Silhouette

0 comments Published by Mel on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 11:21 AM

Twirling with the wind,
Longing for just a gaze
Like a flower blown away from the tree
Gone is the warmth of the days
Let me fall into your garden
And bloom just beyond your window
And when the sun sets each night
I'll see your silhouette casted in the light

-Mel-

Posted by Mel  

Registration of Marriage

0 comments Published by Mel on Tuesday, September 09, 2008 at 4:01 PM

This is really something that happened more than a year ago, but I thought I should finally blog it! Due to a combination of laziness and busy-ness, I never really got around to writing about my wedding. But over a year later, the joys of the day suddenly came back to me, and I decided to revisit all the photos taken on that day. Now only did I realise that in my haziness, i never sent any of the photos to my beloved friends :D

I never slept the night before I registered my marriage. It was really something to think about. One day I was single, and the next, no more...

Lucky for me, I had Marilyn, Shirley and Guoy who made sure I didn't put on my Nike shoes and do a "Runaway Bride" on YC. On the day of my registration, I had eyes of a PANDA. Nevertheless, I put on my best cheongsam (Chinese Dress) made of french lace and did my hair up using an Evita Peroni pin. Daddy was up by4am, and had showered by 5am. Breakfast was bought at 6am from the market. We had a light breakfast since I couldn't eat much due to nerves.


Daddy and I in the front porch - his tie is colour-coordinated with my dress!

When I got to the St. Francis Xavier church, YC and his family were already there and waiting.

YC and I with his family - for some reason, his sis and mom has matching blouses

Anyway, we entered the office where the Commissioner of Marriage - or whatever his job title is- was waiting. He works very slowly and carefully...



We took our vows...(to be honest, i was quite nervous when taking the vows...hehehe)

I thought ladies always went first, but it seems, the man gets to sign the marriage certificate first :( MALE CHAUVINISM!!!





We are now officially husband and wife - that is, after the Commissioner signs the document.

So we all had to wait while the guy (the one with the shiny head) checked all the signatures and identity cards. Meanwhile, Shirley was falling asleep...HAHAHA

OK, now we're officially married. At least in the eyes of the law!


I was really happy to have my Kai Ma there with me. She really is very important in my life. She's always there for all the pinnacles of my achievements and joys, and very supportive when I am down. She's a beautiful woman and a wonderful person to have! I feel so blessed!

Me and my new family. Yes, I was moving in with them! OMG OMG. Actually today, we already have our own home. But when we just got marriedm, we had stayed with them for more than half a year!

My very supportive friends. For some reason, Marily and I are always seen in pink?

Yey, the big tree!!

Anyway, that's it for my registration. It wasn't too scary. We had breakfast in delifrance after that. Of course, I can't remember what I ate exactly. Maybe Marilyn would know? Did anyone take any pictures?

Posted by Mel  

Transforming a House into a Home Episode 1: From a Balcony to a Floating Room

4 comments Published by Mel on Monday, July 07, 2008 at 10:43 AM

I have always liked to work on big projects slowly. It gives me time to plan, optimise my choices (Cost vs. Practicality vs. Aesthetics), decorate and ENJOY.

I never did like having balconies in the house because I am too lazy to clean anything outdoors. That would explain why my front porch is in a pathetic condition...I have not cleaned it since I moved in!!! Oh well, it can't be helped, we have a BIG porch. It's just too much trouble to clean! I figured I would start cleaning it once we get to decorating the porch. Anyway, having a balcony is a tropical country is not too wise because 90% of the time it is too damn hot to sit in the balcony during the day. And at nights if you sit there, the chances of getting bitten by a gazillion mosquitoes is 100%.

Hence, we transformed our balcony to a meditation/tea room. We call it the "Floating Room" simply because it "floats" over the garden.


What started out as a Balcony with a View...


...became an enclosed room with a full frontal view of the 4 acre park



Sliding doors were removed and replaced with a carved wooden frame. A Bamboo mat covers the cold tiles and lace curtains frame the room



A carved teak table, white Zen stones, 3 bamboo vases, floor cushions and table decor transforms the simple room into a relaxation area that can be used for meditation, reading or simply enjoying a cup of tea



With a small bamboo table, scented candles and a bible, the Floating Room also serves as a prayer room


Cost:

1. Walls on left and right side of the balcony, windows and grills, paint~ 1800

2. Removing sliding door and replacing with carved wooden frame ~ 800

3. Bamboo mat ~ 100

4. Carved teak table ~ 300

5. Cushions. bamboo vases flowers ~ 40

6. White Zen stones ~ 45

7. Bomboo table and scented candles ~ 75

8. Lace curtains and curtain rail ~ 40

Total Cost : $3200

And this, my friends, is the first episode of Transforming a House into a Home. Stay tuned for more miraculous transformations...

