.: Project Wallaby : APPROVED :.

*inhales & exhales*

.: Why We Are Boycotting Dae Jang Guem, Section 14 :.

Why my family and I decided to boycott Dae Jang Geum Korean Restaurant in Seksyen 14, PJ.

If you have read my previous blog post - I have nothing but sang (genuine) praises of this place.

Last night, however, I went to this place with my family and ordered some BBQ meat together with my regular order (kimchi soup). The side dishes were served & my family & I begin to help ourselves.

Midway thru the meal, I asked for a refill for my kimchi, and to my shocked, the waiter told me that I could not refill as the refill was limited to one time refill per side dish. Taken aback, I thought I misunderstood him, coz he spoke really broken English, so I asked him to call the manager so that I can further clarify.

The manager arrived a few minutes later, and I explained to her that I was refused a second refill. She replied that they have indeed implemented such policy and went on explaining because of the increase in the cost of raw material of food stuff. I understand where she’s coming from with regards to the increase cost, but I explained to her that we have five people sitting on this table and shouldn’t there be at least some sort of correlation between the number of people and the number of time the dish is allowed to be refilled? I also highlighted to her that if there were only 2 people sitting, they will be limited to one time refill, then it’s ok. But the 5 of us? Plus, we ordered portion of meal to feed five, how can the restriction of that be the same as well? What about a table of 10 patron? Would this be the case too? She said yes!

Then my mom pointed out that in that case, if we split tables, we can get more refill right? To which she replied “Yes, as it is based on per table!”

I was getting a lil bit agitated already as it all doesn’t make much sense, and then, my dad (who is usually patient with this sort of matter) tried a simplified illustration to her; one table, one person – one plate *he pointed out to one plate of the side dish*, one table, two person – one plate, one table, five person – one plate also? As ridiculous at it sounds, she hesitated but nodded to that statement. At that time, I was already fuming, and nearly lost my cool. I even suggested to her to allow at least a two time refill instead of a measly one, but she was adamant on not allowing us to do so.

In the end, my dad cooled down the situation by saying “Nevermind, this will be the last time we come here.” and we left that at that!

The food was good (I must give them credit for this), but the whole incident, plus the lack of logic to such arrangements made the whole experience one of the worse and lousy dining experience we ever had.

Yes, we are not going to be patronizing Dae Jang Geum Korean Restaurant anymore, and there are definitely plenty of Korean restaurants in the Klang Valley who can satisfy our Korean food cravings!

.: Reader's Digest Offer, Not To Be Missed! :.

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Hurry as the deal is limited for the next TWO DAYS (from now!)

For more details, click here!

.: One Giveaway, Two Prizes :.

Madiha's Makeup Blog is having a 900+ follower giveaway!

Contest ends 1st May 2011

http://obsessiveness4makeup.blogspot.com/2011/03/900-followers-giveaway.html

not only that, another giveaway just because she enjoys giveaway!

http://obsessiveness4makeup.blogspot.com/2011/03/nyx-sleek-makeup-giveaway.html Contest also ends 1st of May

.: The Truth About Taxes :.

I must admit I am utterly impressed with my boss (CFO) presentation skills. No, this post will no garner me a promotion/higher bonus as my boss does not read my blog - just a disclaimer in case you think I am trying “polish his shoes” [direct Cantonese translation which means to ki$$ one’s ar$e]. In fact, I think he could have improved on his Microsoft Powerpoint skills; coz he just typed his points across in a ‘blank, white’ slide. But then again, to be fair, he only had like a few hours to prepared, so I give him the benefit of a doubt.

Well, being a CFO of one of the many Groups in HL, he was invited (more like forced?) to give a point or two after our external tax seminar yesterday, as a round up to what was presented.

He started his slides, by something to this line “What Am I Gonna Say To You” and proceed with telling us that someone once told him that to have a good presentation, one have to give the overall agenda. And so he went on to the next slide, which has 5 points.

