A few months back, when travel was still possible, I visited KL while hubby was away ..............

I spent some time with my feet up and did some furious shopping, stayed at my parents' home in the good old 50490 'hood for some rest and relaxation before my tummy got too huge.
As with all visits, I am amazed at how different KL looks and feels each time.

If you'll bear with me, please: I want to talk about 2 dinners that I attended while in KL. This is of particular interest because the people at dinner#1 are people who have considerable influence on the everyday lives of Malaysians. People at dinner#2 is maybe an example of how we begin to chip at these walls average Malaysians surround ourselves with.

DINNER #1
Went to dinner with my parents and their friends at a place in KL frequented by a very middle age demographic. (Don't want to name names because Dad is a regular) A person/people at this dinner table very probably built and/or (depends on which building) own the building that your blogging ass is sitting in right this very moment, one is the MD of a listed holdings company, a former politician slash doctor/lawyer/dentist. All of them are very high profile people. People came up to greet and shake hands with the people at this table. (Including me! An engineer I was involved in a project with a few years ago came up to say hello.)

We talked animatedly about politics contrasted and compared politics in Australia and Malaysia. First, we agreed that all governments have corruption to varying degrees.
Second, the former politicians felt/feel like a slave to petty party politics- they felt it affected the direction of the nation TOO much. You could see the frustration in their face as they talked about it- but doubt that anyone put a gun to their head and threatened to kill them if they didn't toe the line, even if it was beyond the boundaries of common human decency.
Third the businessmen agreed that it was much harder to make any real money in transparent governments like Australia and the corruption and bureaucracy in Malaysia made them their fortune. That's true- we all know that every cent in every politician's allowance is transparent and accounted for in the very egalitarian political system in Australia.


Not an actual pic of the event above: just setting the scene.

I love dining with the older generation! I was happy that they included me and always spoke to me like an equal.


DINNER #2


I went to The Gardens and met up for dinner with my old “kaki”(Malay word for feet, meaning your friends/bffs/bros/girls) from the 50490 'hood at the new avant-garde Alexis bistro. (You see, this time, I am naming names of places because the visual setting is important for the point which I will get to)

This time, yet again, the no-good (I jest, I jest!) guys left early because "takut bini". Heh heh I knew it. But the husbands of my friends were more than happy for them to stay out as long as they liked. (Well, some of those husbands are much older Dato's who are seldom at home, some still at work, one of them was at home with their kids- Whoa! That's because he's Mat Salleh.)

Anyway, I look around the room and this table stood out amongst the usual diners in these establishments: obvious foodie bloggers, table of all-female label whores/wanna-be's and dating couples. There was a table of guys and gals resplendent in their Hong Kong style trendiness. They spoke only cantonese. One of those guys, with his dyed hair and J-pop star wardrobe, was REALLY gorgeous. Around 6ft, nice body-muscular & not skinny, nice face. He was only two tables away. We could smell the Calvin Klein perfume on him.

Some visual cues of such HK chinese and Japanese hotties to help:
We all agreed and had a group-perve. One of us at the table, "J", was 100% chinese, but I've never heard her speak chinese maybe because she couldn't/wouldn't. I'm not exactly sure why. But get this: she was absolutely disgusted with the guy, the whole group. WHY?

J: I don't care if he's Brad Pitt under all that designer gear, cologne, hair colour and gel- he's still "Ah-Beng" garbage. Just look at the rest of his friends.
Us: *shock* I can see the stereotype, but it's quite possible that he's a person underneath all that.
J: I think I know what kind of a person that is: he likes imported cars, he loves canto-pop, he's chinese educated. Trash.
Us: *shock* Where did all this hatred come from?
J: I've been surrounded by it all my life. I hate it when people lump me into the same group as these people just because I'm chinese.
Us: "People"? What do you mean by that? We've been friends for many years and we've never thought of you in that way.
J: That's because I have always tried very hard not to be identified as too chinese.
*J gives us a few examples throughout the years that we've known her- and we nod and listen mostly because we feel some sympathy for her*

Can you imagine what it's like for "J", who has had to deny an integral part of who she is for fear of being racially stereotyped? I have a feeling some people actually know, because, come to think of it, I know lots of chinese friends who insist on being 100% westernized, dating outside their race and speaking only malay and english. It's scary.

