Scams!

Mum sounded so excited today, calling me up early in the day. I was in the midst of a sporting activity so I promised Mum that I'd call her after my work was done. And so I did, afterwards.

What had gotten Mum in a tizzy was that she had received a letter (it was addressed simply, without proper post box num, without post code, to my dad), stating that he'd won a lottery worth hundreds of thousands of EURO. Aaahh... the hook. Well, that screams scam. Mum sounded sceptical of the scam idea as the letter was addressed to dad. Why don't I email the add given and do a check or something. Mana tau the moolah is for real! MMm.... the line. So I told her not to believe the letter and that I wouldn't do such a thing. Not email or enquire whatsoever.

Sis later advised mum on the scam-mability of the whole thing. I read the letter. The usual yak-yak-yak about Dad's name being chosen out of millions of names, winning the 1st prize lagi tu. That it's a Swiss based lottery company, and that Dad's winning had been deposited into an account in Spain. Spain?? Hah... And also that the letter was a final notice. Should we fail to contact them and do something about the winnings by next month, the EUROs would be returned to the Ministry of Economics. My *ss!

Finally both parents were convinced of the scam. Eheheh... funny what ideas came out of their heads about this scam. Maybe somebody from around KK yang kasi set-up la, wanting to con dad out of his retirement gaji la. hehehe..

Many a hapless persons already fell prey to this scam. You can read it in the news every now and then. It could be due to greed and desperation. To the scam companies of the world, may you grow boils at your bottom and have kudis buta for as long as you do this despicable work!!

lazy daisy

It's 12.30 in the afternoon. I know the time precisely because my Casio wristwatch just beeped it's pre-set alarm. Why I had set the alarm at this particular time escapes me. I think I was just testing the alarm function then.

I had woken up around 8 this morning. After opening my eyes, casting lazy looks through slit eyes (my eyes aren't the roundest of all, i tell you) at the window, feeling the still chill of the morning, i continued with my sleep. Mind you, sleeping in is a bliss for someone who needs to wake up at 5 or so every morning during weekdays and sometimes in the weekdays too.

It's election season. I have a few ideas on what's going on. All the news of politics that's going on are either ones that I read (absently) on the paper, or hear (dispassionately) from male friends who passionately debate among themselves. I'm not too worried though. Guess i'm just not concerned. What needs to happen will happen. What does that make of me? Or am I just being a lazy daisy today.

Le Tour De Trusmadi

Words fail me.

Trusmadi has been a trip worth going. The company was great, the porters extremely helpful and entertaining (Some say, some people say, life is sweety!), the guide couldn't be more generous in knowledge and expertise ( a big thank you to you, Boy ), the trek and trail... ahh.. really took my breath away. Not just because of the beauty of it, not because it was tiring, but something about the whole experience was incredible. Walking through the forest floor, all littered with fallen leaves from time immemorial, through the sometimes brown sometimes green moss-covered fallen tree trunks and stones, was a feeling surreal. I felt reptilian at times, snaking in between criss-crossing trees, and monkeylike too, scampering up or down small, barely a foothold to hold on to.

So, here are some of the pics taken on the 3D2N stay at Mt. Trusmadi.

no need to explain la kan..

cooking nasi himpit

Preparing for the night..

Don't be fooled into thinking that it was a well-lit nite. It was the flash of my camera that illuminated all. Inan cooking dinner, dibantu oleh 4 org assistant. Tukang pigang minyak...pigang toslight, pigang the paratha, tukang cekak pinggang...

Mona n me.. si inan n si auntie

nice trail eh?

palan-palan...

resident Trusmadi

(it's a "hontugi" says my grandpa)

most delicious tuna sandwich ever!

going down Paradise Trail.. beautiful view, might surga look like this?

i believe i cannot fly...

nice...

huff n puff...

