R a n d o m n e s s XD

2012

2012-01-01T20:22:00.004+08:00

Happy New Year!

The red team won the 62nd Kohaku Uta Gassen after six years! I've been expecting them to win, since SNSD and Kara joined the team :)

Congratulation red team!

Excited

2011-12-30T21:10:00.000+08:00

Went to GM Plaza in Lorong Hj. Taib, KL with Jah yesterday. And we get to enter a car lift for the first time! Somehow, we're excited! Haha...

Four Season Temperate House, Bukit Cerakah

2011-12-20T13:33:00.000+08:00

Went cycling with Jah and my sis yesterday in Bukit Cerakah and we stopped by the Four Season Temperate House. It's winter! We were lucky that there's no one in the room. So, we get to stay a bit longer in the room.

Cute snowman!

Polar bear made of ice?

Goodbye Tales Runner?

2011-12-02T13:41:00.001+08:00

I was browsing for a few online games, and decided to check on Tales Runner. I used to play TR a few years ago during my studies... and was shocked to read that TR servers will shut Down on December 21, 2011!

Maybe I should try flyff instead? Or find any other games?

Sources:
Tales Runner
Tales Runner Compensation

62nd Kohaku Uta Gassen

2011-11-30T16:40:00.001+08:00

The 62nd Kohaku Uta Gassen line up has finally been revealed! And I'm glad that I didn't see Lady Gaga in the line up. But, I hope that the Red Team would win this time.

Red Team (28)

aiko

Ashida Mana

Ayaka

Angela Aki

Ikimono Gakari

Ishikawa Sayuri

AKB48

KARA

Kawanaka Miyuki

Kanda Sayaka

Koda Kumi

Godai Natsuko

Kobayashi Sachiko

Sakamoto Fuyumi

Shiina Ringo

Shoujo Jidai

Tendo Yoshimi

Natsukawa Rimi

Nishino Kana

Perfume

Hamasaki Ayumi

Hirahara Ayaka

Fuji Ayako

Matsuda Seiko

Matsutoya Yumi

Mizuki Nana

Mizumori Kaori

Wada Akiko

White Team (27)

Akikawa Masafumi

Arashi

Itsuki Hiroshi

Inawashirokos

EXILE

NYC

Kitajima Saburo

Go Hiromi

Suzuki Fuku

SMAP

Sen Masao

Tohoshinki

TOKIO

Tokunaga Hideaki

AAA

Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi

Nishida Toshiyuki

Hikawa Kiyoshi

Hirai Ken

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS

Fukuyama Masaharu

flumpool

Hosokawa Takashi

Porno Graffitti

Mori Shinichi

Yuzu

L'Arc~en~Ciel

Something Random

2011-11-30T15:04:00.001+08:00

So, this is the last post for the 'I challenge myself to publish a post per day in a week'.

I think, I'm going to write something random today.

Something random

*Move over arrow to publish buttons*

Okay, that was a joke. I seriously didn't know what to write anymore. And forcing my brain to write a review for a book I've read seems like a torture right now. I might as well write a review to a fanfictions I've read. I mean, some of those fanfictions were a lot more interesting. They should get published and made tons of money from what they wrote!

Does it seems like I'm a childish person for reading and writing fanfictions at my age?

Skies

2011-11-29T11:55:00.001+08:00

Went to Perak to visit my brother last weekend. And I shoot a few pictures of clouds from the car! Ain't they're beautiful?

This one is my favorite!

Agnes and the Hitman

2011-11-28T06:21:00.000+08:00

Agnes and the Hitman. Hmm... so where do I begin?

What I like about this book is that, it's listed in the mystery-chic lit genre. And I bought this book because of that. There's not much of mystery-chic lit genre, and I love mystery-chic lit genre. (The review seems promising too!)

I loved that the heroine, Agnes, is a food writer and that she used her frying pan as her weapon. It's fun to see that. It has some good conversations and good narrations. The first few chapter is interesting. To make things short, Agnes got into trouble after someone tried to dognap her dog, Rhett and the hero, Shane showed up to rescue her from a lot of trouble. From that on, the book seems to be a bit boring (at least, for me). There's just too much issue going on. Agnes and her frying pan problems, her fiance, her past with her mother, that wedding she was trying to manage and Shane's past.

