Umizaru

Show Mi Again @ Arena of Stars [27th September 2008]

2008-10-06T22:29:00.003+08:00

我又回来了！

2008-10-05T22:19:00.004+08:00

It's almost 3 weeks since I've taken an unexplained leave from blogging. So what have the monkey been doing? Has he been busy with assignments? Or has he been busy with dancing? Or, has he been busy with his friends? Perhaps, he's just busy with everything.

Yes, I've been rather busy with the amount of work attached to university. Can't really screw up my final semester at Monash for I have bigger plans ahead of me upon the completion of the undergraduate program. I've pretty much done very badly for two of my assignments so far, scoring just 50 and over 50 percent respectively. Undoubtedly, it's my worst record to-date. This would mean that I can't possibly screw up my final papers. Speaking of which, examination is around the corner. The first paper takes off on the 24th this month, and I've not started much on my revision. So far, two chapters only, to be frank. A lot to pick up from here.

FYI, I am or was having my holidays, which ends tonight. Five out o the nine days, I was out hanging out or partying. The rest, spent them doing house chores or dancing. Oh, and eating, too. Finally, my weight has gone back up to 64 kilograms. Don't be surprise! I might look wispy, but I am that heavy.

And yes, I have also been dancing quite a lot. The Monash Ball went pretty well for the performer, despite the controversial conspiracies revolving the event which I shouldn't elaborate further. The response to our performances was the greatest of the night. However, as much as I have enjoyed preforming, I regret having to miss out on sharing the moments with my friends since I stayed at the dressing room till a very late hour. So I've decided that I will be a guest the next time I'm at a ball.

Other than that, I attended two line dancing parties. One which was organised by my beloved teacher, Ms. Lily along with 4 other established line dance teachers. It was held in the T.T.D.I. Community Hall. It was the day where I had a shock of my life when I injured my hand and stained my white shirt with lots of blood. Surely, it was pretty serious as the patch of blood was huge. Luckily, I brought some extra shirts to change. On another occasion, the other line dance party was to celebrate Uncle Peter's birthday, which was held in the OUG Club instead. Although it's only my second time celebrating with him, I can foretell that this will continue for years to come.

When there is yang, there is also yin. About a month ado, Fifi, Julia's dog, met fatality as it was found to be suffering from cancer. Then, just days ago, a friend called me to tell me that another friend of mine just lost someone she treasures most. It was really heart shattering to hear such news, and also really sudden. Having to know these, it reminds me that we should always spend our time as if tomorrow never comes. Express all your emotions, doubts, love, lusts and hate before it is too late. well, maybe minus the hatred there.

Before I forget, the Dive of Cantopop, Sammi Cheng was in Genting on the 26th and 27th for her Show Mi Again concert 2008. I attended the concert on the 2nd night, sitting on the 8th row from the stage. it was overwhelming to see her this close, although I've been like really close to her once during an autograph session. Anyway, the concert was fantastic, and she looked ethereal in all the 5 very trendy costumes. Overall, it was worth forking out half a thousand to watch her concert!

I can't believe that I spent almost half an hour writing this. I do know that only a handful, or maybe none will actually read this. How'd I wished that I'm like a Gossip Boy or something, but I don't do gossips, right? Monday is approaching very quickly, and the upcoming things that I have to look forward to is another line dance party on this Sunday and the RA work which I'm supposed to complete by this weekend.

What's that? I smell BUSY Pie coming up...

The Road Not Taken...

2008-08-16T00:11:00.005+08:00

Remember the poem by Robert Frost about the two roads diverged in a yellow wood?

Often times, I do think what if I haven't decided to become what I am, or how I am today. Just this morning, my cousin read some of my old blog entries which I had written in year 2005 or so. She said that I expressed myself as an emotional adolescent, just like the majority out there. The phase of me wandering in the lost world is over, and I'm definitely more focused and determined than before to reach out for the stars that I dream of. There had been alternatives in the past, and not forgetting some of the unforgivable and unchangeable mistakes that I made. What's done IS done. Never cry over spilt milk.

As I'm planning for my future, let me update you with some of the events that took place in the past weeks. On the 24th of July, Dance Fusion Club of Monash University Malaysia performed for the Gala Dinner of Monash commemorating the school's 50th Anniversary globally and 10th Anniversary in Sunway. It was a fusion of Swing, Jive and Salsa. We did a good job, but I really felt bad for my partner, Grace who fell sick just a couple of days before the performance. Even though she wasn't feeling well on that night too, she really gave her all into the performance and boom, the performance was a bomb. Great job, everyone!

That was out outfit for the Jive. Loved the dance, absolutely!

Then, we changed into out Salsa attire. Posing with us is Laura (on the left) and Sharon (on the right).

3 weeks later, Dance Fusion performed again for the audience who were at 1 Utama, Damansara for the Animax Youth Festival on the 9th of August. The initial musketeers couldn't make it all together, as seen in the photos. Only 4 of them were involved, so more members were recruited to join the list of performers. In the end, we settled at 5 couples, with 6 new members that consist of Tijo, Yung Lin, Joanne, Lin Jing, Bernie and Erica (Grace's elder sister). Dissimilar to our previous performance, Ms. Sharon had us performed Jazzy Swing this time to Jennifer Lopez's then big hit, 'Waiting for Tonight'. Although the carpeted flooring was an obstacle to most of us, we got through everything quite smoothly, although I had a slip at the final moment when I had to catch Grace on my arms. Anyways, great job, once again.

