Suzan's Farewell (26-06-08)

Lunch Session: Wendy's

The reason why we had to have split sessions for Suzan's farewell was... well, as you know... the more people involved, the harder it is to get synchronized free time and availability. Haha. True or not, true or not?

Mei Qi was not free for the dinner, so Suzan had lunch with her. I tagged along. And dragged along three others. Haha. Since we all technically have no work, and are officially unemployed.

Aku malas nak tulis panjang-panjang. Nanti tulis sampai malam besok pun tak habis-habis. So I will post up some pictures and mention only the highlights.


Jason, on a date with four pretty girls. Hahahaa.


We were all done eating our lunch, except for Suzan who was only halfway through. Too much beef to swallow :P


Hmmmm... where to go next?

Dinner Session: Sushi Groove



"Life is too short to eat bad sushi". Amen!
Except that I don't eat much sushi.


The stuff in my food was moving! The Bonito flakes are scary. After mixing my curry chicken bibimbap gao-gao, they stopped moving... thank God! I think I prefer Han-Woo-Ri's bibimbap though. Much more delicious.


Girl-of-the-Day with her food.


Jason's food. He swore that he will never touch the vege. True enough. The vege still looks untouched and EXACTLY the same after the meat vanished down his stomach.


While the other XX species had ice-cream for dessert (sesame or green tea ice-cream), the XX star-of-the-day had an alcoholic drink called Japanese Slipper. Tasted little bit like honeydew + alcohol. The strength of the alcohol taste was 50 times less shocking than Soju. Haha.


Standing: Tall One, Fat One, Big One, Yet-to-be-nicknamed One
Sitting: Indonesian Star*, Pretty One, Fair One

* Note: Suzan's original nickname was Indonesian Maid. But since she was the star of the day, we changed it to Indonesian Star. Haha.

Right now, a secret conversation shall be revealed about our planning around Suzan's farewell since it's not a secret anymore now that it's over. It was her idea to have a farewell dinner. But we kepoh-kepoh went and add a farewell gift and a cake. Secretly lah, of course.

Jason: What does Suzan like?

Me: Three things... Food, books and bangles. Oh yeah, music of weird naming bands. Get her a cake lah.

Yi Vern: Hmmm, OK. What flavour cake?

Mei Qi: Chocolate, she loves chocolate.

Ta-da!!



We really felt like singing the Happy Birthday song when the cake was brought out and placed right in front of her. Haha. Oh, she really loves chocolate cake doesn't she? Haha.

We stayed there until they were closing. And they still didn't chase us out because they were closing. They just patiently waited for us to finish up our conversation, cakes and camwhoring. We voluntarily went outside to settle the bill among ourselves.


This is us settling the dinner bill outside Sushi Groove. Next time must bring calculator everywhere I go lah. Had to count the old school way.

To see the rest of the pictures, click here.


Hui San! Hope you enjoyed the chocolate cake and book (completely randomly picked... nobody read it before, so give us your verdict). Have a safe trip and take care of yourself over there in Medan. Anytime you miss us, just look back at these pictures (and whole lots more in your camera).

Hardbound Thesis!!!

This probably officially ends my life as a Honours student. Because now, we just have to wait for the results to be released. On July 11th.

Haih... Two more weeks to go. The wait will be so agonizing.


You know, seriously, I have come to a point where I don't care what I get anymore. It is a reward and a relief to have finally gotten over with the research, presentation, thesis writing, viva and then examination. I think it was a nightmare because they were in back-to-back weeks.

And my internal marks were mostly close to high distinction but not there. Mostly borderline cases, like literature review 79%, poster 76% and presentation 78%. Borderline right? Which is what make me even less optimistic. Haha.

Dang. Now I have to start thinking about whether to do postgrad or work. But I think I'm already considering postgrad (80%) compared to work (20%). Then I have to hunt and apply to universities. Then comes a question, where do I want to study?? Aiyoh..

For now I will torture myself with another semester as a lab demonstrator while I think about what's next.

Dinner @ KoreanTown

Phaik Ee, Suet Wan and I had established a mission from way before we had finish our semesters.

Our mission = To go check out the KoreanTown in Jalan Ampang AND try out the Korean food.

Haha. Well, I guess we aren't bad at keeping our promises. Phaik Ee even called in countless others, but only Wei Lun and Voon Chia could make it. But you know, it gets harder to meet up with old school buddies as years go by. So when you get five people together, it would be a miracle! Too bad Ashley couldn't make it at the last minute, otherwise it would have been six.


Just Monday, the five of us went there in a car. Driver of the day night was Suet Wan and her faithful old Proton Saga with no power steering. And it's a manual car. Fuiyoh, where can you find a girl who can drive a stick these days? Cho power! I still remember how, but I wouldn't dare to anymore.

