27 January 2010

Consideration

The number is 33 and the word is solo. That's me as at 27.1.2010.

I celebrated my birthday with colleagues and friends. But all was quiet and unexciting at home. I remembered the treasure hunt I did for Adik last year. That was fun. Oh well. Maybe I am considered too old to be celebrated. At least my friends and colleagues do not think so. I want to make it clear that I don't need parties and cakes and lots of presents. A loving kiss on the cheek or a warm hug will do. I just need an assurance that I'm still loved at 33.

So what does that mean getting older? I'm not really sure how to answer that. All I know is my age is increased by one more number and with that comes more pressure. You know... the usual issues... no boyfriend, not married and all that stuff.

But don't get me wrong. I don't need any sympathy. Please don't insult my feelings with that. All I need is an understanding. Ooopppss! No, definitely not understanding because nobody could understand me unless they are me. All I need is consideration. Please consider me. I need your kind consideration. Your kind consideration shall be much appreciated. Your kind consideration would enable me to go through this life easier.

I know I'm kinda scribbling nonsense here, but actually I am not. I think I have already reached my limit. I think 33 is the limit. Don't go over 33. Only 33 and below is allowed. God, I'm so stressed today! I'm so down today! I'm so sad today...

So, the number is 33 and the word is solo. I am solo and my younger sister will get married this December. And she wants me to be her "pengapit". I can imagine the spinster me playing lady in waiting for the beautiful younger bride. But don't misjudge me. I have considered. She's my sister and I love her. I don't even have the heart to tell her no. And I am happy that she is getting married. But I wonder if she has considered me. I am the unconsidered unmarried older sister and I will be cast at the corner, fanning the bride, while she is being glorified in the limelight. Please don't put me there.

I sound selfish. Do I sound selfish? Once in a while, I want that privilege to be selfish. Once in a while, I want to be considered. That's my birthday wish this year. Dear God, please grant me that.

I am out of positive energy today. Friends, please lend me some....

19 January 2010

Happy Birthday, Ms DM!

Today is my birthday... my 33rd actually...

Sigh...

I'll write something about it after I come to terms with the fact that I am now a year older...

On a happier note, this is what I get for my bday today. Yippeee!!!!

14 January 2010

Ms DM's Foodelicious presents OOH CHA

I love to eat but I am not what you called a "food enthusiast". My only specialty is the ability to differentiate between a good meal, a not so good meal and a great meal. Most of the time I forgot the name of that great restaurant I went to and the name of that great meal I just ate. The worst thing is that I tend to forget the name of the restaurant that served the not so good meal, which means that there is a chance that I'll go there again!

Anyway, I think talking about food would help me sharpen my writing skill. Think about the culinary jargons that I have to use! In addition, I get to write down about my culinary experience, be it cooking or eating (believe me it will all be about eating instead of cooking!!), so that I won't forget all about it. The best thing is that I could share my experience with you.

Whatever it is that I will write about food will not even come close to Julie Powell's "The Julie/Julia Project", but at least I am making some efforts here. So here goes my first attempt writing about food:-

The company I am working with is situated at Jalan Sultan Ismail. The building is right between Jalan Raja Abdullah, Jalan Doraisamy and Jalan Yap Ah Shak, the place where you can find the famous heritage rows. There are lots of restaurants here. But the one I want to write about is a Thai restaurant called Ooh Cha.

Ooh Cha is located at Jalan Yap Ah Shak, across Maison. It has opened quite some time ago but I visited it for the first time with my colleagues last Friday.

When I first stepped into Ooh Cha, I was quite taken with its interior design which is mostly in ivory, copper and brass with lots of ethnic ornaments that can be easily associated with Siam. Since there were 6 of us, my colleagues and I were ushered to the top floor which is air-conditioned and could cater large groups. From the menu, we discovered Ooh Cha could also cater for business and private functions.

The pictures in the menu all looked yummy. But because it was our first time at Ooh Cha, we decided to try their lunch set first. As starters, we ordered the Thai spring rolls, fried shrimps rolled in popiah and also chicken pieces wrapped in leaves (sorry I can't recall the exact names of the dishes and in what leaves the chicken pieces were wrapped in). One thing for sure, I cannot forget how delicious the starters were! And each of these delicious starter (except for the wrapped chicken) was served with pickled cucumber and salad that made the food tasted even better!

I ordered fried tom yam mee. My colleagues ordered fried rice with shrimp, tomyam meehoon, beef noodle soup and white rice with beef paprik. I wish I had taken pictures of all the dishes we ordered. I tasted each and every dishes and boy! they made my taste bud fell in love. The tomyam was superb! And instead of tiny chunks of ingredients, you would find generous amount of beef, chicken and shrimp in your tomyam soup.