My greatest partner, Grace Tham!

She doesn't like taking pictures. But I made her do it. Ain't I evil?

Moroever, I made her do that with me too!

Finally, a group picture of all the performers with Ms. Sharon.

As busy as I am for this semester, I was able to catch up with some of my friends during meal times. Hooked up with Fish and Wing on different occasions. Was also able to have a lunch meal with Julia, but no pictures were taken. Sometimes, I feel that I'm spending so much time on my dancing and studies until a certain state that I slightly start to neglect my friends. Well, not that I have many friends, but spending time with them is important. Besides, it refreshes me whenever there's some hot gossips to be shared with.

Venue: Pat Kin Pat San Cafe, Shamelin Perkasa

With Amber. You could tell how tired I was by looking at my droopy eyes.

Fishy Shook Yee is getting prettier day by day!

The food there was kinda great.

That's a must have. It's claled um... Thai Chicken Chop Rice I think.

Venue: T.G.I.F., Pavillion

Have anyone lost his/her buffalo Wing?

That's the shirt Lily bought for me. Isn't it nice?

After having those, I was really damn full.

Just 2 days ago, I was at StudyLink, SS15 to apply for a course called Masters of Applied Econometrics. I've mentioned about it before but decided to go for an interview session with a representative all the way from Monash Australia. However, she brought forward the session to Monday and for I was unaware of it, I went there blindly two days after. Failing to meet up with her, I decided to just send in my application forms. The course is somehow contemporary, as it is not stated in the application booklet. and guess what, as abbreviations are suppose to be short and simple, the course is shortened to M.App.Econometrics. Just got to know that yesterday. Well, anyways, if everything goes on smoothly, I will received my conditional acceptance letter in October, which is around my final examination period. Of course, starting from next month, I will really put all my heart and soul into studying as I'm not taking any chances to fail any subjects in my final semester. Sustaining a good average of 77 is my target, but passing is a must!

Before I disappear again, there are a few things to look out for in the upcoming weeks. new seasons of Ugly Betty and America's Next Top Model will blast off in September. And have you heard it yet? A transvestite actually made it into the final 14 for ANTM. Then, my line dancing teacher, Ms. Lily Chin is also having a party on the 24th. And 6 days from the party, the Monash Ball 2008 will take place. and in between, I will be waiting for my call to be an instructor for MyFitness. Hopefully, I will nail the job as it will build my experience and confidence to the next level. Last but not least, 2 assignments due next week (Wednesday & Friday), with a test and presentation on Thursday.

All in all, busy days ahead, and the seamonkey is out of here now!

888...

2008-08-08T21:01:00.002+08:00

Too many 8's on a day is never bad for the Chinese. The highly anticipated Olympic starts today in Beijing. Dance Fusion will be performing tomorrow in One Utama for the Animax Fest. The Devilish Bunnies made their first few sales today. On this special day, nothing can ever go wrong. Well, everyone, Happy 080808!

Devilish Bunnies!

2008-08-07T23:54:00.004+08:00

For all y'all fashion luvers out there, head over this newly launched online boutique to check out their collection of clothes (and the sexy models - namely the Devil and the Bunny - too). Sold at affordable prices, delivery services are also provided for a small fee. Watch out for their upcoming promotions.

The Devilish Bunnies

Dancing with Lily Chin...

2008-07-29T23:55:00.003+08:00

Happened on the same weekend with the competition, I was actually in Star Hill performing with my teacher, Ms. Lily Chin. It was my very first time strutting my ass in a mall. On Sunday night, I was watched by Tommy, Tammy's brother, who is actually doing his intern in Shook!. The feeling of excitement and satisfaction of performing in public thrills me thoroughly. I can't wait for more, yet I'm too busy with my school work at the moment. Why can't we, human, just rest for 2 hours or less and have the strength to do everything for the rest of the 22 hours?

The venue was in Jakes for their 27th Anniversary celebration on Saturday. Dances performed wereHigh Time and Don't Stop.

On Sunday, we did it on stage instead for all the diners and shoppers. Dances performed were High Time and Sexy Oreo.

Asia Pacific Dance eXplosion 2008

2008-07-22T02:05:00.006+08:00

The competition finally reached it's end of the road. I had given everything for a best shot at the newcomer title, but apparently, it was insufficient. I might have scored the highest score during the semi-finals with another girl, but should have done poorly during the finals since I was given a fourth placing. Well, the match was very much between the 3 girls and I who secured the top 4 placing anyways. Overall, I'm overjoyed for performing in front of hundreds of people, and disappointed with the results for failing the expectations from my teacher and my godmothers including the funniest of them all, Aunt Petrina.

As it was my first time participating in a line dance competition, it really awakened me that I have to do much, much more to be at the top. The amazingly talented dancers there really inspired me to come up with more awkward but creative variations and styles. Modern line dancers should be funky, energetic, innovative and crazy in a way that they should do what that has never been done before. Hopefully, I would be able to bring that to the dance floor the next time. There were a bunch of competitors from Singapore who were really extremely great. It was not unsure that they will bag some championship as they were there to win. To all finalists, congrats on making it that far and doing a great job. Well said, see y'all again in the coming years.

During the semi-final!

Into the finals!

The results... could y'all see me?

My supporters that day.

I heart them!

My most beloved teacher, Ms. Lily Chin!

