Life's Unpredictable

Got a call (few days ago) from my mum informing me about one of my niece (cousin's daughter) passed away.
Though the news didn't come as surprise, its still disheartening.

She was a year younger than me, leaving behind her mum, husband and a six year old son.

She been diagnosed with tongue cancer and had went through surgery. Life had not been easy for her since then. The cancer taken a toll on her life, for almost 3-years. She weigh less than 30KG when she passed.

We attended her funeral yesterday, and its really not very pleasant to see older generation to send off the younger.

All I want to say is, please, all my dear friends, do take care of yourself. Eat well & healthy. Do regular health check up.

RIP Pei Ching.....

Busting the "What If"

Saw this article while at my favorite (or ONLY) hairdresser's place, while waiting for her to touch up my hair (trim & color). Fine, am vain. :p

Anyway, saw this in Cleo, Feb 2011's Edition, and think it might benefits lots of us. Since I have lots of time in hand, I decided to share part of the article here. (I need to type it, Okay..)

"Regret, by definition, is sadness associated with an error or disappointment. It's a process in which we spin out the various alternate endings a situation could'vbe had : What if I'd moved to the big city? What if I'd done a different degree? What if I'd been a better girlfriend/daughter/friend? What if I hadn't ordered the prawns?
At best, regret is a constructive tool that gives us a sting when we've messed up, ensuring that we learn our lesson and don't repeat the same mistakes.
At worst, regret becomes and endless, torturous game of "what if?". Personified, it'd be like a childhood bully grabbing your hand and slapping you with it, all the while asking, "Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?".
Clearly, the lesson learnt is preferable to the self-flagellation. But unfortunately, many women fixate on their perceived failings, mentally slapping themselves into a crippling state of negativity.
According to psychologist Jacqui Manning (www.mindadvantage.com.au), the most common things young women regret are losing friends, not getting out of toxic friendship or relationship earlier, break-ups, missing out on career opportunities, and taking on stressful jobs.
"Everyone has regrets," says Manning. "But does everyone dwell on them 100 percent of the time? No. That's where resilience comes in. Some people are naturally strong-minded and bounce back from anything, and some need help to learn how to do that."
Dealing with disappointment and regret is like coming to a fork in the road - one way leads downwards to rumination and guilt; the other way leads upwards to a better version of yourself.


How to deal with regret

• Write down your regrets. This clarifies them in your mind.
• Examine them. Understand the reasons behind your decisions.
• Change your toxic thought patterns. For example, replace "I didn't take that job and now my life's ruined" with "I did the best that I could with the resources I had at the time."
• Grieve losses that you have suffered. Acknowledge that you feel sad or angry about the situation.
• Make amends. Apologize for something you've done.
• Identify lessons. Make sure you learn from regretful experiences - mistakes are fine, as long as they are new ones.
• Develop compassion. Understand other people's point of view and empathize. Have compassion for yourself too.
• Forgive others. This frees you from anger and pain.
• Forgive yourself. Stop condemning yourself. NY satirist/writer John Devore says, "In order to truly love yourself, you have to be capable of forgiving yourself for being a human tornado of emotions, fears, and appetite."
• Live free of regret. Accept what has already happened, learn your lesson, and move on."

I hope this article helps you guys to get over regrets, if any.
Just remember, everything happens for a reason. There is no point harping on the past, as there is nothing we can do to change what happened. Instead, why don't we focus on what we can do to improve the future?

Okay, fine, I know. Easier say than done. But, let's try, shall we?

Adventure with ropes and platforms

I had been wanting to try this out for a while, but never get around doing it.

Finally got an invitation from friends to do it together with them.

Here some photos to tell the stories.

The bus that transport us for about 2.1KM into the location.

All buckled up with the harness. 

J adjusting his harness, so that his "brother" is in proper place and protected...

Tarzan hopping from one rope to another

The challenges were fun. My only complain, we spent too much time waiting.

Because there was a big group before us, and some of them were the "typical woman"
You know, those type that..."aaarhh... i scared...cannot jump ah.. aaaarggghh... i scared i hurt my nails...."
Make me wonder why they even bother to come for this "extreme sports" then.

We ended up spending about an hour waiting for them to finish the training round, and another hour for them to complete the 1st challenge. So, my advice, must try to get the 1st slot if we are going to do this again. So we won't need to waste those hours waiting.

Only then we are able to start. Our stomach were already growling while waiting.., so two of our friends went out and get breads for us.

After munching the bread, all of us have the energy, and all geared up to start the challenge.
There were about 17 challenges in total (they said 20, but the 20 is inclusive of 3 that is "mini challenge", which is actually the training ground...)

My favorite challenge(s) are : the Tarzan thingy and Flying Fox.
In one of the flying fox challenge, I was bounced back half-way (I was supposed to try to "hug" the tree and pull myself up to the platform, but instead, I kicked the tree and it sent me half-way back) and hang in the middle, and needed "rescuer". The "instructor" (ya, that's what they called them, the staffs whom "guard" the area in case anyone needs help) to threw another rope to me, and pull me over to the platform.

We were only done by about 4pm. All sweaty and hungry, we end the day with refreshing Root Beer Float & Corney Dog.....

And this morning, I woke up to a very aching but firmer muscles... Good workout I would say. :)

Chinese New Year

I can summarize my CNY's celebration with following activities:-

EAT and EAT and EAT and EAT (almost non-stop throughout the 15-days)

SLEEP and SLEEP and SLEEP (a lot... though always feel not enough though)

GAMBLE.... and Gamble.... (twice only, and I won both times.... happy....)