Made it to the top!

at the break of dawn...

this picture paints a thousand words..

view of Mt. Kinabalu from Mt. Trusmadi

basarnya.....

angel's trumpets.

err.. does it remind u of something else? ...(koff..koff..)

some of the plants. pics of nepenthes lowii and edwardsienna and trusmadiensis and angel's trumpets and etc yang i don't know the names of but nevertheless beautiful.

oh..it was raining by the time we reached our transport (Mona's powerfull D-Max) so all of us quickly hauled our bags into the trunk and ourselves into the supercar. After about 15 mins or so, i felt this almost ticklish sensation, something was wriggling on my shin. I looked down and lo and behold, i had this illegal immigrant trying to plant its muzzle onto my kaki. hahahah... it was a limatok, a pacat, a tiger leach. sempat juga snap a pic before Mona handed me some tissue. I gingerly picked it up (wah... no blood. i guess it had climbed its way up from my kasut and belum sempat cari makan), opened the window and threw it out into the Trusmadi hutan. Nah.. pulangla kau sindri! Tia mo drive hantar ko balik!

But ya... words fail me. I am just so amazed that i have gone up this Mountain, gone through the trails and then live to show the pics. I can't say "live to tell the story" because i'm not a very good storyteller. So, hope you enjoyed the pics.

Red Armies

Visited the dentist last thursday for another check-up. Another study model was made of my teeth position. I've got joint-clinic after CNY. So, the study model will be used as point of reference for Dr. N and Dr. D.

Seems the two teeth which were supposed to turn haven't done what they're supposed to do. Doc decided to change the position of the brackets. Had me teeth re-wired. The last o-rings that i had was light blue. I chose a reddish colored ones for this visit. Not exactly red la. tia tau how to describe.

i was so hungry that day. Got my meals prepared and boo hoo.... my gums were already aching. Couldn't eat so much lo...

But by today i think, i'll be able to eat just fine. I have another appointment to meet the dentist on the 6th.

It'll be quite some time baru i update this blog of mine. Until then, ciao babes!

Trusssssmadi

sibuk nya....

These first few months are hectic. Meetings, meetings and sports and deadlines. So, i'm almost shivering with anticipation thinking about the trip going up Trusmadi. And it'll be happening in less than a week's time. I could already picture myself walking in a haze of wonder and awe at the surrounding. I'd be lying if i say i wouldn't be walking in a haze... no...more like waves of muscle aches and steady stream of perspiration. The plan to go for this trip only came about early January, so... no time to muster up real exercise plan. Not really crunch time. It'll be a battle of the will and the muscles ni.

In preparation for the trip, I bought a hiking backpack, a mini rucksack, a drybag, a really comfortable windbreaker, and some small important stuff. Argghh... i forgot to buy a pair of kasut mandahan. Aiyah...been meaning to buy a pair since 1945 (naintin porti paip if my friend boy marcel yang cakap la). Got to remember to get it tomorrow. Mona, my ever-knowledgeable friend, has recommended me a good place to buy one.

'Jan bili yang warna putih, cari yang hitam, yang hujung dia bulat", she advised.

"Oo..k".

She was the one also to encourage us and gang to makan ubat malaria. Asked if she could get them for me and she did. Untung oo kawan sama kau, Mona!!! Hehehe...

So, till the next entry. Au revoir, adios, hasta manana, ariaverdeci (wrong spelling ni), babai, sayonara and c u.

que sera sera

hi again.
i've a feeling this year is going to be an adventure. last year i was feeling hesitant. but this year, due to last year's events, will promise to be a roller coaster. some events are almost predictable, like my taking off my braces. sigh....i just know smiling will never be the same. i'll sure be smiling and smiling and smiling my face off. hahaha... so will eating. ooh... the food that i'm going to gorge myself with!!!

i digressed.

come 7thFeb, i'll hopefully be scaling Mt.Trusmadi with a few close friends. The 2nd highest peak in Malaysia. And if there be no obstacle, if Trusmadi challenge is a success, we'll scale Tombuyukon (3rd highest peak in Malaysia) sometime this year too.

Will post pics whenever possible.

happy new year to all.

2007-2008

A lot has happened this year. Some planned, some weren't. Frankly, i can't for the life of me recall (at the moment la), anything that had pissed me off. It could be because so many good unexpected things happened and they preceded and overpowered any real disappointments that i may have experienced.

