save the bears

nothing sadder than a couple of bears just hanging around.

(pun was fully intended)

Lol

*heart*

we popped by a state-run orphanage only bout 5 mins away from our hotel, with 2 boxes of toys and clothes worth of donations from colleagues in Singapore. the kids are absolutely gorgeous. you know me and babies- can't get enough of them!

oh my- i love toddlers, but nothing can beat the newborns. i was allowed to hold onto one, who had just had a bath, a little girl. i seriously didn't want to let her go. if i could i'd bring her back to singapore, and love her just like my own, i would. hubby wants to adopt- and i think that's a great idea. we love kids, and why not provide a home for a kid that needs one. he want's to adopt a mongolian child- something about pink cheeks! lol. i'd settle for Vietnamese, they're soooo cute and absolutely pretty!

BUT, i want to have my own too- i want to experience pregnancy and childbirth. sigh...its Nov. i'd have been in my 7th month, counting down to the delivery. not too sad really, just a tinge, but ah well, can look forward to a cute niece/nephew to spoil instead! Must spoil the kid rotten! lol.

i want!

look- the eyes, just like my hubby!

*heart*

crazy morning!

woke up.
late.
passport?
in the car.
car?
with hubby.
where was hubby?
coaching.
where?
dunno.
call hubby.
no answer.
call hubby again.
no answer.
time?
should be at the airport in 0.5h.
call hubby again.
shut up lady gaga.
wonder why hubby wastes money paying M1 to play lady gaga when i'm ringing him.
panic.
panic.
panic.
call hubby friend.
toot toot.
panic.
dunno where hubby is coaching.
hyperventilate.
call coaching company.
said hubby maybe coaching at Bishan Stadium.
he not sure.
he don't know.
F***!
panic.
called imp, say i'll be late.
breathe.
breathe some more.
think about alternatives.
mobile rings.
hubby calls.
i yell.
click.
10 min later.
*honk*
hubby with passport.
phew.

stop panicking.
got in the cab.
airport here i come.

sudah tutup (already closed)

i did my research before heading out to Langkawi for the weekend- wanting to check out new eateries as Alee is quite adventurous with food. came across a 'not-to-be-missed' Thai restaurant 'Barn Thai' on the island, which is supposed to be right in the middle of a mangrove swamp. The reviews were really good on yahoo travel, tripadvisor etc.

So should check out right? Being the suaku traveller- OF COURSE mah!

So since the place was quite ulu, i downloaded the map from google maps, which had the point to point directions from our hotel to the restaurant. Alee and i set off at about 5pm, completely starved, and drove for a good 20 minutes towards the north-east side of the island (we were in the south-west).

When we got to that point which google map said the restaurant should be, we found nothing but the Langkawi Eco Park. When i asked a makcik if she knew where this restaurant was, she laughed out loud saying, ' Tempat tu dah tutup!'. By this time, i was starved and totally emotional- F*** lah...closed liao!

What to do? 

Drive another 15 min to Kuah Town to a seafood rest i visited before. Luckily the food was still good. Saved the day!

Bamboo Beach Restaurant
Turn left right after the Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall (from Kuah Town towards the Jetty Point),
Up the hill, and then lookout for signboards!

GOOD LUCK!

.

spread your wings and FLYYYY!

if you flap hard enough, you may just take off!

Berjaya ...untuk menawan hati saya (Victorious in winning over my heart!)

The eveel peeps recommended the Berjaya Resort and Spa to me when Alee and I were planning our holiday. And so, we said- Why not? It helped that there was an offer for 30% off or something like that for reservations made 2 months in advance!

Alee booked us in a premier suite, with a gorgeous sea view. With very comfy deck chairs on the verandah, it was a perfect place for us to chill with our books and take daytime naps while it rained, and the birds serenaded us to sleep. The eveel peeps warned us about the monkeys in the area, and so did the concierge- reminding us to always always keep the sliding doors and windows closed when we leave the room- just in case the monkeys decide to throw a party in our suite! But thankfully, none of the monkeys in the area decided to visit, although i could hear them from afar.

the view from our hotel room.

In fact, the morning before we left, we heard a frightfully scary sound, which made me run right back into the room and lock the sliding door tight. The concierge told me later that it was the sounds of a hornbill- pity we didn't get a chance to take a look since it was still dark. Sure would be pretty!