One – Words from TWO presidents
Two – Group Mgmt View on tax
Three – Words of an investment banker
Four – What is JOY?
Five – The TRUTH (from newspaper)

SLIDE 1 : TWO PRESIDENT OF USA
Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery – Calvin Coolidge
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidise it – Ronald Reagan

SLIDE 2 : OUR GROUP MGMT VIEW
This is when he talks bout how we (as Finance people) should not look at tax as a inevitable 25% cut of our profit. We should proactively try not to pay absolutely more than necessary, and should utilize what we are entitled to – like deductions, etc.

SLIDE 3 : WORD OF INVESTMENT BANKER
(I forgot what this was, but it has a funny punchline to it)

SLIDE 4 : WHAT IS JOY
Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is really quite as satisfying as an income tax refund - F.J. Raymond

SLIDE 5 : THE TRUTH
Your JOY is only temporary until you realize that the money you get from your tax refund is actually yours to begin with!

I lol-ed the whole time thru his presentation, think this will affect my increment/bonus next year adversely *gulps!*

.: March Giveaways :.

First giveaway! :)

http://maichouterrimoua.blogspot.com/p/terri-fic-giveaway.html

Moka! :)

http://www.allafiorentina.com/2011/03/moka-express-giveaway.html

Eyeshadows don't have to cost the earth - coz it can be free!

http://www.beautycrazed.ca/2011/03/eyeshadows-dont-have-to-cost-earth-and.html

ILashes and Such Giveaway

http://ilashesandsuch.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-first-giveawayends-april-2nd.html

300+ Follower giveaway

http://live-laugh-love-fashion.blogspot.com/2011/03/300-followers-blog-giveaway.html

100 Followers giveaway!

http://lipglossagenda.blogspot.com/2011/03/lipglossagendas-100-followers-giveaway.html

Something blue (hearts!)

Adrienne Adore's Barry M

http://thecrazybitchbeautygazette.blogspot.com/2011/03/barry-m-nail-effects-complete-set-of-4.html

Sigma Brush Sets

http://hunnylovins.blogspot.com/2011/03/sigma-brush-set-giveaway.html

Tara's Giveaway

 http://beneaththesunn.blogspot.com/2011/03/400-giveaway.html

Maria'May 100+ Follower Giveaway

http://sugarjami.blogspot.com/2011/03/mariamays-100-giveaway.html

Syry's 2nd Giveaway!

http://syry-online.blogspot.com/2011/02/2nd-giveaway-now-open.html

DenysiaYu's Giveaway!

http://www.denysiayu.com/2011/02/giveaway-time_11.html

Inspired By Beauty 400 Followers Giveaway

http://2beautyetc.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-first-giveaway.html

Bella Bijou Jewellry Giveaway

http://bellabijoujewellery.blogspot.com/2011/03/hello-spring-its-giveaway-time.html?spref=bl

Emily's 100+ Follower Giveaway

http://www.emilyquak.com/2011/03/100-followers-giveaway.html

Another 100+ follower giveaway!

http://mybestbeautybuys.blogspot.com/2011/03/giveaway-for-my-100-subscriber.html


All Swamped In Flowers Giveaway

http://swampedinflowers.blogspot.com/2011/03/giveaway-time.html

The Button Box - Giving Back Giveaway

http://thebuttonboxx.blogspot.com/2011/03/giving-back-giveaway.html

Urban Decay Naked! (I WANT!)

http://curvesahead14.blogspot.com/2011/03/give-away-time-naked-pallet-urban-decay.html

500 followers giveaway (its now 495 followers!)

http://ellemakeupblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/elles-new-giveaway.html

Ethereal Beauty First Giveaway

http://ethereal--beauty.blogspot.com/2011/03/first-ever-beauty-giveaway.html

.: YOU! :.

YOU are so not worth my time & effort. YOU think YOU are all high & mighty, faultless & blameless and trying to dictate our lives with such (self perceived) self-righteousness, but comm’on, do YOU really think YOU are?