Some critical media advice for Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Last night, on Bloomberg Asia, we (in Australia) saw Anwar Ibrahim being interviewed live over the phone by a journalist (probably broadcast from a studio in Hong Kong or Singapore) regarding the new sodomy charges against him. A foreigner would be at best, puzzled by the verbal barrage that came from the other side, mentioning the "IGP" a couple of times, the "Mongolian model case" once. He talked of "they" and "them" (who are these people? My personal guess is the UMNO people-not the top dogs but those who are in the succession plan are shitting in their pants because they're scared of Anwar taking power) who continue their crusade against him. The journalist did not question what he meant- because it sounded like a lot of incoherent verbal diarrhoea.



If I were in Dato Anwar's esteemed position, I would choose my words carefully for the audience- you are not being interviewed by a Malaysian journalist from a local paper. No one outside Malaysia knows what an "IGP" (Inspector General of Police) is. No one outside Malaysia knows what the "Mongolian model case" is all about.

That invaluable media opportunity to confirm his political position to the world unfortunately didn't do much to help his case at all. Time to get a little bit more media savvy, Dato Seri.

Not all media are like the monkey see-monkey do three ringed circus performers (RTM, TV3, TheStar, NST, etc etc) that you get in mainstream media in Malaysia.

A New Malaysia for New Malaysians.

Will the current goverment will choose to do one of the following?

• Take a leaf out of good old Dr. M's old-school book: starve those opposition states. To the opposition leaders who won, dangle enough money in front of them so that they'll switch. (Opposition state Sabah's top Ministers arrested in the late 80's.) Discredit them, foil their plans above all- who cares about the rakyat who voted for them, right?
  
• Take responsibility and take steps to regain the trust and votes from the Chinese and Indian community. Let's be honest, this is the big fat reason why there was such a blow. What Chinese and Indian voters want today is very different from 10 years ago. Ways to reach voters are different. Even the little worm, Khairy, has a website.
  

Dr. M now calls for Pak Lah to step down, says he should have chosen Najib instead. So, a potential PM and first lady who are collaborators,"on the take" and who has never apologised for threatening to "bathe the keris in Chinese blood" (in 1987) is a better option?
Ummm, I have a better idea: why don't we all go back to hunting animals and living in caves?
The old guy's son, who is now an MP (and who knows- in the running for being the future PM one day) also calls for Pak Lah to resign. That's a sure-fire way to get the little worm, Khairy out of the equation in UMNO.

Dr. M's daughter, Marina Mahathir is someone whose voice is respected by many of the new Malaysians who want a new Malaysia. I've followed her writings from the newspapers when she had just returned to Malaysia. She is in a difficult situation- family or personal beliefs? She has done her best and she has my respect. I've chosen to remain overseas and write under a pseudonym.

I saw Dr. M's Malaysia as a sinking ship that I had to abandon.

I left because I lost hope in having the life that I wanted to live in Malaysia. I wanted to live in a place where my kids can play safely and where I can have peace of mind. I wanted a place that would recognize and reward people who worked hard.

I never thought that I would live to see election results like this. I'm excited for all the possibilities that may happen in Malaysia. There is so much work to do.

Pak Lah, to his credit, has done a decent job of cleaning out the old-school corrupted cronies of Dr.M.
The best thing he will do as PM is to handle the changes that Malaysia is currently undergoing. History (NOT propaganda) will look upon him with more kindness and respect than the old guy.

