The Hinge

Surprise Discovery

2010-03-17T07:08:00.000+08:00

I was fiddling with the phone.

I was bored.

I was also wondering what I could do to while time away.

And then I saw it!
What a life-saver! I have never seen it in my other phones! In fact, I dont have games in my other phones!

What a lifeline! I played till my eyes went blurry. Then went to sleep.

Oh, I should say, I was stuck on the plane.

And yes, the phone was in offline ie flight mode - safe to use.

A New Place

2010-03-10T15:40:00.000+08:00

Together with Arrow #3, decided to try out a new place for lunch near my office. The place is called
They serve local fare.

This is what I enjoyed.

This drink is called Madras tea. Mind you, I have been told that they do not serve this in Madras, so I have no idea where the name came from!
It was not as rich and creamy as others I have tasted, but still good nonetheless.

This is noodle is called soto. I had mine mixed or "campur" (pronounced cham-pour) which means that the shreds of meat are beef and chicken.
The soup was pleasant enough, but as Arrow #3 said, the benchmark is still the other place we chanced upon in town....

Still, it was not too bad...

Especially since we had mother and daughter time!

Shrugging it Off

2010-03-07T22:20:00.002+08:00

For some reason, I have been unable to shrug off a cough I have had since I got back from my holidays. Most annoying.

Some have said that I am too stressed. But I dont feel stressed!

Then I remembered someone saying that I needed sleep.

So I slept.

Took myself to bed earlier the previous few nights.

Then last night I slept for ten hours, nearly missing an appointment that I had made - I only woke when the alarm rang to say that I had the appointment! I managed to get ready and out of the house in less than twenty minutes! Phew!

I think I might have overdone it!!!

And no, I still have the cough! Not only that, this morning, I was coughing up thick phlegm. Yuck!

A Chef's Offering

2010-03-03T21:50:00.005+08:00

Honestly, what do you do when a chef offers you some yummies like this? Scone.... with whipped cream.... and a spoonful of strawberry jam.
It's enough to make anyone give up their diet.

This was one of the dishes offered during the potbless of our cell group's first meeting.

Just Nice

2010-02-23T23:38:00.000+08:00

I'd had a full and late breakfast. Sometimes a meal with eggs can be so filling!

Later when lunch was taken, I found myself not feeling very hungry. I asked for a milk shake in place of a full blown meal.

To my dismay, there was none of offer.

Then Hubby offered this instead.
What a simple but delightful alternative.

Yeah, I like sundaes!

Hot Food

2010-02-21T22:47:00.003+08:00

Korea.

Cold Korea.

Very cold Korea.

Is it any wonder then that most of their food is cooked like soups and stews? They put everything into a wok over a gas flame.
Then they turn up the heat and voila - self service of piping hot, nourishing grub!

Vegetables in the middle of winter is a luxury. On our trip, we had lots of vegetables, apart from the traditional fare of kimchi. However, not everyone appreciated the low meat diet!

For me? I love it! Especially their pickled veg!

Upon Our Return

2010-02-20T20:33:00.001+08:00

I have fallen ill.

Even on the plane, I could feel the shivers. Others were shedding the layers. I was hugging on to my winter clothes and even the gloves. Not a good sign. I could feel the chills coming - the result of having a fever. Bones are aching.... fever, yeah. The thermometer confirms it.

Right now, have decided to take some paracetamol - a rare thing for me to do - and then to take myself to bed and rest for the night.

More posts later.....

And the Winner Is........ (Drumroll)

2010-02-19T13:21:00.007+08:00

So I have a winner!

Yes!

So exciting!

It's number 90!

Who is that? Errrr I forgot to assign numbers to names and contacts. So I have to go count and get back to you.

I also forgot to take a photo of the giveaway. So that means more delays. Sorry folks.

Reason for my inability to complete what I need to do? My excuse is the holidays. Holidays are very busy time for me. This is what I got up to recently.
Yeah, so sorry for the delay. Results will be out in full soon....

High Tech

2010-02-16T12:30:00.000+08:00

I have had my mobile phone for over a year and love it. It's a Nokia E71. The latest model would be the E75, but I still prefer my older version.

One of the delights I have with it is that I can set a lot of shortcuts. I have 12 shortcuts that I have counted in a jiffy.... are there more? Possibly.

Another reason for my treasuring this mobile is because it is slimmer than its precursor, the E61i. For my tiny hands, this is a lot easier to handle. (I wear size 5 gloves for those who understand what that means!)