I have bigger and more worthy battles to fight in my life, and I am sorry, but YOU are not one that I am willing to put in any energy or effort into trying. I have written YOU off the same way YOU have written me off in your books.

So as long as YOU do not step on my tail, I keep to my words that I won’t step on YOURS. But bear in mind, I am easily provoked. My tolerance towards YOU has been thinning and the last thing YOU wanna see is me losing it with YOU!

.: Mr Potato Head :.

.: In Sync :.

Happiness is when what you think, and what you say, and what you do is in harmony.
How true!

.: Ching Chong (It Means I Love You) :.

Ching Chong (It Means I Love You)

by Jimmy Wong

Ooh, Alexandra Wallace

Damn girl, you so feisty

You so feisty they should call you

Alexandra Great Wall-Ace

Now don't pretend I didn't see you watch me

Talk on my phone yesterday, all sexy

Ching chong wing wong

Baby it's all just code

It's the way I tell the ladies it's time to get funky

I hope one day you can meet my

Mother, my brothers, sisters, grandmothers,

grandpas, and cousins

Ooh oh

'Cause what they're really doing on those Friday nights

Is showing me how to cook and dress,

'Cause baby I wanna take you out

And blow your freakin' mind

And underneath the pounds of makeup and your baby blue eyes

I know there's a lot of pain and hurt for such a big brain to

Spend all night studying Poly Sci

I pick up my phone and sing

Ching chong, it means I love you

Ling long, I really want you

Ting tong, I don't actually know what that means

Ching chong, it's never ending

Ling long, my head is spinning

Ting tong, still don't know what that means

Ooh Alex, I just wanna take my phone out and talk dirty to you all day long

But I know you're busy cramming all those big hard theories and arguments.

You ain't that polite, nice American girl your momma raised you to be

So when you reach that epiphany

Wait, are you freakin' kiddin' me?

If you have an epiphany every single time you study that means you're probably doin' something wrong

But I like it when you're wrong

And underneath the pounds of makeup

And your baby blue eyes

Ohh oh

I know there's a lot of pain and hurt

For such a big brain to spend all night studying PolySci

I pick up my phone and sing

Ching chong, it means I love you

Ling long, I really want you

Ting tong, I really don't know what that means

Ching chong, it's never ending

Ling long, my head is spinning

Ting tong, I still don't know what that means

It's alright, Alexandra, I know you know nothin' bout tsunamis

I just wanna make sure you know it's not a type of sushi

But I came here to say that I'm actually Chinese, and that's a whole 'nother country

And it's bigger...yeah, way bigger.

But when it comes to love, Alex, there are no boundaries

.: How Does Your (Herb) Garden Grow? :.

I have been thinking (yeah, I know, it’s actually possible for me to think!)

It would be lovely to have a lil indoor herb garden right in my kitchen.

Then, if I need a lil bit of basil, or a spruce or two of thyme, it will be just a few steps away (literally!)

I am seriously contemplating it, and JC is supporting it even further by agreeing to take me to have a look see look see at a farmer’s market (pasar tani) in Shah Alam this weekend.

Absolutely lovely isn’t it?

.: Out Of One's Comfort Zone :.

I am, as always, terrified when it comes to the future. As much as I know that it is all in God’s hands and everything will fall into God’s perfect timing, I just can’t help but worry a lil.

JC & I are in the midst of waiting for the final verdict on Project Wallaby. We have submitted ALL of the necessary documents and now just have to wait patiently for them to give (if they do?) the green light. With that, we have to fly in to Aussieland in the next 9 months (just to stamp our passport).

There are plenty of documentations and liaison required for this migration process, which is why we decided to leave it to the experts and engage Global Migration to help us out. Of coz, with this comes with a premium fees, but since the two of us are working and is too busy to run up and down to do the paperworks, plus we had the whole shesbang wedding preparation last year, I suppose it was a premium worth paying.

