Hello, My Name Is Alice

Wordless Wednesday: The Khoo Kongsi Kitchen

2012-01-04T18:23:00.004+08:00

It's Wednesday once again and that calls for another post for Wordless Wednesday. For those who are familiar with the Khoo Kongsi in Penang, yes, this is the kitchen area of one of the most distinctive Chinese clan associations in Malaysia. I've done quite a few posts on Khoo Kongsi, so please click here to see more of the story, the carvings, the structure, and so on.

This is a replica of the old red bricks Chinese kitchen with open wood stoves.

Isn't this pretty? I loved the floral patterns on it.

This stone grinder (I'm not sure of its exact name), is HUGE and HEAVY. I could barely moved it when I tried to. I wonder how the folks back then worked it.

Click on the link "Older Post" below to view more posts.

Romance Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-28T15:48:00.003+08:00

Yes! I'm participating again after taking a break in 2011. I haven't picked out the novels that I'd like to read for this challenge, so I'll let my heart lead me to wherever it wants to take me to.

For more details, please check out Naida's blog at the bookworm. Here are the rules:

The challenge runs from January 1st, 2012 through December 31st, 2012.
"Romance" isn't limited to steamy Harlequin novels. There is a huge selection of books in this category such as contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance to name a few. As long as the story has romantic love between the two main characters your selection will fit this challenge. The novels do not need to have a happy ending either, there can also be unrequited love.
Choose at least 5 novels to read. You can change your choices at any time. Crossovers between other challenges are fine. All kinds of books count such as eBooks, Audiobooks...etc. If you are looking for suggested reading see Best Romance Novels Today, Romance Novels on Wiki or Best Romance Stories. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with Jane Austen, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks and Georgette Heyer.
Read the books at your own pace in 2012 then post the link to your review(s). You don't need to have a blog, posting your reviews on Goodreads and LibraryThing counts as well.

Click on the link "Older Post" below to view more posts.

THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown

2011-12-27T11:13:00.007+08:00

When I saw my friend Hanson Tan posted a status update of Facebook saying he's now reading The Lost Symbol, I couldn't resist the urge to ask if he would like to do a joint-reading with me. To my delight, he agreed and off we go embarking on an exciting and thrilling journey of codes, secrets and unseen truths, all set within the hidden chambers, tunnels and temples of Washington, D.C.

The Lost Symbol is a follow-up to The Da Vinci Code and it was indeed my plan to first read the latter. However, I reckoned there is nothing wrong with jumping the queue by reading The Lost Symbol first, so I threw all caution to the wind and started the puzzle-driven journey with Hanson.

Revisiting Robert Langdon is a mind-blowing experience and an educational one, as well. My first time getting to know the Harvard professor of 'Religious Symbology' was during Angels and Demons. In The Lost Symbol, I was exposed to the influence of Freemasonry on America's Founding Fathers, the Masonic architecture of Washington D.C., characters such as the German artist Albrecht Durer (and his work Melencolia I) and the tattooed villain, Mal'akh. Dan Brown cleverly weaves all of these elements together, making subjects that I would not otherwise be interested in, into something that is fast-paced, thrilling, and intellectually stimulating.

As in all Langdon stories, there is a female lead in them. We get Katherine Solomon in The Lost Symbol. She is a fifty years old woman, beautiful, and is a leading researcher of Noetic Science. Almost murdered from the start by Mal'akh, she manages to escape and finds Langdon. Her brother, Peter Solomon, is already captured and when his severed hand—tattooed to resemble 'the Hand of the Mysteries'—turns up at the U.S. Capitol Building, the frenzy begins.

***

Now, if you would like to further explore the history and ideas underpinning The Lost Symbol, you may want to read Behind the Lost Symbol by Tim Collins, as well. The book gives readers insights into the rituals, the settings, the symbols, the history, and the science behind the book. Collins also referenced the chapters in the novel so you would know exactly what happened where. For example,

The Great Architect of the Universe. In Chapter 6 of The Lost Symbol, Robert Langdon speaks positively about the religious tolerance and open-minded attitudes of the Freemasons. He says that to keep the fraternity open to men of all different faiths, they use the general term 'The Great Architect of the Universe' (also known as the Grand Architect of the Universe).

The Hand of the Mysteries. In Chapter 13 of The Lost Symbol, Robert Langdon realizes that Peter Solomon's severed hand has been tattooed to resemble 'the Hand of the Mysteries', an ancient summons to an initiate to receive secret knowledge.

***

Have you read The Lost Symbol? If yes, how do you find it?

Click on the link "Older Post" below to view more posts.

In the Mood for... Coffee

2011-12-16T19:14:00.007+08:00

Something old: I like the mood that's projected in this picture. I was peeking through the window into this cafe with Chong when we were exploring Muntri Street in Penang, and couldn't resist taking a shot of it. I could imagine walking up the wooden stairs (would they creak as my feet touch each step up the way?)... The stuff in the premise look old and antiquated but still very appealing. The red thermos, the hanging baskets, the stand fan... The sunlight. Too bad it was closed on the day of our visit. I would definitely like to enjoy a cup of coffee in a place like this.

Click on the link "Older Post" below to view more posts.

Wordless Wednesday: Seeing Red

2011-12-16T18:37:00.003+08:00

I'm late for this week's edition of Wordless Wednesday, but better late than never! Here is another set of pictures taken during my walk-around in Penang with Chong. They were taken at the Penang Hainan Association Thean Hou Temple. I'm seeing red!

Click on the link "Older Post" below to view more posts.

Mailbox Monday: Of e-Books, Audiobooks and Something Borrowed

2011-12-12T03:50:00.011+08:00

It's been weeks since my last Mailbox Monday posts (I was on a book-buying ban) and during the absence I have acquired quite a few books of various versions from Audible.com (for audiobooks) and for my Kindle (e-books), all between October and November.

Here are the Jo Nesbø novels (Audible.com):

And, the other titles also from Audible.com:

For my Kindle, I got myself the following books from Amazon.com:

Something borrowed:

My friend Khoo has also so kindly lent me a novel titled A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute (thanks, Khoo!). I can't wait to get started as the story is set in Malaya when the Japanese invasion begins. The protagonist is Jean Paget, a strong and courageous young woman who joins a group of other women and children when she is captured by the Japanese, and becomes the leader of these prisoners. She meets and forms a bond with Joe Harman, an Australian prisoner, who steals food for them and is horrifically punished for that. The Times describes the book as "A ripping tale of budding romance and grace under pressure."

***

On the reading-front, I'm currently enjoying two books: The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng, which I'm totally in love with (Penangites will appreciate the book and the beautiful, descriptive narrative by the author who is a fellow Malaysian like me); and The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, which is a fun joint-reading with Hanson into the intriguing world of Freemasonry, Noetic Science, suspense... (I'm currently at Chapter 26 and we have agreed to finish at Chapter 40 before deciding on our next "destination").

I wish all my bookish friends happy reading!

Click on "Older Posts" to view more posts.

Wordless Wednesday: Golden

2011-12-07T00:23:00.002+08:00

Wordless Wednesday: A Walk in the Park @ DESA PARKCITY

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000+08:00

Reading Challenge: What's in a Name 5

2011-11-24T21:36:00.010+08:00

For 2012, I have made the decision to be active once again in reading challenges. With this resolution in mind, What's in a Name 5 will be the first I am signing up for. I came across the reading challenge at Beth Fish Reads.

Here's How It Works

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title:
Dune by Frank Herbert.
A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title:
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami, and
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.
A book with a creepy crawly in the title:
To be decided.
A book with a type of house in the title:
Safe House by Nicci French
A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title:
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title:
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category. Please visit Beth Fish Reads for more details.

I can't find any title for the category creepy crawly, so I'll decide later. I don't have to make a list of books beforehand but completing it now sort of gave me a sense of structure and order. Haha!

Wordless Wednesday: The Lotuses of Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

2011-11-23T00:00:00.000+08:00

My Bucket List

2011-11-21T22:38:00.004+08:00

We’ve all got one. I was inspired to do mine when I stumbled across Carol's post. A bucket list. A list of things we want to do, or see, or accomplish, or taste, or feel, or try in our lifetime.

Here’s my bucket list of 15 THINGS:

Learn to drive a car
Learn music theory
Play the guitar
Dance hip hop
Run a half-marathon
Run a full-marathon
Master yoga
Southeast Asia tour
Live in a beautiful cottage up in a hill or by the countryside with my cats and dogs
Write and speak Mandarin
Learn massage (I need to find me a willing guinea pig)
Write a book
Watch the entire Three Kingdoms TV drama
Fall in love
Learn how to cook a signature meal, from appetizer through dessert

Do you have a bucket list? How about sharing your 15 items?

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: The Story

2011-11-20T17:37:00.009+08:00

Legendary in the annals of the history of Penang is the awe-inspiring Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Leith Street. Dubbed "La Maison Bleu", this flamboyant masterpiece of 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 windows took a very special man to create. Arriving penniless from Guandong province, China, to this part of the world at the age of 16, Cheong Fatt Tze grew to become one of the most historic and colorful personalities of the era. "One of China's last Mandarins and 1st Capitalists", such was his aura and fame that Dutch and British authorities ordered that flags be flown at half mast throughout their colonies when he passed away in 1916.

Of his vast empire, Cheong Fatt Tze chose Penang to build the most elaborate of his homes and to raise his sons. It is reputed to be the only one of two such buildings of this size, outside China and certainly most perfected. While the Mansion's floor-plan is essentially Chinese, the overall effect is eclectic and typical of 19th Century Straits Settlements architecture. Gothic louvered windows, Chinese cut-and-paste porcelain work, Stoke-on-Trent floor tiles, Scottish cast iron works and Art Nouveau stain glass are among the features to be found in this inspired work of art. The aura and "chi" of the man pervades the entire edifice.

The above is an excerpt from the lovely bookmark handed out when entry tickets were purchased. The tickets cost MYR12 or approximately US$4 each.

I had a wonderful time exploring the Mansion with Chong last Wednesday. The guided tour was informative and the guide was a great storyteller. She told the story of how Mr Cheong established his presence in Penang and the eight wives he married, of which only the picture of the seventh wife is available. I had to keep reminding myself to not let my jaws hang loose because I was awed by the place. The high ceilings have beautiful peony motives and I almost jumped in excitement. I love, love, love peonies. Everything was well laid out and feng shui elements very strong. A fluffy cat even strutted around and came to say hello to everyone of us by "greeting" us personally. I love that furry fellow.

Chong was once a resident of the Mansion; he and his father were born there. His grandfather worked in the mansion. While the guided tour was going on, he was exploring the area on his own. I could see him walking here and there, looking this way and that. I wonder what was going through his mind when he was back in the place he grew up in. Before the guided tour started at 11 a.m. he showed me around outside the Mansion. He pointed to where his room was, the rooms where his brother, mother and grandmother stayed, the spot where once it was a pond the horses washed, and so on. It was a very special visit.

Below is a collage of shots I took of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. This is another set of pictures apart from the one featured in the post by Ah Yang the Sheep. Click here for that post.

Coming up for Wordless Wednesday are the pictures of lotuses in the courtyard or garden. They're gorgeous!

P/S: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is now also a heritage boutique hotel. For enquiries, call +604 262 0006 or e-mail cftm@tm.net.my or visit their website at www.cheongfatttzemansion.com. They are located at 14 Leith Street, 10200 Penang, MALAYSIA.

Related Post: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, in which Ah Yang the Little Sheep Blogs...

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, in which Ah Yang the Little Sheep Blogs...

2011-11-17T18:38:00.014+08:00

Hello, I am Ah Yang the Little Sheep and here I am blogging once again under the supervision of my "godma", Alice. In my second post and first for Wordless Wednesday, I will tell you how excited Alice was when she visited the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. She went there with Chong, my Daddy. (Yes, I have two dads. My other daddy is Ty whom I talked about in my Hiking Penang Hill post.)

Alice said: "I was super excited about Wednesday because it was the day I went to the "Blue Mansion" with my friend, Chong." What made it even more exciting was my Daddy (and his daddy) was born in the mansion, so this visit was special. My Daddy's grandfather was one of the workers there serving the Cheong household. Alice will tell you more of the history of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in her next post. Meanwhile, enjoy the pictures!

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the magnificent Blue Mansion. Indigo blue is the color. If you look at the two windows with white curtains, the one on the left closer to the dark blue wall used to be Daddy's room.

From the picture above, if you look up to the far left, this is what you will see. It is really too bad that visitors cannot take pictures of the interior. Alice said this is the best she can do at the moment. To be able to do interior photography, a written permission must be obtained from the Management Office.

Mossy ground. While exploring this area, Daddy and Alice were attacked by mosquitoes and the little blood suckers literally attached themselves to their bodies. Alice got it real bad from them.

The garden.

Alice just smurf all that blue! (Me, too...)

The lantern is original way back from the good old days.

These trishaws were from the days of filming the 1992 movie "Indochine" at the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion starring Catherine Deneuve.

The trishaws all lined up.

The promise of beauty. You will see the full bloom ones in the next Wordless Wednesday! Alice will be in-charged of that one.

Isn't this awesome?

That is all. I hope you have enjoyed the post! I'm getting better at this. Who says sheeps can't blog? *GRIN* (Alice: Thank you, Ah Yang. Good job!)

I DON'T KNOW YOU BUT LET ME SAVE YOU by Hoong Ling

2011-11-15T09:59:00.010+08:00

“For most Malaysians, organ donation remains an idea far removed from their everyday lives. Until they need one. Hoong Ling has managed to demystify the whole process of organ donation, from signing the pledge to actually donating one, in an easy, even humorous, way. Hopefully this will encourage more Malaysians to pledge their organs and help save lives...”

Marina Mahathir
Women's Right Activist

Hoong Ling is a friend I met during a few conferences where both of us were invited as guest speakers. I am glad to be her friend and she is a down-to-earth, funny and friendly person. She is engaging and one can easily sense her sincerity in the cause she believes in, and that is organ donation. When she published her book, I Don't Know You But Let Me Save You, I was elated and did not hesitate to get a copy for myself.