Another major plus about this phone is that I can go online and check mail, go on the internet and even use the navigation system. Just go either wifi or 3G.

It not only functions as a PDA and phone, it is also a mini computer. I synchronise it to my laptop often, thereby ensuring my data is kept safe.

Having used it for over a year now, you can therefore imagine the amount of information I have in there....

and how disconcerting it was when I discovered the loss of my synchronizing cable!

Thank God that it can bluetooth with my laptop!
And so my data is safe.

And my E71 is still my favourite phone ever.

No, I dont need an iPod.

Super Countdown

2010-02-13T12:42:00.004+08:00

In less than 48hours, the draw for One World One Heart will take place! Are you getting excited? I am!

It's amazing that I have already over 200 comments on that one post.

That means more than 200 people want to take part in the draw.

I have an 11-year taking part (with permission from her mother of course).

There are also a number of men who have signed up. I wonder if they want the heart-shaped box and contents for their loved ones.

Well, stay tuned. It's getting really exciting! Now I must hop over to other places before the event closes!

A Hiatus

2010-02-10T12:05:00.000+08:00

Wow! I cant believe that it has been so long since I updated here. Time flies when you are having fun!

Fun such as this!
In case you cant tell, (droooool) this is yummy vanilla ice cream with lashings of chocolate sauce, sprinkling of almond pieces and topped with pistachios!!!

Lessons from the Hilly Road

2010-02-03T23:14:00.002+08:00

I live on just less than 10 minutes from the city centre. My house is on a hill. The road that leads to it is narrow and reminds me of a country side trail. It's a dead end road and hence quiet. There are two turnoffs from the main road leading to our place. One of them is very narrow and in parts, seems to be only wide enough for one and a half cars!

That doesn't stop people from driving like mad along there though.

But fast or slow, one thing that often comes to mind is when two cars meet along the narrow turnoff. They should slow down, and often they do.

Inevitably though, one party has to slow down more than the other.

My question is, "Why does it often have to be the one going uphill that slows down?"

You see, I had been told before that the car going downhill should slow down. The reason is that more fuel is consumed when the car going uphill has to stop or slow down and then step on the pedal again to continue its journey. Hence it is only good manners and considerate that the downhill bound car slow down or stop. Makes sense right?

So my question remains, "Why does it often have to be the one going uphill that slows down?" Or are we just less courteous these days?

Changes

2010-02-01T23:29:00.001+08:00

No two days have been the same.

Changes - the only constant.

At one time in my life I didn't want change.

But now, it is a daily event.

One part of me says, "STOP! Enough!"

The other part says, "It's fun! It's challenging"

Conclusion?

I am confused! Hahahaha!

The Draw

2010-01-31T00:17:00.002+08:00

It dawned on me that the draw for One World One Heart is going to take place while I am not available. I do hope you folks wont mind. I must drop a line to the lady who started it all.

We are only partially into the month and there are over 800 people who have signed up.

What's fun is to see more men involved!

I'm off now to see what others have on offer.....

One World One Heart

2010-01-26T22:21:00.003+08:00

It's that time of the year again and I missed the start! Aaargh!

BUT it is better late than never.

Here then is my offering for the One World One Heart 2010.

This delightful box and it's contents.
What lies within this box, you might ask... ah... That would be for the winner of my draw to find out.

Just put your name and contact in my comments box and I shall get back to you at the end of One World One Heart. No strings attached. And yes, this will be sent to you wherever you are if you are the winner.

Goodness even as I type this there are almost 600 taking part already! I'd best sign off now and get myself on the list there!

Trekkie Talk

2010-01-21T03:01:00.001+08:00

Are you a Star Trek fan? I like science fiction. Take Avatar. I enjoyed that one immensely. I think in some ways, Star Trek started me off because I was intrigued by them at a very impressionable age.

I found this article by accident. (Cant remember the train of events that led me to this discovery) But I like it so much I'd like to share it with you.

The 'true story' of how Dr. King kept Uhura on Star Trek

Star Trek\<\/i\>" src="http://scifiwire.com/assets_c/2010/01/StarTrek_uhura_Nichols_singing-thumb-550x433-32281.jpg" border="0">

If you're a Star Trek fan, you've no doubt heard the story of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. persuaded Nichelle Nichols to remain on the original series as Lt. Uhura when she was thinking of leaving after the first season.

Well, we've heard it, too, but given that we celebrate Dr. King's legacy this week, it's worth repeating, especially as Savas Abadsidis recently interviewed Nichols for Planet Waves and posts what he's calling the "true story" of how that fateful encounter took place, in her own words.