We talked to this good looking (but married) man, Chin Wei (our friend concurred that he IS good looking!), and he was very professional and well versed when giving advise. Once we engaged them, our file is sent to the backoffice and a team of efficient (I must say they are very good!) people took care of all the details required.

Since JC is the principal applicant, he needed to submit his edu certs, some testimonial from his employer at that time and also took IELTS. This was all on early 2009.

About a month ago (yes, it took about two years!), our file was picked up by the Aus migration officer, and they have requested for more documents, i.e. the proof of marriage, spouse (that’s me!) proof of English proficiency, medical examination for the both of us and also a police check (it wasn’t me, Officer *lol* just kidding!).

Now, one would think that to proof that we are married, just submit our marriage certificate right?

Wrong!

Apparently, a cert is not a good enough proof, as they required more evidence of like joint financial commitment – i.e. joint bank account, joint house ownership, etc. Or beneficiary of each other’s insurance policy or will could do to.

The thing is, we just got married. And even tho we have a joint bank account (thankfully we opened one when we got engaged) it is currently semi-dormant as we have our own style in managing our finances. However, we manage to get a letter from the bank saying that we do have a joint account, but if the migration officer were to probe further, it may seem suspicious with the semi-dormant state it is in. Another thing is that we have not even thought of changing our spouse to be each other’s beneficiary, but for the sake of this, I am now JC’s life insurance beneficiary. So, if he dies, it would make me a wealthy widow! *evil laugh*

The other problem I face is to proof my proficiency in English. I mean, I have a cert, but because it is not a degree, I have no transcript. So the next best thing is to get my Uni to write a letter for me. Thank goodness that I have goodwill with the Uni (coz I was still helping the up in roadshows & grading mock papers!). The thing is, even upon submitting the letter from my Uni, it is at the discretion of the Migration Officer if it is sufficient. If he don’t think so, it means I will have to take IELTS. But I sked my England not powderful much. If I fail how? Ok, fine, it's not so much so of me worrying that I will fail, but it's the hassle plus the cost of taking this exam that is of a concern!

Medical examination went smoothly, but because there are only a few panels in PJ area, it was very packed with people on Saturday, even tho we went there are early as we could. It took almost three hours just to do a simple blood, urine, x-ray plus other misc examination.

Anyways, as we now sit and wait, I just can’t help but be anxious with what the future holds. Even if we did get our PR, there is no guarantee we can secure a job in Aus. Even if we did, there is no guarantee that we will like it there. The environment, the working culture, the food (I’d miss my Msian food!)

Sigh!

But as my ex-boss & mentor once told me, one will benefit most venturing outside one’s comfort zone in obedience.

So I suppose I must start venturing out of my comfort zone!

.: You Know :.

You know he loves you when he goes all way out to get you durian even tho he finds the smell absolutely repulsive!  ♥

.: Ti, I Drink With Jam and Bread :.

So I went to get some baking stuff *joy of joys!* in Bake With Yen, Taman Megah with JC this afternoon after checking on my bro at home (Dad & Mum is away on a holiday, so I had to make sure he didn't burn the house down or anything like that!).

Got some mascarpone cheese (for my second take on improving my tiramisu recipe), paprika (coz JC wanted to make some paprika chicken, who was his favourite (his late mom's recipe), ready crushed Oreo (genius! so I don't have to spend time crushin Oreo's for my cheesecake base anymore! *glee!*) and green tea powder (finally! tho I'm still not sure what to make, but I know there are plenty of recipes to choose from). I couldn't find some orange colouring (wanted to try to make some fondant carrot for my carrot cake), so I walked a couple of shops away to Chang Tung (just next to La Manila). Glad they have some (but notice that their prices are a lil bit pricey as compared to Bake With Yen, but it was just a selected few that I've browsed.

Now, green tea powder, what should I do with you? :)

.: Free McDonald Breakfast :.

Wake up to a FREE breakfast!