On January 14, 2009, Hoong Ling parted with sixty percent of her liver to save a child's life. Lee An Qi was the girl who received the gift of life. She wrote this book to promote awareness of organ donation and hopes that her story will encourage more people to come forward and pledge their organs. In her book, Hoong Ling systematically breaks her book into three parts:

PART ONE: Organ Donation and My Life. Here, she tells the story of her journey with wit and humor. She describes the six stages she had to go through from the initial matching tests to post-operation. Potential donors will be able to learn about what to expect if they were to donate their liver. She has done all the homework and actually went under the knife for it. What makes the story real is that she also talks about her own self-doubts and many times she feels like chickening out, but the thought of saving a life and the expenses An Qi's family had incurred to perform tests on her, strengthens her to go through with it.
PART TWO: More on Organ Donation. Hoong Ling addresses the many questions about organ donation and relation information in the form of easy to digest "Frequently Asked Questions".
PART THREE: How You Can Pledge. This section contains forms for readers to pledge to donate their organs after death. Hoong Ling hopes that readers will complete the form, cut out the donor card and carry it with them at all times.

I have created a Wordle to illustrate the parts of organs and tissues that we can donate after death. Quoting Hoong Ling: Our body is like a car. Parts of a car may be reused in another car, just like our body. When we die, the "spare parts", our organs, can still stay in this world to continue serving others.

I am inspired by Hoong Ling and will be pledging my organs. I may pass away but my body parts can continue to give life to others. This also reminded me to keep my body healthy and fit, so that the living will get the best of me.

You can purchase the book at MPH Bookstores or MPH online.

Related Post: Special Appearance by Chew Hoong Ling

Wordless Wednesday: All About Lanterns

2011-11-09T00:02:00.001+08:00

After a one-week break from Khoo Kongsi, it is back and this time featuring the beautiful, elaborate lanterns found there (last week's Wordless Wednesday was a picture of a pair of pigeons). They are beautiful and since I love lanterns, I took my time admiring them. Here they are for your enjoyment, too.

Wordless Wednesday: The Pigeons of Penang

2011-11-02T00:02:00.000+08:00

Wednesday was a day of fun exploring Penang with my friend, Chong. We walked the streets and lanes of Lebuh Muntri, Love Lane, and Lebuh Farquhar. We visited the Thean Hou Temple, The Carpenter's Guild, and a few other sites. I will be showing more pictures in the upcoming Wordless Wednesday posts. Meanwhile, here's a pigeon for you with rice grains in its beak...

P/S: I know, I know... It's not a very Wordless Wednesday, this post. *GRIN*

Books I Read in 2011: October

2011-10-31T00:02:00.001+08:00

One Day by David Nicholls
Tiger, Tiger: A Memoir by Margaux Fragoso

Total books for October 2011: 2
Total books for 2011: 21

George Town Literary Festival

2011-10-29T01:08:00.006+08:00

I'm really excited about this! This will definitely be a part of my "Penang Adventures" and since I rely on public transportation, I'd be researching on how to get there by bus. It's held over two days on 26th and 27th November 2011, at China House and the E&O Hotel, George Town, PENANG. My camera and I, we will be having a good time.

Head over to the festival blog for more information on the event.

In conjunction with this, I will be reading Tan Twan Eng's The Gift of Rain. Here is the blurb from the back cover:

Penang, 1939. Sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton is a loner. Half English, half Chinese and feeling neither, he discovers a sense of belonging in an unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat. Philip shows his new friend around his adored island of Penang, and in return Endo trains him in the art and discipline of aikido.

But such knowledge comes at a terrible price. The enigmatic Endo is bound by disciplines of his own and when the Japanese invade Malaya, threatening to destroy Philip's family and everything he loves, he realises that his trusted sensei - to whom he owes absolute loyalty - has been harbouring a devastating secret.Philip must risk everything in an attempt to save those he has placed in mortal danger and discover who and what he really is.

With masterful and gorgeous narrative, replete with exotic and captivating images, sounds and aromas - of rain swept beaches, magical mountain temples, pungent spice warehouses, opulent colonial ballrooms and fetid and forbidding rainforests - Tan Twan Eng weaves a haunting and unforgettable story of betrayal, barbaric cruelty, steadfast courage and enduring love.

Wordless Wednesday: Beautiful Wall Carvings at the Khoo Kongsi

2011-10-26T03:55:00.004+08:00

Today's edition of Wordless Wednesday focuses on some of the wall carvings found at the Khoo Kongsi on Cannon Square. They are lovely and intricate. There are also so many of them, I could stand there the whole day taking in the beautiful craftsmanship and art. My camera went into a frenzy trying to capture them. I hope you'll enjoy them.

Hiking Penang Hill, in which Ah Yang the Little Sheep Blogs...

2011-10-21T00:00:00.004+08:00

Hello, my name is Ah Yang and I am a little sheep.

That's me blogging.

My daddy has gone on a vacation for two weeks in some place called Kuala Lumpur, so here I am spending my baa-baa-black-sheep days with Alice. I think she is doing a good job babysitting me (although I think I do not need any babysitting at all... I'm a good sheep.). She taught me how to read, and now she is teaching me how to blog. This is my first sheepalicious post—enjoy!

Alice took all the pictures that you are about to see. She told me they were taken using her good ol' Nikon D40. She also said something about "manual setting"... I have no clue. Read on...

On a sunny evening of I-can't-remember-which-day, Alice went hiking with Daddy. The 5-KM hike was tough in the beginning but, but, but when they reached the first rest stop that looked like a gazebo, the hike eased a wee bit. Alice said there was a cute topless guy in geeky glasses stretching and doing some push-ups on the bench. (But I always thought Daddy is the cutest...) It was an easier stretch after that but soon it got tough again, especially nearing the top.

The view is worth panting for.

Continuing on, they reached yet another rest place—this time a bigger one—and it's called 84. This was at about KM 3.5 or so? Here, hikers could get a drink to quench their thirst and apparently there will be food served for early hikers. There is a donation box on the table alongside the kettles below.

Fancy a drink?

One hour and thirty minutes later, they reached the top. Oh, look at the view! This is Penang from atop... Beautiful, lovely, Penang.

Lovely red flowers... I feel like nom-ing them. Must taste quite as good as they look!

Alice loves this picture and made it her laptop wallpaper.

By the time the pair of them were coming down, it was already dark. Crazy people, these two. Alice told me it was nice like that. Almost stepped on a huge lizard, too, but avoided murdering the creature in the nick of time. At 8.30 p.m. they reached the bottom, at the start of the 5-KM hike.

That's all and blogging is fun. Happy Friday!

Bookish Mission Accomplished: Barcode-Scan My Books

2011-10-20T00:02:00.003+08:00

I can't believe the last time I updated my book catalog on LibraryThing (LT) was January this year. As it stands today, I have close to 1,400 titles in my personal library catalogued on LT, excluding the Kindle ones. Believe me, my "non-performance" has been bugging me for a few months now.

I finally decided to put an end to self-agonizing and do something about it, so I have been thinking. Thinking of ways to do this painlessly and quickly. I thought about scanning the bar codes of my newly acquired books using iPhone and integrating it with LT. But how?

I found my answer in the app RedLaser. It's so easy to use! The idea is to do multiple scans of bar codes, then email the list to self, and thereafter copy the said to LT's "Import books" page. Easy-peasy. I am going to save time by pointing you directly to an excellent post on how to do this at JulieDuffy.com.

I have experimented with three of my new books and it worked beautifully. All you need to do after importing is wait for the queue in LT to clear and for your books to magically appear in your library. Fear not for duplicates because LT is capable of detecting those and you can opt to exclude them from the import.

With this, I will make it my immediate weekend project to merrily scan all my books!

Before I go, here's another BKM: I want to work even faster so to speed things up even more, I recommend bookmarking the LibraryThing "Import" page on your "Bookmarks Toolbar". All I need to do in the future is just click a button to get there!

Coming up next on Friday: Ah Yang the little sheep blogs!

Wordless Wednesday: Khoo Kongsi, Cannon Square

2011-10-19T00:02:00.001+08:00

The Khoo Kongsi clan temple is a monument of Zhang Zhou architecture, built in 1906 by craftsmen from China. It is dedicated to the clan's deities and also houses a collection of ancestral tablets. The complex can be accessed through the formal entrance at Beach Street, a side entrance at Armenian Street and a carriageway (formerly with a wooden gate) at Cannon Street.

Inside the temple

The wealth of decorative detail within the Khoo Kongsi includes stonework, woodcarving, gilding, lacquer-work, murals and calligraphy. (Source: p.34 of Penang Through Gilded Doors)

I will be showing more of the decorative details in my next Wordless Wednesday posts. They're exquisite! I loved the wall carvings below.

The Khoo Kongsi: A Clan Citadel

2011-10-17T00:02:00.000+08:00

More than a month ago, on September 11, I visited the Khoo Kongsi with my two friends. Ah Yang the little sheep went with us, too, although he stayed in the car upon arrival. Haha!

Ah Yang checking out Khoo Kongsi in the book Penang Through Gilded Doors.

Here's what I found out about the famous Khoo Kongsi on Cannon Square, which is very close to Armenian Street (see We Need to Talk About Armenian Street).

Cannon Square was where a cannon shot was fired during the secret society fights known as the Penang Riots of 1867.
Khoo Thean Teik, who was convicted for instigating the riots, was the secret society's "Elder Brother", and he's also a director of the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi. He was sentenced to death but the sentence was changed to life imprisonment. He was released after only seven years. The former criminal established himself as a businessman and prospered.
Khoo Kongsi was built as a permanent monument and became the grandest clan temple in the country. It is meant only for members of the Leong San Tong (Dragon Mountain Hall) clan, whose forefathers came from Sin Kang clan village in Hokkien province.
The clan kongsi is the best expression of the traditional social system that the Hokkien clans created in the Straits Settlement. It was in fact a miniature clan village with rowhouses, offices, and the square for social activities and festivals.
The clan had a board of directors for management and a senate of elders who drew the rules and settled internal disputes. The clan kongsi also provides for children's schooling, paid funeral expenses for those who died impecunious, and took care of widows and orphans. It functioned as the clan incorporated - loaned money for business ventures and invested in real estate. Today, the Khoo Kongsi is one of the richest social organizations in Penang, amply endowed with rentable properties.

Source: Streets of Georgetown Penang by Khoo Su Nin

I will be sharing pictures I took of the Khoo Kongsi in this week's Wordless Wednesday, so please stay tuned. Meanwhile, Ah Yang the little sheep reads on...

ONE DAY by David Nicholls

2011-10-16T18:26:00.012+08:00

I bought the book on a whim while hanging out with my friends nicknamed Uncle and Monkey, and I'm so glad I did. I couldn't resist the cover. As the story unfolds, I realized this is indeed a special book and it is not an ordinary love story.

One Day is told in a format so interesting (at least to me it is) that each year following the night Dexter and Emma spend together on the night of their college graduation, they are revisited each year on the SAME DATE to see where they are in their lives. They are sometimes together, sometimes not, on that day. I decided to do something different in this review by showing you the first paragraph of each chapter that begins with the date they are first together: 15 July 1988.

:: PART ONE: 1988-1992, Early Twenties ::

CHAPTER ONE: Friday 15 July 1988
'I suppose the important thing is to make some sort of difference,' she said. 'You know, actually change something.'

CHAPTER TWO: Saturday 15 July 1989
Ciao, Bella! How are you? And how is Rome? The Eternal City is all very well, but I've been here in Wolverhampton for two days now and that's felt pretty eternal (though I can reveal that the Pizza Hut here is excellent, just excellent).

CHAPTER THREE: Sunday 15 July 1990
'ATTENTION PLEASE! Can I have your attention? Some attention if you don't mind? If you could listen? Don't throw things, listen please? Please? ATTENTION, PLEASE? Thank you.'

CHAPTER FOUR: Monday 15 July 1991
'ATTENTION PLEASE! Can I have your attention? Attention everyone? Stop talking, stop talking, stop talking. Please? Please? Thank you. Right I just want to go through today's menu if I may. First of all the so-called "specials". We've got a sweetcorn chowder and a turkey chimi-changa.'

CHAPTER FIVE: Wednesday 15 July 1992
And then some days you wake up and everything is perfect.

Twenty years. Two people. You can indeed live your whole life not realizing that what you're looking for is right in front of you. I loved this book. I felt for the characters and being in my thirties enables me to relate to the lives of Emma and Dexter; what they once were and what they can become. It is funny, it is heartbreaking and it is touching. Having someone that you care for deeply and love is wonderful. Loving that special someone can sometimes be painful.

:: PART TWO: 1993-1995, Late Twenties ::

CHAPTER SIX: Thursday 15 July 1993 (Part One - Dexter's Story)
These days the nights and mornings have a tendency to bleed into one another. Old-fashioned notions of a.m. and p.m. have become obsolete and Dexter is seeing a lot more dawns than he once used to.

CHAPTER SEVEN: Thursday 15 July 1993 (Part One - Emma's Story)
Ian Whitehead sat alone at a table for two in the Covent Garden branch of Forelli's, and checked his watch: fifteen minutes late, but he imagined that this was part of the exquisite game of cat-and-mouse that is dating. Well, let the games commence. He dunked his ciabatta in the little dish of olive oil as if loading a paintbrush, opened the menu and worked out what he could afford to eat.

CHAPTER EIGHT: Friday 15 July 1994
Emma Morley eats well and drinks only in moderation. She gets eight good hours sleep, then wakes promptly and of her own accord at just before six-thirty and drinks a large glass of water - the first 250ml of a daily 1.5 litres, which she pours from the matching glass and carafe set that stands in a shaft of morning sunlight by her double bed.

CHAPTER NINE: Saturday 15 July 1995
The words glowed in bilious green on the word-processor's screen: the product of a whole morning's work. She sat at the tiny school desk in the tiny back room of the tiny new flat, read the words, then read them again while behind her the immersion heater gurgled in derision.

There are two more parts that tells the life of Emma and Dexter in their early thirties (from 1996 to 2001) and late thirties (from 2002 to 2005). I resisted the urge to include the excerpts for fear of revealing too much. The novel ends with Part Five.

One Day is a romantic comedy and one that made me cry buckets. What happened in the story hit me like a ton of bricks. Dexter is not exactly your ideal type of person to spend the rest of your life with, but if one ever finds herself a "Dexter" (or himself an "Emma"), it'll be worth all the life experience that comes with it. I'm definitely watching the movie; can't wait!

THE MAN YOU'LL MARRY by Debbie Macomber

2011-10-04T02:16:00.010+08:00

Would you fancy having in possession a wedding dress, made many years ago, that bears the promise the first man you meet is the man you'll marry?

The latest installment of the Blossom Street series is a novel by Debbie Macomber that tells the two stories of two women who receive the supernatural wedding dress under very special circumstances. Shelly Hansen and Jill Morrison are best friends. The characters are warm and funny, and I sure warmed up to Shelly who is rather stubborn and refuses to believe in the magic of her great-aunt's wedding dress. She later passes the dress down to Jill. Shelly and Jill both meet with two men who certainly do not look like the husband-material type. Under such magical circumstances, is it true love that Shelly and Jill have found?