Even my fried tomyam mee tasted wonderful! The dish may look like your typical mee goreng but the taste is definitely not typical. I could taste the tomyam in the fried mee but not so much, with shrimps and slices of squid and chicken for me to devour. On top of that, the serving was quite generous and I finished my meal with a full tummy and a satisfied heart.

We didn't try any of the desserts though. But from the pictures in the menu, everything looks delicious. I wish I had room in my stomach to try their sticky rice with mango. Well, there's always another time. After all, Ooh Cha is only a walking distance away!

All this while, I thought Flying Chillies served the best tom yam cuisine in KL. Ooh Cha has changed my mind and I'll definitely go there again. Plus, the price at Ooh Cha is reasonable.

For all Thai cuisine lovers out there, you guys should try this place!

12 January 2010

Ms DM's Music Box presents UTADA

I bought Utada latest English album last weekend. Yeah yeah I know the album came up last year but I had the knack to buy it only last week. I don't know why. Probably because the price was cheap (it was on sale for RM29.90) or maybe because I wanted to know what the album sounds like. The only song from that album which I'm familiar with is Baby Come Back To Me because it got decent airtime in our local radio last year.


Utada Hikaru is an American Japanese who has produced many albums in Japan and is known as one of the most popular artiste in that country. Before this, I had known Utada simply as a Japanese artiste until I watched Hana Yori Dongo season 2 last year because the show used Utada's song "Flavor of Life" as its main soundtrack. I was so in love with the song and started to listen to other songs by Utada such as "Simple and Clean", "Sanctuary" (both songs from "Kingdom Hearts" soundtrack), "Addicted to You", "Can You Keep a Secret" (from "Hero" soundtrack), etc. That was also when I started to read more about Utada and found that her first Japanese album "First Love" had sold 10 million copies worldwide and the digital sales of "Flavour of Life" had reached more than 8 million copies the last time I checked.

Unfortunately, Utada is not doing that well with her English albums. Her latest English album, the one I bought is called "This Is the One" which is produced under Island Def Jam label. One of the producers is LA Reid. For those of you young ones out there, Antonio "LA" Reid was "THE" producer during the 1990s and a Grammy Award winning producer/songwriter. He was half of LaFace Records, the other half was Babyface (if you don't know who Babyface is, go shoot yourself!). The LaFace team had produced for artistes such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton etc and Reid was the one who brought the then unknown Avril Lavigne to fame.

So, with someone like LA Reid to back her up, I am sure Utada will no longer struggle in the international music scene. I have heard her songs in "This Is the One" and I can assure you that Utada's music is definitely not the typical bubly J-Pop and she has a voice that could melt you. If I am asked to describe Utada's brand of music in one word, I would say "passionate" because that's what I feel everytime I hear her songs. But do not mistake Utada as a ballad singing J-pop star. She has songs that could make you want to move your body with the rythm.

Utada will start her official US Tour this month with a kick off concert in Honolulu, Hawaii this 15th. I hope I could be there!

Anyway, you can go to Utada's official website for more about her and also a sample of her music.

Below is the lyrics of my most favourite song from Utada's "This Is the One" album:-

Apple and Cinnamon - Utada

Tell me what is on your mind
Help me because I'd like to know
What the hell is going on
Never thought I'd sing this song


Lets not get started with
The he said she said
Sometimes it just doesn't go as planned (x2)


Started out so simple and innocent
So simple and innocent (x3)


Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
Like apple and cinnamon (x3)


I can't believe that you and me were falling out of love
And everybody used to be so envious of us


Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
What we had was just to good, good to last


Happiness don't last that long
What we had was beautiful


Lets not get started with
The he said she said
Sometimes it just doesn't go as planned (x2)


Started out so simple and innocent
So simple and innocent (x3)


Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
Like apple and cinnamon (x3)


I can't believe that you and me were falling out of love
And everybody used to be so envious of us


Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
What we had was just to good, good to last


Please don't look at me like that
Please don't look at me, don't look at me like that
You can't look at me like that
Please don't look at me, don't look at me like that


I can't believe that you and me were falling out of love
And everybody used to be so envious of us


Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
What we had was just to good


Started out so simple and innocent
So simple and innocent(x3)


Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
Like apple and cinnamon (x3)


I can't believe that you and me were falling out of love
And everybody used to be so envious of us


Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
What we had was just to good, good to last



11 January 2010

The Avatar Imaginarium of Holmes & Watson

So my bestfriend is currently head over heels and drooling over Jake Sully, the main character and hero, of Avatar. I am not worrying (no reason actually!) because that is typical of Jan and I'm sure she'll remove her attention once another obsession comes along. That's my daisy! :)

Anyway, I too am awed by Avatar. The last time I felt that way was when I saw Gandalf mounted Shadowfax and led the horseback soldiers towards the Black Gate. It was super duper awesome! Avatar 3D is just superb! Can't wait for the sequels!