Wow. I'm floored by the 2008 Malaysian General Election results

So the people have spoken. I honestly never thought I'd see the day. And to think I wanted to spend my nice Sunday night with my laptop writing about how I spent my last weekend at the 2008 Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras party. (The event was a sea of love, acceptance and diversity, thanks very much for asking, sweetie.)

This is of particular interest to me because a person/s(?) related to me were/was up for elections in seat/s in a state that was not lost to the opposition. Post results: weary but still there to fight another day. I'm hazy I know, but those who know will just click into "A-HA!!!!" mode. You know who you are.


Here's what I have to say:

• Congratulations to the new MP of Jelutong in Penang, Mr. Jeff Ooi!!! A person worthy enough to have the honour of representing the Malaysian people. You and your electric guitar ROCK! The triumvirate were utter rock stars, captured by TV Smith.
  

• I was pleased to see that voters in KL were up in the 70+%. But in some towns in other states and even in rural areas, the turnout was incredibly poor. Less than half in some areas. Don't these people know how much their votes count? What is the reason: apathy? Or just plain laziness? WAKE UP AND MAKE VOTING COMPULSORY, MALAYSIA!

• A televised moderated debate about issues concerning Malaysians should be televised on ASTRO as well as RTM. (That'll reach those people who can't get their arse off the couch on Election Day.) This way, voters can see the bigger picture on how they can have a say in the future of Malaysia. This will help voters look beyond micro-issues.

• Oh yeah: fantastic results in my 50490 'hood. Congratulations to Nurul Izzah (David) who toppled the incumbent Lembah Pantai MP, Dato' Shahrizat "I want to lift the veil on bloggers" Jalil (Goliath). Not bad for the little girl down the road who was chauffeured to the primary school in Sri Hartamas at about the same time I was chauffeured to secondary school in CBN.
  

• VIVA DEMOCRACY!

still a fag hag?............. HELL YEAH!

I may be knocked up and MBA'd, but I still have my fag-hagness inside somewhere.

(Argh I have to do this post in bullet points again. I went through the past year and a half in bullet points. That is no joke, I kid you not. I actually did everything in bullet points. Now I can't SHAKE THE DISEASE. Oooo. Did I just do an 80's reference again- that's one of Depeche Mode's best songs ever.)

• Has anyone seen The Janice Dickinson Modelling Agency on Foxtel? The yummiest gay man I've ever set eyes on, male model JP Calderon (he's God's way of saying "life is not fair, girls") is on it.

In one episode, he goes on a blind date with another gay male model, Rodrigo de Carli. (Also drop dead gorgeous.) They were set up by a friend who wanted to double date.









On the date, they shared a hotdog.

Damn, this eye candy is just TOO HOT! *Implosion fans herself*
Wooohoo. OMG.



Mardi Gras is just around the corner, I'll be sporting a baby bump by then. Gay men will just have to look enviously upon THIS image of fertility, which is God's way of telling them "You can't have it all, mate."

• My best friend, "Will" (as in our "Will & Grace" nicknames, after the TV sitcom) is happily coccooned in coupledom, having moved in with his lover, he hardly has time for his angsty pregnant fag hag friend anymore.... he now has a whole new circle of friends who mainly consist of other happily coccooned gay couples in bloody Surry bloody Hills. Sigh. I miss him and hanging out with this gorgeous male specimen (who also happened to model a bit when he was younger. He mainly modelled in Asia, where they love blue eyes and blond hair. Yep, he got a lot of asian-girlie-love in those days. He was also BIG IN JAPAN. OMG, another 80's anthem by Alphaville. I swear this is NOT intentional.)

• YAOI. (Short for "Yamete, Oshiriga Itai" or "Stop, my ass hurts") Japanese manga or anime about homosexual relationships...... if you're a fan of idealised images of gay love, then about 80% of this genre will appeal to you. Main characters are typically the manly, stoic, square-jawed "seme" (the "top") and the weepy, slender, doe-eyed "uke" (the "bottom"). Most yaoi fangirls swallow all this shit up.
  

