31st Aug is Malaysia National Day. I am so “excited” that I decided to blog about it one day in advance. Talk about efficiency man..

We have learned to sing our national anthem since kindergarten. Even when I studied in Perth, my high school celebrated Malaysia National Day with us. They knew that most of us “forgot” the lyric and hence, the school printed our national anthem on small papers and distributed to us, the Malaysia students. Well done..

And I am “proud” to share that, the national anthem that we have been singing, is actually a Hawaiian love song, except that the rhythm is more soothing and “Hawaiian”.

How “Lo-Mantic”…Awww..:)

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It turns out that most people can’t spot me at picture 2.

I am actually the one standing at the extreme left with the big grin…and my nerdy glasses

This picture was featured on the newspaper, about a bunch of kids getting ready for a new semester..or something like that.

I was 11 years old then. One day half way through a class, our class teacher gathered a few of us and asked us to carry our school bags.

We met the reporter downstairs and he wanted us to pose for pictures. But guess what, none of the “poses” was chosen. This one was a total candid one…hence..the big and exaggerating grin. If I remember correctly, this picture was taken when we were busy joking and thinking what to pose.

Posted under Life documentaries , Me! Me! | [5] Comments 

I always tell people how cold and arrogant I was in the past – but they always find it hard to believe me. (Except those who were treated badly by me in the past) Even my sister was afraid of talking to me. (read this)

When I first became a school prefect at the age of 13, I was still pretty much like a small kid who skipped around at school and pretended to be talked about Power Rangers (I was like the yellow one – Trini).

I can’t believe I was into Power Rangers

Our seniors and teachers expected us to be stern, serious and cool. (Pretending to be a power ranger was not an option) Though I was hyperactive in nature, I had to put up a stern front, to be “the role model” for the school.

People started to comment how “fierce” and cold I was. Teachers complimented me for doing my job well. All these remarks had changed me. I also started to believe that I was, and enjoyed being a cold and arrogant person. And so when I was elected to be the head prefect, I had forgotten how to smile. My sister didn’t dare to even say hi to me when we bumped into each other at school. That was how “scary” I was.

I didn’t even want people to know I was called “Cherry”! “Cherry” doesn’t go well with “cool”.

Everyone expected me to be an academic person and win in competitions that I took part. People always told me how smart I was but frankly, I wasn’t happy at all. Those perceptions only made me even prouder. If I failed to achieve something, I felt like a total loser. And guess what, I can’t learn from my mistakes!

My parents always asked me to chill and relax. (Very odd, isn’t it? They asked me not to study too hard)

When I was 12. Guess which one I am. DON’T LAUGH!!

So what has changed me? My friends were always curious about it.

Simple – it was when I moved to Perth to study.

That was when I broke away from all the expectations and perceptions.

That was when I started my NEW life FRESH with a brand new identity. You won’t believe how I felt. I felt as if layered of ugly and scarred skins being peeled away. I started to breathe and smile again.

See who can spot me this time.

You see, how people see you is always different from what you think you are. When I was in year 12, I was called by nicknames such as cutie pie, sweet pea and cheery. Then it started to make me think again why my school mates were calling me these.

Till one day at my graduation, when my biology teacher wrote this in my diary – “Your name spelled you – you are as sweet as your name!”

Don’t cha wish your girl friend was round like me?

Source

I was stunned. I had no idea I was “branded” this way. NO! Not the “SWEET” word. I am cool, remember?

Even at some point during my year 12, I was “made to believe” that I was sweet. GAH!!!

May be I should call myself pot pie now – since I am old and crumpled.

But perhaps I have grown older, I have started to ignore what people have commented about me. Undeniably, people’s comments and perceptions, more or less, would affect how you behave and carry yourself unconsciously. Who knows when I will “transform” unconsciously again, due to the remarks that are thrown to me. But I think after all, being myself is what makes me comfortable and happy.

Posted under Thoughts & musings | [5] Comments 

1) I was sick 2 weeks in a row – stomach flu -> Fever -> Flu -> Cough. My body is still taking its own sweet time to recover.

2) I had migraine immediately after scolded my students in class the other day. I can’t get angry anymore..

3) Metabolic rate has gone down. Though I have been active in sports, my body just takes too long to shed off the chicken cutlet I had the night before. That means, I could hardly lose weight, unless when I fall sick.

4) I am always tired – could fall asleep after 10 mins on a bus/train ride.

5) Can’t stay up after 12 a.m and need more than 8 hours of sleep. I used to do my 3D projects from 7 am till 3 am and continued doing it the next morning (less than 5 hours of sleep) and yet, I was still ok. NOW?? I would just lay flat on the floor..

Sigh…I . feel . so . old …..

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Sekar Jagat Spa, Nusa Dua

USD 50 for 3 hours of spa package. USD 50 is the online price. It is more expensive for walk-in customer. I was very smart to book the spa online before flying to Bali. The best thing is, you don’t need to pay till you get there. ‘BESTEST’: Free pick-up from wherever you are! It took almost 45 minutes from our hotel to the spa!

The spa package consists of:
1) 1 hr of balinese massage
2) 30 mins of balinese lulur body scrub, then apply milk. (my skin was so smooth, clean and fair!)
3) 30 mins aromatic flower bath, served with ginger tea and butter cake.
4) 1 hr of traditional facial

Felt so funny to hold the cup and saucer with trembling hands while trying to balance myself in a HUGE and deep tub.

Huge right??

It was even funnier when the cake crumbs fell onto the flower petals.

The facial was very good, better than those commercial beauty saloons. They used towel to clean your face, no funky hi-tech machines and painful extraction, yet, our faces were instantly whitened, firmed and cleansed.

Actually, it took more 3 hours. By the time we finished, it was going to sunset. Luckily, the spa was very near to Jimbaran Bay, where we planned to have a sunset dinner at.

How romantic!

There were many restaurants along the beach. We just picked one when we reached there…and turned out that the food wasn’t good at all.

*Not very nice…and I was bitten by mosquitoes..*

The next day, we booked a cab (USD 45) for a half-day tour. The best place for sight-seeing is still the Bali volcano – Gunung Agung.

So beautiful…

Had our buffet lunch there. Very windy and cooling…

The expected one..

The locals were trying to sell us souvenirs, such as necklaces, sarongs, t-shirts and etc. They were very pushy! Even though we were already in our SUV, they were still trying to squeeze their stuff through the tiny window…WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING!!

We toured around Ubud and made a few stops at some tourist attractions..

Sukawati market. Every stall sells the same things. Bags, shoes, souvenirs…

A ‘mie’ stall

Art gallery

Batik workshop

Beer Tea samples: lemon grass tea, ginger tea, masala tea..etc etc.

The only reason for me to go back to Bali, is still for the SPA.

Posted under Travel | [7] Comments