We've pasted Nichols' full comments below.

I hope you will get the story right this time, because for some reason, no one has ever gotten this story right,(laughs). I, after the first season, because my heart was still on Broadway and the performing arts part of me, the musical performing arts of me was yearning to leave. I never intended to be an actress other than in the theater. So for me, TV and movies, that was something to help me get from here to there. And so it was a shock for me to be cast in Star Trek. A shock and a joy. I was performing in England at the time of the inception of the show and my agent tracked me down in Paris and told me that they were doing a show called Star Trek, assuming that I'd know what that was. Because I'd been in and out of the country for so long.
Now I'd known Gene Roddenberry since he'd given me my first TV starring role in a show that he'd done called the 'The Lieutenant'. And he was one of the first people of that stature that gave me encouragement. He called my agent and said can you find Nichelle, because I need her for a role in this show and wherever she is, get her back here because I want a woman head of a department on the bridge. He changed the role from a man heading communications on the bridge and he wanted a woman of color. He wanted me and I came back and got the role. So the first year went by, and I enjoyed doing the role, to me at that time it was very challenging [laughs] but I played my role to the hilt, being the head of communications and all that and by this time the show had aired and I was starting to get notice and on the side I'm singing at places and people are hearing me and calling and I'm thinking, "Oh this is my big break! I have to leave this little show and go do it! I was thinking Broadway here I come!'

And so I went on a Friday evening shortly before the end of the season to let Gene know that I wouldn't be returning to the show, he looked at me like I was crazy, "YOU CAN'T LEAVE," but he realized how serious I was and he knew I was passionate about singing, and he said, "I know what your dream is and so forth but don't you see what I'm trying to do? He said take the weekend and think about my decision and how important this show is and how it was a first and if I leave, well he didn't know what to say, but he said take the weekend and that way I could take the time to really think about what we just said and come back Monday and we would talk about it and if you really want to leave then, you'll go with my blessings, but realize I want you to know that what we are doing here is really historic. The next night was Saturday and I was due to be a celebrity guest on a dais at an NAACP fundraiser at UCLA.

One of the organizers came up to me and said that there was someone who wants to meet you; and he says that he's you're best, biggest fan and I'm thinking it's a Trekkie! [laughs] and so I said certainly and I got up and turned around and maybe 10 or 15 feet coming towards me I see Dr. Martin Luther King and I remember thinking whoever that little fan is, he's going to have to wait, because here's Dr. King, who walks straight up to me with this big, magnificent smile on his face and says, "I'm the fan!" because I'm sort of looking around for someone else, and he says, "I am your best fan, I am your biggest fan!" and I... I was at a loss for words, and if you know me, I am never at a loss for words.

I just couldn't say a thing and he began to tell me how important my role was, what an inspiration it was. And you have to understand we were in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, people were regularly being attacked by dogs, and marchers were being hosed on the television every night, real life things, and here I am in this futuristic thing on TV and he was so complimentary, he told me "I was so important and the way you have created this role," and I am just looking at him and looking at him and I remember I just kept hoping he'd never stop talking. Because his voice is just... you know the voice. And I finally just start saying, thank you so much Dr. King and I am shaking his hand and still shaking from nervousness and I said thank you so much and I am really going to miss my co-stars.

And at this his face totally changed, and he said "What are you talking about?!"

I love it. Go read more at THIS SITE

Adding to the Statistics

2010-01-20T18:01:00.002+08:00

I saw this in the e-news today. I think my Arrow #2 added to the statistics!

SINGAPORE, Jan 20 — Passenger traffic at Singapore’s Changi Airport, Asia’s fifth-biggest, hit a monthly record in December, pointing to a sustained recovery in air travel.

Changi Airport Group said it handled 3.83 million passengers last month, a 9.7 per cent rise from a year earlier and 9.1 per cent higher than the previous monthly record set in December 2007.

The December figures bring the 2009 annual passenger number to 37.2 million, down 1.3 per cent from 2008. Changi ranked 19th globally in terms of passenger numbers in 2008, according to Airports Council International, an industry group.

The amount of cargo handled at the airport rose for a third straight month. Airfreight was up 15.7 per cent to 149,700 tonnes in December, taking the total for 2009 to 1.63 million tonnes, or 12 per cent lower than 2008.