Together with Xiang Xiang (on the left) who was #1 for the Novice Crystal category.

Start of something new.

2008-07-17T11:38:00.004+08:00

Finally, my last semester has commenced. Results were released on last Thrusday, and I'm grateful that I achieved satiasfactory grades with an average of 77, which is almost on par with my previous record (77 point something). Anyway, the time table for the current semester is a tad sucky, with two 8 o' clock classes on Wednesday and Thursday. I can just sense that I will skip one or two lectures in the near future. You can just call me mere lazy.

So far, Accounting Theory is boring. There's already a task to be completed on the first week, and I hate that. Commencement week is suppose to be relaxing without any due work except for tutorials. Luckily, it's just a summary of 500 words on an article that is crucial for the subject itself. Cost Performance and Budgeting is also boring so far. The lecture's in the morning and I spotted a couple of guys sleeping during the class. I hope the atmosphere will spice up a lil' in the coming weeks or else I'll be joining them in the dream world.

My friend, Sky stumbled with a friendster profile that was using my picture. He said that I should be glad that some strangers are using my picture as their profile photo. Well, it doesn't really concern me as it does me no harm.

These days, I'm neglecting a lot of things for dance practices. I will soon get a hang of myself again once they are all over. Three important events this weekend - Willian and Luisa's dance competition-cum-party, a performance with Lily Chin (my line dance instructor) in a restaurant in Starhill and a line dance competition on Sunday. So much to do, yet so little time. But at the end of the day, I'm really enjoying it.

Tammy-ed Part IV

2008-07-17T01:27:00.003+08:00

Last Friday, everyone gathered at Tammy's crib to bid an early farewell to Joyie, who's leaving us for Melbourne, Australia in 3-4 days from now. The barbecue party was hot, sexy and fun with really nice food that was prepared by Tammy's family. The marinated fish was great! All thanks to Tam's nanny. Her dad was really kind to cook everything for us, and it's rather embarrassing for us to just sit there and enjoy the food. Next time, we should be the chefs by the burning charcoals. Snapped many pictures on that night, but didn't receive a copy for each picture. Apparently, Tammy is keeping some sexy ones of me for her wicked, personal collection. What the hell?

Joyie with her melting marshmallow!

One thumbs up for Tammy's salad.

No, make it two for great improvement from the disastrous salad she prepared during the last party.

Praying mantis by Joyie.

Everyone wanted a piece of Joyie's.....

And then the target diverted to Tammy.

Men's talk. Do not disturb.

When two bitches meet...

Surprise!

And that scared Jess away.

Tam made me do it.

And I made her do it too.

Posers!

Camwhores are just everywhere!

Nah, I wasn't in the group picture.

Pose.

And pose.

And posee.

And poseee.

I had so much fun posing in the mini garden.

Birdy! Birdy!

Catching butterflies?

Qi gong!!!!!!!

This is very reminiscent of a moral project.

Being environmental.

Work on your pose, Tam!

Much better!

Once we start...

We can hardly stop...

A death kiss from Tammy!

Salut!

Kero-kero-pi?

Another GREAT picture taken by Tammy.

Presenting an art piece in the living room.

Three more, I found. Taking so many picturs is truly tiring. But, the King's gonna live it up to his title, right? Haha.

Monash Orientation July '08

2008-07-11T14:46:00.002+08:00

For the first time, Monash's debut Latin team, named the Dance Fusion, performed salsa and rumba in front of the new students and some existing students and staffs of Monash during the first day of Orientation week. We definitely felt great, though nervous at first, after the performance. The butterflies did travel around my stomach for quite a while,but I think I'm getting used to performing. No, I'm not trying to imply that I have performed a thousand times now, but I think I'm starting to handle my stage fright and shyness. "Always put four best face forward" is a motto that inspires me. Anyway, well done to every member of the team and a big thank you to Ms. Sharon who's our teacher/mentor. Check out the photos of us posing, and the video of the performance below!

Presenting Dance Fusion.

From left: Yi Ming, Jon, Grace, Me, Ms. Sharon, Kai Yuen, Simone.

The move is called a fish dip/dive.

Um... this is called... New Yorks??

A mistake on this one will definitely result in minor/major injuries.

Lol. I looked kinda awkward here.

The girls are extremey flexible!

Whoa. That's almost 180 degrees!

I would call ourselves the playful couple.

Jon and Yi Ming could be the power couple.

Lastly, KY and Simone should be the sexy couple.

Alright, we're all set for our nest performance on the 24th!

Tammy-ed Part III

2008-07-11T13:55:00.003+08:00

Tuesday's outing with Tammy resulted with some new pictures and videos taken in One Utama, Damansara. Bumped into Jerry and his girlfriend, Melody just before the escalators to the Golden Screen Cinemas. Had never seen him for such a long time, but heck, we all still look the same. =)

The lighting was good!

Opssie. Too bright!

The princess hearts funny faces.

As usual, we shot more videos of us singing. It was a really good karaoke session. Very enjoyable and nevertheless less insane.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love...

Tammy belting out a sad number.

Tammy-licious!

Tam-spice, y'all!

Doing the infamous song by Aaron Kwok.

While we were there, we had a stop at the sticker photo booths. Here are some of our snaps!

Natural posers...

It was a lovely experience!

Bluergh!

Possibly the best shot of the day?

And that's 2nd best!