One dress, two weddings. It is a charming story with touching moments. It is also a quick read at 299 pages. I would like to take this opportunity to thank fellow book blogger, Renee, for her gift of this book. Bless you, my friend!

Wordless Wednesday: Beautiful Lantern

2011-09-14T09:02:00.004+08:00

The Smurfs: Transporting me back to my childhood days...

2011-09-10T03:43:00.009+08:00

One word: Predictable. But in a good way. I was excited to be reunited with the three-apples-high Smurfs on Wednesday night. I laughed but didn't cry (I must have spent all my tears on the songs I was listening to lately), and I did enjoy The Smurfs tremendously—TWICE. I watched the LBP (no, not the little blue pills, but the little blue people) the first time with my family (during the Raya holidays) and then the second (on Wednesday) with my two buddies nicknamed Uncle and Monkey. Do check out Uncle's post at his blog.

In this story, all is well in "Smurf Village" until Clumsy accidentally leads Gargamel the evil wizard into their hidden magical village. In an attempt to escape—and not surprisingly so—Clumsy runs into the wrong direction resulting in Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Gutsy, Brainy and Grouchy having to chase after him and getting sucked into a magic portal (or vortex, as Brainy so adamantly corrected the term) that lands them in... NEW YORK CITY!

It is here in NYC that the Smurfs meet Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and his lovely pregnant wife, Grace (Jayma Mays). Patrick, a newly promoted Vice President of Marketing of a cosmetics company, is about to become a papa, and he is under tremendous stress to perform at work or risk filing for unemployment i.e. getting fired if his ad campaign fails. The Smurfs somehow ends up with Patrick, with Gargamel (Hank Azaria) and Azrael his cat hot in pursuit.

Azaria is comedic as the evil wizard Gargamel; I like! Katy Perry is great as Smurfette and I really dig her voice. Another voice I really like is Narrator. He makes a story sound so good... I had watched a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother, so naturally I was excited to see Neil Patrick Harris taking on his human role as Patrick Winslow.

I smurf the Smurfs!

Fantasy and magic (The Smurfs) meet reality (the human world), life lessons (family and friendship), determination and persistence (even Gargamel's relentless pursuit of the little blue people is worth mentioning) are some of the key ingredients in the movie. It's nice to see people leaving the cinema cheerful and singing the happy song! La la la la la la...

I'm One of "The Doers"

2011-09-02T15:07:00.009+08:00

I finally sat myself down and got down to reading the blogs of my favorite bloggers. Then I stumbled across Typealyzer at Marg of Reading Adventures. It's an interesting application that analyzes the type of blog author you are. All you need to do is enter your blog address. My results are pretty accurate!

ESTP - The Doers

The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities.

The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.

While I can be quite dormant at times when I don't feel like doing anything, most of the time though, I would be finding new "projects" to embark on be it reading, photography or just working out. The part on "They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through." is so true because I can definitely count the many times I've abandoned something I was doing for something new. Reading challenges, study plans - you name it. Guilty!

We Need to Talk About Armenian Street

2011-08-19T18:11:00.008+08:00

Armenian Street. I like the sound of that and I was there a few weeks ago with a friend. We were hanging out at the cozy Amelie Cafe after a long tour at a Hokkien clan association called the Cheah Kongsi. I've also shared some pictures of the place.

On Armenian Street and there were other tourists checking it out too.

I looked up Armenian Street from Khoo Su Nin's Streets of Georgetown Penang and found some interesting facts about it.

Armenian Street was once called Malay Lane and by 1808, changed to Armenian Lane.
A prominent Armenian clan was the family of Arratoon Anthony, after whom Arratoon Road is named.
The most famous Armenians were the Sarkies brothers who made their mark as hoteliers of the Eastern & Oriental (E&O) in Penang and of the Raffles in Singapore.
The five great Hokkien clans (Goh Tai Seng) namely the Cheah, the Khoo, the Yeoh, the Tan, and the Lim were led by prominent Straits Chinese.
The Hokkien-dominated secret society called Khian Teik set up its base at the Tua Pek Kong Temple, allying with the Red Flag society whose two chiefs were Syed Mohamed Alatas and Che Long.
Armenian Street was one of the scenes of fighting when the Khian Teik-Red Flag alliance fought with the Ghee Hin-White Flag alliance during the 1867 Penang Riot. The European volunteer police and their sepoys had to erect stockades, and the entire town was under siege for ten days.
The secret societies were finally suppresed in 1890. The Khian Teik had asserted their control allowing the Hokkien traders to emerge as dominant force in Penang.

I can't wait to go around the streets of Penang for more stories. Stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday: Cheah Kongsi, Penang

2011-08-17T18:06:00.005+08:00

Original Art

Restored Art

Teaser Tuesdays: "Dream Book"

2011-08-16T23:59:00.001+08:00

I'm currently reading The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma and loving it, thanks to the recommendation (and reminder) by a friend. For today's edition of Teaser Tuesdays, I'd like to share this passage from page 102:

"Oh, and by the way," explained Julian, "remember that a goal that is not committed to paper is no goal at all. Go out and buy a journal - a cheap coil notepad will do. Call this your Dream Book and fill it with all your desires, objectives and dreams. Get to know yourself and what you are all about."

Mailbox Monday: Penang

2011-08-15T07:39:00.006+08:00

I haven't been buying books for a while after having succeeded in complying to my self-imposed book-buying ban. However, I have been thinking about the ones you see here ever since I laid eyes on them, especially the picture-rich Penang Through Gilded Doors by Julia de Bierre and photography by James Bain Smith. I was browsing it about two weeks ago with my friend at Popular, a bookshop located at Komtar, Penang. I finally bought it last Friday together with another one titled Streets of George Town, Penang by Khoo Su Nin.

My books

I've been going around Penang taking pictures of some of the beautiful and historic places. I'm fascinated by them and the streets of Penang and would like to understand more about the places I've been to and plan to go. I hope to share more pictures through my lens and stories with you in the future!

INK FLAMINGOS by Karen E. Olson

2011-08-13T15:59:00.018+08:00

First Sentence: The picture of the flamingo tattoo was on the blog an hour before they found the body.

Ink Flamingos, the fourth and last book in the A Tattoo Shop Mystery series, has all the elements I loved: tattoos, strong and spunky female character (i.e. Brett Kavanaugh, tattoo artist and owner of The Painted Lady), blogging and a hint of romance between the tattooists in the midst of sleuthing. Karen E. Olson did a fabulous job in this one, I must say!

I'm sorry I took this long to tell you of the good stuff Brett and the gang is up to, but it's never too late to do so, and I'm doing it right this moment.

Besides the mysterious death of a female lead singer of a hot pop band (death by tattoo gone wrong), there is also a very important message of what the cyber world can do to a person's sanity. Brett is suddenly appearing all over the Internet in a blog that is not hers with her pictures and real-time reporting of her comings and goings. Really scary. She is being impersonated and implicated in the crime.

Imagine you in her position. I would definitely not be thrilled to have my privacy breached that way. And not only that, to be living in fear of being followed and photographed and posted online.

I also like the emotional development between Brett and Jeff Coleman, a competitor in the business. I'm so glad Karen decided to play it up more in the last book. I absolutely love the way it is done (nothing explicit, thank goodness for that)!

To Karen: Thank you for being such a wonderful author and friend. I have enjoyed the series very much and being a great fan of tattoo (even though I don't have one and planning to get it someday), the four books meant a lot to me. Also, being in the "Acknowledgments" section of the third book really made my day!

The gorgeous covers of the "A Tattoo Shop Mystery" Series

Books I Read in 2011: July

2011-07-31T00:00:00.003+08:00

Ink Flamingos by Karen E. Olson
Jasmyn by Alex Bell
The Man You'll Marry by Debbie Macomber
The Identity Factor by James Houston Turner

Total books for July 2011: 4
Total books for 2011: 19

Wordless Wednesday: Something Old

2011-07-27T00:03:00.001+08:00

Entering the chamber

Discovery: Treasure chest?

Wordless Wednesday: Oriental Art at Cheah Kongsi

2011-07-20T01:26:00.003+08:00

Welcome to another edition of Wordless Wednesday featuring the Cheah Kongsi Clan Association founded in 1820 by Cheah Yam, an immigrant who originally hailed from Sek Tong village in South China. I love its architecture, and also the elaborate and beautiful Chinese art. More to come soon!

The Red Door

Underneath the Bonsai Tree

Wordless Wednesday: Life at Chew Jetty, Penang

2011-07-13T23:59:00.001+08:00

Chew Jetty is one of the six clan jetties that forms part of Penang Heritage Trail. Chew Jetty has the longest walkway and the most number of houses built on stilts in the water. My sister Cat and I spent almost three hours in the sun (we got tanned following this visit!) and it was fun, fun, fun!

A unique mailbox recycled from a biscuit tin.

Watching the TV. The residents here are used to people, especially tourists, looking into their homes.

An elderly lady resting in front of her house.

Houses on the sea.

An elderly man on bicycle passing through.

There are temples, hair salon, and other shops too.

A small grocery shop decorated with mini flags of Malaysia.

Me and the houses built on stilts in the water.

A fisherman returning from the sea

I hope you have enjoyed this week's Wordless Wednesday!

JASMYN by Alex Bell

2011-07-11T17:01:00.007+08:00

The back cover: One day without warning, Jasmyn's husband died.

Since then, everything has been different.

Wrapped up in her grief, Jasmyn is trapped in a world without colour, without flavour—without Liam. But even through the haze of her misery she begins to notice unusual events, a sense of being watched, a strange man visiting her home and asking pointed questions about her dead husband. Her world has turned upside down, but even so, things are not as they should be.

Eventually Jasmyn begins to explore the discrepancies that have sprung up after his death—the plane tickets to places Liam claimed he'd never visited, details of the meetings he was never supposed to have—and to follow their trail back into the events of his life.

Jasmyn has been in my personal library for close to two years when I finally dished it out about a week ago from the pile and started reading. I should have done it earlier. Jasmyn the protagonist has a certain voice and the author, Alex Bell, did a good job characterizing her. Jasmyn is a freak (to most of the people because of her albinism) but to her husband Liam, she is a snow princess. It is most unfortunate that he has to die at such a young age and that makes her a young widow.

It is also very odd that the husband she knew during their courtship becomes a different person when they wedded. Before, he is an animal lover but after, he does not want anything to do with them. Even her mother-in-law seems to hate her. Liam's estranged brother, Ben, seems to give the impression that he dislikes her.

The story then takes us on a journey with Jasmyn and Ben hunting for a very valuable item, which is also something that a few people are looking for and they all have some sort of connection with Liam. Along the way, Jasmyn is exposed to a dark fairytale filled with black swans, knights, castles and bones. It is a story of lost love, stolen love, and war between brothers.

Initially I found myself irritated with the writing because there were bits that sounded mechanical, but then I realized it might just be the way Jasmyn thinks and says things. She is, after all, a special girl. I had truly enjoyed the story and it had kept me interested in wanting to know how it would all end.

Page 1: Don't start this book unless you mean to finish it.

Wordless Wednesday: Pretty Petals of Penang

2011-07-06T00:02:00.000+08:00

(I can't resist taking this picture of a little painted butterfly on bench)

Wordless Wednesday: The Famous Air Itam Asam Laksa

2011-06-29T00:02:00.001+08:00

Warning: This is a not-so-wordless Wordless Wednesday.

Before we savor the famous and delicious Air Itam asam laksa, let's enjoy some fried spring rolls. Yum...

And now, this is the dish everyone is talking about: The famous Air Itam asam laksa. It's spicy, it's flavorful and to a certain extent fishy (but in a good way!). The rice noodles have great texture. It's so good, my sister Cat took two bowls to satisfy her cravings before returning to Kuala Lumpur!

This is the stall located at Jalan Pasar, Penang. On the top right-hand side is the Malaysian flag, bottom-right are large pots of the delicious gravy or soup. The boss is friendly. Our orders came so fast in just a few minutes despite the ever-present crowd and they arrived piping hot too!

I present you the mighty congested and always-bustling Air Itam street.

More Penang pictures are coming up every Wednesday, so please stay tuned!

Last week on Wordless Wednesday: Durians, the King of Fruits

Hello, Hatyai! The Klonghae Floating Market

2011-06-26T14:12:00.008+08:00

About two weeks ago, I wrote about my trip to Hatyai. This is part two of the said trip and it's about the Klonghae Floating Market. The three of us took a tuk tuk from town and since it was quite a distance, it will cost a little bit more. The floating market opens only three days a week from Friday to Sunday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Come with me now to this colorful place!

This is the entrance.

You'll have to walk for a bit before you reach the boats and on your way in there are stalls.

This is interesting. Sausages sold in this "format".

Taking a closer look at the sausages.

Fragrant pandan leaves folded into beautiful roses.

You have the option of buying drinks in ceramic containers and that will cost slightly more. You get to keep the cute containers.

The floating market. Tah-dah!

The view from the top.

The busy marketplace.

"I want that one, please..."

This is how the exchange for money and goods is done through a long stick.

Meanwhile, a cat waits to be fed. Once you bought your food items, you can park yourself at the long tables and enjoy the goodies.

This is my favorite picture. This lady is a very friendly sweet potatoes seller.

Colorful desserts are sold too.

My friends and I proceeded to the bazaar on the ground when we finished surveying the floating ones. We bought corns, fried buns, fried mushrooms and a whole lot of other foodstuff to enjoy.

The fried buns are yummy! This one has white lotus and salted egg filling. The lady seller was very nice to decorate it like this for my photo taking!

The making of the roti canai (or roti prata)

On our way out when we were ready to leave, we saw this fizzy drink jelly seller.

Very colorful jelly in the making!

I did not buy anything from the floating market because I was being a pain for hygiene reasons, but I did succumb to the fried buns and roti canai on the ground. I am sure I would probably survive if I did eat stuff from the boats, but I'm not taking any chances at that moment. I also didn't take pictures of fried bugs and worms, which are delicacies there. I would probably pass out going near them.

Related Post: Hello, Hatyai! Welcome to Thailand

Wordless Wednesday: Durians, the King of Fruits

2011-06-22T18:19:00.005+08:00

I took this photo of durians on the busy streets of Air Itam, Penang. For the next few weeks, I will be posting pictures of Penang for you to get a taste of the colorful, good old island. I love working in Penang!

How to Vote on my ELMS Page (NOTE: Voting ends on June 25)

2011-06-20T20:00:00.013+08:00

Hi all! I have received multiple requests asking me how to vote on my page at the Estee Lauder Model Search website, so here it is: a simple set of guide with some snapshots.