Anyway when we arrived there, we still had to pick a restaurant to try out. At first, Phaik Ee came up with a brilliant strategy - We pick the restaurant with the most leng chai. Yup, it didn't apply. Most of the workers there are neither Korean nor Chinese. And even if they were Korean or Chinese, they were ahjusshis and ahjummas. We actually chose the restaurant by playing lat-ta-lee-lat-ta-leet-tam-plom (in Chinese we call it 黑白 - literally translated as black white). Han Woo Ri restaurant won the elimination.

When we finished ordering the food, the waiter actually said that we ordered too little for our crowd of five. Good thing we just went ahead with the stuff we ordered and said we would order later if it wasn't enough. I was soooooo stuffed up with food by the time we finished.

Gila one the waiter.

But man, the food was sooo delicious I'm dying for a second round now.

Appetizer


Hmmm. I did not count the number of these small dishes of appetizer. But I estimate that there's about 11 or 12 of them. Had no idea what half of them were called, just stuffed them into mouth, chew and swallow. Haha. There were eggs, bean paste sauce (looks like sambal but not spicy), sweet sauce, tauge, kimchi, asparagus and plenty of sour vegetables.

BBQ Pork


Don't have to worry about not knowing how to or how long to BBQ the pork or burning the pork, the Han Woo Ri waiters will do it for you.

We ordered two types - just the plain pork meat (RM25), and the marinated pork meat (RM29). The price differ slightly, but the taste - oh my goodness - the marinated pork was awesome! My suggestion? Just order two plates of the marinated pork. The plain pork meat is just too plain for RM 25. Not worth it.

BiBimpBap


Bibimbap apparently literally means mixed rice in Korean. White rice mixed with a whole lot of other junk stuff in it (as you can see from the picture above) such as egg, pork (we changed it from beef) and bunch of various veggies which we neither knew their names or existence. If veggies were cooked this way, my mom would never had a problem getting me to eat veggies when I was younger.

Bibimbap is like chak fan in Malaysia. Except that we don't stir and mix our chak fan gao gao like the way we lou the yee sang during CNY, unlike bibimbap. Bibimbap was said to have originated in those days by the ahjummas. You know food leftovers from here and there? They had no idea what to do with them, or how to serve them as a dish the next day. And takkan wanna waste food right? So they came up with a brilliant idea to mix all those leftovers together, add in the sauce (black bean sauce?) and ta-da, you get bibimbap!

Anyway, I forgot where I read that piece of information from. We couldn't finish this dish though. I have no idea how people can eat one bibimbap by themselves. It's just too much for one person. There are five of us, and we can't even finish it!

Kimchi Omelette (Pancake?) & Kimchi Jjigae


The Kimchi omelette (pancake?) was good. One thing I love about this omelette compared to the fu yong dan is that this omelette/pancake has generous quantities of their ingredient. There is so much sotong, there is pepper, there is a host of other things which again I have no idea what they were.


And the Kimchi Jjigae is my favourite among all! I can't bring myself to look at this picture. It just brings back the memories of how wonderful this soup was and makes me moody because I can't have it right now. I so wanna learn how to make Kimchi Jjigae.

Dessert


Have you seen anyone eating watermelon with chopsticks? No no, the Koreans don't do that. People who eat watermelons with chopsticks are strange. Want to know who was the culprit? Nah, I ain't telling.

Soju


Everyone, except Suet Wan (the driver - know why she isn't drinking?), tried out Soju. This fella has about 20% alcohol content which is really ridiculous that I felt like I'm drinking ethanol directly from the bottles in my lab. Oh, the smell and taste of alcohol is so strong.


It was a difficult first two glasses (shot glasses which weren't big) but by the time I got to the third, I began to taste sweetness and spicyness of the drink. It wasn't too bad. I think I might be branded mad by the rest of them for saying that this drink is kinda delicious.

What's worse is that my parents might kill me for saying what I just said. But they don't know my blog URL anyway. Haha.


The three merry drinkers. OK-lah, we didn't risk it by ordering one bottle each. We three shared one bottle. We are still good girls :P

Korean Ice-cream

Despite complaining that our stomachs were full, we still toured the supermarket although our overloaded stomachs probably switch off the "food desire" switch in our brains. Yah, and at the sight of ice-cream, the switch was switched back on.


Never had this much fun in a year (since Penang)! Especially with my school friends. I actually don't recall hanging out with schoolmates was this much fun back in the school days. Maybe that time we were so accustomed to the fact that we see each other's faces everyday and took for granted the company of the greatest people on earth.

Wished we had all day though but we all have our colleges and work to go back to during the day. With all the craziness and pressure we endure while the sun's up, perhaps simply the company of friends at sundown is what gives us life more than what it is, keeps us sane, and keeps our feet on the ground and our heads straight. Unless you downed too much Soju, of course.