Tammy-ed Part II

2008-07-06T00:02:00.002+08:00

It was a Bitches Day Out in Mid Valley. We actually planned to watch Long Khong 2, but it had been pulled down from the big screens already. The only place still showing it was Times Square, but we didn't want to travel that far just for the movie. So, despite the unavailability of the movie, we ended up executing our plan of meeting up in one o our favorite malls in town.

Digby or Monty? I'm slow when I have to make a choice.

Didn't do anything extraordinary. Besides shopping around, leaving holes in our wallet and purse, we also had a break at Sweet Chat. The durian pancake there was awesome! The banana pancake was just mediocre compared to the former, but it is still worth a try. If only the banana was chilled before served, it could have tasted better.

I demand more durian pancakes whenever I can!

My crave for banana never ends.

What's that face, Tam?

That's better. Simon + Theodore!

Our day ended with me in the kitchen baking cookies and making pudding. Tammy stayed for the cookies, but not for the pudding for I had prepared them at a really late hour after she has left. For a first timer, the Choco cookies made were, frankly, quite nice. However, I was unable to follow the full recipe as I was short of peppermint extract. It could have been named Chocomint cookies. I wonder where am I able to obtain that important ingredient. Ideas, anyone?

Sift the flour! Sift sift!

Don't disturb!!!

Look, don't they look tempting? Haha!

And those are the puddings. Melon with mango, my all time favorite combo.

Tammy-ed Part I

2008-07-05T00:17:00.005+08:00

Been spending so much joyful time with my princess, Tammy for the past few days. Right after my exam on the 23rd we met up in Neway Cheras for a karaoke session which turned out great. Singing out hearts out after everything's eventual was awesomely relaxing and rejuvenating. It welcomed our holidays with a high spirit, definitely.

The King and his Princess in da house.

The CW's are back with funny faces.

EmoTioNsSssss!

The Aquarius babe!

Seeing Aries in such a close distance.

A Wu Shu 101 with Tammy?

This is what happens when thing's get out of control.

Look! Starry ceiling!

One last picture before we go?

Wait, let's really have one final one!

:X A video to be shared. Laugh all you want!

Then, on the following Tuesday from that day, we hang out at the night market in Sri Petaling. Had our dinner at Fusion Cafe. It was my first time trying out the newly opened restaurant, and the food was actually good. The price is slightly above average, but most of it is absorbed by the service and quality of the food.

Unagi Omelette Rice... We loved it!

Try this > The Aloha Style Pizza.

P.S. I've been rather busy with jobs at hand. I accepted a job as a promoter in Carrefour Sri Petaling for 2 consecutive weekends, and will be serving for my last weekend starting tomorrow. And on Monday, I'll be performing in Monash for the Orientation Day for July Intake with my other dancemates. Stop by at around 11 to catch the performance, live. I'm sure a video will be posted up on YouTube some time after the performance. So watch out for that!

Home alone.

2008-06-22T20:12:00.004+08:00

Dad's still in China. Both my moms were gone to somewhere. My sister's family went back to Ipoh for a weekend home visit. So, I have been left alone at home but heck, it doesn't bother me much since it's just for a day. Kids just love it when parents are out, don't we?

Anyway, though my mom suggested that I should get my meals from outside, I ended up cooking for myself. Was thinking of big beans with eggs at first, but couldn't find the ingredients I need in the kitchen. Therefore, I prepared a bowl of Japanese curry instead, which is one of my all-time favorite. The procedures are easy with those instant curry stocks one can get from supermarkets. Anyways, because it was expiring soon, I had to use everything so the portion was enough to feed 3 persons. at the end of the day, I finished it all up with a whopping serving of rice. I'm so full~

For quite some time now, I've this spirit in my mind to choreograph a routine for line dance. Just yesterday, the inspiration hit me hard, and whooom - I've came up with my very first line dance steps choreographed to Maroon 5 and Rihanna's current hit single, "If I Never See Your Face Again". The steps are pretty much a blend of everything, and I'm loving the routine that I actually came up with. A little more cleaning is required. After that, will need to enter it into an appropriate form of a step sheet to be posted online. Maybe, it will be accompanied by a video, if I have the time to do it. Frankly, I'm slightly overjoyed.

This Saturday, the Interact Club of my secondary school will be organising their annual International Understanding Day. As much as I've wanted to go, nobody else is attending the event. Guess I'll miss it unless someone voluntarily offers me a company. I've missed out on the Food Fiesta a fortnight ago; this will most probably be my last chance to have my feet on the grounds of Sri Garden.

How long has it been?

2008-06-22T02:38:00.003+08:00

I can't recall when was the exact last time I actually spent time with some of my closest friends whom I cherish a lot. I just wish those moments could last a little longer, though I understand of the curfews and obligations that most people have to stick to. Tammy, you're such a good friend, or should I say, a nice mom too. Have not seen you for such a long time now. I think the last time was during my birthday? Anyhow, holidays are approaching, and although I will be a tad busy with some of my work, I'll definitely find time to yum cha with you in your area one day! On the side note, I'm so not ready for my Monday's paper. Been slacking for so long now, I'm too lazy to start much on revision. In addition, the fact that it's an open book test greatly demotivates me. A while ago, I thought that a group study for that subject would happen. Unfortunately, nobody came up with that single plan, and it is somewhat expected though, for it ain't the first time such suggestion failed. Oh, and recently, I'm watching That 70s Show again. I just love watching the stupidity, perkiness and simplicity of people from the past. It releases the stress out of me, easily. :)

Aren't we looking compatible here? Hahahaha!