(Estee Lauder, please take note. You should improve on the website because if so many people are asking how to vote when arriving at the site, something is clearly not right. I shouldn't have to write this how-to post. Anyway...)

Step One: Click here or on the picture and you will see the screenshot below.

Step Two: Click on "register" located right below the comments. (You can also do the same on the main page and the link to register is on the top right-hand corner). A pop-up box will appear asking "Do you want to register via Facebook?" Click "No".

NOTE: If you select the Facebook option, I heard feedback that it does not work.

Step Three: When you click "No" the following pop-up will appear. Please fill out your email address, password, mobile number and picture (optional). You can uncheck the "Email me the latest news on Estee Lauder" if you so wish.

Step Four: After you have successfully registered, the following pop-up box will appear. You will need to validate your email address. Upon successful validation, you will be taken back to the main page.

Step Five (and Final): You can now vote! On the main page, move your mouse (do not click) to "Semi Finalists", and when the drop-down list appears click on "Penang:Cat B".

Click on my picture (ELMS2011-JCB015) and proceed to vote and comment, if you so wish. Comments are moderated so they will only appear upon the administrator's approval.

Mission accomplished!

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support and votes!

Related Post: I'm a Semi-Finalist of the ELMS 2011

I'm a Semi-Finalist of the ELMS 2011 (Estee Lauder Model Search 2011)

2011-06-19T18:48:00.016+08:00

Almost two weeks ago, I joined the Estée Lauder Model Search (ELMS) contest representing Penang. I was hanging out after work at Queensbay Mall on 8 June with my two colleagues, and the random outing turned out to be quite an exciting night. Two days ago on Friday, I was informed I made it as one of the top ten semi-finalists!

What this means is that my friends from all over the world and the public can now vote for me! I hope you'll show your support and head over to the voting page to cast your votes. Voting ends 25 June. Thank you!

This is my picture on the ELMS website. *GRIN* Do click on it to vote. How to vote.

Make-up by Adrian Sin. He did a fabulous job, agree? He applied on my lips a super red lipstick to complete that Oriental look. Loved it!

If I make it as a Finalist, which requires 50% public votes and 50% judges votes, I have all of you to thank for! And if that happens, I'll be going back to Kuala Lumpur and together with all 19 other Finalists to compete at Suria KLCC. Speaking of KLCC, I miss the Kinokuniya Book Store BIG time.

Wish me luck!

P/S: Once my life becomes a little bit more normal, I will be visiting your blogs again. Please bear with me. Thank you...

Related Post: How to Vote on My ELMS Page

Hello, Hatyai! Welcome to Thailand

2011-06-13T23:05:00.008+08:00

I made a short two-day/one-night trip over the weekend to Hatyai, Thailand, with two of my colleagues Scott and Raye. We traveled by minivan operated by A.G. Express Services (we bought the tickets at Komtar). The trip to our destination took about five hours and we started at 5:15 a.m.

We managed to check in immediately into our room at Sakura Grand View Hotel so that was good, because we could leave our bags behind and started exploring Hatyai. Our activities revolved around shopping and eating. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

My friends were mapping out the place we wanted to visit. Thank goodness for them because I can't read maps to save my life.

But I like taking pictures. LOL!

After deciding on the itinerary, we launched out. We had to be very focused on what we wanted to do because we only had very limited time available.

I saw this bird in the cage. He seemed to be contemplating about his future.

There are lots of mobile soft toys sellers like this one.

A beautiful dog sun tanning on a sunny morning.

Young Thai girl eating what looked like dates straight from the jar.

On the streets of Hatyai.

Colorful panda floor mats.

This is how tuk tuk (taxis) look like from the back.

Took a photo of my reflection using the glass in front of a shop.

Lots of sellers selling fruits and other items in front of the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel. (Also, this is how a Tuk Tuk looks like from the front - see the blue vehicle.)

Juicy-looking lychees.

Clothes on sale.

Watches, too. They're so colorful!

ATM machines all in a row...

Perfect timing for a candid shot. Here are two good looking guys outside Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel. Gorgeous arms!

Sawadee ka... Me next to the dashing Ronald McDonald.

On the way hunting for lunch, I saw this lady.

Oh, before I forget, there's a bookstore called Seng Ho Bookstore and it sells books in Thai only (at least that's what Raye and I saw in there).

IT books (all in Thai).

I love the Literature section. Love in Thai ความรัก (pronounced as khwām rạk).

The business section

And it's time for lunch! We ate at Daothiam.

We saw a super dog with superb balancing powers on a motorcycle carrying a basket with its mouth. We were on our way in a tuk tuk to the Klonghae Floating Market when we saw this.

It's time to go home... We left on Sunday afternoon. We had a bit of issue with the minivan and we waited for 45 minutes for it. Apparently there was some miscommunication. The ticket stated pickup from the hotel at 12 p.m. but the van didn't show up until 45 minutes later. I had to call the local office and the one in Penang a couple of times. We rushed back from our shopping at Tesco Lotus and lunch (the fastest ever), hopped onto a tuk tuk after that although our hotel was just down the road. We ran up to our room and checked out, all by 12 p.m. only to have to wait for the said van. Hrrrmmmphhh! Oh well, at least the van showed up in the end.

It rained on our way to the Sadao Immigration.

Traffic jam on our way there; wait until you see the crowd...

I hate crowds and had almost gone berserk when I saw this. Together with my two friends, we stood in the queue for 1.5 hours before our turn.

COMING UP NEXT: The Klonghae Floating Market.

Stay tuned!

Happy Dragon Boats Festival AND My Weekend Penang Adventure

2011-06-06T22:46:00.014+08:00

First thing first, today is Duanwu Festival (端午节), also known as Dragon Boat Festival. My colleagues and friends in China are celebrating it today and it's a holiday for them. One of the focus of the celebration is eating rice dumplings, so here's a snapshot of the same for your enjoyment too!

Rice Dumplings (the vegetarian variety)

This is my carpool buddy and he drove around Penang today for our rice dumpling (Chinese: 粽子, pinyin: zòngzi) and coconut jelly hunt, and also for the best money changer in town for Thai Bahts.

"Penang Coconut Jelly" acquired!

Our car was behind this little man at Little India. He's paddling barefooted (salute!) and also very lean.

I would also like to tell a little story of my adventure in Penang yesterday (Sunday) when I took the bus to town to sign up for the undergraduate degree course in Information and Communication Technology with Wawasan Open University (see my Back to School! post). I went to their Regional Office at China Ghaut Street. It was fun meeting with the staff there!

I received the Welcome Pack below.

Right after accomplishing my mission at WOU, I went for a walk-walk and my feet led me to Little India.

There were lots of Indian folks walking around and I just love the ethnic music that was playing loudly. The day was so hot and I think it was perfect.

Some of the very colorful decorative items found in one of the shops.

I suddenly realized I was very hungry because I didn't eat lunch before launching out. I stopped by at Restoran Kassim Mustafa and ordered my all-time favorite Maggi Goreng. I loved the texture of the noodles and they did such a good job!

In the restaurant. They closed the front section of the shop for cleaning, which is why the chair was up on the table. Subsequently all chairs went up for floor cleaning, etc.

This is an interesting wall paper on the wall of the staircase. On it are listed some of the favorite foods of my fellow Malaysians.

I continued my walk after that. I started off at Lebuh Penang to make my way to Komtar to meet with my carpool buddy so that we can go home together.

Sunny day!

I came across a Chinese temple...

And then the Kapitan Keling Mosque. Penang is truly a multi-cultural place!

I somehow ended up in the Heritage Row (I'm not sure of the proper name for it but I will be coming back for more). I just love how quiet it is here and and the front doors are so colorful and pretty! The tall building in the background, that's Komtar, by the way.

Trishaws are a common sight in Penang.

And then I saw this cute little goggie. It's so shy that when I tried going near him, he barked a small bark and tried retreating behind the pillar.

I also saw this interesting row of merchant shops; I think they're one and the same. There are quite a few Chinese merchants with very long history in Penang as I walked around yesterday.

I wrapped up the day with a vegetarian dinner at JanxDen with my carpool buddy. I love children's art and I saw some in conjunction with Mother's Day at the restaurant. Very nice!

That's all! I hope you have enjoyed another installment of my mini adventure in Penang; all pictures taken using my iPhone. Have a wonderful week ahead!

Books I Read in 2011: May

2011-05-31T00:00:00.002+08:00

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Total books for May 2011: 1
Total books for 2011: 15 (The List)

HAPPY READING!

THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom

2011-05-22T20:21:00.008+08:00

The back cover: All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time..."

On his eighty-third birthday, Eddie, a lonely war veteran, dies in a tragic accident trying to save a little girl from a falling cart. With his final breath, he feels two small hands in his—and then nothing. He awakens in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a lush Garden of Eden but a place where you earthly life is explained to you by five people who were in it. These people may have been loved ones or distant strangers. Yet each of them changed your path forever.

It was a beautiful Sunday and I did what I had to do—cleaned the apartment, laundry, and so on—and after that I settled down to finish the rest of the book in the evening. I enjoyed The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom and although not as much as Tuesdays with Morrie I still find it special. It had me crying especially when I reached the third lesson and fourth. I found myself eager to know about the next lesson as I approached the end of one and who Eddie would find in each of them.

Here are some of the passages I liked from the book:

All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair. p.109

[...] because sons will adore their fathers through even the worst behavior. It is how they learn devotion. Before he can devote himself to God or a woman, a boy will devote himself to his father, even foolishly, even beyond explanation. p.111

Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them. They move on. They move away. The moments that used to define them—a mother's approval, a father's nod—are covered by moments of their own accomplishments. It is not until much later, as the skin sags and the heart weakens, that children understand; their stories, and all their accomplishments, sit atop the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives. p.133 to 134

Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves. p.149

That's because no one is born with anger. And when we die, the soul is freed of it. But now, here, in order to move on, you must understand why you felt the way you did, and why you no longer need to feel it. p. 150

People say they "find" love, as if it were an object hidden by a rock. But love takes many forms, and it is never the same for any man and woman. What people find then is a certain love. And Eddie found a certain love with Marguerite, a grateful love, a deep but quiet love, one that he knew, above all else, was irreplaceable. Once she'd gone, he'd let the days go stale. He put his heart to sleep. p.165

In the same way this unfolds in Eddie's life (or afterlife)—ours, too—I believe work in similar ways: why some die when others live, sacrifices made; essentially, why things happen the way they do. And this brings me to a quote I picked up from another book, which I posted on my Facebook wall earlier today: Everything counts! Everything you do helps or hurts, adds up or takes away.

I would also like to thank my carpool buddy, Scott, for lending me the book.

Related Post: Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays: The Five People You Meet in Heaven

2011-05-17T23:32:00.003+08:00

The only Mitch Albom book I'd read was Tuesdays with Morrie. I loved that book. My carpool buddy asked if I've read this one and lent me The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I'm at page 27 now and the passage below was taken from page 11. I think it's a beautiful passage. Have you read this book? If yes, how do you find it?

No story sits by itself. Sometimes stories meet at corners and sometimes they cover one another completely, like stones beneath a river.

Happiness, I choose you

2011-05-16T07:57:00.005+08:00

The more emotional you are about things, the less control you have.

I'm sure most of us have seen and read this small, but powerful book. I have been feeling quite down, and frankly, depressed lately that I finally decided to pick myself up and got out of the slump.

I have no mood to read. No mood to play. No mood to blog or read blogs. I am just plain cranky. Believe me, I was no fun to be around. But I still have to force myself to work and naturally, I use that avenue to "drown" myself in sorrow. Being busy helped me stay sane for most parts.

If there is something in your life you don't want, stop worrying about it, and stop talking about it! The energy you put into it keeps it alive.

I had in mind to "kill" Facebook, which I did (as some of you were aware), and then resurrected it. Thank goodness for Facebook's clever policy of giving its users a 14-day grace period prior to the final account deletion. Having good friends surrounding you is so important. I see it in my case.

Happy people don't just accept change, the embrace it! They are the people who say: "Why would I want my next five years to be like my last five?"

Now, that's so true. Why would I want my next five days to be like my last five?

So, enough of me talking about my mood. I refused to be unhappy any more and I'm trying to get back my old self. Yesterday, I started visiting my blog friends again. I went to town and had some me-time at Starbucks drinking my coffee in my favorite Starbucks mug (AND saved RM2; how cool is that?) and had a fun day eating and walking about in the mall. I didn't go crazy buying things so I know I'm OK.

Whatever thoughts are causing you pain, they are only thoughts. You can change a thought.

This is a great little book and I'm quoting it like crazy. I've read this before but now, at this moment, everything in this book popped out. It's literally speaking to me and I thank Andrew Matthews the author for that. I bought it for RM17 (US$5.67) at Popular Bookstore in Komtar yesterday after a 20% discount. Great things do come at great bargains!

Mailbox Monday (in advance)

2011-05-14T23:08:00.006+08:00

I hope you're having a great weekend! It's been a while since I talk about books and although they're always on my mind, I had hardly hold one in my hands for the last few weeks. I haven't been visiting my blogger friends, as well, and I'm sorry.

Today is a lovely Saturday, I had planned on going out but the rain came and took the morning away. I decided to be productive and cleaned my apartment, wait for the handyman to come fix the leaky pipe and finally did laundry. Coming back to books, I did not buy any physical ones but settled for an audiobook and some Kindle editions.

I have 2 credits at Audible.com and couldn't think of anything to listen to until I suddenly remembered Water for Elephants. The book has also been adapted to a movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson, and is now showing in the Malaysian cinemas. I happily use one of my credits for this audiobook.

On the Kindle front, I purchased Love Your Life by Victoria Osteen from Amazon.com after browsing at Borders two days ago. Buying the Kindle editions saved me approximately US$10.

I was flipping through the pages and loved the way she writes. She talks to you like a friend and shows her readers how to turn the challenges of each day into opportunities to love and appreciate all that they are. I certainly need an uplifting read and this one is perfect.

Day 3 and I'm Back!

2011-05-12T19:54:00.001+08:00

I thought I have given enough thoughts to “killing” my Facebook account but I was wrong. Although I am aware that I can cut down on the time spent on Facebooking, I wasn’t strong enough to resist the temptation to check on it every so often. I’m not even one of those addicted Facebookers (at least that’s what I thought), but I do update quite regularly.

I should aim to reduce the frequency of use and by that I mean, updating my Wall each time I feel like saying something. (I want to blame it on iPhone for making it so easy. LOL!) Vivienne is right, I should control my Facebook time. Instead of acting on impulse, I should maintain control. I’m losing discipline and focus. And many thanks, too, to my other good friends such as Lenny my evil twin, Nick my WhatsApp buddy, Stef my colleague, Vivian my dear sister and friend. Not forgetting my carpool buddy, Scott, too. Talking to all of you made me realize I was being selfish.