It's good to note that this is changing and
starting to cater to more "fujoshi" or fag-hags. LOL.
A few examples:

Homosexual relationships are about two MEN who love and desire each other.

Men who could have chosen a woman if they wanted a man just because he resembled a woman..... actually, I nicked that line off one of the mangas on the right.



Right. That's all for now on this variety channel. Tune in again next time!

Bye bye nausea!

It's 3 months now and I feel fantastic.....
I can't wait for my tummy to pop out.

They say this can happen as late as 5 months if your abs are *ahem* very firm.
However, they also say that firmer abs run the risk of getting separated down the middle during later stages of pregnancy.

3 month ultrasound tests showed all's well.

WHEEEEEE!

JUST DO IT

Many in Malaysia describe "the problem", analyze the root of "the problem", the urgency of a solution to "the problem" .....etc.....ad nauseam.....
Yes, the first step to any solution is realization and defining the problem.

Then, comes the "how" part- the actual solution itself in the form of plans, strategies, policies etc.

If you're not careful, you'll be stuck in the "paralysis by analysis" stage, so get off your arse and and DO SOMETHING.

Thai your luck

I'm starting to crave food that I've never liked before. Never liked Tom Yum, especially when it's not a clear soup (versus all natural tom yum where all you can see is just lemongrass, galangal, bird's eye chili and kaffir lime leaves in the soup plus the seafood). I'm a purist. So sue me.

This one's obviously made from some generic paste from a jar. (But I'm not picky these days.)


So, with a pregnant craving to satisfy, we went to Chao Phraya at Star City on a hot Sydney weekend afternoon that was infested with flies. Yeah, everyone who has been to Australia in the summertime know what I'm talking about when I mention those damn flies. Arrrgh.

Glad we were indoors, not like the poor people out there. They eventually moved in because the flies were out of control.

Spicy food and Singha beer (for him, not me, dammit!)

Once in a while, I do the rounds and read Malaysian news.....

I read BOTH Malaysiakini and TheStar. Why I bother with TheStar, is because you need a point of reference for each side of the spectrum. Then I read the blogs. To get the opinions of the people.

From where I stand, a few things stand out:

• Nurin Jazlin, the 8 year old Malaysian girl who did not deserve to die the way she did. Looks like a lot of bloggers felt the loss hit a little too close to home. This is happening in Malaysia. And pretty often, too- from what I can tell from a little session with Google. So, Malaysians, what are you going to do about it? I trust that there will be lots reactive responses from the powers that be, that's for sure. Anything proactive at all?
  
• 
  

Perhaps something blindingly simple like keeping your children within your sight at all times? This may not be realistically possible for many parents, as angry Malaysian mums might cry out- but there's such a thing as relatives, friends, babysitters and maids.

Dumb it down a bit more for for those who need it: EDUCATE your kids about the dangers that lie out there in big bad old KL (no, this is NOT about which neighbourhood you're in). Sickos and perverts exist. This isn't the same innocent world that we grew up in. DO NOT let your kids out of your sight, hold them close to you. Don't let Nurin die in vain, LEARN from this. May she rest in peace.

I feel pretty lucky that I live in a country where I feel safer than I would in Malaysia, but I would never, never take it for granted for one second.

Are law enforcement officers in Malaysia paid enough to care about people who don't bribe them? Pigs will fly before anyone addresses that little ditty of a question.

Will there ever be education campaigns in the media that target average Malaysian about ways of keeping kids safe from sexual predators? Will it ever be politically correct to show this openly on TV the way anti-dadah campaigns were shown? Will any money be spent on this?

• Zainuddin Maidin, Malaysian Information Minister, trying to halt the progress that technology (eg. blogs) brings into all our lives. Let's not forget that there are people out there who voted for this man, who will listen to this man because they have no idea what bloggers actually do. Isn't this typical of what Hofstede's research suggests about high power distance countries like Malaysia?
  