Posted by Mel  

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End of Chinese New Year

0 comments Published by Mel on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 4:21 PM

Finally the Spring Festival aka Chinese New Year is over. We had 15 days of eating and eating, and now I really feel sick.
It's really no joke. I had big dinner and lunches almost everyday for 2 weeks...a far cry from my normal diet of tofu, cabbage, lettuce and 2 pieces of chicken. I can't even stand up any more. I have gained 3 pounds...
I'm so tired of eating. The worse one was the Feb 13-16 stretch. It was my Mother's birthday on Feb 13, and we took her out for western meal (since she wanted steak). We ended up eating really too much for our own good. Then Feb 14, we had a 4 course vegetarian Val's day meal: starting with fruit cocktail with honey lemon and berrys, multi-grain cream soup, vegetarian spagetti and mocha almond fudge with Hershey's syrup and FRESH cherries. I cooked, of course :) and the cherries were obsolutely delicious! It was my first time eating cherries and I relaly enjoyed them :) Can't wait for next season ^.^
Feb 15 was my niece's birthday, and we travelled to my sister-in-law's husband's house in Cheras for her 1st birthday. We were in Melbourne this time last year when She was born, and it was nice seeing her again after a year. Anyhow, we had another huge meal that gave me indigestion that night. Feb 16 was my Mother-in-law's birthday and she hosted an open house for her relatives. I spent the morning cooking and preparing some food for the evening. We ended up with a hugeamount of leftovers (some of which are still in my freezer).
Anyhow, we had eaten more than our fair share of food for more than 2 weeks. It will be hard going back to the normal diet, but I think it is a good thing. My tummy cannot keep up with my mouth, I am afraid...

Posted by Mel  

Anniversary Vs. Broke

0 comments Published by Mel on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 4:38 PM

Ahhh.....almost one year...it will be one full year of marriage this Sunday. On Friday, we're going for a dinner in Sheraton. Thank Goodness that will be paid for. Otherwise, we won't be able to afford an anniversary dinner ^.^
Actually, it's quite funny. We're totally hopeless at planning our finances because we do things completely differently from each other. It's only until now, when we are both having negative income (for two months now), that we realised somehow our individual methods are not working out quite like before. I know, I know...it's obvious to anyone who's reading this that finances should be discussed thoroughly...but it's not easy to discuss it thoroughly if you don't first experience it together!!! Anyway, it's quite refreshing to have a financial plan that we both can follow through with.
So on our actual Anniversary (Sunday), I guess I'll have to cook something and light a few candlelights...perhaps I can run a bath and light a few more candles in there too....AND, staying by the lake has its advantages since we can take an evening walk and watch the sun set at the lake before dinner...makes for a rather romantic environment.
Hmm...I guess I should have enough small change to buy some roses at the market to brighten up the place also! Huzzah!!!

Posted by Mel  

The ant, the grasshopper and the turtle

0 comments Published by Mel on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 3:47 PM

The grasshopper lazed around all summer, hopping and singing. When winter came, he starved to death. The ant, on the other hand, worked all summer storing food. When winter came and food was scarce, he had plenty to survive on. Yet despite the cold and forlorn weather, he went out anyway in search of more food to store up.
His life seemed filled with excitement. On a good day, he may stumble upon a huge chunk of meat left behind by a young child who didn't want to finish dinner. During that time, he will rush from his nest to the meat, and back again...and again...and again...until the meat is completely stripped and all the food is safely stored. On a bad day, he will battle the cold while sniffing the air in search for some trace of food. He may hunt up to 20 miles from his nest, fighting the danger of being stomped by a passing human or being eaten up by one of his enemies, or even accidental drowning in a puddle of melted snow. Everyday, his life is full of excitement, until he has ceased to enjoy any of the excitement. It is all boring to him in the end, all lost in the pursue of more food.
The turtle sleeps comfortably in his shell, getting up only to search for some vegetation before going back into its shell. Occasionally, he searches for a warm spot of sun to sit under, or if the weather is warm, he searches for a shady tree to hide under. He learns to live in a bit of boredom, and when it is time to search for food or water, he will embrace the excitement for a while.
To be perpetually idle would make one too bored...and when one is too bored, one is prone to destrucive activities. After all, an idle mind is a devil's workshop. Yet, to be perpetually excited would make one numb to the adventure, which is a disease that seems to afflict modern society. One would need more and more excitement to stimulate oneself, and a bit of boredom or quiet seems unbearable. Yet, all the excitement will become boring in itself, and infest itself in an unendurable ennui for life which destroys the soul of youthfulness. By understanding the law of balance and accepting that boredom, like excitement is part of natural life, excitement can be enjoyed to the fullest.