I'd love to come back to Berjaya Resort- it was such a treat with the sea before you, and the lush mountains behind the resort providing cool shelter. The beach is private and secluded and is really next to a Bay, so the waters are calm and perfect for all sorts of sea sports- if it was nice and hot i may have ventured out to sea- but with the light rains in the mornings and evenings, we were contented to stay in our hotel room, enjoying the view and enjoying our books!

But be warned- it's damn ULU. So make sure you rent a car, cos you'd regret it if you didn't. Unless of course you're quite contented to eat hotel food all day long- which at Berjaya is pretty reasonable in prices. Rent a car lah- its cheap and  Langkawi's really easy to navigate!

  gorgeous views from the hotel's beachfront!

.
.

Telaga Harbour Park- Langkawi

We chanced upon this harbour park last year, in our hunger, on the way back from the Langkawi cable car station. Looking for food, we found that the harbour park was a nice quaint little area- a kampung version of Cannes? lol.

check out the Fleur de Singapour!!

Anyway, the website tells of the vision of the harbour park:

"Welcome to Telaga Harbour - a gateway and destination for the many yachts plying the region. This safe and sheltered harbour that has evolved from a small fishing village, feature a self-contained township accessible both by road and sea. The facilities and services available also make it an ideal destination for transient, and home base to yachts of various sizes including mega yachts. The on water activity and yachts berthed at the harbour will provide picturesque background to the harbour, creating a lifestyle and attracting tourism. Telaga Harbour Park is the one and only such harbour town within the region."

 all empty shops!

Ya ya, very nice- but like a lot of beautifully penned visions- this vision didn't quite translate from paper to reality very well. The place is really pretty, that i must admit. But it's so sleepy, with very few shops opened and the place looking very run down since my last visit last year.

In fact, a condo building we saw last year under construction, is STILL under construction and seriously, it didn't look like there had been any progress at all since last March.

the Danna- Opening Soon (Yaah! Said the same thing in March last year!)

Alee said- 'Raining lah, how to work?'
Seriously?

 .

Mare Blu- the Italian Restaurant

On our way to our hotel in our beat up rented 1.5l Proton Wira, we stopped for lunch at Telaga Harbour Park. I recommended that we stop at Mare Blu, an Italian Restaurant, which i recalled (from my trip last year) was pretty decent.

I wasn't that hungry as i had wolfed down a curry puff just minutes before our plane took off from Changi International, so Alee and i decided to share a plate of clam pasta and a salad. Now, the pasta was gorgeous! I find pastas like this really tricky- either too dry, too tasteless, but this one hit the mark! It was yummilicious- with many many MANY plump juicy clams. I was slurping it up and certainly ate more than my entitled half portion.

The salad was another story completely- i was really disappointed, cos last year i ordered this same salad and it was beautiful with freshly shaved parmesan cheese. This time, it was obviously the bottled parmesan you find at Pizza Hut, etc. And dunno where they pulled out the salad leaves from lah...it was like eating a bush (almost came with its roots and all!).

Anyway, pasta was good, and salad was ok after you got used to the chomping on a bush feeling- certainly got my appetite going so we ordered a seafood pizza to top it all off. OH MY! YUMz...the mussels were plump and juicy, and the prawn was sweet. Alee didn't like the crab stick bits, but i did, as it soaked up all the tomato sauce and just dissolved in my mouth.

Yum! All for a decent 90 ringgit= SGD38.

Mare Blu

Italian Ristorante

Perdana Quay, Telaga Harbour Park

Langkawi Kedah 07000
Malaysia
Tel: (04) 9593830

AWOL

i've been away. a quick weekend getaway with the girlfriend in Langkawi. i had for almost 4 days, no internet connection although i had lugged my laptop all the way there. wasted.

anyways, i'll be blogging about my trip..so watch out for some of the next few posts.

but i'll leave you now, with a pic snapped on the tarmac, just before we climbed the stairs into the Air Asia flight bringing us home to Singapore. so sad right? the ah bengs and ah lians would have surely been a fun bunch to party with.

come to think of it, i wonder by ah bengs and ah lians, the malaysians were referring to Nestle Singapore?

'act hero'

don't you just love the Singapore law system and our high-court judges. i SALUTE Justice Chao Hock Tin for being able to connect with us everyday Singaporeans!