I have come up with a Facebooking strategy and I will share about it soon. I know some of you may think how fickle I am (make up your mind already!) and I am sorry. The good thing about this, though, is that I realize how much I miss my family and friends who are on Facebook. It’s not so much about me keeping mine up-to-date, but what matters more is keeping in touch with those who matter.

Day 2 of being Facebookless

2011-05-11T22:53:00.005+08:00

I had it quite bad last night, the first night of living without Facebook. I cried it out. No, I wailed. I sobbed. Quite dramatic really. Then I slept like a baby.

Today, I had many urges to update status on Facebook as if it's the most natural thing to do, which it is. It's so effortless to do so with iPhone. During the day, I used to check and keep up with my friends using my Apple. I only log in using my laptop after work in the evening.

Today, I survived a whole day without Facebooking, but not without any internal struggle. Frankly, I'm quite proud of myself for the achievement.

Stef, my colleague and personal friend talked to me about Facebook at the office cafeteria today during coffee break. She was very persuasive about keeping it and reminded me of all the good things about the wonderful Facebook. I was swayed a little. After all, my account is only deactivated and will only be 100% deleted after 14 days without activities. BL, also a colleague, said he likes my photos. (I miss Facebook already)

And then, there's Nick, another friend of mine and chat buddy on WhatsApp. He said this, "Don't forget. It's not just you keeping up with your page. It's about staying in touch with everyone else."

Oh boy, Stef and Nick probably had a chat before they come up with this logic, which is, of course, very logical. Or, maybe it's a classic case of great minds think alike.

I told all these wonderful people that I will give it 5 days. 5 days to think through again about the possibility of deactivating my deactivation of Facebook. We'll see what happens. *ponder, ponder*

I Finally "Killed" Facebook from My Life

2011-05-10T22:35:00.003+08:00

I've made the final decision. I've pulled the plug. I feel sad yet liberated. Today, I said goodbye to 728 friends, most of whom I know because they're my colleagues (present and past), friends from school days, bloggers and a small number of random acquaintances.

Now, for one's account to be truly deleted from Facebook, one must not sign in to his or her account for 14 days following the deactivation, for the slightest activity—be it through the Web or iPhone (or whatever it is you're using) or other social networks that are linked to one's Facebook account—will reactivate the account.

I will try my best to remember NOT to sign in or accidentally sign in to my account. I have "killed" the app on my iPhone, cleared my browser of history and cache, so that ought to minimize temptation and gear me towards freedom from Facebook.

I shall report again in the next few days to see how I fare. Bye-bye, Facebook!

Books I Read in 2011: April

2011-04-30T00:02:00.004+08:00

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh (Kindle)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Total books for April 2011: 3
Total books for 2011: 14 (The List)

HAPPY READING!

DANGEROUS GAMES by Lora Leigh (Kindle Edition)

2011-04-25T23:48:00.006+08:00

Dangerous Games

By Lora Leigh
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Published: 2007
ISBN-13: 9780312939922
352 pages

This is my first BDSM (Bondage-Domination-Submission-Masochism) novel; hence, my first Dom/Sub exposure and I didn't know until I had devoured a chapter or two. Interesting setting in underground clubs and most of the exciting stuff happens at Diva's. And yes, did I mention the sizzling story involves a super hot Navy SEAL named Clinton "Iceman" McIntire and the untameable teenager turned DEA agent Morganna Chavez? Morganna has been secretly working with the DEA to uncover a thriving date-rape drug and Clint is trying his best to keep her out of it, to protect her. I have absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed reading Clint and Morganna's adventure. A very pleasurable read. Warning: This is adult stuff.

Note: This is a 100-word book review.

The CLEO 50 Most Eligible Bachelors 2011

2011-04-22T07:20:00.008+08:00

I met up with my girl friends, Irene and Eunis, last Saturday at 1 Utama Shopping Centre to catch up since I was home for my brother's birthday. Great food (at Delicious) and great company! And guess what? We bumped into the CLEO 50 Most Eligible Bachelors party! Right on time, too.

Now, this was before we "bumped" into the boys. We were at Forever 21 checking out some clothes. And I spotted these nice "FBI" loose tank tops.

Find Boys Immediately, indeed. After seeing those tanks, we found them. Totally unexpected and I didn't even know about this event. The boys were modeling for, I think, Kitschen. Should be, because it's right smack in front of the store, and is one of the co-sponsors of the event.

And then they changed and were all ready for the Speed Dating session.

Bachelors on stage. And me thinks the MC is very pretty.

The girls waiting in the queue, inside Kitschen. The CLEO organizers asked me to get into the queue as well, but I was there just to be a "busybody". Ha!

Full house.

Let the fun begin! Every girl has two minutes to get to know the hunk in front of them, and then move to the right when the bell *dings*. Repeat.

I think the guy on the left is Daniel Betz. Daniel, 29, is a process engineer.

Hello, there! I think the guy on the right is Ryan Matjeraie. Ryan, 26, is a radio DJ and TV host.

The girls busy getting to know the guys.

Now, I really like this Bachelor. If I matched him correctly, he should be Daren Lee. I just love looking at him. He has a certain "magnetism". Daren, 37, is an event company owner and his job involves casting and looking for models and talents.

This is Bo Amir Iqram. He's a music producer/composer/DJ/singer/songwriter, and he's only 25! I like his hair and his sweet smile.

And then, and then... I saw a really cute video guy! I think he's the best looking of the whole lot apart from the one (Daren) I was telling you about. *wink*

"Stalking" Mr. Video

~ The End ~

Please pardon me for the quality of the photos. I did not carry my camera with me and my iPhone was the only "weapon" I had at the time. I squeezed every bit of juice from my Apple. I hope you'll enjoy this post!

NORWEGIAN WOOD by Haruki Murakami

2011-04-09T21:20:00.012+08:00

Norwegian Wood
By Haruki Murakami
(Author's Website)
Translated from the Japanese by Jay Rubin
Publisher: Vintage International
Published: April 2003
ISBN-13: 9780099448822
400 pages

Chapter 1, Page 1: Once the plane was on the ground, soft music began to flow from the ceiling speakers: a sweet orchestral cover version of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood". The melody never failed to send a shudder through me, but this time it hit me harder than ever.

The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" on YouTube

Frankly, I do not know how to write the review of this book. I loved it very much. It is a straight, simple story, yet its simplicity is beautiful and moving. I did not expect myself to shed tears but cry I did. This is the story of Toru Watanabe set in his student days in Tokyo in the late 1960s.

Toru, Naoko, Midori and Reiko are all very special people. Toru knows Naoko through his best friend, Kizuki, and comes to love her dearly. Midori is someone who walks into Toru's life and he cares very much for her.

No, we weren't lovers, but in a way we had opened ourselves to each other even more deeply than lovers do.

That's who Midori is to Toru (and then more, later).

Reiko is the connection that Toru has through Naoko. Reiko and Naoko both stay at the sanatorium and are completely honest with one another. They tell each other everything and Naoko talks about Toru all the time. Reiko, a resident in the sanatorium for seven years, is very good in music and she helps teach music there even though she is one of the patients. She also plays the guitar and only upon the request of Naoko, plays "Norwegian Wood" (Naoko's favorite song).

Reading the straight-forward unabashed talks about sex, the joining of bodies, strangely brought a whole new... experience (for want of a better word) to me. Unlike those I often read in contemporary romance novels, the adolescent love in this story is so different.

I cannot stop thinking about the characters, felt a deep connection with every one of them, and because I have read a lot about mental illness, this book is special to me. I liked its quiet quality, saddened by its tragedy, but it also has its funny bits. I can still "see" the story when I close my eyes and go to sleep.

Related Post

Penang: The Teluk Bahang Beach Edition

2011-03-29T19:31:00.010+08:00

Penang is a funny place. I'll tell you why. Last Saturday, I had wanted to go out for a walk around Penang—you know, to continue the second part of my mini adventure—and it had to rain (almost) non-stop. So, I couldn't do what I wanted to do. Then the following day on Sunday, the sun was shining so brightly and cheerfully, you wouldn't have guessed it was wet the day before. See what I mean? And... I haven't even told you about the sudden storm (and I REALLY mean sudden) last night.

The good thing about sunny Sunday, though, was that my carpool buddy Scott suddenly decided to go to the beach and that made me a happy camper. Off we went with Simon, his friend. Simon is a nice guy.

Welcome to the Teluk Bahang beach!

The green and super lush tree greeted us

The sun peeking through

It's a beautiful day

Here are my two friends, Scott and Simon (put the first letters of our names together and they'll form A-S-S... oh dear)

It's time to take a walk

I saw this young boy looking out into the sea

A man throwing a fishing rod into the sea while the young boy looked on

I saw a young girl having fun in the green patches

This is me...

...and my legs

A fisherman out in the sea collecting his net, ready to go home

Washed ashore...

Isn't it nice?

Children playing happily

A young boy fishing

The sun setting

The boys can really JUMP!

That's it! I'm also happy to know a new friend (Simon). I hope you like this little adventure of mine and I'm hoping for more to come!

Norwegian Wood

2011-03-23T07:36:00.006+08:00

"I can never say what I want to say," continued Naoko. "It's been like this for a while now. I try to say something, but all I get are the wrong words - the wrong words or the exact opposite words from what I mean. I try to correct myself, and that only makes it worse. I lose track of what I was trying to say to begin with. It's like I'm split in two and playing tag with myself. One half is chasing the other half around this big, fat post. The other me has the right words, but this me can't catch her." She raised her face and looked into my eyes. "Does this make any sense to you?"

Oh yes, dear Naoko, this makes so much sense to me.

This passage from page 25 of Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood is something I can totally relate to. I keep to myself most of the time because that's what I do best. I don't talk much if I don't have anything important to say or can't find the words to express myself. Naoko got it right: I play tag with myself.

I find myself reading a book that has a sort of quiet quality to it, moving, emotionally engaging. Murakami always have this effect on me. I've only just finished page 60 and I felt a connection with Naoko, Toru, and Kizuki.

HAPPY EVER AFTER by Nora Roberts

2011-03-22T22:10:00.009+08:00

Happy Ever After
(Book Four in the Bride Quartet)
By Nora Roberts
Book Excerpt
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2010 (Roughcut Edition)
ISBN-13: 9780425236758
368 pages

Page 47: "Parks, your excuses are so lame, they're limping."

So once again, we meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac, but this time it's a wrap! To recap, the first book is about Mackensie "Mac" Elliot who is a photographer and her love interest, Carter Maguire Ph.D., an English professor. The second book takes us into the world of Emmaline "Emma" Grant who is a florist and Jack Cooke, an architect and family friend for ages. The third one lets us we experience the relationship between Laurel McBane the wedding baker and Delaney "Del" Brown the Ivy League lawyer. In this fourth and last one, we get a taste of Parker Brown (Del's sister and the brains behind Vows) and Malcolm "Mal" Kavanaugh (gorgeous hunk of a mechanic).

I had a love-hate relationship with Happy Ever After. I love Mal's bad boy personality and wittiness, and I also worship Parker's efficiency and multi-tasking ability. She is super organized and there is nothing she cannot handle. What I do NOT love, though, is the lengthy wedding planning and execution details. I admit I skipped about for a bit when I see those parts coming, but I did enjoy them in the beginning. However, it got tired after a while.

Having said the above, I loved the way Parker articulates and paints the picture of her client's perfect wedding. How I wish I have someone (or a wedding planner!) who would go through all that trouble of researching me, just like Parker does. Because she is such a wonderfully organized person, I also want to emulate her efficiency. She inspires me in that way.

The sexy, Harley bike hunk, Malcolm calls Parker "Legs" and rightly so because apparently she has legs to die for. Now, if I could have her legs AND brains combined with Mac's show-stopping arms, I would be in heaven. I have not actually seen those limbs but I can definitely visualize.

How about Malcolm? What makes him so desirable? This is Parker's description of him on page 50: "Hot, primal, rough-edged. Motorcycle and leather, torn denim and cocky grins. Hard hands, a hungry mouth." See what I mean?

I think the story is OK and somehow did not meet my expectation for a great wrap-up. Something is missing in this book (is this actually possible in Nora's books?). Please help yourself to the reviews of the first three books listed below.

Vision in White (Book One in The Bride Quartet)
Bed of Roses (Book Two in The Bride Quartet)
Savor the Moment (Book Three in The Bride Quartet)

Penang, Penang, here I come...

2011-03-19T23:18:00.009+08:00

Today on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I made up my mind to go on a mini adventure in Penang. I had always wanted to go to the town and wander about. Instead of the usual taxi rides (which can be costly in Penang) I decided to take the bus. This is the FIRST time I traveled by bus since arriving in Penang nine months ago. The sunny afternoon soon turned into a drizzling day.

Waiting for the Rapid Penang bus is the only negative experience in today's trip. I waited at the bus stop a short distance from my apartment. Twice, within 30 minutes of waiting, I see the buses I was supposed to board passed me by on the opposite side of the road, and I thought hey, maybe I was on the wrong side of the road. But when I crossed over to the other side, I saw one passed by on the side I WAS on! Blimey. I inhaled exhaust fume, dust and dirt for almost one hour before I finally managed to board one. Tough. I almost gave up.

From that moment on, everything was good.

The ride took close to an hour to reach my destination that is the Weld Quay, the same time it takes for me to travel home to Kuala Lumpur by flight. It's very cheap to take the bus and it costs only MYR2.70. The bus is air-conditioned, clean and comfortable.

After getting down at the bus terminal just next to the Jetty, I started my walk around town. I started in the late afternoon so by the time I reached the town I didn't do much. The pictures here were taken using my DSLR and iPhone.

Love Lane attracted my attention so I decided to wander there. Saw lots of backpackers, tourists, and guess what, a 'vegetarian' cat! I put camera into action... This is the "Crouching Alice, Nibbling Kitty" series.

This cat didn't run away from me but looked me in the eye

Kitty: I love my greens! Meooooww~~

Me: Love that natural eyeliner, Kitty!

And she gets back at nibbling her greens...

Love Lane

I like the colorful shop buildings

The smell of food immediately reminded me that I haven't had lunch and my stomach launched into an orchestra. I stopped by Monaliza B.B.Q because the place looks nice and quiet; only a Caucasian couple lounging there. I ordered Thai-style fried rice and kopi-O (local black coffee).