Posted by Mel  

Simple life? Or not?

0 comments Published by Mel on Tuesday, January 08, 2008 at 4:26 PM

Somedays I wonder if life passes me by too quickly. And somedays I wonder if life passes me by too slowly.
The day my self-conciousness fell, it became clear that the only person who notices my comings and goings is me. Like the gnat who lands on the bulls horn, one's own importance is only evident to oneself.
I started to see life passing by in different speeds. Sometimes when watching the ambitious man work, I see him working towards a goal that never seems to be attainable. Is he driven? Probably. But is he happy? Often the answer is negative. The drive that compels him to efficiency and effectiveness pushes him to greater heights, but he is too busy looking forward to fully enjoy the sights. He is rewarded for his efforts, but he punishes himself for his success with more work.
The one who appears to enjoy life fully lives in idleness. Day by day passes into another, slowly, like a dream that never ends. Leisure shopping one afternoon fades into a workout in the gym, coffee in a hotel lounge and entertainment in the local bar. The determination to enjoy life is so strong, that one barely enjoys it at all. A life that forces itself upon enjoyment will live only to seek more enjoyment, never to be truly satisfied with the current moment nor truly be happy in their own skin.
Yet, the pursuit of happiness is not for anyone else's pleasure but one's own. It is not to show others that one is happy. Calmness and happiness is not a decision nor a concious effort to hide the dissatisfaction and burst of unnatural energy. It is a state of mind.
The only person who notices my comings and goings, failures and successes is myself. No one else really cares. Hence, there lies my happiness.

Posted by Mel  

7 Wonders of Bolehland

0 comments Published by Mel on Friday, December 21, 2007 at 9:34 AM

Bodohland: Organisers have recently announced that they have elected the seven < http://www.new7wonders.com/ new wonders of the world. The finalists include Great Wall of China and Taj Mahal. Not to be outdone here in Bolehland or Can-land (some call this Bodohland or Stupid-land), our Prime Minister follows up with an announcement of our very own 7 wonders. All qualified citizens can submit their choices of wonders and finalists will be determined by popular votes.


1. THE ZAKARIA 'PALACE'

The only building built with no approval and unpaid assessment fees that is not demolished and sealed. The owner is the first bankrupt to be able to own a palace.

2. THE ISA - INSANE SECURITY ACCUSATIONS


Supposedly used to "detain" terrorist for up to two years with absolutely no proof, this fantastic Wonder will give you the power to "detain" ABSOLUTELY anyone the guy in power dislikes: anyone who threatens his political power or is a rape accuser of some MP's son can be "held" for up to 2 years. You don't have to even show any evidence of the accusation. Just hack up some insane charge of terrorism of a 15 year old rape accuser, and "detain" her until she is 17. Or throw the Opposition leaders in when they get too powerful and accuse them of having some ties with the Arab terrorist, even if they are Chinese or Indian. It's ingenius!


3. 'UNHAUNTED' KUCHING PRISON


"No picture available"


The only $600M prison in this world that is free of haunted stories and encounters. Reasons? No execution was done here before. In fact no prisoners were held in here. There are also no concrete walls with barbed wires to contain souls - both dead and alive. Maybe it can qualify as the first imaginary prison built with real money.

4. PAYA INDAH 'WASTED' WETLANDS

The nation's premier eco tourism park. Holds the record in the category of attracting more lawyers with litigation than tourists with binoculars.

5. 'NOT SO' SMART TUNNEL
Uniquely design to alleviate floods. When completed, it does everything except alleviate floods.

6. 'DISCONNECTED' CYBERJAYA

The one and only high tech city in the world that offers limited or no internet connection to its residents.


7. THE 'CROOKED' BRIDGE

The most crooked bridge in the world dreamt by one of the most crooked people in the world. The bridge connects Bolehland to its neighbouring country. Construction started even though the neighbouring country did not give approval for the crooked bridge to be built to their land. Too bad the project was abandoned; otherwise it will make it as one of the wonders of the world.

Posted by Mel  

Saying goodbye...

