, all I wanted was to clear the mess up.

BUT soon after that, I got 4 numbers, and voila, 5 numbers!!! BINGO!!! I WON!!!

I won the biggest prize of the night. Worth around USD1200. Wohooo!!!

So I guess the myth was right.

Next time you go to Bali, try to lure the monkey to climb to your shoulder. It'll bring luck. It's proven :)

My New Love: Nara

I am happy and proud to announce that I am officially an auntie to a teeny-weeny-baby-boy named: Narada Hugo Lawer
Born just when the clock shifted to the brand new day of 23 July 2012.
Here is my picture with this tiny fragile-looking creature. Definitely my new ultimate object of affection :)

Happy Birthday, Ming

Today is my birthday. Happy Birthday to me!!!
Last night and early this morning, I received "Happy Bday" from my loved ones. They remember!!!
Really appreciate it, since I never put it on facebook. They remember 'cos they care.
Very sweet of you :)
Love you

The New Passport

Was about to write about my passport few weeks ago when I was renewing it. I guess I was pretty occupied since last month, dunno where all my time has vaporised to (wink wink!) Anyway, what happened is that I finished all the pages on my old passport before its expiry date. Yippieee!!!

To prepare for my upcoming trip, I renewed my passport here. Usually, to make a passport, most people will hire the service of “calo” (middle-man). Calo is supposed to take care all the documents and shitty stuffs for you, and usually means speedy-service. But I am not using of any of those illegal service. So, I do it in accordance to the proper procedure.

1. Fill up the request form, along with the copy of KTP, copy of KK, birth cert, recommendation letter from your work place.  Submit it to the officer, he’ll check if those requirement are sufficient, and he’ll give you a receipt – telling you when to come for photo-taking and interview (usually take less than 5 working days) The form costs about IDR 10,000 (which includes: a folder of a form and a passport sleeve). 
2. Get your queue number, and submit the receipt that you got previously. Then they’ll ask you to pay for the passport-making fee, which is IDR 255,000. Wait for a while, and they’ll call you for interview (usually to check the copied documents against the original ones, so ensure you bring them along), and photo-taking.  Then you’ll be asked to sign some paper. And you’ll get another receipt stating when you can pick your new passport up (takes less than 5 days)
3. Submit your pick-up letter. In no time, they’ll just give the new passport to you.  If you ever need to get your old passport (for future reference), they’ll ask you to write a request form, and handed them a copy of your old passport, all of its pages.

My advice are:

• Do not use calo. Those blood-suckers are pretty much useless now. The immigration department are now equipped with queue number system, even the calo can’t skip the line anymore, nothing they can do about it. Plus, if you are using calo’s service, it’ll cost you min.IDR600,000. That’s super costly, since all they do is just get you the form, photocopied your documents, READING your queue numbers, and yet you still have to wait just like the rest of the people.  If your calo is one of the officers, you are allowed to “wait” at his/her office, breathing the full-smoke from their office, and stare at nothing. Btw, the waiting room at Padang immigration offers entertainments too. I watched Rango and Ip-Man during my queue (bits and pieces of it, of course I didn’t wait that long there)

• When you are taking the picture. PLEASE demand to see the picture RIGHT AFTER they took your picture. Anything later than that will be too late. I learned it in the hard way, here’s a transcript of my conversation during the interview:  

M: is my picture already printed in that passport? (pointing at new passport)
    H: not yet. Why?
M: Can I see my picture? I think it wasn’t very nice
    H: Here (moving his computer screen for me to see)
M: That’s awful. Can I take another picture? I don’t want that one. Please.
    H: Too late. You should have requested it when they took your pic. It’s too late now. All your data are in the system now. Bear with it for another 5 years.
M: That’s why I wanted to retake my pic. I have to use that passport for next 5 years. Pleaseeeeeee…
    H: You know, it all depends on the object. If the object is not nice, the picture won’t be nice too.  Right? (looking at me)
M: (of course I was speechless, how to argue with someone who said you don’t look nice…. Arrrghhhhhh)

3 calm and peaceful days

There're been a lot of thing happened since my last post. But it seems nothing matters much now, maybe it's the effect of the retreat that I joined last week in Taiwan.

So, I’ll just talk about the retreat.