Best lah! He actually used the phrase 'Act Hero' in court!

the court case goes something like this-

There was once a silly man named Mr Lee. Because he was angry with a neighbour over an enbloc dispute decided to put glue in his neighbours locks. Of course he kena complained and then he got hauled to court. There, Justice Chao sentenced him to a fine of $1,260 on account of  his mischief. Mr Lee laughed it off telling reporters he spends more than that on one night of karaokeing. Waaah! This made many people unhappy. Even Justice Chao was unhappy. So since this Mr Lee talk so big and 'ACT HERO', Justice Chao decided to times four the fine to $4,800.

The funniest part about this was when Justice Chao explained the increase in fine.

Justice Chao asked Lee, 63, if he was a grandfather. When Lee said yes, the judge continued: 'We are supposed to act more responsibly. 'I would expect things like this to be said by a youngster trying to 'act hero'...but I don't expect such things to be said by you, especially after serious proceedings in court.'

See, this sort of language, everybody understand hor! Maybe if Justice Chao talk that sort of Singlish language like that to Mr Lee in the first place, maybe he don't act so hero right?

Wah liao- this Mr Lee very lucky never kena throw in jail one! =)

(See the full article here)

excited about scott bakula...

i'm so excited about The Informant! not so much about the movie or about Matt Damon, although the trailer looks good and it's received good reviews, but because of Scott Bakula!

when i think about Scott Bakula, i think about Quantum Leap the tv series from so long ago that it feels like it was from another lifetime! now even though he did play Captain Jonathan Archer in Star Trek Enterprise, it was really him in Quantum Leap that left such a great impression! although he was super sexy in the startrek uniform lah....

There is something about this man that is just so SEXXAYYY! yeah, say it with me- SEXXAYYY! not in the macho kind of way, but in the sensitive intelligent kinda way. there's something about his voice that is just so calming and makes something deep deep down inside of me quiver. just thinking about it makes me tingle. I remember wishing he'd Quantum Leap right onto my lap and change my life FOREVER!

i know i know he's had some roles on tv and has made some appearances, but nothing substantial if i can recall. this is the first movie in a long long while...and lagi better- he's gotten older...and i'm sure so much sexier....now if only he'd start balding....

*growl*

my milkshake brings all the boys and the girls...

was on course at Tanjong Pagar today so i stole the opportunity to have lunch with Alee who works nearby. we spent lunchtime gushing about how excited we are about our all girls weekend this friday in Langkawi- we just can't wait.

then she brought me to check out a hot new ice-cream milkshake shoppe called 'Once Upon a Milkshake' at maxwell house (or the white house). oooh i'm supposed to be watching my waistline but i really couldn't resist. the shop decor was simple and non-fussy, clean white with a dash or royal purple which fit the theme of the restaurant which revolved around fairy-type tales.

with flavours like chocolate truffle castle, sir cookies and cream, grumbly raisins- choosing a flavour is like visiting fairy folk and creatures. i had the chocolate truffle castle which was really good- the chocolate was nice and thick, and not too sweet, with a sprinkle of mini choc chips on the top. it was smooth, rich and pleasant. alee had the sir cookies and creams, and she hadn't a complaint.

the best part is the little mini-cup that you can order for $3.30. you feel like you get a slice of heaven, without compromising too much of your diet, you know? and it's good to order a mini, cos after one sip- you just can't stop!

Pacquiao-Cotto - the big fight!

Spent the Sunday morning, cold and all, at my brother's place watching the BIG BIG BOXING match!

Aiyar- i've never been a real boxing fan really. Still am not, really, except i do like Manny the Pacman Pacquiao. Bro introduced me to him last year before his last big fight with Hammon, and though i did hear about his fight with Cotto in the news i didn't expect that we'd be able to catch it on HBO pay per view this time.

We arrived early this morning for blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs while bro screened the 24/7 pre-match build up docu-show about the 2 boxers (which he got from god knows where? HBO probably). Help set the context and give you an inside look into their pre-match preparations. How could you not feel for Manny who was training in Philippines with the backdrop of the typhoon and floods which hit Phillippines? I was set to cheer on Manny, anyway he fellow Asian what (plus i have a whee lil crush on his coach- heh)!