I wish there were a lot more of attraction going on between Agnes and Shane. I get it that it's an instant attraction between them, but, does it have to move that fast? And that wedding she was trying to manage - I thought that the solution was too simple. I'm sure a wedding is a bit more complicated than that. I just thought that the background of the story is weak. I mean, the whole thing started when Shane came to protect Agnes because someone is trying to dognap Rhett. Really?

Maybe the book was not for me.

Take one food writer named Cranky Agnes, add a hitman named Shane, mix them together with a Southern mob wedding, a missing necklace, two annoyed flamingos, and a dog named Rhett and you've got a recipe for a sexy, hilarious novel about the disastrous side of true love… Agnes Crandall's life goes awry when a dognapper invades her kitchen one night, seriously hampering her attempts to put on a wedding that she's staked her entire net worth on. Then a hero climbs through her bedroom window. His name is Shane, no last name, just Shane, and he has his own problems: he's got a big hit scheduled, a rival trying to take him out, and an ex-mobster uncle asking him to protect some little kid named Agnes. When he finds out that Agnes isn't so little, his uncle has forgotten to mention a missing five million bucks he might have lost in Agnes's house, and his last hit was a miss, Shane's life isn't looking so good, either. Then a bunch of lowlifes come looking for the money, a string of hit men show up for Agnes, and some wedding guests gather with intent to throw more than rice. Agnes and Shane have their hands full with greed, florists, treachery, flamingos, mayhem, mothers of the bride, and--most dangerous of all--each other. Agnes and the Hitman is the perfect combination of sugar and spice, sweet and salty--a novel of delicious

2011 NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen

2011-11-27T06:48:00.000+08:00

I saw the 'unofficial' release of 2011 NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen on jpopasia today... I was excited to see lots of my favorite performer on the list until I scrolled down to the end of the list.

White Team

1. Masafumi Akikawa
2. Arashi
3. Inawashirokos
4. NYC
5. Kanjani8
6. SMAP
7. Jang Geun Suk
8. TVXQ
9. TOKIO
10. Hideaki Tokunaga
11. AAA
12. Naoto Inti Raymi
13. Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
14. Ken Hirai
15. Fukuyama Masaharu
16. flumpool
17. Porno Graffiti
18. Yuzu

Red Team

1. aiko
2. Yuki & Kaoru
3. Angela Aki
4. Ikimonogakari
5. AKB48
6. KARA
7. Koda Kumi
8. JUJU
9. Girls Generation
10. DREAMS COME TRUE
11. Rimi Natsukawa
12. Kana Nishino
13. Perfume
14. Ayumi Hamasaki
15. Ayaka Hirahara
16. Nana Mizuki
17. Ryoko Moriyama
18. Seiko Matsuda
19. Yumi Matsutoya
20. Lady Gaga

Seriously?? Lady Gaga??

Following Polly

2011-11-26T00:49:00.000+08:00

Karen Bergreen's Following Polly kind of reminds me of my school days, where I used to stalk a few friends to figure out what they're like, and where do they live. Okay, so, maybe they weren't exactly 'friends'. They were my schoolmates whom either my friends and I were interested in. Plus, we were obsessed (kind of) with detectives (That was when I used to read lots of Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. And oh, lots of detectives manga too! Detective Conan, Kindaichi and Psychometric Eiji to name a few...) So, following people around was like detective games to us. It was fun! Especially when none of the subject seem to notice us. (Though, we may or may not been found out by our subject for a few times).

I bought it because of two simple reason - The main character is a stalker, and I saw this book on recommendation section in one of the chic lit books review blog.

Following Polly was a fun read! It was a mystery books laced with a little bit of romance and good humor. It is definitely my genre. The book was interesting from page one and an absolutely page turner. I loved Karen Bergreen's style of writing in this book. It hooks me to the very last page.