That's Joyie on the right. She would be leaving Malaysia for Melbourne in July for 2-3 years. All da best~

Another new item for my E-sal Collection! Not only that it's a drum, it lights up due to impact.

Allocate Opens...

2008-06-20T17:34:00.003+08:00

Once again, Allocate, the virtual time-table organiser-cum-generator is open for Monash students. Already my 6th time repeating the same procedure, the options I have for my final semester kinda sucks. Lectures, that are auto-allocated and can't be changed, are from Tuesday to Friday, with two morning lectures on Wednesday and Thursday. I know how much I hate lectures early in the morning, so I can really predict myself skipping a couple of them due to foreseen and unforeseen circumstances. Other two lectures are in the evening, so they are not much of a problem. However, when it comes to the tutorials, I have a feeling that it will be dispersed from Monday to Thursday which means that i wouldn't have any weekdays off! That's the worst case and is most likely to happen. On the other hand, if I'm luck enough, I will only have classes from Tuesday to Friday, with prolonged weekend till Monday. If all goes well, the latter might just occur.

Received an email from my lecturer today, telling me that the paper work for the job as an RA is already through, and I have to sign them in order to start working. My last paper's on Monday, so work officially starts on Tuesday. My lecturer opted a full time job that lasts for a month for me. Nevertheless, with my new semester commencing on the 14th of July, I couldn't' accept the job. Thus, I will have to discuss with her again on Monday about the working hours. Well, how'd I wished that could work a little longer. At the same time, I realized that I won;'t have much of a holiday afterall with both the job and dancing. Oh yea, with the orientation for the new July batch of Monashians falling on the 7th, the debut performance for the Latin dance team is drawing closer. I hope I won't mess up any of the routines during the real performance. Messing up is definitely the last thing I have on my mind. Anyways, the performance will consist of Samba and Rumba. And oh gizz, Rumba's such a sexy, sexy dance.

3:1.

2008-06-16T01:02:00.005+08:00

Three down and one more to go. Last paper's on the 23rd, so I'm still taking a break from my revision although I'd better resume asap in order to score well for Taxation Law. First paper on Business Modeling was somehow bad. And I know I did badly. Hopefully, I passed the exam and the hurdle required for that unit. Truly, I'm on the fence of hell and heaven. I wouldn't want to use up my Near Pass passport now. It's wiser to save them for some of the hardest Accounting subjects that I would be taking next semester. The rest of the papers that I've sat for was satisfactorily answered, I think. Nevertheless, a HD for those two subjects is kinda out of reach already, which will definitely pull down my current CGPA. Well, as far as my concern is, the requirement for a postgraduate program is an average of credit. Hmm, I'll beat that!

Leaving my revision efforts aside, I'm actually busy with all the dance classes and practices. Line dance classes are on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Ballroom is on Monday. Hip hop is on Tuesday and Saturday. Moreover, I have been appointed for 2 line dance performances next month, 2 (or just one) line dance parties and 1 internal ballroom competition organised by William and Luisa Danceworld. Apart from that, practices for Monash dance team is irregularly scheduled. Instead on Friday like the previous weeks, it will be on Tuesday this week. And according to a message I received earlier, practice starts from 2 and will last as long as the instructor is satisfied with the routine. I really wonder how worn out everyone would be on Tuesday...

Anyway, I've officially signed up for the Asia Xplosive Dance Competition organised by Joy Club. However, despite of my teacher's interest in putting me in both the Newcomer and Intermediate level, I've just registered for the Newcomer level only. Frankly, intermediate is a bit tough... Besides, it's the level where all certified or existing teachers are participating. How can a student beat the master? Haha... It's just my first time joining, so I'll just have as much fun as I can. No stress, seriously. Anyways, stage fright is something I fear and haven't conquered.

As much as I would love to spend my time dancing, for once I would or might be working for Monash Research Department as a research assistant. I've sent my CV to the professor who's the head of the research department and whom has also taught me twice in two semesters. What I'm waiting for is just for a pleasant reply. In fact, I'm meeting up with him tomorrow and work could plausibly start right away. I'm pretty uncertain with the pay and working hours, but experience is what I'm looking for. I can't imagine myself working on a minor thesis or a research project next year without knowing the proper and systematic approaches to it. With work, play and study all at once, my busy-o-meter is exceeding the limits already.

So how do I cope up with my own life? I hardly do. A vacation is what I'm dreaming of. Bangkok, Phuket, Redang or Cameron Highlands? Anywhere will do as long as I get to relax and rejuvenate to a new environment. And this has to be planned and executed before the mid-July, the timeline that marks the commencement of my 6th Semester in Monash University.

Exam anxiety...

2008-06-06T01:50:00.005+08:00

In less than 12 hours, I would be sitting for my first exam paper this semester. I've been preparing for it, but is all I've done sufficient to obtain a moderate grade for it? It's the anxiety again that murders my uplift spirit before exam begins. It's a routine that I have to surpass twice a year, and having 2008 as a final year stresses on the importance of passing the units in order to graduate from the course. Now that I have decided on where to go after the undergraduate program, I can't possibly allow anything to screw up my plan. Hopefully, everything will run smoothly again this time. The fact that I've done well in the assignments certainly doesn't mean that I would pass the hurdles for each paper without struggling through it. From the past, I have struggled. Although lesson learned, I still have a feeling that my revision is meagre even though I've scanned through everything already. When you're done with all the reading, what do you do next? Still figuring that out. But time's lacking, and I won't be able to do much. All I can do is make sure I'm in the right condition tomorrow to sit for the exam. No diarrhea, or fever, or any other possible obstacles for the next few days please. For now, let's see which fighter suit should I put on...