But wahliao- the guy is a fighter lah. He was amazing..although i still don't understand why people would box. I think a boxer's IQ drops 5 points everytime he steps into the ring and get his head boxed in. =(

but good to watch. poor cotto kena beat up teruk man! he was bleeding all over the ring. my sis-in-law kept squealing everytime blood squirted across the screen. Match lasted 11 rounds. And the referee stopped the match on a technical knock-out cos poor Cotto looked like his head was going to get pummelled off. Aiyor these people and their pride, i'd have been on my knees begging for mercy in the first round- "tolong, tolong jangan pukul saya lagi!" (imagine saying that in a puerto-rican accent, hahahah)

Now that Manny has won Cotto, the fans want him to fight Mayweather. cool- looking forward to that- bro said he'd throw a big big party for that fight.

yaay!


Photos: Pacquiao-Cotto - latimes.com

Posted using ShareThis

can eveeleva pull off a madoff?

i've been telling everyone that i want to start my own ponzi scheme. and with this book which i think is the first book about madoff published, and i'm sure with many more to come in future, i will learn his weaknesses and flaws, benefit from hindsight and successfully ponzi off more than $65 billion bucks and live a life of luxury. *eveel laugh*

so arvedlund must be making big bucks off this book. and how did she get to write a book so quickly? simple- she's a journalist who wrote an investigative piece about madoff and his hedge-fund in 2001. And in 2001 she had already found something suspicious about his activities and realised that there was something illegal about it. his numbers just didn't square off. apparently, there were more than just arvedlund who felt that way about madoff's operations, and had reported to the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) that they suspected that madoff wasn't what or who he claimed to be. but madoff had EVERYONE eating out of his hands.

i enjoyed parts of the book- understanding madoff's history and how he had spearheaded electronic trading and subsequently built a sturdy and dependable reputation for himself. he did have a successful trading business under his belt before starting a side-line hedge fund operation. but the book did feel a little thin most of the time, spending a lot of pages elaborating about others who had fed into his hedge-fund and stories of major victims to his scheme. it is still early on, and only so much juice can be uncovered in such a short time i suppose.

but the book does give insights into how he got away with it for so many years. what amazed me was how he kept people around him satisfied, so satisfied that it was not in their favour to ask questions. how he managed to build people's trust and how his circle of influence extended beyond him. he had people who trusted him so much that they recommended others to invest with him, no questions asked. he didn't even have to do his own ponzi-ing, his would-be victims helped him grow his scheme bigger that i think even he expected for it to grow.

the other thing that i appreciated from his experience was the importance to call it quits when you have to- not in 2009 mind you, but earlier on, when he first made a loss. madoff claims that it was in 93 (some speculate that it happened earlier, in the early 80s), when he made a loss, then just ploughed new investments into covering his losses, but putting on paper that he had always been winning. i'm sure losing them, owning up then maybe losing his business then, would be less shameful than what's happened now.

it does also touch on the issue of greed. and how greediness does compel us to not see or hear some things, and pretend, as long as we profit from it, that all is ok.

I leave you with my favourite quote from the book, that has given me much food for thought.

" It was a sleight of hand. A sort of kabuki theater," said Robert Macmahon. "The eye sees, the ear hears and the brain believes".

so. does anyone want to invest in this new start-up hedge fund. if you are, do email me. the market is bouncing back and it'll be a good time to profit from it. *eveel snicker*

patuxay

i decided to walk to the WB office for my meeting on the last day of my trip. partially to save USD6 in tuk-tuk fare, partially because i think i need the exercise and partially because i wanted one last chance to savour my last morning in Vientiane.

i did not regret the 5km return trip from the hotel to the WB office as it gave me a chance to take a closer look at the Patuxay or the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane. i've seen it from moving vehicles from afar, but never had the chance to admire it from up close. was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful interior-the colours still vivid.

beautiful.

simple childhoods

what i appreciated most during my trip to Vientiane is the simplicity of childhood. Its so pleasing for me to know that somewhere out in the big wide world that there are children who are still able to enjoy the simplicities of life and find joy in the simplest of activities. Lao kids don't need Wii or PSP or X-box or Nintendo to have a good time.