Here's the synopsis of Karen Bergreen's Following Polly from Amazon.com

Would you call Alice Teakle a stalker? Or just someone with an, um, healthy obsession with golden girl Polly Linley Dawson? No one much notices Alice: not her boss, not the neighbors, not even her Mother. Besides, everyone follows Polly: her business selling high-end lingerie you can imagine only her elegant self wearing, her all-over-the-social-pages marriage to movie director Humphrey Dawson, her chic looks, her wardrobe. Alice just follows her a little more….closely.And when she loses her job and starts to follow Polly Dawson one Manhattan autumn afternoon, Alice stumbles on the object of her attention sprawled dead on the floor of a boutique. Alice is forced to become truly beneath anyone’s notice. Invisible, in fact. Because she’s accused of murder. But can another obsession help save Alice with the fallout? Charlie is Alice’s longtime unattainable crush. He might be able to help her out of the mess she’s in…in return for a favor or two, that is. And how will Alice find out if Charlie is really the man Alice thinks he is?

Sh*t My Dad Says

2011-11-25T12:57:00.001+08:00

I've been searching for Sh*t My Dad Says when I saw it in a recommendation section in amazon. It wasn't the usual genre I would always read - I don't really read non-fiction books. But, I bought it anyway. I thought the book was interesting, when I browsed the content from amazon.com.

And, I'm going to say that I wasn't disappointed with this. I enjoyed the book thoroughly. I like the father-son relationship shown in the book. It was funny and witty. His father was really hilarious! (although he cursed a lot!) I found it totally refreshing and a totally page turner. A must read book, if you love comedy.

Here's the book description found in amazon.com

After being dumped by his longtime girlfriend, twenty-eight-year-old Justin Halpern found himself living at home with his seventy-three-year-old dad. Sam Halpern, who is "like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair," has never minced words, and when Justin moved back home, he began to record all the ridiculous things his dad said to him:
"That woman was sexy. . . . Out of your league? Son, let women figure out why they won't screw you. Don't do it for them."
"Do people your age know how to comb their hair? It looks like two squirrels crawled on their heads and started fucking."
"The worst thing you can be is a liar. . . . Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is liar. Nazi one, liar two."
More than a million people now follow Mr. Halpern's philosophical musings on Twitter, and in this book, his son weaves a brilliantly funny, touching coming-of-age memoir around the best of his quotes. An all-American story that unfolds on the Little League field, in Denny's, during excruciating family road trips, and, most frequently, in the Halperns' kitchen over bowls of Grape-Nuts, Sh*t My Dad Says is a chaotic, hilarious, true portrait of a father-son relationship from a major new comic voice.

Happy Birthday Me!

2011-11-24T11:12:00.001+08:00

It was my birthday yesterday. Can't really say that I'm excited, since my age is increasing. But, I received lots of birthday wishes from friends and family. So, I was really happy that they remembered me! My sister drew a picture of Cardcaptor Sakura for me and posted it on my facebook wall.

And it seems that I've been abandoning this blog for quite some times. I've decided that 'publish a post in Randomness XD at least one post per day' is back! For a week, or more I guess... I think, I'm going to write a few book review that I've read in this past few months.

:D

Skipping School

2011-10-07T21:57:00.000+08:00

When I was in high school, during my first year, I used to skip school a whole lots of time. Well, my parents were working, skipping school was easy~ I would call my mother and tell her that I had a headache and she'll let me skip school (and she would write a letter to my teacher). Then, I'll stay home, watched TV and etc. But one unfortunate day, my mom told me that I've been having too much headache, and I should go to the clinic for check up. That was the day I stop skipping school - I can't use that 'headache' excuse anymore.

A few days ago, I heard my little sister talking to my mother - she was asking permission to skip school. She said that most of her classmate wouldn't be there (because they decided to skip school altogether). Now that I think about it, my sister didn't have any chance to skip school without any reason, because my mother retired, and is now a housewife.

Har. Har...

Morning Musume Takahashi Ai's Graduation

2011-10-01T08:02:00.000+08:00

So, Morning Musume's Takahashi Ai graduated from Morning Musume and H!P on 30 September 2011. I'm sad. Ai-Chan was one of my favorite Momosu after all.

And look! They're singing Tomo together in the concert. I thought I might cry when I saw the lyrics on the screen: 愛しているんだずっと仲間だろ (Aishite irunda, zutto nakama daro) which means, I love you, We’ll always be friends. It's a lovely song.