It was a Zen Meditation Retreat, introduced by a family-friend. I think he intended to invite my parents instead of me, but my folks were busy, so I took their place. I didn't know what to expect at first, well... I never really prepare anything; I just go with the flow.

So, what happened is i arrived in Taipei; picked up by a friend. And the next day i was sent to the Zen center. I didn’t even know where it is in Taiwan... somewhere near Taipei... Hahaha

The class was very relaxing, the Zen master was so patient and he was teaching it right from the very basic: how to sit properly!!!  The monks and nuns are very helpful. I know some of the basic of meditation before, I never really try to do it; always have an impression that it is something very hard to do. 

But at there, they were teaching us slowly, bits by bits, and one step at a moment and adding it up on progress. It suddenly doesn’t seem to be so scary at all; it actually seems do-able, even for a commoner like us.

The retreat was quite packed, we had morning call at 5am and finished up at 10pm; we had some chanting class, listen to some dvd – sermon by Master ShengYen, meditation class, work out, and of course: meals. It was all vegetarian meals, and amazingly they tasted so nice; you’d feel like giving up meat is a piece of cake. Hahaha. In fact, there were cakes and tidbits prepared for us whole day. What a relaxing retreat!

But if you are going to ask me, what do I get from the retreat... 

All I can say is I get a 3 calm and peaceful days. That’s all.

I know many other participants may say they saw lights; some saw visions, some can play with the energy that flows in the body; some even get out-of-body experience...

I didn’t get any of it; I don’t even want to know about what they experienced. 

I am pretty content with my result: 3 calm and peaceful days.

I have joined the 3-days DDM Zen Meditation Retreat - this was the 6th gen. (法鼓山第6屆自我超越禪修)   If you ever wanna join such retreat. Check this website out: http://www.dharmadrum.org/

The Secret of "a Dad, an Auntie and an Uncle"

Budi, me, and Edwin

I know it sounds like abit too lavish... But I flew all the way to Surabaya just to attend Budi's baby - Darren's 1st Bday was on 8th Jan. His parents made a real party bash for this handsome baby.

And for me, it's quite a reunion with my old uni friends :)

"Uncle" Edwin too came to join the baby party. Hahaha

Budi, Edwin and me were in the same college for foundation year in Australia. We happened to stay in the same dormitory "The Lodge".

We had a fun time there, and of course, I might have shown the darker side of me, like...

- breaking into someone's room (when they locked their keys inside),

- stealing Milo from the kitchen (so we could stand the hunger of midnight-rush before exams),

- breaking coin-operated washing machines (so, we can all wash for free),

and many more mischiveous acts.

I am still very proud of it. Hahahha.

One day gonna tell the stories of our golden time to Budi's son. Sure gonna blow his mind. WTF!

Big thanks to Budi for the hospitality and the chance to gather up again. True friends last forever. Just realised how much I miss you all :)

Me in Long Hair

This is the look that no one ever seen before "Me in Long Hair"

These hairpieces gave me an instant long hair look without the pain of growing them on my head.

 So convenient. 

So what do you think? Should I get it?

Series of Fortunate Events

On 2 of Dec, one of my customer's parents passed away at nearby town.
Since my parents weren't around; being polite, I attended the funeral myself (+ my manager ofcz)
We tried to fit in all schedule in: visiting other customers at that town.
But series of fortunate events showed up:

• I managed to meet up with my dear friend
• She took me to visit their vihara, 1st time ever to visit this place :)
• She also showed me which place to have nice Nasi Kapau

things are getting better!!!

• Ling recieved a sudden call: Bhante Jinadhammo Mahathera is approaching (I wasn't sure that I could catch him, but "luckily", my staff still stuck with his customer, leaving me just enough time to meet Bhante)
• I managed to meet Bhante, and invited Him to stopover at Padang the next day (all happened in 10 mins, then I had to leave)
• Arrived at Padang just in time to take care office stuff. Fuih... lucky 

At night, I recieved a call from other Bukittinggi friend, saying Bhante changed His mind about visiting Padang, due to landslide on alternate road. Well, I didn't put much hope that He'll come... so be it

But right in the morning, I got a call, Bhante is on the way to Padang!!! OMG!!!
I rushed my staff to harvest some fruits and veggie for His lunch.