• Malaysian bloggers. Intelligent, proactive, socially aware, articulate individuals who are making more of a difference than politicians ever will. How? Social networking and engagement. It's just like viral marketing but not quite. Unfortunately, despite the difference made, the Malaysian government still largely consists of neanderthals. Voting isn't compulsory in Malaysia, so it all boils down to who fights the traffic jams, queues up, registers to get to the polls on election day. Anecdotal evidence suggest that most affluent Malaysians couldn't be stuffed to move their arse off their comfy couch away from ASTRO or their laptops to make a REAL difference. Supporting and campaigning for the candidate that you want to represent this country is the most effective way.

It'll be a while before I bring myself to read the same old same old shit again.

Kevin Rudd. The face of the future.

Well, well, well. Call me an optimist. Or call me psychic. *EDIT: I actually predicted it all, and even blogged about it in 2005. It was so long ago I actually forgot about it*

Flashback to the 2004 elections: Kevin Rudd was just the shadow foreign minister, I, just was just a project architect who had just started her MBA in a local university. In a pro-ALP conversation (we are in the construction industry after all) with (let's call him "Macca's"), one of the directors in my firm, I said "Kevin Rudd should really be running for Prime Minister instead of that *#$%@ Mark Latham! Besides standing for a lot of good values, he's a master at the art of strategic marketing...for policies, the ALP and himself, of course" he said "The ALP will win the election as soon as they find the right leader." Macca, being an old timer, then went on and on about the ALP's glory days.

We also agreed that the then-NSW Premier, Bob Carr was also a fantastic candidate, but as fate would have it, he later resigned, presumably before the Cross City Tunnel shit hit the fan. He is a good leader. He might be an evil Macquarie Banker now, but that's because his business skills are unparalelled.

Kevin Rudd's election campaign is an excellent example of Blue Ocean Strategy.
What is Blue Ocean Strategy? In short, it's innovation that involves creates your own markets, all encompassing leadership and ensuring justice for all.

• He reached out to the younger generation (this demographic values education, environment and healthcare- no surprises to generation x, y and z) and the migrants (the rising demographic that John Howard has alienated) an untapped market for the ALP. And at the same time, he has maintained the union vote and the ALP old-boys' club (you know who you lot are, you chardonnay swilling, Northern Beaches dwelling, yacht sailing bastards) vote.
• K-Rudd now says things like "mate" and "fair dinkum"..... he never used to do that before hitting the campaign trail. He often refers to being born and bred on a farm, this subtle (or not) change in language is a symbolic way of reaching out to outback Australia.
• In the pre election debate, he kept his cool and stuck to the facts. He was the first one to walk over to John Howard to shake his hand. A very dignified thing to do. Or maybe he knew the cameras were still rolling, as K-Rudd is VERY media savvy. The media is great tool to manipulate perceptions. Joe Hockey and K-Rudd had been regulars on Channel Seven's Sunrise programme, they've even recorded an MTV style spoof.

Anyway, small little disclaimer here: I'm Asian Australian and that's part of my mental model.

K-Rudd is a former diplomat, speaks mandarin, markets himself in Asia very well and his daughter married has an Asian Australian man.
Bob Carr's wife Helena is Malaysian.
It's great to write again. It's a welcome break from being knocked up. LOL

VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE

Another good move by some Malaysians

Everytime we think Malaysia is finally out of the dark ages, it rears its ugly head once again.
This happens everytime an international music act plays a gig there. Linkin Park, Gwen Stefani and now Beyonce. The protests come from the union of muslim students (I admit I've got this wrong because I can't be bothered to remember what they're called) in regards to dress code, yadayadayada....ad nauseam.

WTF, my overseas dwelling ass thought.