But, I wish her all the best. I'm going to miss you a lot TT__TT Now, the leadership is passed down to Niigaki Risa, and I'm looking forward to it as well (And 10th generation Momosu joined a day before she graduate). All the best Momosu!

More news in: Hello!Online

Autumn in Shah Alam

2011-09-30T14:14:00.000+08:00

So, last weekend my siblings and I went to Bukit Cerakah in Shah Alam to cycle. But, decided to walk to the Four Season House instead (because there's lots of people using the bike, and we had to queue).

It's Autumn in there!

Private Affair: Short Story Excerpt

2011-09-29T22:25:00.000+08:00

An unknown female around her forty, with long black hair walked into the coffee shop. She wore a thick makeup and black sunglasses. She dressed in jeans, a white shirt with flower pattern blouse and high heels. She looked around the coffee shop and took off her sunglasses. She sat down at the bar and nodded.

"What can I get you?" my assistant asked.

"What do you have?" she asked. Her fingers tapped softly against the table.

My assistant glanced on the clock, and turned her attention back to the woman. "It's ten thirty. We have omelets, pancakes, French toast..."

"Give me a cup of coffee." The woman said.

My assistant rolled her eyes and poured a mug for her. She took a small bottle of sugar and cream, and placed it on the table.

The woman poured two teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of cream into her coffee. She took a sip, and decided to add in extra teaspoon of sugar. She took a sip again, and nodded. "I'm looking for the owner."

My assistant nodded. "If you're looking for boss, he's over there." She said, pointing on the booth at the back. "Boss! Customer!" She yelled.

I looked up from my newspaper and stared at the woman.

She gave me a business-like smile before she stood up and walked towards me. "Are you the owner?" She asked.

I gave her a courtesy nod and motioned her to sit across me. "Eli," I introduced myself and stretched out my hands.

"Mai," she introduced herself as she shook my hand. "I heard that you can solve my problem."

I took off my glasses, squinted at them against the light and put it back on. It is one of my habits I frequently used to buy some times. "I own a coffee shop. I'm not sure I can solve any of your problems."

"I heard you're a detective."

I smiled. "Where did you hear that?"

"A friend told me."

I chuckled and inhaled. "In that case, I may solve your problem. But, it depends on what sort of problem you have, and of course, how much you're willing to pay for it."

"You're a detective, right?" Mai asked, repeating her question.

"Private investigator."

"It's the same thing."

It's not.

Private investigator don't usually involved with police or other government organizations. We are hired to find evidence of adultery for divorce cases or finding missing people – usually. Detective is a person usually hired by government agencies to investigate criminal matters. They don't meddle in civil affairs. They were more focus on aiding government agencies to solve certain criminal mysteries.

"So, you're run a this coffee shop as well as detective agency?" Mai asked.

"It's private investigator agency." I corrected her.

"It's the same thing."

I took a deep breath. I was tired of correcting her on using the right terminology. "What can I do for you, Mai?"

"I think my husband is having an affair."

This is one of the excerpt of what I'm writing. What do you think?

Finally there: Broga Hills

2011-09-22T08:32:00.000+08:00

So, I'm finally here (broga hills) last weekend with my siblings. It was my first time too! We woke up at 4am, and start climbing up after 6am. It was quite exciting, trekking on this hill and tiring too. My heart beat furiously and I sweat a lot like I never did before. The next day, I got the worst muscle pain ever! Pulling up my hair to a ponytail hurts a lot!

Short Story

2011-08-13T14:07:00.000+08:00

"Hey,"

"Yes?"

"Uh," he paused and swallowed."That is... I... uh... you," he stammered.

"You what?"

What if she doesn't like me?

"I'm—" he licked his lips.

"What is it?"

"I'm hungry," he said.

"You're hungry? You had three pieces of blueberry pancakes and you're still hungry?"

He silently cursed himself for not being able to think of any other excuse. "I guess." He shrugged.

"Perhaps we should order a takeout," she suggested and turned to him. "What do you want?"

He sighed. "Anything's fine."

"Anything? Alright, then." She nodded and disappeared behind the door.

"I'm an idiot," he muttered. "Why can't I think of anything else other than 'I'm hungry?'" he said. He turned to his niece, pulled his hair in frustration and sighed. "Your uncle is an idiot."