• And there He is, in Padang :)
• I had a chance to prepare his lunch.
• I felt more honoured when He decided to stay overnight at our vihara. HUA!!! 
• He also asked me to prepare His breakfast next day (I woke up at 4 to prepare it :)
• During His short stay in Padang, He visited a few laymen's residences. He didn't do any blessing on my premises, but I guess it's not important :)

I am very grateful that He accepted my invitation; very grateful of all the opportunities that I had to serve, to accompany and to discuss with Him.

Things can't be more perfect :) This's really a series of fortunate events.

I forgot to add up, Porkie just had a near-fatal-incident. Porkie is fine, but I'm glad that Porkie didn't even get a scratch :)   Lucky you, Porkie...

Toilet Stories

Bending over into seating position; rear pouting back; one hand reaching forward, pressure applied on its palm and fingertips. Heart racing, Eye widening, ears alert , breathing heavily, focus. Focus on fingertips pressure, focus on mind, focus on tummy breathing. 

Note: Sometimes, heavy breathing is not applicable at all; as you might breathe-in some toxic fumes from your neighbours.

Other hand reaching back with some paper on its finger. Do back and forth movement, repeat if necessary. 

Note: Sometimes, this position is initiated with the hand holding a piece of paper, placed over nose and mouth just to ease the breathing. (it also works to prevent puking during this exercise)

The above description is not about exotic yoga moves. I have to admit that I do this exercise most of the time while I am in public toilet. I am not being ecstatic about yoga in toilet, but sadly this position is about me: trying to answer my nature call whilst ensuring no one break- in.

During my travelling time, visiting the ladies toilet is one of the main destinations, of course, queuing is unavoidable. Ladies for some unknown reason would spend at least 3 minutes in the toilet. I usually take less than 1 minute; I have no clue what they are doing inside. For my speedy pee-ing, I once received a comment “Did you clean yourself thoroughly? Why are you so quick in the toilet?” (--> this comment is from a man. WTF?!!!)

Of course the long queue moves slowly, for some people with loose sphincter might turns rowdy, they bang the door impatiently, yelling people to be quick, or the worst act is to BREAK IN !!!

Here are some of my experiences:

1. Just entered a toilet, suddenly get a knock-knock.

        Me: Yes, please wait. I am still inside

        Ma’am: O… sorry dear

(trying to open the door, and more louder knock)

       Me: I am still here. Please wait!!!

       Ma’am: O… sorry dear. I thought you are done. Why are you still inside?

WTF. There’s only 1 door at that tiny cublicle, where else I can go? I flew? OMG!!!

2. Just entered an exotic restaurant toilet. No lock. Big room. Ms.ABC (not real name) just finished her business, and suddenly without any voice, without any knock. My fellow travelling partner pushed the door wide, looked at Ms.ABC and said “HAHA, I saw you V”.  WTF!!! Lucky it wasn't me, I would've killed someone.

3. An absent-minded-aunty broke into my hotel room (and I dunno how she entered without key, I swear I lock it). I was in the toilet washing my hands, when I heard the room’s door is opened. I rushed out and put the security chain. I pretend that I dunno what’s going on. But when I went out to gather with the group. She boasted that “Ming2 was shitting, and I almost caught her”. WTF!!!

And many more gross stories about breaking in into toilet.

But my best experience is when I was in Holland. Stupid me, when I was given laxative pills, I took it. And guess what, I had a terrible bowel movement. Lucky me, we were on “shopping time”, the whole group was concentrated at  one particular shop. I ran off to the neighbouring shop, asked for a toilet and do my business. Feel so peaceful afterwards. Suddenly, the door was banged rudely. And I quickly get out. There were 2 ladies covering their nose promptly looked at each other. And as I go out, they were arguing: 

    You go first!/ 

No, you go first/

    So smelly/

You flush again/ 

    You…. (and they speak Medanese Chinese damn loud)

HAHAHA… The most satisfying "unloading" experience

me and make-up

What do you think of this picture? Hair stylist at LieKuang Semarang did some curls and bump for my hair. I look totally different. Kinda like it. And for the make up, the stylist helped me to put on some faux eye-lashes, the rest I did myself. Not too bad.

Btw, it was for Metta and Bailey's Wedding. Happy Wedding, dear friends :)
and for Superman, hope you enjoy your porkie day ... Don't fly too fast, k?