The smell of freedom

Halo! I'm back from a hiatus! Had to take a compulsory time off from blogging and anything else distracting to focus on my last few gruelling months of Honours with packed due dates...

Presentation was on 08-May-2008.
Thesis due on 16-May-2008.
Viva was on 29-May-2008.
Final exam was on 02-June-2008.

Now I am a free woman!!! Oh dear, I hope I haven't forgotten how to blog.

You know what's strange? I don't feel any excitement after being done with Honours year. I. Feel. Odd. Seriously. I have been so accustomed to fixing TV and kai kai time to one hour and then immediately rushing somewhere to finish up my work, my mindset is still like this. Just the other day I was watching a show on TV, then I was *unconsciously* fidgetting and thinking "OK, I better go do some work after this show's done! Why is this show taking so long?". Then *ten ten ten ten*, I remember that I have nothing to do actually. Oh, darn it. How can I forget that I have nothing to do??

Except for the hardbound thesis lah. But that one, not counted. Haha.

Anyway, we did went out for a celebration lunch right after our paper was over at Tony Roma's in Sunway Pyramid. Fourteen people altogether. In three cars. Jason, Joash, TY, KC, Iris, Chien Wen, Audrey, Jane, Suzan, me, Wai Khay, Sim, Eric and one more whom I don't know the name. Big crowd, fair share of XX and XY.. but the biggest eaters were #1 Jason and #2 Suzan. What boys can do, girls can do too right? But since I am a pathetic eater with a non-expandable stomach, I had to share my lunch with one other girl because the serving portion was too large.

So many things on my mind right now. I am sooooo looking forward to the coming trip. Are we just pulling an all-nighter or are we going to play in the taman tema? Note to self: Remember to tell someone to bring a camera. Or else it would be pointless.

Went to IKEA on Tuesday with my brother and Suzan. My brother wanted to buy a work desk for his room, so that he can put the computer in his room and can do his work there. I wanted to buy a work desk for my room a long long time ago. So we bought work desks from IKEA. Mine will look something like this:


160 cm × 120 cm | Black-brown wood | Silver A-legs
Will take pictures of my desk later. After setup. Probably next week?

Right now, my room has just completed the dismantling phase (old computer table, my sister's bed, old desk) and I did almost 95% of the work myself! I dismantled the old desk, moved my sister's mattresses and my desktop computer. Haha, I think I'll have "fun" time reassembling my computer later. Hopefully I get the wires connected correctly. Or I'll just call the brother to do it... better idea right?

And now waiting for the clearing out phase (getting rid of the dismantled stuff). The assembling phase can only be carried out once clearing out is done. At the moment, my room feels really really spacious.

Freaking Grow Up!

I swear my blood pressure just hit sky high. I really, really can't stand childish attitude. Especially when I see it in adults.

Adults = Above 18
Adults = Can think for oneself
Adults = No need to keep depending on others for help
I mean, kids can get away for being childish because they're kids. It's their process of growing up. Adults acting childish just appalls and irritates me to the core. They're supposed to be grown up, and yet... SIGH! Grow up already!

When people are talking to each other about serious stuff, stay out of it if it's none of your business. Or if you were not part of the conversation in the first place. When someone asks a specific someone a direct question, please lah mind your own business and let the person answer. Nobody asked you anything, so freaking shut up! What's so difficult about that har??

OK lah. Once or twice, I can tolerate. But butting in every single time?? I feel like throwing the mike stand at you! I can ignore the unwanted voice and pretend as if you were some background noise. But you, you are a really noisy and annoying background noise that pisses me off big time.

I mean, when I'm talking to my lecturer/supervisor, I don't even see my own juniors butting in our conversation, trying to join in and acting smart. When lecturers or seniors or my parents are discussing about serious stuff among themselves, we don't even cut in. Why?? Because it's rude, it's rude, it's rude. Don't you get it? It isn't complicated. It's simple. It's rude. That is why we don't do it to others. Even little children can understand simple teaching like that.

You know, when you're teaching or explaining something to someone, it's important to make sure someone understands. Without interruption of any sort. But today what did I get? I was explaining something to someone, then allowing her to digest and understand. But this uncle has to butt in with his remarks and all while I was talking. Instead of being helpful (which I think he thinks he is), he was extremely disturbing. A complete nuisance. His remarks were not helping at all and to add oil to fire, more than half of it were his "jokes". Every week he's like that!

Imagine you were teaching a class of 15-20 students. Now imagine that while you were teaching, there's this one student making jokes every two sentences you say. Now tell me, how lah to maintain my blood pressure in circumstances like that???

It's sooooo embarrassing to see people who are supposedly adults (or thinks that they're adults, or wants to be treated as one) act so immature. Utterly embarrassing. What's more embarrassing is the fact that he doesn't think he's acting embarrassingly.