"Idiot!" the four years old girl repeated.

"No. Please don't tell your mother that you picked that up from me. She's going to kill me."

Short story - excerpt!
What do you think is going on?

Traffic

2011-07-30T12:53:00.000+08:00

Went to KL yesterday. My friend wanted to shop for a few things before Ramadhan. Who knew that it's SOGO's member card days? We're stuck in the traffic in Chow Kit road for an hour! And those traffic congestion was caused from people who wanted to go to SOGO. People went crazy with all their shopping!

Moral of the story, never ever think of shopping a few days before Ramadhan in Jalan TAR. And don't ever think of driving somewhere here a few weeks before Syawal (from last year experience).

Kite

2011-07-25T23:23:00.001+08:00

I went to kite park with my friends on weekend. I succeed to make them fly for the first time! Who would know that flying a kite could make you really tired? It was fun, though... (I was listening to Bruno Coulais' Cerf-volant while writing this)

I aspire to be

2011-07-16T21:58:00.001+08:00

My friends and I went to KLCC today. There's a career fair, and we went to check it out - since we're jobless.

While visiting a booth, we came across this message board. The exhibitor said we should write something. I've no idea what I should write. Then, Qilla gave me an idea. I aspire to be legend (wait for it) dary. Though that was from HIMYM.

Jah's friend made this one. "I aspire to be unique'. Then, Jah draw all the decoration. lol

What do you think?

Hector and the search for happiness

2011-06-19T17:56:00.000+08:00

I was tired of chic lit books. Most of them are not that good anymore. There are some novels which I regret spending money on. So, the last time I went to MPH with my father, I opt for a general novel. I thought they might be interesting too. I picked Hector and the search for happiness by François Lelord. What interest me to choose this novel was the cover, and the fact that it was sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

Synopsis (from amazon)

Hector is a successful young psychiatrist. He s very good at treating patients in real need of his help. But many people he sees have no health problems: they re just deeply dissatisfied with their lives. Hector can t do much for them, and it s beginning to depress him. So when a patient tells him he looks in need of a holiday, Hector decides to set off round the world to find out what makes people everywhere happy (and sad), and whether there is such a thing as the secret of true happiness...

I learnt that this novel was first published in France as Le Voyage d'Hector ou la recherche du bonheur. (It would be interesting to have the French version, and figure out how much I understand.) So, that's why the way it was written and language was a bit different from other novels. It was a good read with many interesting view on happiness though. There were 23 lessons on happiness that Hector learnt in his journey. And here's some of my favorite lessons.

My favorite lessons:

Lesson 1: Making comparisons can spoil your happiness

Lesson 7: It's a mistake to think that happiness is the goal.

Lesson 14: happiness is to be loved for exactly who you are

Lesson 23: happiness means making sure that those around you are happy.

Clover

2011-06-17T11:20:00.002+08:00

Taken from my mother's garden. I still couldn't find any four leaves clover. Tskk..

Fun Food Related Japanese Songs

2011-06-16T14:04:00.001+08:00

Fun Food Related Japanese Songs

AKB48 - Yasai Sister

SDN48 - Awajishima no Tamanegi

Muten Musume - Appare Kaiten Zushi

Morning Musume - Ramen Revolution

I personally love Morning Musume Ramen Revolution! Well, it's a spin off from Morning Musume's Renai Revolution. SDN48 Awajishima no Tamanegi is really fun too. Which of these are your favorite?

Yet, another story

2011-06-08T17:35:00.000+08:00

"You're wearing the wrong apron." She said, glancing at him. "Everyone wore the same apron. Why can't you wear them like everyone else?"

Unlike everyone else, he wore a plain black apron.

He snickered. "Me? In pink? I'm a man. I wouldn't ever wear them. It wouldn't fit my personality."

"Why not? Steve and Adam wore them too, you know."

"They're gay. Let them be." he replied.

"You know that we could hear you!" Steve yelled from the other side.

She rolled her eyes. "Guys look hot wearing pink!" she stated.

He glanced at his employer with the corner of his eyes, and chuckled.

"I could fire you out for this." She threatened.