My Thai-style fried rice. It's delicious and so good! What's best is that I didn't feel thirsty after eating, which means no MSG added. The super late lunch/super early dinner at 5:30 p.m. fueled the remainder of my walk-around.

A short while after I settled down, two hunks came along. Good thing they sat in front of me because that means good "view" for me. The guy with his hair tied up has nice arms (I have a fascination with beautiful biceps). I couldn't help but discreetly took a photo using my iPhone.

Two meows

My walk brought me to Komtar and it ended there. Before that, though, I "surveyed" the shopping mall 1st Avenue and signed up for Maxis mobile broadband at Prangin Mall, which is located just next to 1st Avenue. Oh yes, I'm FINALLY online once again! With that I launched into my blogging mode once again. HURRAH!

P/S: I only spent MYR17 for today's trip (food and bus, not inclusive of signing up for broadband service) and that's cheaper than my 15-minute trip to the office using the taxi!

I'm still around! I'm still around!

2011-03-09T07:30:00.004+08:00

It's just that I've been blogging much less these days until I sort out my Internet connection issue. I tried applying for the 4 Mbps broadband access from Streamyx, and guess what? TM ran out of ports for my area! I thought I could "fly" BUT I will have to wait until May to "take off".

I'm disappointed. This means I cannot spend as much time as I would like for blogging.

I'm looking for an alternative, in the meantime, and mobile broadband seems to be the way to go for now.

I will try to visit all of you (and post content here on mine) as much as I can, whenever I can. I'll be back in full force before long!

Wordless Wednesday: I Cooked Tomato Basil Soup

2011-03-02T19:38:00.002+08:00

Books I Read in 2011: February

2011-02-28T08:13:00.006+08:00

The Moneyless Man by Mark Boyle
The Elephant in the Room by Ed Baker
Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
Inner Simplicity by Elaine St. James
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Total books for January 2011: 6
Total books for 2011: 11 (The List)

I enjoyed my February month of reading and read three books from my "2011 Must-Reads" list. The book I disliked most was Eat, Pray, Love but that's not to say there's nothing good in there. The Italy part was great (I absolutely loved it!) but I couldn't get myself to engage with India and Indonesia (Bali). I loved the movie, though. Strangely, my favorite bits in the movie were India and Bali. I had a good cry from watching it.

I'm ready for March and the focus of the month will be on the books I've selected for the Okra Pick Challenge hosted by Kathy of Bermudaonion's Weblog.

HAPPY READING!

Wordless Wednesday: Vegetarian Goodies

2011-02-23T07:51:00.008+08:00

JenxDan Lifestyle

Address: 21, Jalan Chow Thye, 10050 Georgetown, Penang, MALAYSIA
Telephone: +6019 471 9123 (cell phone), +604 226 8414 (land)
Email: info@jenxdanlifestyle.com

Here's another iPhone Instagram series! The cafe serves interesting and delicious vegetarian dishes, and apparently cakes and pastries too. I will definitely want to try the baked goods the next time I go there. Clockwise from the biggest picture above: Teriyaki sushi (made of all vegetables and rice noodles), my friend's vegetarian spaghetti, and Vietnamese rolls. The dishes were so colorful and the best is they're all natural. I came here with my carpool buddy. Happy Wordless Wednesday, my friends!

Wordless Wednesday: Feeling High

2011-02-16T00:00:00.000+08:00

This photo was taken using my iPhone when I was flying home to Penang from Kuala Lumpur. It was a beautiful evening and I can't just couldn't ignore the beautiful clouds and clear blue skies...

Mailbox Monday: Benjamin Hoff

2011-02-14T00:00:00.001+08:00

In February, Mailbox Monday is hosted by Library of Clean Reads. It is one of my favorite memes. For this week's edition, I am featuring the two used books I bought from Better World Books, both by Benjamin Hoff:

The Tao of Pooh (ISBN: 978140067477)
The Te of Piglet (ISBN: 9780140230161)

The books

The library sticker found in The Te of Piglet

I was pleased as a punch upon discovering that The Te of Piglet had once belonged to the Baltimore County Library. I love receiving used books like this; that's the nice thing about buying from a bookseller such as Better World Books (BWB). Did you know that BWB is now offering FREE shipping worldwide? I had updated on my Facebook about this some weeks ago, but there's no harm making that announcement again right here. The two books costs only US$7.96 (US$3.98 each) and what a great bargain that was!

P/S: Both are my iPhone pictures using Instagram. I like!

Related Posts: More Instagram posts on my blog

Wordless Wednesday: Food, food, and more food!

2011-02-09T00:00:00.000+08:00

The Golden Triangle

Address: 3F-22A, Queensbay Mall, Persiaran Bayan Indah, Sungai Nibong, Bayan Lepas, 11900 Penang, MALAYSIA
Telephone: +604 644 0969
Business Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

I must thank my colleague, Hooi Ming, for the wonderful lunch treat yesterday (THANK YOU, HOOI MING!). The Golden Triangle is a great place for dining and the food delicious! Every dish was yummy and fragrant rice was served. I will definitely go to the restaurant again and would be sure to bring along my family and friends.

THE MONEYLESS MAN by Mark Boyle

2011-02-08T00:02:00.001+08:00

The Moneyless Man
By Mark Boyle
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Published: 2010
ISBN-13: 9781851687541
244 pages

First paragraph, Prologue, page xi: Buy Nothing Eve, 28th November 2008. The timing just doesn't get any better. Five past six on the evening of my last day in moneydom and as far as I am concerned, the shops have effectively closed down for a year. It's been an unexpectedly long day; the media caught a sniff of my plans to live without money and so, instead of making the final preparations for my impending social experiment and—far more important—having a last pint of ale at my local, I ended up doing interview after interview after interview. The sound of my voice answering the same questions over and over again has made me slightly nauseous.

Inspiring. Intriguing. Eye-opening. Thought-provoking. Entertaining. These are the few words I will use for this interesting book by Irishman Mark Boyle. The Moneyless Man is a book detailing his yearlong social experiment of living without money. It will also wake us up (at least it woke me up) from our consumerist culture and obsession with money.

Mark, a former businessman, sold his possession and embarked on this mind-boggling journey. How would one live without money? What does he eat? Where does he live? How does he deal with the changing seasons, especially when it is harsh, cold winter? How does he wash? How about his relationship with his friends and family and people in general? If he is living a moneyless life, how does he keep in touch with the outside world? He uses the cellphone and laptop to continue spreading the word, so how does he produce his own energy?

Why is he doing this? In June 2008, he made the decision to give up money for at least a year and to start living that way at the end of November, on International 'Buy Nothing' Day. Why set himself up for something as extreme as this? He did not go on this journey alone or without support. He did not live an alienated and isolated life, but continues to interact with like-minded people like him. These are very helpful, supportive and knowledgeable people. They offer their skills in the freeconomic environment.

In this book, he lays out the rules of engagement—there are six of them—mainly to deal with his inner demon so that he will not succumb to temptations. He says on page 18, "Knowing your weaknesses will always be one of your greatest strengths."

Without proper preparation, the author knows that he is setting himself up for failure, so he shares about preparing the foundations, which is dealing with setting up the infrastructure to enable surviving in the wild. How do you avoid paying rent? So the author shares how he acquire his shelter and put it in somewhere for free. How about energy? Living off-grid means he would need to look after his energy and waste-disposal needs. Then, there is food that is absolutely necessary for survival, so he talks about growing, foraging, skipping (sometimes called bin-diving or bin-raiding) and cooking. For transportation, he uses two main forms of free transportation: walking and bicycle. Lastly, communication. Find out how he deals with connecting onto the Internet and using the phone or cellphone without money.

There are lots of practical tips such as building a rocket stove for cooking, keeping clean without toiletries, making ink and paper from mushrooms, hitchhiking, and so on. I cannot imagine digging a hole in the ground and pooping into it, which also plays the role of a compost heap for growing my food. How do you clean yourself after that? Mark deals with that, too.

Mark loves reading and he organizes book-swapping evenings, which is similar to websites such as ReaditSwapit and BookHopper. He also mentioned about Book Crossing that most booklovers are aware of; I am also a member. I give the author extra brownie points for his love for books!

Here are some of my favorite quotes from The Moneyless Man:

My list-making enabled me to establish my basic level of subsistence, the things I really couldn't do without, and my priorities for the rest.

Those who always want something more will always live in poverty, regardless of how much they earn, [...].

"My favourite times were when it rained heavily. I'd listen to the rain crashing on the roof with a real appreciation for the shelter that was keeping me dry and protected [...].

It is possible to be extremely happy despite having little money [...]. You can also be really unhappy despite earning a high salary.

While I may not follow his footstep of living without money right this moment, I want to live a life that offers good to others without expecting anything in return, which is also the core of this book. I am already doing this to a certain extent but not good enough. I want to be able to do more. I am also more aware of the way I spend money and consuming more carefully.

I highly recommend this compelling book.

About the Author: Mark Boyle founded the worldwide 'freeconomy' movement. An economics graduate and former businessman, his website (justfortheloveofit.org) has become a hub for community sharing with over 15,000 members. He is a regular contributor to the Guardian and Ethical Consumer magazine, and has been featured in a variety of national media, including Sky News, BBC Radio Four, BBC Two, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Telegraph, and The Times.

Related Post: Teaser Tuesdays

Books I Read in 2011: January

2011-02-06T00:02:00.003+08:00

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
The Tao of Writing by Ralph L. Wahlstrom
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Total books for January 2011: 5
Total books for 2011: 5 (The List)

I think I did pretty decently for the month of January and read two books from my "2011 Must-Reads" list. Now that it's February, I have finished one more from the list (The Moneyless Man by Mark Boyle). I'm also halfway through Happy Ever After by Nora Robert and the engaging Great People Decision by Claudio Fernandez Araoz.

HAPPY READING!

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM by Ed Baker

2011-02-04T18:18:00.015+08:00

The Elephant in the Room
By Ed Baker
Publisher: First Command/Tony Leary International
Published: 2002
ISBN-13: 9780979365409
144 pages

First paragraph, Introduction, page 15: My name is Michael Davidson. I never imagined I'd find myself looking for advice at a time in my life when it seemed I had already achieved so much. Sure, I had needed advice during my younger years in college, but now I was facing down thirty, with a wife and two kids. [...]

This is a highly readable book on the secrets for pursuing real financial success, told in the form of a story. Ed Baker uses a character named Michael Davidson to bring this message across. If you are expecting technical reading on investing in bonds, shares, or other forms of financial matters, this book is not it. The Elephant in the Room is a financial fable. In this story, having a big income and successful career could still mean that one is living paycheck to paycheck, and not accumulating any savings, as in the case of Michael. I was rummaging through my treasure trove of books during Chinese New Year at home and found this little gem. I decided to dive straight in; finished it in two sittings.

The book gradually builds the case for financial freedom from the first meeting (I will talk about this in a bit) to dealing with attitude, building knowledge, exploring financial beliefs, identifying values, setting goals, exercising patience and discipline, forming the plan, and finally coming up with a sound financial planning model.

The protagonist of the story, Michael, decides to seek the help of his widowed aunt for advice. Aunt Katherine demonstrates sound financial practice and lives a good life right into her ripe old age. How does she do it? Michael seeks her mentorship. Little did he know that Aunt Katherine will put him through some seemingly trivial, non-related financial advice and thought processes. What she put him through is necessary because they form the basis of financial success. But Michael does not know that yet. He even feels annoyed and thinks they are a waste of his time. He is a numbers person and is not about to get touchy-feely. After all, he is very successful and is one of the top performers in meeting sales numbers.

Michael meets with his aunt at a restaurant every week together with wife, Jennifer. Jennifer is not present at the first meeting but following his aunt's advice, he rectifies it and gets his wife's involvement as well. If you are married, it is important to do it with your spouse so that both are aligned and share the same values toward achieving the goals set. Each week's meeting brings about "new discovery" and they build up upon one another. Michael becomes more and more excited, and begins to grasp the importance of his aunt's words. Aunt Katherine also emphasizes on the importance of a good financial planner. Even the best of athletes need coaches, so what makes financial planning any different?

What I also like about the book besides its very easy to follow message is the summary notes that Michael takes after each meeting. Despite his reluctance in following some parts, he remains open-minded and jots notes. This is an example of his summary for "Behavior":

Behavior is the "elephant in the room" when it comes to financial success.

Courage is needed to view the past and future realistically.

Think about my behaviors and how they might affect our financial situation. Talk it over with Jen. What are our attitudes toward money? Are they different?

Building a sound financial future entails more than just making money or investing it wisely.

There are specific traits, or behaviors that people who are successful in their finances adopt and incorporate into their lives. What traits and attitudes affect the way we earn, spend, and save?

What shocks me into realization is that you can earn a lot and still be poor. You spend more than you earn. You live in credit. Sometimes even drown in credit.

Reading the book also made me think about the way I spend my money: "And if those trips are important to you, you'll have to budget and plan for them. Which means making smart, value-oriented financial decisions. So, for instance, when it's time to upgrade that stainless-steel grill out back for the newest model the neighbors just bought, you'll be able to think about whether that grill is more important to you than the trip to the Grand Canyon with the kids."

Oh yes, I want the latest DSLR (in fact, I have set my eyes on the model that I want to upgrade to and the wide-angle lens I have been eying for the longest time), a brand new iPad, an iPhone 4, and so on and so forth. The list is so long and I have not even included all the books I have been coveting. But all this is going to change. I have—in fact—started making some small changes such as,

making the point to live frugally (taking the bus instead of taxi)
taking my Starbucks thermos with me so that I can save RM2 every time I buy my Americano
embarked on a book-buying ban, and imposing a policy of buying books that I will read immediately and not for hoarding.

These are small steps and there are more, but they are crucial ones that help me modify my behavior towards spending. As my blogger friend, Katie Gwilt-Cox, so rightly said, it is not fun but necessary. (Thank you for the support, Katie!) This is something that has been said to death and I know most of us, if not all, know that we should spend on what we "need" and not "want". Money facilitates values that are really important to us—that could be freedom, supporting family, leaving a legacy—and, it depends on what drives you and your values. Which makes understanding the root cause to our financial woes so important.

All in all, our behavior affects everything in our life, including the way we earn, spend, and save. This book deals with the specific elements of behavior and how understanding those elements impact our behavior and their relationship to our financial future.

I highly recommend this book.

P/S: Another review of an exciting book I've just finished reading is coming up. Stay tuned for the story of The Moneyless Man by Mark Boyle. He's a really engaging Irishman!

Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

2011-02-03T11:47:00.014+08:00

2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. The Chinese also calls the New Year's Celebration the "Spring Festival." And... February 3, 2011 is the first day of the Chinese New Year, so HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Well... are you curious why the rabbit, or the other animal representations (in previous and coming years)? Here’s my attempt at trying to tell you a little bit more about it. Each year is designated by one of the 12 Animals. The Chinese calendar uses a unique counting system (sexagenary cycle) and there are two branches. The first position (heavenly stem) uses 10 numbers and the second (earthly branch, which is what we are referring to here) uses 12 numbers i.e. 1 to 12 represented by the following animals:

1: Rat (2008)
2: Ox (2009)
3: Tiger (2010)
4: Hare or Rabbit (2011)
5: Dragon (2012)
6: Snake (2013)
7: Horse (2014)
8: Sheep (2015)
9: Monkey (2016)
10: Rooster (2017)
11: Dog (2018)
12: Pig (2019)

Here's a chart with the year born:

Source: Chinese Astrology

What this means is if the current year is 2011 (Year of the Rabbit), any one who was born in the Year of the Rabbit is either 4 or 16, 28, 40, 52, 64, 76, 88 or 100 years old (just add 12 for each number).

Therefore, instead of asking "How old are you?" you can ask "In which (animal) year were you born?" One (especially for a child or an elderly person who often lose track of their age) just have to remember that he or she was born in the "Year of the Snake" (that's me!).

My friends, in which (animal) year were you born?

And just before I go on another round of merry celebration, here's a collage of our reunion dinner last night by Mom!

View the album at my Facebook (the link's public).

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-02T16:21:00.003+08:00

Related Post: Fun, Retro Photography with Instagram

Fun, Retro Photography with Instagram

2011-01-30T15:25:00.010+08:00

Here's an iPhone application that I have been keeping busy with (as my Facebook friends would know) for the past weeks. It's called Instagram and it's so much fun to use, I tell you. Do follow Instagram on Twitter and their blog if you wish.

This is a batch of some of the latest photos taken yesterday in an outing with friends. We enjoyed these delicious-looking food at Dragon-i, Queensbay Mall, Penang.

So, what is so cool about this tool?

You can take pictures with it (obviously...).
You can apply filters to it to make it look really retro. There are a variety of filters and my favorites are Earlybird, Toaster (usually great for food photography), Hefe (also cool for food), Poprocket (this has a nice reddish tone to it), and 1977 (that's the year I was born but that's not the reason for my liking it, haha!).
You can then share pictures with sites like Twitter, Flickr, and Facebook.
It works like a social network site, and you can "like" and comment on the photos. So effortless to use.
It's FREE!

Do you play with Instagram too? If you own an iPhone and haven't already tinker with it, you should. I'll be showing more of my Instagram pictures on Wordless Wednesday. Stay tuned!

Teaser Tuesday: The Moneyless Man

2011-01-24T23:10:00.001+08:00

OK, call me shallow, but apart from the compelling title, I was totally attracted to the guy's attire (checkered shirt over t-shirt and jeans). I couldn't resist picking up The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living when I was at the Singapore Changi Airport in October last year. I am very interested in Mark Boyle's story about his courageous year-long experiment of living without money. Here's the teaser from page xiii and I can't wait to read the rest of the book!

And so I lay there, covered in oil, full of apprehension, exhausted, stressed and staring at the ceiling, so many thoughts flew through my mind. How on earth had I managed to get to this point in my life and why the hell did I end up embarking on this seemingly impossible mission so publicly?

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS by J. K. Rowling

2011-01-21T23:59:00.012+08:00

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
By J. K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2000
ISBN-13: 9780439064873
352 pages

First paragraph, Chapter One, page 1: Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew Harry's room.

Finishing the second book of Harry Potter made me a happy girl! Once again, I checked Amazon.com and found that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secret has been reviewed for more than 2,700 times. I bet almost the whole world knows what the story is about so there really is no point for me to attempt a synopsis. Click here to read the reviews.

I learn from this story that in trying to help someone, a person can sometimes hurt the very person one is trying to protect. This is seen in the case of Dobby the house elf. He means well in trying to warn Harry not to return to Hogwarts because evil awaits him there. Harry ignores Dobby's warning and manages to return to school anyway for his second year. I cannot tell you much for you must read the book; you must check it out. Clever plot, this.

The story is also full of resolve, in that, friends stand by for each other, and when the going gets tough, they do not give up. You can see how Harry, Ron, and Hermione help each other and care for one another. They have deep trust and when Hagrid is blamed for the unfortunate events at Hogwarts, they try their best to find out about the truth and help their friend in need. Loyalty is an important element in this story. You can also see determination, especially by Hermione in trying to come up with solutions or when facing stumbling blocks.

Now, Gilderoy Lockhart, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts is one very vain person. He irritates the hell of me but Hermione (the genius girl) is very fond of him; even Mrs. Weasley is smitten. He is so full of himself and loves every chance of publicity. He is all talk (no substance) but a very convincing one at that, having published many books that majority of them are being used at Hogwarts for teaching. It just goes to tell that even in the world of witchcraft and wizardry, hiring the wrong people can happen. It is not foolproof.

Here's something really cute I found at icanhascheezburger.com.

I am glad I rejoined Harry after his first year's adventure at Hogwarts. The story gets even better in this one. Very engaging and imaginative. It is also funny. The characters feel alive to me. I am contemplating the audio version for the rest of the Harry Potter series, thanks to Sandy Nawrot who highly recommends it.

In conclusion: Highly recommended!

Related Post: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

天天好天 GREAT DAY

2011-01-16T17:35:00.027+08:00

I seldom watch local productions and the only one I remember worth watching was Sepet, directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad. Today, thanks to my mom and sister Catherine who had wanted to watch Great Day at the cinema, I thoroughly enjoyed something that I didn't know I would like so much.

Really, I did not expect to enjoy it but from the moment the movie started, I loved it to bits. The music, the scenic views, beautiful composition, and the cast members made the movie memorable. I think they were all very well chosen for the roles they play.

Great Day is produced by Astro, directed by Chiu, and I heard the casts are mostly DJs from MY FM. I think I spotted one or two of them from the post I did for its 10th anniversary concert I was invited to attend as a blogger in 2008.

This, my friends, is a heartwarming, funny and touching movie set in rural Perlis. The story opens with a boy cooking noodles and frying an egg. And then he takes both dishes out and hands one of the plates to his father. They eat together.

A group of old folks live together in the colorful building you see in the first picture below. Two of the elders, "Hokkien Mee" and "Kong Fu Chao", stood out particularly. Although on the surface they seem to be bickering a lot, they really are two very good friends. They have plans to go to the city Kuala Lumpur to visit their families, but without the knowledge of the person-in-charge of the home. "Hokkien Mee" manages to do so and so discovers the truth about his family. The lives of the characters are intertwined and they really care for each other although they are not related. They live a simple, happy life.

This beautiful paddy field is the place where the old folks live and I love the cheerful colors amidst the green surroundings.

Some of my favorite actors in Great Day are this father-and-son pair. The son:The father:

One of the scenes during school sport's day.

"Hokkien Mee" goes shopping in the market for ingredients to cook assam laksa.

The family enjoying the delicious assam laksa cooked by their father, a dish that "Hokkien Mee" does very well. The guy who is eating happens to be my favorite person too. He (a photographer) doesn't usually wear "preppy" clothes like that but to please his father, he decides to change from his usual trendy, creative clothing to this.

The movie made me laugh. It made me cry. There are lots of funny moments. And touching ones too. There is nothing complicated in its plot, perhaps nothing new too. But still, it is a story that is worth watching and meaningful.

彩虹的家 is the movie's lovely theme song. Although I can't read Chinese but I sure speak and understand the language. The video also incorporates some of the movie footage.

天天好天 also has a Facebook page so if you like the movie, don't forget to visit its Facebook page too! And while you're at it, do visit the blog. It's in Chinese but if you can't read it, that's OK, because there are lots of pictures from the movie and behind-the-scenes.

I only wish they have something written in English so that I could do a better job providing more information about it here.

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE by J. K. Rowling

2011-01-15T21:43:00.012+08:00

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
By J. K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 1998
ISBN-13: 9780590353427
320 pages

First sentence, Chapter One, page 1: Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

Re-reading the first book of Harry Potter was fun. It has been reviewed so many times, I was contemplating whether or not to do a review too. I checked Amazon.com and found out that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has been reviewed for more than 5,600 times. I do no see the point of re-writing the synopsis here so I am going to take the easy way out and refer you to the reviews on Amazon.com. Click here.

I remembered hearing about the Harry Potter series for the first time from my former boss way back in year 2000. His daughters were eagerly waiting for the latest book to be released and were very excited about it. It got me curious, too, so I ended up reading them, but only up to Book Four. So here I am, revisiting Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, is such a wise character and a great wizard with legendary power. There are a few of his sayings that I absolutely love and would like to share them with you:

"It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that." p.214

"[...] humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." p.297

The book is full of wonderful details; a great storyline that involves family, friendship, student rivalry, and interesting faculty members; and lots of twist and turns. I had lots of laugh (the silent kind), and since I was reading the book in the bus on the way from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, I hope nobody saw me chuckling silently in my seat. Those were the funny bits. When things got intense, for example, during Harry's face-off with Voldemort, I was furrowing my brows and all that.

I admire the courage that Harry and his friends have. Harry and Ron get off to a good start; both are put off by Hermione's bossy and Miss Smarty-Pants character, but later, the three of them become really tight together, thanks to a troll that somehow manages to trespass into Hogwarts.

One of my favorite parts in the book is the Sorting Hat ceremony where the first year students such as Harry, Ron and Hermione will be sorted into either one of the four houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin). No prize for guessing which house the friends ended up in. I like the bit where the Sorting Hat sung about Gryffindor:

[...]
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
[...]

Draco Malfoy gets on my nerves and there are many times I wanted to give that boy a hard smack upside his head. The Weasleys are fun and for some strange reasons I like Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress. I also enjoyed where the boa constrictor talks to Harry in the earlier part of the book, and its escape very much frightens Dudley (the son of his horrible aunt and uncle).

In conclusion: So good I want to re-read it again!

THE FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS OF A TEAM by Patrick Lencioni

2011-01-12T08:15:00.020+08:00

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
By Patrick Lencioni
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
Published: 2002
ISBN-13: 9780787960759
229 pages

First sentence, Introduction, page vii: Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.

This is a business book—yes—but if you are a lover of fiction, you would probably like this 229-page hard cover book too. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is a highly readable leadership fable. Having worked in a few American corporations in my life, I found the scenario presented in the book to be very true. Also, it does not only apply to American companies but anywhere in the world where there are people working in teams. I mention “in” team, but whether or not they work “as” a team, this is what the book is about.

The book has two sections: The Fable and The Model. A large part of this review talks about the former. In section The Model, it provides more information about the model to help readers understand and overcome the five dysfunctions. There is also a team assessment sheet available for use.

Here is some background to the story. DecisionTech, Inc. is one of the most talked-about, well-funded and promising start-up companies in Silicon Valley. The company, however, after its first few months of glory began to experience a “downturn”: slip of critical deadlines, resignation of key employees, gradual deterioration of morale. Two years have passed (for a technology start-up it is a lifetime) and the company is not achieving its revenue and market goals. Having worked in a technology start-up and experienced the same scenario, I understood what DecisionTech is going through.

There is a key group of people that forms the executive team. The primary character is Kathryn Peterson, the newly appointed CEO. Over the next chapters, you will see how her direct reports interact with one another. Kathryn is experiencing difficulties getting through to them. She is very experienced in the corporate world and nearing retirement, but have no direct background working for a company such as DecisionTech leading a group of young and brilliant senior executives. As you read along, you will see how she turns the team around. The transformation did not happen overnight but her persistence, determination and her constructive confrontation approach makes it possible.

Kathryn uses the model—The Five Dysfunctions of a Team—to drive her points across:

Absence of TRUST (Invulnerability)
Fear of CONFLICT (Artificial Harmony)
Lack of COMMITMENT (Ambiguity)
Avoidance of ACCOUNTABILITY (Low Standards)
Intention to RESULTS (Status and Ego)

The model is drawn in the format of a pyramid with “Absence of Trust” at the bottom of the pyramid and “Intention to Results” at the top. She explains them at the first off-site meeting she organized for her team. I am oversimplifying things here but if you read the story, you will see how hard she has to work at breaking through to her colleagues.

Lencioni describes how Kathryn ran her staff after her initial team-building off-sites and the significant investment in time that it required.

I also like the author's interesting comparison between team meetings and movies. They are both about the same length, approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours. Usually we hate meetings because they are boring (but they are interactive and relevant). Movies have one key ingredient—conflict—and that makes them interesting. We can make a meeting interesting by allowing good conflict.

One more thing that I picked up from this book is putting the wrong people in the wrong position. Jeff Shanley, founder and former CEO, is a perfect example in this book. He is great at what he does but he cannot lead a team, which is reflected in the company’s performance and his eventual removal as CEO. However, put him in the right position, he thrives. He is still on the board of directors but he now reports to one of the executive team members, and that is fine by him. He is happy. I saw this very same scenario in one of the recent ex-companies I worked with.

According to Lencioni, the book is based on his work with CEOs and their executive teams, but its theories are applicable for anyone interested in teamwork, whether as a team leader or as a member of a team. After reading this book, I certainly feel that its principles can be applied—not only in a business environment—but also in marriage, family, book clubs, and in almost any setting. Usually I will not call a business book a page-turner, but this one sure is.

Note: Thank you, Sally, for lending me the book! I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Winner: "Your Favorite Post" Book Giveaway

2011-01-10T00:02:00.004+08:00

Jen
Snapshots 2010

CONGRATULATIONS, Jen! Random.org picked you as the winner. I will be getting in touch with you to obtain your preference of online book seller.

And, the highest vote goes to The Day I Got My Kindle and a Mini Singapore Tour. Many thanks to ALL who have participated!

Related Post

2011 Personal Must-Reads

2011-01-08T17:45:00.011+08:00

My list of 2011 must-reads is out! In my effort to whittle down my existing to-be-read (TBR) pile, I have come up with a list of the books that I picked from my personal library. A major reading project I hope to accomplish this year is completing the 4-volume Three Kingdoms. Another series I'm aiming to complete is Harry Potter. I'd read up to Book 4 but would like to restart from the beginning from Book 1 through Book 7. I have broken the list down into two parts: Non-Fiction and Fiction.