Jimatlah~

2008-06-05T01:13:00.002+08:00

Following the increment of petrol and diesel prices, w.e.f. 5th of June, rise of goods and services can also be speculated both in the short and long-run. If you haven't read or been told about it, the price of unleaded petrol has been increased by almost 41% from RM 1.92 per litre to RM 2.70 per litre, whereas diesel sees an increase of RM1.00 from RM1.58 to RM 2.58 (which is about 63%). Consequently, the real income of labors will drop, unless salaries are raised in order to subsidy the burden of the change in petrol price. However, following the announcement, owners of vehicles not more than 2000 cc will be given a subsidy of RM 625 in cash annually when vehicle owners renews their road taxes. But, the ultimate question would be is RM 625 enough?

For a car of 1600cc, a full tank would cost almost RM 70.00 before the rise of petrol price. Considering a 41% extra that one have to pay now, it is equivalent to RM28. Assuming that the average days for a petrol refill is a week, the extra money to fork out would approximately be RM 28*52 weeks = RM 1456.00. RM 625 is less than half of that. With that, will people actually care and reduce their car usage? Or will they car pool? Car pooling is hardly a practice in M'sia, and travelling with cars are truly necessary. Just look at the amount of cars on busy highways (Puchong - KESAS, Federal, MRR2, Sungai Besi, etc) everyday. The only realistic alternative or drivers will be reducing their expenditures on other stuffs. Not forgetting those who drives vehicles above 2000cc, the only subsidy given is a deduction of RM 200 in the road tax. This new effort is to close the gap between the rich and the poor, and its clearly reflected in the structure of the new subsidy plan.

Despite having a hard time dealing with the rise of the petrol prices, households will also face the fear of a hike in their electricity bills. Electricity rates will actually rise by a minimum of 18%. If usage of electricity is more than 200kWh per month, the marginal increase will be even higher, I suppose. This will definitely drive my mom a headache. Usage of electricity in my house is pretty high, and last month's bill was about RM 600.00, an all-time high. I wonder what will the next bill total up to... Would it be close to RM 800.00? It's scary how much electricity my house consumes, but it's all necessary when you have 7 people living under one roof.

Eventually, the economy will actually suffer for a while before all adjustments completes. Till then, spend only when necessary. And always remember the slogan "Fikirlah dahulu... pastikan mutu... beli yang perlu!".

Cooking 101 #5

2008-06-04T19:44:00.000+08:00

It has been extremely long since I last cooked. Not that I don't want to, but I barely have the chance to so do because my parents are the ones cooking everyday for the family. Besides, with my packed shcedule for the past few weeks, I couldn't slot in anytime for cooking. Now that I'm having exams, finally I have some time to screw the ktichen up to myself. Haha.

Light snacks are my experties. Hereby, I tried baking chicken wings wrapped in pandan leafs. Before that, they were marinated with garlic, ginger, fish sauce, coriander and brown sugar. Oh, coconut milk was also included in the marinade. Although it was meant to be barbecued, but since I did not have a grill, so I tried baking it instead. The outcome was satisfactory although it could have been better if served with Thai chilli sauce.

Working with a chicken breast fillet, I came out with that honeyed chicken pieces. The fillet was again marinated, but this time, for a night even though 12 hours would have been sufficient. It was then dipped into a homemade batter of honey, sherry and other ingredient before frying it on a medium heated pan. I would say that the batter that I prepared was too liquidy, so the final result was not that good. Anyhow, it was still delicious enough. Have a piece, anyone?

MoAE?

2008-06-02T01:56:00.000+08:00

Two and a half years ago, I had to decide on the education institution to pursue an undergraduate program. Under the influences of my friends and time, I finally enrolled for a Bachelor Degree in Business and Commerce in Monash University Malaysia. Flashing back, if I had not listened or considered the decisions of my boos, would I have made such decision? Would I have ended up in a different school like Nottingham, Inti or Segi? I think it wouldn't make a difference, actually. Other than peer influences, my decision was also based on the fact that Monash is the only university that offers Econometrics as a major. I do know that a few other courses that also offers quantitative or statistical units/subjects, but being a Math nerd, I was really attracted by the term "econometrics".

At that time, I was really unaware of what it's all about, although the brochure did explain briefly about major. With only a handful of students who are actually doing that major, it's still new. fresh and can be compare to the genuinity of virgin olive oil. When I told my parents about the majors that I'm doing, they had always asked me what was econometrics all about. With my densely developed Mandarin, not until weeks ago I got to realize the right translated term for econometrics.

It's funny that although most of people do well in Math, they are not interested in taking up the major. This was possibly due to their wrong initial impression towards the course. From what I've gathered through conversations with others, they often have the perception that statistics is tough, complicated and intimidating. Frankly, not if one pays close concentration and works a little harder on the coursework and interpretations. Of course, any proves in those statistical equations are pretty damn hard (which I hate to do/remember), but doing well in assignments will sorta guarantee at least a credit for the subject. However, it is true that units under Econometrics are quite lifeless and dry.