I wonder if these people have seen what Malaysian female artists are wearing. HELLO??? Just read any malay gossip rag lah and you'll find that these women are actually wearing or not wearing exactly the same amount of clothing as Beyonce. Example:

To the union of muslim yadayadayada students yadayada....etc. etc.:

NEWSFLASH: Why not protest against these women instead? They're right there in your own backyard of Kuala Lumpur, unlike Beyonce or Gwen who are on the other side of the globe. Why not hold these Malaysian women to your own standards?

Why do it only when the international media are watching you? Why embarrass the hell out of other normal Malaysians?

Anything?

Can't bring myself to accept new jobs or look for any. I've spent the past months wondering WTF do I do with my MBA..... WTF do I do about my marriage..... my life.....

During my time in Fontainebleau and Singapore. I let weeks pass by without speaking to my husband. It was easy to immerse myself in the experience and let it change me. There was no third party on my side of things, but I don't know about my husband, though. Corporate Finance people from BigAssGlobal first tier banks like him stray all the time.... the fact that I don't know and don't want to know is a huge concern to me. Don't I care anymore? I really thought I had everything. I was even arrogant about it all. I am looking through my old blog to put pieces of my life together again.

So why am I blogging again? Hopefully I can find myself again. I am so LOST.

This is an idea for what's next

I am not thinking of having a baby to save my marriage. 

Babies happen to people who never even thought of having them. 

I admit that I have never thought of having one until now. 

I have lived 33plus selfish years on this earth. Can/dare/should/would/could/will/etc. I do it?

Still undecided

It's been a while since I finished at INSEAD.

And my life has changed so much. Not what I expected it would be, though.

I haven't come home powering straight into the labour force at all. My marriage has survived but it's so different. I can't even put my head around things at the moment, let alone blog about it.

I am finding myself spending days doing nothing at all because there's a "what now?" void in my life.

The Credit Card Disease in Australia

(July 2007 Australian issue of Marie Claire, pg. 81 article: Are You In The Debt Set?)


This article addresses Australia's "spend now, pay later" culture, amongst young women in particular. I have always wondered how these young blonde things who cut my hair in salons thumb their noses at me for not using those salon products that cost around AUD50 per bottle when they earn a fraction of what I earn, spend all their money on rent, designer gear, partying..... read this article. There are women whose annual credit card bill totals up to 37k when they earn 40k per annum.

I know I'm considered an old fuddy duddy by their standards because I'm approaching my mid 30's, own property and other assets, etc.
The article also states that the national credit card debts total AUD39billion. That's a ridiculous amount. That amount should be sufficient to wipe off the national debt of a third world country.
From the get-go (from birth), we are all told that this is the lucky country, that everybody deserves the Australian Dream.

The Australian Dream is a wonderful thing. It should be something that we aspire to and strive for. I'm all for those values and ideals. BUT I don't agree with the people who walk around in denial in an illusion that they're living that dream that is beyond their means. Sydney is an expensive city- and it is NOT New York, and you're NOT Carrie Bradshaw. Wake up.

Food blogging corner

Tapas for three:
salsa verde, roasted garlic and bread entree, sofritos, polenta biscuits, lamb, deep fried zucchini flowers, grilled cheese, artichoke hearts, tapenade, quail, zucchini, tuna stuffed pimento.... etc.

Perfect for that mid afternoon pick-me-up.

Delicado Foods
2/134 Blues Point Rd
McMahons Point NSW
2060 - (02) 9955 9399
Open Mon-Sat 7am-7pm; Sun 9am-5pm


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On MBA hiatus

I really want to finish this more than anything else in my life right now.
This ain't your run of the mill business school MBA. 

And it ain't no twinning distance program whore-university MBA, so I want to do it justice.
I fear mediocrity more than I fear death....................

Potato post

From The Magnum Cafe in Petersons Champagne House in the Hunter Valley wine country, an hour plus drive from Sydney.
Beer battered chips with sea salt.

Crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside.
The sea salt crystals formed a tasty crust on the outside.

Baaaaaad carbs. Baaaad.

Tangy lime and pepper

I think I'm in love with these. It tastes like Thai green papaya salad with peppery zing.
I love it. I'm stocking up on these next time I drop by Woolworths.

They go really really well with a Lowenbrau.

OK. End of epicurean odyssey.
Heh.

Miss Universe

Watched the delayed telecast on Channel 7 with my husband just now.

As soon as the 15 semi finalists were announced, I named my favourites to my husband who went hmmmph at each one of my favourites.

1. Miss Norway. Half Thai. Not really what you would call beautiful but what can I say- it's asian pride. She was graceful, friendly and confident.


2. Miss Indonesia. So classically beautiful, what amazing bone structure! She had a very classy "you can't touch me" kind of look. She looks like she could be an international model (think Paris), not just those B-grade models who only manage to make it in their own country.

























3. Miss Latvia. STUNNING. What a barbie doll. Unbelieveably Claudia Schiffer-esque.




























And Miss Malaysia.......geeez I have no words.
WHY do we keep picking these types of girls?
The chick needs to get her pale ass outdoors and get herself a healthy tan.
She also needs to stop jumping onto the straightened-hair bandwagon.


OK, my gripe about Miss Malaysia isn't just purely skin deep.
I'm sure she's probably a very smart girl, but it didn't really shine through.
Very very ordinary.

And Miss China looked like she belonged in a karaoke bar as one of those "Guest Relations Officers".......


We've had much better looking girls as Miss Malaysia.
Andrea Veronica Fonseka (2004) was a hot babe. She really copped a lot of shit from Malaysians who claimed she was fat. OK, she was a bit bigger than your average Miss Malaysia, but damn, she is SEXY.
And 5'11.
And she was interesting, athletic and had a lot of personality.


Imagine if the insipid-looking girl to her RIGHT had won instead!

A few of our ex Miss Malaysia's in this pic below.


Elaine Daly, Wong Sze Zen, Jamie Gooi, Tan Su Wei & Lina Teoh.

Lina Teoh is smart, articulate AND beautiful. You can see her confidence and maturity.
Tan Su Wei is quite quirky and interesting... and you can SEE her personality.
Elaine Daly is also outgoing and smart. Lots of sass in this chick!
I have no idea who Jamie Gooi is but she looks alright, too.
Wong Sze Zen. Someone tell me WTF she is doing in the same frame as the rest of these women?

If the winners in 2005 and 2004 are anything to go by, I'd say tanned, athletic women with healthy bodies is the new beauty ideal. Real girls. An asian version?
Hmmmmmmm.
Miss Singapore 2005, Cheryl Tay?


Miss Japan 2005, Yukari Kuzuya? All 6ft (with no heels!) of her?

She's got personality plus-plus too, I reckon.
Check out her outfit for the evening gown! Coolness.


Say NO procelain princesses or barbie dolls!!!!

OK. Better stop the pic posting frenzy. Beginning to look like a bloke's page.

post from work

I am a media tart.
Helloooo 7 o'clock news, hellooo politicians!
Can't reveal too much more. ;P
JUST HAD TO POST.

Fry day

Some bits and pieces throughout the week:

I was headhunted by an american firm. They are trying to rope me in as a project manager. Totally unrelated to architecture. I'll go for the interview next week and see how it goes.
OoooooooOOOoooo.

Remember "H"? I blogged about this particular friend here and here.
Well, she finally spoke to me. It was cordial. I guess the frienship will never be the same again.
I don't like being around people who give out negative vibes for too long. Does that sound too hippie-ish? Well, kiss my flowerpower ass.

Revenge of The Sith rocked my world.
OK, yes I was there with my best friend, "Will", amidst the people who wore their Darth Vader masks throughout the movie.
I don't look anything like your average Science Fiction fan. Not even close.
But a sci-fi fan I am. (Yoda-speak)
I have ALL of Frank Herbert's Dune books and their offshoots.