Thank you for making us your favorite restaurant again for the second year in a row by honoring us with the Gold Putra Brand Award, a celebration of the country's top brands as determined by you, the Malaysian consumer

To show you how proud we are,

allow us to delight you with

2 Big Breakfast - FREE with minimun RM 5 purchase

Simply print out the attached coupon and redeem it

at your favorite McDonald's restaurants serving breakfast

Valid until 31st March 2011

So come on over for a great start to a great day!

I'm lovin it! :)

.: Sick Cebu :.

It's day three since I fell sick on Monday. As some of you may have already known, I am a walking sick time bomb. My immune is almost non-existance, and it's not like I didn't even bother to try boosting my immune system. I've tried, but failed obviously, taking all the multi-vitamins you can think of and of coz supplimenting it with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Nope, it does lil to help, coz here I am, like the two days before this, with Vicks on my left hand (to help me breath thru my nose) and a Ventolin inhaler on my right hand (to help me breath thru my mouth). My body is helplessly week, even the act of picking up the phone which is just sitted the edge of my night table is a task for me. I slept until 3pm today. Drowsy and weak from the medication, the only reason that I went downstairs was to take some bread to eat so that I can take my meds again - and went straight back to sleep.

It usually feels better after the meds in the afternoon, albeit around this time, where tho my body is still feeling sore and weak, my mind is slightly more active. My chest have been feeling heavy lately, probably due to a mild asthma attack. The Ventolin inhaler does help a lil, but it can feel a bit suffocating at times.

I wish I had a better immune system, so that I don't have to waste precious time slothing in bed. I wanted to drive to my mom's place to seek some sort of refuge, but I worry that she over-fuss around me (that's what mom does best huh?) and the last thing I need is someone forcing me to have a glass of milo or something, when all I want to do is rest.  Oh, and by the time I am fit to commute to such distance, it is already 5pm plus (now), and the last thing I need is to be stucked at a traffic jam.

It's somewhat like a hangover (not that I have experienced many of those, mind you!), the ringing of the phone seems louder, the chirping of the birds in the morning seems much more annoying-er, all I want to do is cover my head over a pillow and sleep. Not that I could, coz it would me that I can't breath and the only position that allows me so is to sleep semi-upright.

Pitiful isn't it? That's the life of a sick cebu! :(

.: Person Of Good Conduct :.

I am a person of good conduct, or so says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs! Another milestone for Project Wallaby.

On another note, have been down two days with a bad sore throat (yet again) and a blocked nose (yet again) and also thrown in is a lil asthma and whizzing. Oh, and blood in my phelgm, tho I was just being dramatic about going to die (don't worry Benedict, need not write an eulogy for me, for now!)

.: Price Tag : Jessie J :.

Seems like everybody’s got a price,

I wonder how they sleep at night.

When the tale comes first,

And the truth comes second,

Just stop, for a minute and

Smile

Why is everybody so serious!

Acting so damn mysterious

You got your shades on your eyes

And your heels so high

That you can’t even have a good time.

Everybody look to their left (yeah)

Everybody look to their right (ha)

Can you feel that (yeah)

Well pay them with love tonight

It’s not about the money, money, money

We don’t need your money, money, money

We just wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag

Ain’t about the (ha) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching.

Aint about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling

Wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag.

We need to take it back in time,

When music made us all unite

And it wasn’t low blows and video hoes,

Am I the only one gettin tired?

Why is everybody so obsessed?

Money can’t buy us happiness

Can we all slow down and enjoy right now

Guarantee we’ll be feelin

All right.

Everybody look to their left (yeah)

Everybody look to their right (ha)

Can you feel that (yeah)

Well pay them with love tonight

It’s not about the money, money, money

We don’t need your money, money, money

We just wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag

Ain’t about the (ha) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching.

Aint about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling

Wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag.

Yeah yeah

Well, keep the price tag

And take the cash back

Just give me six streams and a half stack

And you can keep the cars

Leave me the garage

And all I..