As I'm facing my exams which starts on the 9th and ends on the 23rd, I will be completing my Econometrics major this semester, although I have 4 more Accounting subjects to go for the next semester before I graduate. So, wish me luck~

Anyway, I've decided o further my studies after the undergraduate program. A postgraduate program would mean that I would have to take up an honours degree or a masters program. Over the past few weeks, I've been pondering enough and have ended up with a decision. A Masters of Applied Econometrics, for now. That would mean another 1.5 years before I enter the workforce. Hmm, haven't I been studying a little too long? 2 years for Kindergarten, 6 years for Primary, another 5 years for Secondary, a year for Foundation and 3 years for a Bach. Degree, which in all equals to 17 years. Add with another 1.5, it will be close to 20 years, in which means that I have spent/will spend almost 1/3 of my life studying. My parents are very supportive with my decision, so I guess it's the contemporary wisest choice.

Yet another assignment crisis....

2008-05-20T21:55:00.000+08:00

My semester might be ending in 2 weeks time, but on hand, I have 2 assignments left to be completed. Having thought that both are due this Friday, as in my mind, it's due on week 12, so a Friday deadline is quite a usual assumption. However, things turned out unexpected. After receiving a phone call from my classmate yesterday, I was told that one of them was actually due this afternoon. Oh my Buddha. Why do something pops up whenever I try to complete my assignment? Can't everything be smooth and easy? Well, it's the third/fourth time this semester that I'm just on the cliff of a emotional meltdown. Fortunately, I have a strong will of survival. Throw a really big stone at me, and I'll just take it down to my stomach. Nah, what I mean is that I will just try my best to defeat everything that's against me. And, I'm also assisted with really good teachers this semester. I was definitely overwhelmed when they grant me a 1-2 days extension, although this time around, it wasn't just for me, because it was for my classmates as well. At the end of the day, the date due has been postponed to Thursday. P.S. It was a Econometrics assignment, so I have to use the computers at campus to generate outputs for the report. That's such a drawback, lemme tell ya.

So, after this Friday, freedom clung with stressless days will begin for a while before examination takes over. Till then, I have quite a few things to look forward to. The performance for Monash Ball which I'm participating in still requires a lot of practices. This Sunday, I might be going down to Malacca with my teacher, Ms. Lily Chin and Uncle Peter with Aunt May for a line dancing parity. Hopefully that will diverse my concentration on studies for at least a day. Lastly, I have decided to go out for a movie after missing on so many blockbusters since January. Yes, January's the month when I last been to the cinemas! So, to those who is reading this, ask me out for a flick given that I'm free! There are so many movies that I want to watch pretty badly... Narnia, Slit-Mouthed, Iron Man, etc.

ANTM 10 Episode 13 [Finale] Quickie

2008-05-16T13:21:00.000+08:00

The remaining three girls are put to the test when they have to shoot a commercial and have a photo shoot for CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara. It is revealed that the winner of the cycle will have her ad on a billboard in Times Square. During the commercial, all of the girls struggle with their lines, but still manage to look like real CoverGirls.

During judging, the judges commented that Whitney's commercial was average but deemed her photo stellar, while they were not impressed by Fatima's robotic performance in her commercial. Anya's commercial is described as a "trainwreck", but that is overlooked by her personality on film and her stellar look in the commercial. However, her beauty shot is deemed "stupid" by Paulina.

Anya is called first, leaving Fatima and Whitney in the bottom two, both for the fourth time. Tyra is still not clear who Whitney actually is and whether she is not as beautiful as she seems to be and act. They also criticize Fatima for not emulating her beauty into her pictures and modeling. So, the judges decide to send Fatima home.

Nigel shoots the final two's Seventeen magazine cover for the July edition, where they both do a good job.

Anya and Whitney compete against each other in Versace gowns, with their outfits handpicked by Donatella Versace. During the final deliberation, Whitney was told she did a very good job except that she forgot to pose at the end of the runway. Anya was told she didn't walk as strong as she could have but she still looked stunning.

In the end, Whitney is crowned America's Next Top Model, making her the first full-figured winner. She is also the second winner from Florida, with the other being Yoanna House from Cycle 2. [source]

Call-Out Order (prior to Runway)

Anya.

Whitney.

Eliminated: Fatima.

Heavy weekend.

2008-05-12T20:20:00.000+08:00

Haven't I been a little busy this semester? Analysing what I've done for this semester, time flew by too quickly. In just a glimpse, I'm already in the midst of the 11th week. In about 3 and a half weeks time, it marks the start of my exam. Damn. The truth is, I can barely remember what I've studied over the past 10 weeks. And I was actually thinking of getting an average of 80 marks for my exams. That seems to be unreachable, judging from that state of exam preparation I'm at right now. Effort, time and determination! Hard work does pay off, right?

Speaking of which, after working on my programming assignment for the past few days, and getting just 3 hours of sleep this morning, I was actually permitted to submit my assignment, which was originally due today, to be handed tomorrow or the day after. Reason? While working on my work file in the library today, some errors just came out from nowhere, resulting in a failure of access to the codes for alterations. I think that was one of the most nerve-wrecking moments I had while doing an assignment. One just wouldn't want such problems to arise at those critical times. I remember there was once, an electricity cut-off at my area made me carry my CPU to Caryn's house just to print my assignment stored in the hard disk. Well, anyway, back at home, the file was ridiculously fixed. At this point, I'm actually pretty fed up of assignments, but I have 2 more to go. And those also carries 20 marks each!