The NON-FICTION List

Falling Leaves
A Thousand Pieces of Gold
Watching the Tree, all by Adeline Yen Mah
Sweet Mandarin by Helen Tse
Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin
Great People Decision by Claudio Fernandez Araoz
What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis
The Starbucks Experience by Joseph A. Michelli
The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
The Soloist by Steve Lopez
A Hundred Feet Over Hell by Jim Hooper
The Moneyless Man by Mark Boyle
All You Have to Do Is Listen by Rob Karlow

The FICTION List

Three Kingdoms (Volume I)
Three Kingdoms (Volume II)
Three Kingdoms (Volume III)
Three Kingdoms (Volume IV), all attributed to Luo Guanzhong; Translated by Moss Roberts
Raise the Red Lantern
The Boat to Redemption, all by Su Tong
Happy Ever After (Book 4 in the Bride Quartet) by Nora Roberts
Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7), all by J. K. Rowling
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng (a fellow Malaysian!)
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert

Makes me excited just thinking about reading them all. Happy reading to you, too!

Laugh Out Loud: Living with Joy and Humor

2011-01-02T16:42:00.014+08:00

I can't think of a better way to start a brand new year than with joy and humor. A few weeks ago, I won The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World by Debbie Taylor Williams (ISBN: 9780891126416) from Renee of A Path of Joy. I was going through my bookshelves to pick out books that I'd like to take back with me to Penang, and this one caught my attention. I flipped through the pages and the last part, Laugh Out Loud: Living with Joy and Humor beckoned me.

I'd like to share with you snippets from the Eight Ways to Develop a Sense of Humor on pages 213 and 214:

Recognize the value of humor | Spend time with people who have a sense of humor | Practice friendliness | Make a point of being around people | If you work from home or are housebound most of the time, seek out humorous reading material | When you're down or out, look for things to smile about—a funny little bird, your pet's antics, [...]—now, that'll get you chuckling | Share something humorous with another person each day via email, over the phone, or in person | Ask God to help you see the lighter side of life.

I love laughing out loud. I also love curling up on the sofa at home reading a good book. Now, I also look "stressed" and intimidating half the time, so it's hard to "read" me, but really, I'm very predictable. I love surrounding myself with humorous people. I love engaging with people. But I also love being alone with myself. This chapter says that whatever it is that makes you tick, you can develop humor through use and repetition. All of us can practice to look for things to smile about!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!

2011-01-01T23:59:00.008+08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my bookish (and not-so-bookish) friends!

2010 has been a wonderful year although I blogged less and read less (a drop by 50%), but that's OK. I know I've said this many times but I truly treasure the friendship I have with all of you. Here's to another year of wonderful time of blogging together, getting to know all of you better, and raving about what we love best: our books! Happy 2011!

"I read books, not Facebook status updates." Well, that's not entirely true. I have recently developed a liking to reading Facebook statuses. Haha!

I'm in the midst drawing up a list of books that I want to read in 2011. Once that is completed, I'd be sure to share it with all of you. I updated my blog with a new look too. I hope you'll like it.

And to wrap up this post, please don't forget to participate in my "Your Favorite Post" Book Giveaway where you, the lucky winner, will receive a US$15 gift certificate from the online book seller of your choice, or book(s) of the same value from Book Depository. It's a small token of my appreciation for your support. Come join in the fun here!

Books I Read in 2010: December

2010-12-31T23:59:00.003+08:00

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
365 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism by Rachel Laferriere, MS, RD
Harry Callahan Chrestomathy by Jonathan Williams
My Life as Emperor by Su Tong
The Wind Singer by William Nicholson
Sugar and Grits by DiAnn Mills, Janice Thompson, Martha Rogers, Kathleen Y'Barbo

Total books for December 2010: 6
Total books for 2010: 62 (The List)

In December, I did not complete the What's in a Name? 3 and left three books unread. I was home for the holidays and didn't take with me the books I have chosen for the challenge, so I picked another set of books. Titles 4 to 6 above were some of the books I replaced. I tried my best. *GRIN*

HAPPY NEW YEAR & HAPPY READING!

Good-bye 2010, Hello 2011 (AND, a Book Giveaway!)

2010-12-28T21:34:00.009+08:00

Dear friends,

Surprise, surprise! I decided to make a (quick) comeback before the year ends and will disappear again as soon as I'm done with this post. My heart is filled with gratitude for your friendship and I am glad we are friends. THANK YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

While writing this post, I realized I haven't been doing much photography this year. This is something I need to remedy in 2011, put on my thinking cap, and be more active in photography projects. Not having a car to move around puts a tremendous limitation to my mobility and what I can do, but if I were to study the bus routes and use them, this can turn out to be quite an adventure.

Now, I had fun going through my old posts in 2010 and decided to "feature" these five to bid farewell to 2010 and say hello to 2011. To celebrate the new year, I'm also hosting a BOOK GIVEAWAY and to add some fun to it, I'd like you to pick your favorite from the five below. All you need to do is fill out THE FORM. Are you ready?

Please click on the pictures to go to the posts.

"MY FAVORITE POST" Book Giveaway

The last day to participate in this book giveaway is Sunday, January 9, 2011. The winner gets a US$15 gift certificate from any one of these online book sellers of his or her choice: Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | Better World Books. Or alternatively, you may also opt for book(s) of your choice for the same value from Book Depository. DON'T MISS IT!

Fill out THE FORM to participate.

Take a Break: Unplug

2010-12-19T09:25:00.004+08:00

Alice is taking a blogging break until the end of the year. Until then, Blessed Christmas and a Happy Holiday! See you in 2011!

Picture from Parse, How Design

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-15T00:02:00.000+08:00

Mailbox Monday

2010-12-13T00:02:00.001+08:00

Mailbox Monday is a meme hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. This week's mailbox is wonderful for me because of all the books I received from my friends.

The pile of books that made me happy

From Wendy of Musings of A Bookish Kitty:

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan (ISBN: 9781416596257)
The Art of Disappearing by Ivy Pochoda (ISBN: 9780312650995)

Along with the books, Wendy also sent a beautiful Cape Shore card. I also received a Christmas Card in a separate mail. Thank you, Wendy!

From Renee of A Path of Joy:

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer (ISBN: 9780316125581)
The Last Christian by David Gregory (ISBN: 9781400074976)
The Plan A Woman in a Plan B World by Debbie Taylor Williams (ISBN: 9780891126416)
D.I.V.A.S of the Divine by Donna McCary and Sherri Holbert (ISBN: 9781563221088)

Thank you, Renee, for these wonderful books. You always throw in so many bonuses!

From HH:

Great People Decisions by Claudio Fernandez Araoz

This is a book that I would like to start reading immediately beginning of next year. It addresses the question of why they (people decisions i.e. getting the right people to fill the right roles) matter so much, why they are so hard and how we can master them. HH, thank you for the great breakfast meeting and for this book!

Last but not least, many thanks to Jen of Snapshots 2010, for the beautiful and very useful Borne Naked clear handbag liner.

I took the above photo but extracted the one at the bottom right-hand corner (the picture of handbag liners in three sizes) from its website. This item is ideal for both single and multiple handbag lovers. It's definitely going to help me stay organized and de-clutter my ~~handbag~~ backpack. What a thoughtful gift from Jen!

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge: Mission Accomplished!

2010-12-10T07:18:00.002+08:00

HURRAH! Another challenge completed! I finished reading the last of my Sookie Stackhouse book two days ago and felt mighty good about it. I love Sookie! I can't decide who I liked more: Eric or Bill. I kept yoyo-ing between the two. I do like Bill's dark hair, though; not too fond of blonds. I think I might settle for Bill. If you have no idea what I'm babbling about, Eric and Bill are the two male vampires in Sookie's life. Lucky girl (but not so lucky for the mayhem and hell that breaks loose after knowing them. Life in Bon Temps is never the same again with all the supes around...).

Well, here are the nine books I've read for the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge hosted by Beth Fish Reads :

Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone

I look forward to reading Book 10, Dead in the Family in 2011. For now, I am trying to finish one more challenge and that is the "What's in a Name? 3" reading challenge. I have a feeling, though, that I may not be able to finish this but I'll give it my best shot. Happy reading everyone!

STAR SAPPHIRE by Han May

2010-12-05T11:30:00.015+08:00

Before I go on with the review of Star Sapphire, I had the opportunity to meet with Joan Hon, author of this fine novel in October during her book talk. From left to right: Nigel Pendrigh, Jo Lau with her 5-year-old Chris, Yours Truly, and the author Joan Jon.

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Star Sapphire
By Han May
Publisher: Nova Books
Published: 1988
ISBN-13: 9810008900
376 pages

I hardly read local authors (I do not want to appear as a snob, though) and I will probably not be aware of Star Sapphire if Jo Lau, a new friend of mine did not bring this to my attention. Jo and I are complete strangers until July this year, thanks to the Internet that had brought us together.

I did not expect to enjoy the sci-fi novel as much as I thought I would, but now I am glad I read it because Star Sapphire is great. Although sci-fi, it sure reads like a contemporary novel; the characters feel and act in the same way as anyone would today. It "feels" different from the novels I have read and it does have a more "local" flavor to it. I cannot quite articulate how I feel but I think it is the way it is written. Yet, it manages to touch me and draws me into the story.

I found myself eager to know what would happen to Yva Yolan (the female protagonist who is half human, half alien) and the important people she crosses path with when she accepted the job on-board the spaceship Star Sapphire. There she meets with the two main male characters, Timothy Huha the Chief Personnel Officer and Adam Zear, also known as the Registrar.

There are four rules governing all the crew members of the spaceship and one of them is Rule 4: The m.c. (member of crew) is forbidden to engage in any relationship related to courtship and all acts related to it. In short, no romance is allowed. Yet, Tim (who knows this rule very well) and Yva seem to be falling for each other. As you read on, you would notice that the Registrar has feelings for Yva too. Yva who thinks that she is just a very plain looking girl without much of a special ability unlike her other counterparts on the ship, could not quite understand why Tim would pay attention to her.

I enjoyed the camaraderie on-board the ship and Yva, the new girl on-board, pretty soon fits herself well into the day-to-day setting. One day, something goes terribly wrong during a particular assignment and Yva is sucked into a Black Hole. Rule 2 says that the m.c. (member of crew) must refrain from jeopardizing his own safety under all circumstance, even in the course of saving another endangered person. Defying the rule, the Registrar being an important, if not the most important man of the ship, jumps right in without knowing if there is any chance of survival for both of them. He, too, is on the assignment but he left slightly earlier. Some physics kick in at this point and I actually enjoyed reading them. I cannot say I understood what I read, but still, I was a student of science (physics was my weakest subject) once upon a time. So, did Adam and Yva survive the fatal incident? You would have to read it.

Joan has a way of drawing you into the story and make you feel for the characters. I mentioned this once: Between Tim and Adam the Registrar, I like them both, but it is the latter that won my heart. Many parts of the book got me teary-eyed because I feel for Yva so much that it hurts. As I read the story, I could sense the Biblical connection and the author has built that into fiction. There are some slow parts and I felt that they could have been excluded from the book.

I really hope this book will be turned into an e-book and be made available on the Kindle edition (and other e-Readers) because then it will reach a wider audience. The author did express that as part of her plan for her books.

Star Sapphire won a High Commendation Award from the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) in 1986. Han May is the pen-name of Joan Hon, an award-winning author. Joan is a scientist and published author from Singapore. She was also awarded a Commendation prize for her book Relatively Speaking on her father and childhood memories in Penang. Thank you, Joan, for the copy of Star Sapphire. Thank you, Jo Lau, for introducing me to Joan!

Here's an excerpt from Chapter 1 on page 7:

Starliner

It was not proper, said my grandmother, for a girl to venture into space. If one needed help in a hurry, she said, think of all the light years separating one from where help might be forthcoming.

Since Grandmother had gone into space herself—else how would she have come all the way from Ganymede to marry Grandfather?—I took her remarks lightly. The fact that my parents had died in space was forever dangled by her before my mind as the best possible deterrent to my own compulsion to set off amongst the stars.

I argued within myself that my parents had died in space because they themselves had wanted it that way. They had been happy there, they had lived their time out there—for whatever reasons—and they had chosen in all probability to depart from there. One might argue that one should not be on Terra for the same reason: all my other ancestors had passed away on Terra, with most of them in bed. Hence, being in bed on Terra was the most hazardous place in the Universe to be!

That was how Gran herself finally went: in bed, after a short illness, and on New Terra. [...]

IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS by Wendy Markham

2010-12-04T22:47:00.000+08:00

If Only in My Dreams
By Wendy Markham
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Published: 2006
ISBN-13: 9780451220035
400 pages

This is the first time I’m reading Wendy Markham and I’ve enjoyed If Only in My Dreams very much. The female protagonist Clara McCallum has just landed a huge part starring in a WWII film as a woman in love with a doomed soldier named Jed Landry. At the same time she’s also diagnosed with breast cancer, which leaves her devastated. While filming, she’s magically transported back in time to 1941 where she meets the real-life Landry; it takes her some time before she realizes that she’s no longer on the set but the real thing.

I love the convincing period details, and Jed and Clara are wonderfully characterized (so are the secondary characters). Is Clara back in 1941 for a reason—to save Jed from being killed in war? Can she change history? If she stays in 1941, she will be fighting a losing battle with cancer. There is nothing predictable about this story although I half expected it to be so. The story had me bawling so much I was hideous by the end of it, but contented and happy. Time travel. Love. I love the ending, I tell you—it’s not what you'd think it'd be. A great Christmas read too.

NOTES: This is a 200-word review. By the way, Wendy Markham is the alter-ego of Wendy Corsi Staub, an award-winning author of psychological suspense novels. Thank you, John Valeri, for arranging with Wendy to send If Only in My Dreams and The Best Gift (the sequel to this novel) to me last year!

Books I Read in 2010: November

2010-12-01T12:08:00.007+08:00

Dogs and Goddesses by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, Lani Diane Rich
How to Get Things Done without Trying Too Hard by Richard Templar
If Only in My Dreams by Wendy Markham
Paddington's Birthday Treat by Michael Bond
Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Total books for November 2010: 6
Total books for 2010: 56

In November, I finished the Romance Reading Challenge and I'm happy about that. I have one more book to go for the Sookie Stackhouse Challenge and that is All Together Dead. Really enjoyable, this series! I know there are Dead and Gone and Dead in the Family (Book 9 and 10 respectively, which I will read in 2011) but when I first committed to the challenge, it was only for eight novels in the series. I have a feeling I'm going to abandon the YA Challenge (sorry!) but will commit to completing What's in a Name? 3. That's six books to read before the year ends.

Happy reading in December!

Updated @ 5 December: OK, when I checked back to determine if I have read Dead and Gone (Book 9) because I have this nagging feeling that I had; it's indeed true. I finished the book after my short Penang trip in June this year. The trip was made to prepare for my relocation to Penang due to my new job.