My favourite game at the night festival we visited was a simple simple game of 'toss the pail'. very simple funfair activity. first, layout drink packets and bottled fizzy drinks in a grid. prepare some shallow pails, and get the kids to try and throw the pail over the packets or bottles. If they manage, they win whatever the pail manages to 'capture'.

see how happy they look?

it's not that easy, the poor kid misses!

when i have kids, my kids will play games like these. no wii, xbox, psp (etc, etc) if i have anything to say about it. of course, i'll have to convince hubby who just loves all these electronic games. i really think that you'd have easier to please and less demanding kids if you start by not spoiling them and getting them to appreciate the simple things in life. not kids who expect the latest gadgets and toys all the time. i'm not saying that you're wrong if you want to spoil your kids with such toys- i think everyone has the right to raise their kid whichever way they want. i just want grounded children who know how to have fun even if its with a couple of bottles and a shallow pail.

smokin smell

the two things i don't enjoy about Vientiane is the smells that cling onto my clothes at the end of the day and the dust.

the smells don't start off badly. mostly from the barbeques that litter the side streets. they're really scrumptious smells when you're off to lunch. doesn't help that i like to get the camera up close to take a few snaps. but once i get back to the hotel, the smell of the barbeque lingers on and irritates the hell out of me. especially when i've just put on something fresh and clean. you just can't get enough mileage out of your clothes here- no way i can wear something out to lunch, come back to the hotel to get some work done and then wear it out again for dinner. no way, unless i want my dinner companions to think i've been slaving over  a barbeque over dinner. i'll definitely pack more tops on my next trip.

the other is the dust. aiyor my bright turquoise blue crocs became dusty grey in a matter of minutes on the streets. it's all the construction, especially with the sea games coming up- there's something being constructed on every block. and they just leave the sand and bricks and other dust generating stuff on the road sides- just like that! yikes..maybe that's why my nose started acting up and i suffered from a sorethroat. maybe it was all that dust.

yeesh...still i LURVE Vientiane!  *hee*

sunset over the mekong

just stunning, don't you think?

night market...

Vientiane is a really small town...it's really walkable. almost everything is within walking distance. last night we walked and walked, and somewhere between chinatown and the hotel we stumbled across a pasar malam (night-market). i love love love pasar malams especially those that just sell food and nothing else.

the eveel peeps are always delighted when we stumble across them on holidays as it really gives you a flavour of what local life and tastes are all about. the makan-pasarmalam in lao is really very unique. i came across food items that i've never found in other pasarmalams in the region. there was cockles, fried mekong fish, local salads and belacan and even balut!

i really really missed the eveel peeps while i oohed, aahhed and salivated at the sight of all the gorgeous food. i'd love it if the eveel peeps would come with moi to Vientiane, to sample all the local delights. it was just different and not as much fun without them.

ah well..maybe next time?

Settha Palace so Smelly

my 2 friends are staying at Settha Palace hotel where our client is putting them up.

"Built in the early part of the last century, circa 1932, and painstakingly restored to its former imperial glory, the Settha Palace Hotel serves as a testament to the long lost era of classical elegance, gracious service and French colonial charm."

It looks super charming outside. During my last trip, i stood before its grounds imagining that i stood in a batik sarong, my long charcoal black hair flowing down my bare honey-coloured shoulders, while the sweet smell of the frangipani flower tucked behind my ears wafted across to the 'mat salleh' that sat in his crisp white suite decorated with golden buttons sipping his English Breakfast Tea from the verandah of the hotel. He'd take one look at the sweet native Malay girl by the roadside, selling pisang goreng (no less), and fall instantly AND deeply in love with her.With one look, their eyes locked as they gazed deeply into each other's soul as if not an inch separated them. In an instant they knew that their love was doomed, for he was to leave by steamship to mother England the very next day, while her penghulu father would rather die than let his only daugther be stolen away by the English Devil (who are just as bad as the Red Devils!)

but i disgress.


lol... seriously. i went to visit the hotel BECAUSE it was so charming the last time. But i took one step into the lobby and made an immediate U-turn, cos in these romantic daydreams, they always leave out the musty smells of old buildings. Pooi! Not so romantic now huh?

So I refused to stay at Settha Palace Hotel- don't think i can live with the smell! But oh, i checked out my friends room- its quite nice lah! =) in fact the toilet is much more modern than the hotel i'm staying at now. but i still won't stay there..it's the smell lah!...eeks

Sabaidee Cafe along the Mekong

Cyn brought David and me to Sabaidee Cafe (also along the riverfront) for an avocado milkshake. She said that she's been told that it's to die for. She had a watermelon juice while David, who's having a bad throat had some herbal tea which is supposed to help relieve the soreness (i'll check back in tom with a status update of David's sore throat).