My wanker banker husband is currently in the Hong Kong office of the first tier BigAssGlobalMerchantBank (definitely no names) he works in. We spoke on the phone earlier this week. He hates being there in that city, but since he was promoted, he feels the pressure to live up to those new expectations. We are SO alike when it comes to ambition.

Tempus Fugit

The title of this post is exactly how I feel right now. Not enough hours in the day to do what I want to do.


Where does all the time go?
What happened?

Sometimes time slaps you in the face to remind you that you made a promise to yourself now get your arse moving. Sometimes I don't know where I'm going but I have to get moving.

I don't feel that I have an easy life. I beg to differ. I think I have to live up to a lot.
Is it easy to to live your life relying on nepotism?
Is it easy to be in someone's shadow?


Got a new Isamu Noguchi light from Kezu.

I quit smoking a few months ago, but I really need a ciggie now.

Coffee vs. Tea

I know I've talked about my love of coffee in the past. And how Starbucks etc.... taste like toilet water etc. etc.
None of that skim decaf soy latte shit, please.
If you were in New York, would you drink coffee at Starbucks or would you go to Dean & Deluca?















A wog friend of mine says "Good coffee is only made by wogs." I tend to agree with this tabouleh brother.
The next time you see your friendly neighbourhood barrista, check out his eyebrows. Do they join in the middle? If they do, that is usually a good sign.
Bankstown in Sydney has a sizeable muslim community. Faroukh el Bahsa's is famous for their baklava, but they also have the best coffee.
It'll make your eyeballs bug out. Heh.

But when in Malaysia, do drink that fabulous teh tarik.
It's wonderful stuff. It's honest and unpretentious.

Anyone who says they love the coffee at those ice blended, frothed, whipped creamed , cocoa dusted concoction joints are posseurs who like just hanging out at there with your crew. It's good if you can admit to that. Nothing wrong with that.
Don't tell me anyone prefers to study at a noisy place where you have to be quasi trendy with one or two ice blendeds instead of a quiet environment where you can maximise your concentration? Ah. I MUST be getting old. Or very pragmatic. Or spaced out.

The theory on why people drink coffee (supposedly bad for you) instead of tea (supposedly good for you) is presumably the same theory why women go for bad, dangerous boys.

Hey Mom, why didn't you warn me?
'Cause about boys there's something I should have known,
They're like chocolate cake, like cigarettes,
I know they're bad for me but I just can't leave 'em alone.
Lyrics from Bachelor Girl's "Buses & Trains".

Back at work and dinner/breakfast in Balmain/Cabramatta with friends

Here I am again. Back to the routine of putting thoughts into words/images.
Shuttling to and from the office, home and grad school in the last few days. Not in that order. Again, I feel that I've taken on too much but I'm determined to get through it. I haven't got to where I am by being easily fazed by obstacles.

Use it before you lose it.

Right then, down to business:
Comfort food differs in definition for everyone.
What gets you nostalgic and comfortable?

A combination of a good bottle of vino, some seafood and conversation with good friends at Balmain. Balmain is to Sydney what Notting Hill is to London. Know what I mean?

My meal. These are not giant prawns, they're actually called Balmain bugs. They're a combination between a lobster and a prawn. I could not finish this, but managed to finish the damn bugs. I love eating them bugs. I love it more than I love saying "I eat bugs".

Another meal was on a jaunt to Cabramatta with my two favourite gay white men (if looks could kill I'd be dead by now. Why? Read on....). Cabramatta is in the outskirts of Sydney and well known for its 80% Vietnamese population and also for its violent gang wars.
And when in Rome....... we had Pho of course.










No woman should leave her pho unattended. Shame on me.


No fighting over the chilli when I'm out with this lot.
More for me! Yay!