And Pray too... for better luck in everything this year.

I let the photos tell the stories then....

Fed myself (and nephews, sis and bro and mum) at least 3 times with this yummy cheesecakes, throughout the CNY 

Guess if this is BIRD or DUCK?

9th Day of CNY is the New Year for Hokkien, and we pray to "Tee Kong" (God of Heaven?).

Used to celebrate this in a very big way when I was much younger. It is a big deal back in hometown. Trust me, you can forget about sleeping on that night if you are in a place surrounded by HOKKIEN.

And celebrated Chap Goh Meh with J, CY and Jon. Went for dinner, tasting this yummy fish caught by J in Kg Cold Stream. Chap Goh Meh is also known as Chinese Valentine Day (see, V-Day is not really a Christianity religious thingy... Just can't understand why "certain" people made such a big fuss over it.... religious konon... Can't they tell the different between Religious and Cultural???)

Okay... as the pictures tells the stories.... I admit, I spent 70% of my CNY EATING! 

I refused to stand on the weighing scale now.....! 

Chef @ Home for V-Day

J kept to his promise and cook us dinner for V-Day...

Well, I didn't get my Grilled Salmon Head.... instead, its Grilled Alaskan Cod Fish.
Am not complaining.... its simple yet yummy...

As what J said... the fish melt in the mouth....

Yuuuuuummmmmmmyyyyy........

Honestly, J is a good cook..... but he is just a cook.
Someone else (ME) need to take care of the washing part..

A day @ Kg Sg Pelek

Me with 2KG Haruan caught by home-owner, Pak Ngah.

Nice view, isn't it?

Spent post-V-day at this small lil place called Kg Sg Pelek...
The house with lake at its backyard..
Just perfect as dream by both me & J..
There is only one problem... Its an hour away from KL...
Else, we would have bought it....
Dream dream dream... Is all I can do for now...

Happy Valentine's Day

To all my dearest friends and family, Happy Valentine's Day.

Am not really a "practitioner" of this. Call me dull or not romantic.... but I would like to think of myself as Practical.

I felt that V-Day is just "created" by business opportunist to scrap moolah out of the suckers... or Believer.

Of coz, it also gives opportunity for the LADIES to insist on getting gift (of coz I won't complain if J do give me something.... LOL).

If we loves someone, we should shows it everyday, right? And not just a-day in 365 days?

My lil conversation with J, few days ago regarding how to celebrate the V-Day...

Me : So, am I expected to be your date for this V-Day?
J : Of coz... why, you have another date meh?
Me : No la... just to confirm ma.... don't like to ass-u-me.
J : Okay la... you are my date..... So, what do you want to do? Or want...?
Me : You cook for me...... Grill Salmon Head will be nice.... and salad.... 
J : No problem..... 
Me : See, am a cheap-date ah...
J : Harlow.., salmon head no cheap lo..... 

I shall update this entry with photos.... if my chef-at-home do really cook up a feast for me.....

For now, here a virtual chocolates for all my loved ones.....

Funny Conversation about Amnesia...

Had dinner with an old couple last night... And this is a funny excerpt of their conversation, on amnesia.
They had this conversation, after talking about the lady's mum's amnesia.
Woman : I too, can be forgetful sometimes. But, you are lucky that I still remembers your birthday.
Man : Aaah... You are lucky I still remembers you, and not keep asking "who are this specky woman"..
I can't hold it and burst out laughing so loud....
Fine, might not sound funny to you guys now.....

Good Morning from Kg Cold Stream....

Some of you might wonder, where is this place.

Its somewhere in Perak.... Somewhere near Bidor.....

Its J's "kampung"....

Do not hand-wash

I needed to read twice to confirm what was written.

Do not hand-wash the bra? Really???

I thought that's the best way to care for it, isn't?

I wonder if they wrote it wrongly or not?

Hmmmmmppppphhh....

How? Hand-wash or machine-wash ah?

Life can be simple....

Life can be simple, if we allows it to be.
But, we are human, aren't we?
Human are greedy and we are never satisfy with what we have.

So, why don't we allow it to be?
Why must we be greedy?

Are we greedy or are we just afraid? Afraid that we yet to achieve enough?

But we are brought up to work hard, and believes that sky is the limit.

Shall we aim for that and achieve it then?

Sunset Greeting from Kg Cold Stream

Virgin to Thean Hau Kong Temple

I, being a non-KL / PJ person, brought a born & breed Subang boy to Thean Hau Kong, and its his 1st time!
It's unbelievable that's he never set his foot in this historic temple.
I guess, its just human nature's isn't?
Land is always greener the other side..

Happy Birthday, Papa..

If my dad still around, we would be celebrating his 69th birthday today.
He had passed away about 14-years ago. Time flies.
I can still remembers every details from the moment I was informed about him passing away till the funeral procession and also his cremation process....
Sometimes, I wonder, how different my life would be if my Dad still here.
I shared lots of similarity with him. My look and my tamper is the most significant, according to all my family members.
I miss him.

All because its 31% off!

Am I crazy?
Nope... Coz I can list down people whom are very happy that I bought this.
J, CY + Jon, CJ + WJ, My sis + bro, Colleagues....
Tell u, in no time... All these will be GONE!

Happy Chinese New Year!

May the year of Rabbit be a blessing year for all.