Sabaidee Cafe serves like every variety of Dilmah tea that you can imagine, they also have great fruit juices including dragon fruit juice and beetroot juice! It also has loads of coffee and some cakes.They also serve cooked food but seriously, you'd rather go somewhere else to have a meal. This place is perfect for juices- especially if you're new to Vientiane and afraid to test your tummies with the roadside stalls.

I LOVED the Avocado juice. It's different from the Indon Apokat version which has gula melaka and coconut milk. This wasn't as sweet and tasted..hmm..purer...i like! For 2 juices and a cup of tea- i paid USD4. Wah liao- in Singapore that Avocado juice alone would have cost me that much! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Vientiane!

halal food

vientiane has so many halal food options i tell ya that it's crazy. it's really good- wish Vung Tau (where i'm headed in 2 weeks) was as good with halal food options. Tonight, i found 3 new halal food joints, 2 of them just along the river front.

this is a new Turkish joint just across from Taipan Hotel. looked a bit deserted though. may try it tomorrow.

don't be fooled by the big Beer Lao advert on this signboard. The Shade is actually a halal arab joint with falafels and the works. Don't fault this halal estabishment lah, they also need to 'cari makan' you know?

This is along the mekong river.

And Nazim's- halal Indian food, which is also along the river, is highly recommended. Food is good and the ambience really nice. Even comes with a prata man out front- you can get your banana prata fix and even ovaltine prata!!! YumZ!

My collection of halal food places in Vientiane is certainly growing!

frog skin anybody

Deep fried frog skin anybody?

Just last week i was watching my favourite Anthony Bourdaine talk about eating deep fried frog skin and tonight it was served on a platter before me. i don't eat frog lah. so tak halal! but it was quite a spectacle. Just like keropok lah or crispy salted fish! Must be quite yum i suppose but eeeee so eeky looking. I wonder if imp would eat any?

 

I stuck to lovely sticky rice with some fish salads and the gorgeous lao type belacan. yum yum! tonights dinner was so much better than khop chao deu which is so touristy! must spread the word. the friends also had tongue steak- beef. was double yum (they said)!

Nakhambang Lao Food and Restaurant

37 Khounboulorn Rd

5 Unit Ban Watchanh

Tel: 856-21-217198

hot now cold...

oh my...it's toasting hot here in Vientiane. the sun was high in the sky while i walked to my first meeting today, barely half an hour after landing in this city and checking into Lao Plaza hotel. what's going on man? it's supposed to be winter season around the corner not crazy hot summer.

still, the temperature turns quite quickly too in the evening. it goes nowhere near cold or chilly, but the difference in temperature is quite remarkable. after our meeting, we headed to nearby Nirvana spa for a 2 hour traditional Lao massage. The room, starting out to be quite warm, turned quite chilly without my noticing (seeing that i was in an absolute state of nirvana having the knots in my back straightened out). I think i caught myself a cold- cos right after the massage up till now- i've been sneezing like noone's business. SUCKS lah!

But Nirvana spa is really good, better than Champa Spa that i tried out the last time i was here. Just USD14 for a 2 hour massage! woot woot!

Just across from Lao Plaza hotel, try it out!

killed by toilet

i was more afraid, than fascinated, of the toilet bowl at the royal silk thai biz class lounge at thailand's suvanarbhumi aiport. it's shape reminded me of the insect-eating plant....ahh the pitcher plant me thinks. i hesitated planting my bum on it, afriad that it would gobble me up. silly i know.

elephant gun...

met a leader who shared a story with me. it was his 'elephant gun' story. he said he had shared this story with a meeting and it had spread like wildfire after. it goes something like this...