I could have just stopped you and said "Hey, can you not talk while I'm talking?". But heh, later I pulak yang kena complain having no big no small attitude.

Technically speaking, I am your sunbae in music. But since you're probably in your 30s, you're way older than I am which is why I'm giving you the respect by not reprimanding you. All I do is talk firmly. Which I do with great difficulty of holding in my annoyance. Even that I think some think I'm too harsh, considering you're an older person. I feel like I'm talking to a kid when I'm telling you something.

Aihhhhhhhhhhh. Got ideas on what can I do or drink to cool down?

Argh! Bloody grow up already!

Malaysians votes for change in 2008

Barisan Nasional loses two-third majority for the first time in history of Malaysian election. This means BN can no longer dominate and/or monopolize decisions and bills (which requires two-third agreement in the parliament). This also means opposition has gained more say in the parliament.

Barisan Nasional loses four states to the opposition parties, excluding PAS-held Kelantan. The states are Penang, Selangor, Perak and Kedah. If the Federal Territories (Wilayah Persekutuan) was counted as a state, then there goes another.

What's more shocking is that many of these seats were won with landslide victories to opposition's favour.

Datuk Seri S. Samyvellu, our (probably former?) Work Minister, loses his Sungai Siput seat for the first time since he began contesting in the 1970s. Shocking news as he had previously won in 2004 with 10,000 votes or something like that.

Next shocking casualty is Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, our (also probably former) Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, who lost to former DPM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's fresh-faced daughter by nearly 3,000 votes in Lembah Pantai.

Other big shots who lost their seats include Kelantan UMNO president, Dato' M. Kayveas, and Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon among many, many others. Looks like Pak Lah will have a tough time electing ministers this time around.

They talked about waves of political revolution that may happen in Malaysia this year. Looks like we have a tsunami.

See what voters can do: If we like you, we have the power to keep you in power. If we are happy with everything, we have the power to keep you in power. But if you offend and/or neglect and/or piss us off, we have the power to kick you out.

Never ever underestimate the power of voters.

Things I've done lately that makes me feel old

Marking juniors' reports, demonstrating lab. I still remember myself in my first year first semester fearing my demonstrators... Who although are seniors probably only few years older are still intimidating and fear-able. Now that I'm in those shoes, I can understand why it's necessary to not be too friendly with these students. And why it's necessary to be strict with them.

I still remember what one of my first demonstrators told us "You can complain and hate me now for being strict with you, but trust me, you'll thank me later". I think some of you know who I'm talking about. He's really hard to forget.

Sleeping earlier and less. I realized that I can't keep my eyes open and mind functional beyond 12.30pm. I am sleeping either by midnight or before that. And for lesser hours for that matter. I used to sleep for eight hours at least to be fully functional the following day. But now I sleep for only 6-7 hours and I feel so much fresher the next day.

You know, they say older people sleep less... Is this an omen? Well, if I sleep less, then I have more active hours. Can do more stuff! Haha. Young at heart.

Voting in my nation's election. Registering for voting is one thing, but actually going through the whole process slaps me in the face to the reality that I am really, REALLY beyond 21. And going back to MY OWN elementary school (yes, the school where I myself was a student for five years in the first half of my life) to vote is equivalent to a double tight slap.

On a side note, my elementary school is sooooo totally unrecognizable. My goodness. There used to be an open field right next to the canteen where we could run about, play jump rope, play hopscotch and just lepaking and chit-chatting. Now the field is filled with trees and bushes and plants... there's nowhere to run about right now. So sad. My ex-classroom didn't even look like the classroom I remembered. Can't imagine how it'll be if all of us were to return to the class and sat where we sat in those days, now that we've all grown up. What an amusing sight it would be.

Even the classes' names have changed. Gone where my days where the classes were named after colours - Merah, Kuning, Biru, Hijau, Jingga and Ungu. Just now I saw Bestari, Cemerlang, what is and what not. It's just not the school I remember anymore. Sigh. Change is something humans inherently dislike and avoid at all cost because it means something new is going to disrupt the comfortable order of your life and you can't control it. Even if some welcome change, the anxious anticipation and nervous dread is not avoidable. But change is a necessity. And it is beyond our control. As for this, whatever that's left in the school I remember will be just a memory. I hope my memory will never fail me.

My handphone = Getting old, need change. This time I'm dead serious. Just yesterday while I was replying an SMS, my handphone screen just went blank and restarted itself. Siao boh? I repeat. It. Has. Gone. Senile. Feel like getting a flip phone. Something different for a change. I was thinking of Sony Ericsson Z750i (is it in Malaysia yet?), story has it that it's around RM900+. Thumbs up? Wait lah, until I get my salary.