The improvement came after a number of Asian airlines, such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, said that they have seen some signs of a recovery in air travel, including in the premium segment. — Reuters

Today is the Day

2010-01-17T23:54:00.001+08:00

Arrow #2 introduced me to this. I like it... Hope you do too.

Reviving Old Skills?

2010-01-16T21:46:00.003+08:00

Well, since my household help left to tend to her son last year, we have not been able to get a live-in help. A cleaner comes in weekly for half a day and that's about it.

To cope, we delegate chores and go out to eat. It's the best we can do when we are working or studying.

But it has been good.

Christmas was hectic of course.

Then things got more settled once Arrow #3 went back to school.

I decided to cook some dinners.
I know, I am mad. As if I dont have enough to do!

But you know, you can only tolerate eating out that much.

Not to mention the strain on the pockets!

So far, so good. Early days yet. Reviews are reasonable. I am still very rusty.... Ha!

Flyaway

2010-01-11T10:38:00.002+08:00

Did some sweaty housework so I washed my hair and am now sitting at the desk at home.

I'd normally wash my hair at the end of the day, put my hair in curlers and then go to bed. I know, it does seem rather anti-romantic and all that. Thank God Hubby isnt that particular! He loves me as is!

Anyway, today, because I washed after a few hours of housework, it is still morning time... And I havent bothered to put the curlers in.

And now, it is flying all over the place as it dries

I wonder if if looked in the mirror now whether I would look like a witch with her hair all over the place, about to fly off on her broomstick.

Ah, but these days, witches dont look so wild and not do they fly on sticks. Unless you are Harry Potter and the folks from the school.

I'll fly away closer to a mirror after this.

And no, I dont intend to put a Postscript to confirm or deny my appearance!

An Interesting Post

2009-12-31T14:44:00.003+08:00

This
is
an
interesting post.

Another Guess What!

2009-12-30T00:41:00.003+08:00

My daughter snapped this photo.

Any takers on what this might be?
Hmm I can hear the question being asked if there is a prize to this.

Let's see how creative your answers are before I decide!

Hahahaha!

WHAT IS this???

2009-12-19T00:42:00.002+08:00

We were walking about in a shopping mart. This intriguing vegetable caught my mother's eye.
Personally, I have never seen anything like this before.
Does anyone have any idea what this might be
How does it taste? It's a mystery.....

As Feared

2009-12-18T01:39:00.000+08:00

MCSC: Shocked by SPM 10+2 Exclusivity

The Malayan Christian Schools’ Council (MCSC) held a Press Conference this morning, December 17, 2009 at the MCSC HQ in Petaling Jaya. This is to express the shock of MCSC at the exclusivity of the recently announced SPM 10+2 subjects and the marginalization of subjects like Bible Knowledge.

Press Statement by MCSC
SHOCKED BY SPM 10+2 EXCLUSIVITY

The Malayan Christian Schools’ Council is shocked at the Government’s decision not to include Bible Knowledge in the 2 additional SPM subjects as announced recently.

This is despite repeated representations and memoranda to the authorities concerned since June this year.

In The Star Online news report dated Tuesday December 8, 2009 it was announced that the two additional SPM subjects are limited to Bahasa Arab, Bahasa Cina, Bahasa Tamil, Chinese Literature and Tamil Literature.

This decision appears to have been hastily taken without due consultation. It has unjustly excluded other subjects which are highly valued by ethnic and religious minorities in Malaysia.

Among these subjects are Bahasa Iban, Bahasa Punjab and Bible Knowledge. This marginalisation is a source of great consternation among the affected communities which constitute a significant percentage of Malaysians.

We urge the Cabinet, in particular the Minister of Education, to leave the choice of the two additional SPM subjects to the candidate. Surely, such an inclusive approach is more in line with the PM’s vision of 1Malaysia “People First, Performance Now”.

YAP KOK KEONG
Chairman
MALAYAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS’ COUNCIL

Dated this 17th December 2009

(The Malayan Christian Schools’ Council represents the Mission Authorities of the Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Brethren, Presbyterian and Basel Churches)

Offline

2009-12-14T16:08:00.002+08:00

Why is it that every time there is the strong winds hit and there is a sudden shower, the internet goes down for days?

Does anyone have similar problems?

I wonder what can be done?

It is downright annoying.

Then phone calls have to be made to the service centre.

BUT

Before that, certain steps to test connections must be done so that when you make that call, you have the answers to their questions at the ready.

Inevitably, the problem lies with the port which is outside of the house somewhere.

And the technician has to go check it out.

Why oh why do we go offline so often?