" i was watching a documentary the other day about a herd of elephants making its way across the african plains. one of the baby elephants in the herd was injured and couldn't walk very well. It seemed to be dragging itself along on its knees. the documentary shared that the herd would wait for its injured member for about a day. if the injured member, baby or not, couldn't keep up after a day, they'd just abandon it. now, i won't be so cruel. i'd definitely be more patient and give more time, certainly more than a day. but after a few days, if it still couldn't keep up, i wouldn't be so heartless to abandon it to die, i'd take out a gun, shoot and kill it. no point prolonging the pain."

wah liao- was my first reaction.

last night, for some reason or the other i was thinking about this story again and reflecting on whether i was or could be that sort of leader. i think things would be simpler for me if i were like that. get rid of those who slow you down. but i'm not and i don't think i should be. i think if you had asked me a few years earlier, maybe right out of grad school, i could be so heartless. but i'm not the same person anymore, and over the years i've learnt to value diversity in all senses of the word and i think everyone has something to contribute, as long as they want to contribute.

i mean its different, if that little elephant was fooling around and just trying to make life difficult for everyone, and divert the others from their goal. but if it was really injured, disadvantaged and helpless, how could you fault it. and what happens if i, for some reason or the other, fail to perform one day. would i then expect that my leader show me mercy and patience, when i may not have earlier?

i think, as a leader, i'd rather compromise achieving our goals than have to sacrifice a team member. i think the means are as important as the ends. Of course, you'd also have to balance the needs and aspirations of the entire team. i suppose that is what makes leadership so so challenging. Anyhow, i'd rather be remembered as a leader or friend, who stuck with the team, even the most disadvantaged, than a leader who achieved all that she set out to,  but had to resort to using the elephant gun.

feeling..

aiyor...i'm so spoilt by SQ lah. flew Thai airways today to Bangkok and later to Vientiane (i'm stuck at Suvanarbhumi airport as my connecting flight has been delayed. *groan*). No krisflyer screen lor...no movies and comedies to watch during the 2.5h flight except for the big screen up front for everyone to see.

but i disgress...

the flight screened a CNN snippet- Exclusive with A.R Rahman, the oscar winning composer of Slumdog Millionaire. Now this peaked my interest and i looked hurriedly for the earphones that i had chucked aside earlier. Although I didn't like the movie as much as i enjoyed the soundtrack, i was certainly interested to hear what this man had to say. It made for a pretty interesting interview. When he was asked, how he keeps his material fresh and new as opposed to stale and recycled, he basically says, 'You feel it.'

Made me think lah...when was the last time i 'felt', you know? I envied his passion, how he 'felt' rather than thought. I mean i like and sometimes feel I love what i do, but there's this passion about me that has died or at least become muted over the years.

I need to get excited about something. And i've got something up my sleeve. but its about timing and resources and convincing my hubby that it would be a worthwhile endeavour. need his support as i see him as a pivotal part of it. i need to 'feel' alive again!

sooner rather than later...i hope.

durian fruitbasket?

fruitbaskets- you'd expect apples, oranges, pears, bananas, grapes, mangoes or even dragonfruit. but durians? seriously- have you ever received a fruit-basket with a durian in it? no right?

well this one had one. one nice looking durian. my durian obsessed hubby was so delighted about it that he went over to smell it- he said it was definitely ripe and if we were able to distract other people's attention while he stole it away- that we'd be able to feast on it later.

*lol*

buttons

we swung by Erds place to pick him up on the way to purplyshira's wedding. before he even managed to park his bumbum in the car, he yelled out,

--> korang ada butang tak? (translation: you all have buttons or not?).

in unison we replied,

--> butang? (translations: buttons?)

apparently, Erd got the memo late that the friends of the bride were to wear Indian inspired outfits. He was only told minutes before we were scheduled to pick him up.  Although he managed to find a kurta to wear, alas there were no buttons to be found anywhere. He also thought it would just be inappropriate for him to appear with a sexy buttonless kurta which would reveal his sexy chest (and what little chest hair he had).

Good friends that we were told him to shut up and just go buttonless. it was fine really, i think it worked in his favour. As it was quite a warm afternoon, and he had extra ventilation being buttonless and all. *lol*

purplyshira's wedding day

spent late afternoon at simei at purplyshira's wedding. the hdb void deck was all prettied up in her signature purple. the transformation was quite remarkable- a drab hdb void deck turned overnight into plush royal purple almost club-like atmospherics.

eveeleva *like*. eveeleva also liked the food very very much! nasi rawon, roti kirai and even laksa! too bad i'm flying off early tom morning to Vientiane and will miss the massive wedding luncheon. i'm sure the food will be to die for.

nevermind, i have my USD10 massage to look forward to tomorrow!

Congrats again purplyshira and muhammad the hubby! =)