We have a choice, right? We always have a choice. Between being angry and being happy. Being late or being early (or punctual). Being frightened or being brave. The choices aren't limited to what i just listed. Whatever choice one makes will of course dictate the outcome of events. And for me, I have always tried to live up to whatever choice that i have made. There is always a tomorrow to try and rectify any wrongs done. If there is no tomorrow, then, c'est la vie. We only live once. Oh we can die a thousand deaths, but we live but once.

um... some bad memories are trickling into my head and heart now... but i'm not going to dwell on them. The pain will always remind me that this is life. It can't be all high, psychedelic, idyllic, fun times. That the pain will remind me that i can still feel. It's being numb and bored that is a danger to most.

Ah... 2008. Have i any resolution for the coming year? naah.. no need for it being a new year to do that. But i do hope health and contentment (happiness is such a selfish state). Long term plan bukan senang to follow.. can be attempted though eh?

So, a very happy new year to all my friends and family. May it bring whatever it is that you endeavor.

bitten by waterbug

I have had this fascination for water activities ever since i learned how to swim. The fascination started waaaaay early lagi i think. My mum and Ina' (grandma) had told me of the story of how i nearly drowned in the water drum (u know la di kampung, the dorom air used to collect rainwater, normally put outside the house). They told me that i always liked to play with the water in the drum. i'd get a stool or something and go up the stool to play with the collected rainwater. I'd use the gayung and just scoop the water and pour it out and scoop the water and pour it out, or just run my hands through the water.

One day, I had gotten on top of the stool to reach for the gayung lah. It hadn't been raining for some time. The water level in the drum was not up to the brim but only half full. Therefore, the gayung had floated somewhere halfway down the drum. So, i had reached down to try and get hold of the gayung. i must have reached down so far and fell headfirst in to the wated. i was alone. My grandma (bless her soul) suddenly became aware that i wasn't making any water noise and went out to look for me. When she didn't see me on the stool, she went to the drum and heard splashing from within the drum. I was flailing still with my kaki di atas. She reached down and pulled me up. So, i was saved, though i didn't realize it then.

-the dratted drum-

It is fortunate that i didn't develop any hidrophobia though. If i did, i might be leading a miserable life of being prissy and annoying and not wanting to get wet la, don't want to get into water la, takut la..

I always considered one of my greatest achievement in U was learning how to float, dive and swim. hahhaha... but of course graduating was nice as well lah. Any free time i had thereafter was spent swimming in pools of swimmable water. I even had this Benson & Hedges dream wish (remember the tv show?) to jump off a boat or jetty and dive into the sea. Quite a tame wish la juga kan? Haven't done that but jumping off a ledge near the sea suda la.

I especially lurrrvved to swim at the Likas Sports Complex before it was renovated with roof on top (yee... too cold for me). I love having sun-kissed skin. Being fair and pasty white isn't the top of my wish lists. Almost 3 years ago, i took SCUBA diving licence. Went to Pulau Sapi for the test and had a fantastic experience. I also was fortunate to go for Star 1 course for Kayak. And two days ago, i went to Kiulu for a river rafting course conducted by Riverbug. Couldn't i be any more fortunate?

Nanti lah.... pigi Padas. it'll be like the phrase on the t-shirt i got from riverbug, "paddle or die". Sigh!!:)

time kici2

Way back when i was cuter..(koff..koff..)..

1 year old ++
Wiht me sis at a rumah panjang in sibu. I was probably 10.

Powerboat Race

woke up early this morning to the sound of Mona's msg ringing into my mobile (which is always by my ear).. kok..kok..kok... read the message. i replied... Uu..uu..uuuuu... hahahah... chicken talk.

mandi2, got ready. Mona came and picked me up afterwhich we proceeded to pungut si mel. Sampai KK, Mona parked in the Waterfront parking space. Off we walked makan TomYam for breakfast at Sinsuran. Not bad..


What's the occasion for the outing today? P tinguk Powerboat Race. Bukan juga minat sangat bah. Saja want to go have a looksee how this supposedly World Sporting Event is.

one of the hi-speedboats parked near the pasar ikan area.

Mona, nice shades... what's that di tangan ko?

yes... grand marnier filled chocolates (kana bawa dari Langkawi...)

siapa tu ah yang pakai tupi tu? Korean sasat?

mighty powerful lenses there camera-dude!

ada lagi power..twice the size and length oo.. but tidak terambil gambar.

time 9 something... not that crowded yet.

Go redboat go!

Naaa nah... me first!

Driver : err.. finish la the fuel, boss..

DIGI promotion in front of Warisan Square.