The news from the grapevine is that they have already started casting for the sequel and from what I've read in the internet, the story may go deeper into the planet Pandora. Well, we'll just have to wait and see!

Another awesome movie I watched last month was Sherlock Holmes. Man! Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law are simply delicious as Holmes and Watson. For the first time in my life, I see Holmes as a rugged hunk and not as a gentlemanly sleuth with pipe and deerstalker hat. I am hoping that Guy Ritchie and Warner Bros will make a sequel of this one too. They have to!

But do not bother to watch the Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus. I think I survived the movie until the end just because of Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp and Jude Law. The movie itself is 1 out of 10. Aya fell asleep twice during the movie and the rest of us just couldn't make out the moral of the story. Well... I guess there was no moral to the story.

That's all folks! Until next time!

04 January 2010

Monday Ramblings....

Today is Monday and also the first day of work in 2010. I got up quite early and the traffic to the office was not so bad despite the fact that today is also the first day of school. No matter how well Monday started, the blues just hang over me...

I had a full weekend. Friday was gals day out with Jan, Aya and Laila. Saturday was for Avatar 3D with Adik and also wedding gift hunt. Sunday was Hadi's wedding. And my laundry is still piling!

So I was kinda having a heavy heart when I went to work this morning. After a heavy nasi goreng ayam lunch at Raja's, I was so sleepy that my eyes went crisscrossed!

Anyway, there was hardly any drama in the office today. Thank God for that! We had a small birthday party for Sona at around 5.10 p.m.

Owh! I forgot to mention that I'm driving my dad's Persona starting today. My dad is taking my Gen2 for repainting... and of course to banish the love bites all over my Gen2's body. She's such a naughty girl!

I want to write a little bit about my cousin, Hadi, who got married last weekend. Hadi is 4 years younger than me. When we were kids, he and his older sister, Ayu, were very closed with me and my younger sister, Oni. We always spent times together at our grandparents place in Kg Pandan and, later, Puchong, during school holidays. Because he was the only boy in our clique, he always ended up playing the villains in our fantasy games. He was the Jaws or the big crocodile or the sea monster in all our sea voyage adventures. We kinda drifted apart soon after he hit puberty. Well, that was understandable since he's a guy.

Anyway, seeing him with his bride on the pelamin yesterday brought back so much fond memories when we were children. He used to be like a little brother to me. All of a sudden he's all grown up and married!

Well, I guess that's how life is.

Congratulations, Hadi & Elina!







01 January 2010

Single Ladies New Year Day Out!

I had a blast with my bestfriends, Jan, Aya and Laila, today. We went to Pavilion and started our day at RedBox, singing to our hearts' contents. We may be going 33 this year but hey, what has age got to do anything with having fun?

Whilst uploading the pictures of our day out into Facebook, I realised that I've been friends with these 3 fine ladies since 1998. Wow! That was 12 years ago and I am very blessed to have them as my friends and supporters for all these years.

I've got to admit that I've met many people and made new friends along the way but these girls have always held the strongest bond of friendship with me. With them, I can be myself. I can share my happiness and sadness, my fear and strength with them. I think, apart from my family, they are the only people who can accept me the way I am. I know I am not perfect and had sometimes erred in my speech or action. But with them, I know there's always a room for forgiveness.

Of course there were times when we had misunderstandings or quarreled, but we never betrayed each other or manipulated one another. We give and take, we share, tak pernah berkira. I think in those times when one of us got angry to the other, we always thought of the good and bad times that we've been through together and decided that this friendship is too precious to be broken by trivial matters.

As we grew older and lead separate lives, we never forget each other. We may have not contacted one another or meet up that often, but deep in my heart I know I can still count on them for that shoulder to cry on or for that piece of advice or simply for a good time.

These are the people that I want to keep by my side forever and I hope they will stay the way they are. And I hope they feel the same way about me coz I want to stay by their side forever. Thanks for this friendship, girls.

Lean On Me [by Bill Withers]
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain

We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow


Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on


Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me


So just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on


Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on


Lean on me...






Happy New Year 2010!

2010 is finally here. Happy New Year everyone!

Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past. ~Henry Ward Beecher



Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~ Oprah Winfrey

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. ~Hal Borland


Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde


We've had our beginnings on the day we were borne. A New Year is simply a momento that we have survived the year before. ~ Dang Merduwati
 
May all our wishes come true :)