Yes all I need are keys and garage

And guess what, in 30 seconds I’m leaving to Mars

Yes we leaving across these undefeatable odds

Its like this man, you can’t put a price on life

We do this for the love so we fight and sacrifice everynight

So we aint gon stumble and fall never

Waiting to see, a sign of defeat uh uh

So we gon keep everyone moving there feet

So bring back the beat and everybody sing

It’s not about

It’s not about the money, money, money

We don’t need your money, money, money

We just wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag

Ain’t about the (ha) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching.

Aint about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling

Wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag.

It’s not about the money, money, money

We don’t need your money, money, money

We just wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag

Ain’t about the (ha) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching.

Aint about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling

Wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the Price Tag.

Yeah yeah

Oo-oooh

Forget about the price tag

One of those songs you listen to in your car on your way back from work, when in the morning that very day, you were looking at the digits in your payslips and it finally hit you that the numbers that once spelt out success are just merely digits staring back. As cliche as it may sound, money doesn't buy you happiness! Your bank account may be spilling, but your life may just be as well empty!

Gosh, I just need to find my niche in this world!

.: Green (Mung) Bean Dessert :.

I've just boiled some green beans (also known as mung beans) [oh, and I sneaked in some red beans as well, left overs from the previous red bean dessert I made a couple of weeks back]. It's pretty simple, all you need are some green beans, some rock sugar and/or sugar, a pinch of salt, a few pandan (screwpine) leaves and some dried tangerine skin. Oh, and you may like to add some sago as well. Just a few spoonful of sago will do, it's suppose to be supplementary and not meant to outdo the green beans.

Soak green beans and sago and tangerine skin (separately) for about 30 minutes. Take soak tangerine skin and remove the white skin (that's the bitter part) and put into boiling water, together with green beans, tied up pandan leaves and pinch of salt. Leave to boil for bout 30 minutes. Add sugar (as much to your liking). Boil until the beans turns soft and fluffy-like, till the outer shell expands and 'burst'. Some people prefer it to be a bit more hard, but I prefer mine to be almost mush-like, so it is up to individual's preference. Then, throw in the sago last, boil for another 5-10 minutes under slow fire, til the sage turns from white to translucent. Add water if needed (again, individual's preference, as some like it to be thick and some like it to be watery).

Serve hot or chilled!

Enjoy! :)

P/S : Updated some pics of my tiramisu here! :)

.: Pease Porridge Hot :.

I made some porridge for my husband last night. Fret not, this blog will not turn into some documentary of What My Husband Will Be Having (WMHWBH) thingamajiggy.
I will not turn my already boring blog into something more boring-er.

I can’t wait for the weekends. I look forward to weekends these days (as oppose to last year where I dread them). I will likely be going to Midvalley’s Education fair. No, I am not going planning to add another piece of paper to my “hall of fame” collection (well, at least not just yet *wink*). I am accompanying my cousin Shyang and Kevin to have a look-see look-see, tho I believe that Shyang already has his heart set on being an architect. That’s thanks to HIMYM Ted Mosby’s influence.

Now, why can’t they portray a cool accountant or something to that line?

So when people come up to me as ask me, what do I do, I will go like, oh, I am an accountant, and they will be like, “Oh yeah, just like blankity-blank (name of a totally fictional but nonetheless impressive character)” with wide-impressed eyes.

Now, all the reaction I get is like. “Oh yeah?” with an I-pity-you-smirk that follows. And all I can do is mirror that reaction as well.

Sigh!

.: 100 Things That Makes Me Happy (Part 5) :.

Fifth part to the ten part series

41. Warm showers

42. Shooting stars

43. Corny movies – that also makes me sob like nobody’s business

44. Warm wooly socks

45. Yoga

46. Carbonara – yum, yum, yum!

47. Winnie the Pooh! :)

48. Toddler’s shoes that goes “squick, squick, squick” (don’t really know what those shoes are called, but the are just plain adorable, esp on the feet of someone who just started to learn to walk!)

49. A romantic stroll at the beach

50. Manicure and pedicure

*credit of pictures given to the respective owners*