1 comments Published by Mel on Friday, December 07, 2007 at 11:51 AM

Last Sunday, we buried my Ah Kong (pronounced as "gone-ng" not "goong"). He is my grandfather.
I never spoke to my Ah Kong. That's because he only spoke Hokkien, which I completely suck at. Instead, he made funny faces at me and used sign language to convey his meaning. His favourite question to me when I was young was "Chiak Liao Bo?" which translates to "Have you eaten?".
Ah Kong was a very nice man. A very easy man to love, in fact. He had no grudges, and never caused any trouble for anyone. He said "ho" (yes) to everything, had absolutely no demands and was pretty much accepting of anything that came his way. My grandmother would pretty much nag him all day long, but it had absolutely no effect on him. It goes into one ear, and literally comes out the other. He doesn't remember any scolding, any nagging or anything unpleasant. In fact, he was such an easy-going, nice fella that many people called him stupid. Of course, calling him stupid didn't upset him in any way. He would just say "ho" and go about his merry way.
His greatest pleasure in life was eating. He loved fried chicken, praticularly from KFC. Even when he had lost all his teeth, he would use his gums to chew the chicken. Eventually, due to all the unhealthy food, he suffered a stroke in the year 2000, which paralysed his left side.
I couldn't recognise the thin man as my granddad. In my mind, he was still chubby with a head full of hair. I never noticed that his hair was thinning and that he was losing a lot of weight. In the year 2002, he suffered another stroke that paralysed much of his right side. He could no longer eat any solid food, for he could not chew. When he spoke, no one could understand what he was saying except my grandmother.
He met my spouse in 2006. Since my spouse can speak Hokkien, they had a conversation about the lorry his used to drive when he was younger. The number plate of the lorry was 5105. I remember this well, because he struggled for over 10 minutes to tell my spouse the number plate, and no one could understand him. Finally, it became apparent that he was struggling to say "goh-ih-kong-goh" (5-1-0-5), which was not easy because he couldn't move his mouth muscles. He was trying to relate the stories from the time my grandmother and him were running a grocery shop in Penang, where he would carry huge rice sacks onto his lorry and deliver them to his customers. My grandmother ended up telling most of the stories and we had a good laugh.
He sat up to receive the customary tea during my wedding early this year. That was the last time he would sit up again. After that, Ah Kong deteriorated and became thinner. He could no longer get up. During his last week in this world, he could not even speak. He finally passed away on Friday 30 November 2007.
I got the SMS from Daddy in the afternoon, while taking care of my spouse in the hospital. Ah Kong, my Ah Kong, passed away.
I have not cried in a funeral quite like that before. I cried over everything. From the time I saw him in the coffin until the time we laid him into the ground. Normally I would just shed a few tears. This time, I could not stop crying. Ah Kong, gentle Ah Kong, was gone. In death, he still looked like he was about to say "ho". A nice guy to the end. The easiest person in the world to love. God will have mercy on him, for he deserves none other. Goodbye my Ah Kong. I will see you again someday.

Posted by Mel  

VERY Bad news for this week

0 comments Published by Mel on Friday, November 30, 2007 at 10:40 PM

Dear Friends and family,
My spouse had a fever from Monday to Thursday. We went to the clinic on Monday and he was precribed the usual antibiotics. Unfortunately, the fever persisted so I took him to the clinic for a blood test on Thursday. His blood platlet was rather low, hence he was warded on Thursday evening.
I stayed with him until 11pm and went back to my in-laws house to rest since it is nearer to the hospital compared to my house. At 3.00am, I woke up with rashes all over my body. I had to go to the clinic (4th time this week, but the first three times were for my spouse) to get a diagnosis. I was allergic to something. Anyway I am currently on medication, but it was hell trying to sleep that night because my body was itchy like it was on fire.
I only slept at 5.00am and awoke at 8.00am to see my spouse in the hospital. His blood platlet fell again, and his fever is persisting. At approximately 3.00pm, my Dad contacted me on my handphone with more bad news. My grandad just died. He was sent for embalming that afternoon. There will be a service tomorrow at 8.00pm and his funeral at 10.00am on Sunday. I will be with my spouse until dinnertime tomorrow, and then I will rush off to pay my last respects to my grandad. After his funeral on Sunday, I will have to rush back to the hospital to keep a close watch on my spouse's condition.
It is now Friday at 10.45 pm. I have just gotten back from the hospital. My back is starting to itch again, and I fear my rashes will return with a vengeance tonight. I have slept for 3 hours in the last 36 hours. I may not get any sleep tonight either, if the rashes persist. I am tired due to lack of sleep, in grief for my grandad, worried sick over my spouse and itchy from my rashes.
It has been a very bad week. We were supposed to go to Cherating next week, and Pangkor the week after next. It was supposed to be a well-deserved holiday for the stress, hard work and long hours we were putting for the past few months. Now all we have is more stress and anxiety. But we will pull through. I must remain strong for my spouse and family. Somehow, God will give me the strength. For now is not the time to feel sorry for oneself or to grief. Now is the time to work and be of service to those in need. There will be time to lament and cry when all is well again.

Posted by Mel  

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