Adios for now, for I have to prepare for my Latin Ballroom class which starts at 9.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T14:51:00.000+08:00

ANTM 10 Episode 12 Quickie

2008-05-09T13:17:00.000+08:00

In order to better understand their role in front of the camera, the girls are given a lesson in photography. This is followed by a challenge in which they must direct and shoot Paulina Porizkova, as Seventeen editor Ann Shoket looks on. Dominique's lack of focus and Anya's over-enthusiasm gets critiqued, while Fatima and Whitney's professionalism gets praised. Fatima is chosen as the winner, with a reward of 50 extra frames at the upcoming photo shoot.

At the photo shoot with Nigel Barker as the photographer, the girls portray Italian movie stars being pursued by the paparazzi. Mr. Jay and Nigel experience difficulty getting the girls into character, leaving all feeling vulnerable. At panel, Anya is commended for a stunning photo, though it is noted that it was essentially an accident and that she required continual coaching from Jay. Whitney is told by Paulina that she at last produced a photo that does her beauty justice. Dominique is once again criticized for her dress and appearance in person, and for looking too "drag" in her photo. The judges express disappointment in Fatima as she didn't listen, therefore she did not capture the correct theme, even with 50 extra frames.

Dominique and Fatima are left in the bottom two, with Dominique ultimately being eliminated. [source]

Call-Out Order

Anya. She has been called first for so many times. High chances are that she's the winner...

Fatima. She stands a chance too, since she has improved a lot.

In danger: Whitney. Still hanging on there after appearing in the bottom two for a couple of times now.

Eliminated: Dominique. Seriously, it's about time.

VvvvvvvBbbbbbAaaaaa

2008-05-05T23:34:00.000+08:00

Working in front of my desktop has been my daily routine for the past few weeks and will continue for the next couple of weeks. With such a hectic schedule lately, I had not much time for relaxation and idling around. However, thinking that I did fairly well on the test I had this morning lifted up my mood and so, it dug out the camwhore habit in me.

As you can see, there's a pile of books and papers on my desk. But worry not, most of those are rough papers which I've kept for a few years now. Oh look, at the very top, it's the DVD for an animated series called X. Bought this years ago, but just started watching it.

Oh wait, that yellowish book is giving me a hell of a headache. It reminds me of the assignment which is due next Monday. Normally, any Statistics assignment requires a lot of interpretations and derivations of economic models, but this one is a bit different. Programming is such a tough work. Although what I'm doing is just using Visual Basic for Applications available in Excel, I'm already stuck here and there...

Completing this unit is compulsory in order to major in Econometrics. Assignment is worth 20 percent, and I expect to get a 15 or above, if possible. But at this state of progress, completion of program requires a lot of thinking, creativity, designation and refinement. Oh Lord, help me!

ANTM 10 Episode 11 Quickie

2008-05-02T13:13:00.000+08:00

The girls are brought to a gladiator fighting school, where fighting instructor, Alex Mariotti, teaches them the basics of gladiator fighting. After donning gladiator costumes, Mr. Jay and Miss J. explain that the teach was supposed to help them bring out more versatility and power in their photos, before revealing the photo challenge, using the moves that they have just learned but still keep grace and composure. Whitney wins the challenge and is given a €1000 shopping spree, and chooses Anya to accompany her.

The girls are taken to a Roman castle for their photo shoot dressed in modern Renaissance fashion, where Tyra shoots them. All of the girls but Katarzyna and Whitney receive praise. At panel, Dominique and Fatima's poses and body language gets the thumbs up, though Dominique is criticized for looking too "gameshow-ish". Anya's photograph receives universal praise, though the judges voice concern over her generic personality. Katarzyna is criticized for having dead eyes in her photograph and for her seemingly flat personality, while Whitney is criticized for her overly-sexy poses.

Katarzyna and Whitney land in the bottom two. Whitney for her inability to live up to her full modeling potential, despite previous strong photos, and Katarzyna because the judges felt that she was rather coasting than really making an impression. Katarzyna is ultimately eliminated in her first bottom two appearance, also the fourth contestant to be eliminated when being the Covergirl of the week. [source]

Call-Out Order

Fatima. Wow, being called the first for two consecutive weeks.

Dominique. She redeemed herself this week.

Anya.

In danger: Whitney.

Eliminated: Katarzyna.

ANTM 10 Episode 10 Quickie

2008-04-25T13:38:00.000+08:00

The girls arrive in Rome, where they tour the city before going to their new home. Not long after, Fatima comes down with a fever and Anya helps her by bringing her dinner while Dominique gossips about her.

Claudio Brassini gives the girls a fashion tour on Segways. Then they go to their challenge, where Gai Mattiolo judges their walks and how they look in his clothing. Anya wins the challenge and her prize is a long, white, red carpet dress, designed by Gai Mattiolo.

The girls film a CoverGirl commercial in Italian. Fatima, Katarzyna and Whitney are the only ones able to get their lines out fully. Jay calls out Whitney for acting too fake, Katarzyna for being too flat, while naming Fatima the best of the day. Anya's lines are unintelligible, Dominique overacts and doesn't get many words right, while Lauren gives up, saying that she is not a CoverGirl.

At judging, only Tyra likes Whitney's commercial; the other judges thought it was too pretentious. Katarzyna is given credit for showing more personality, Anya and Dominique's commercials are laughed at, but Anya's flirtatiousness and Dominique's energy are praised. Lauren is criticized for showing no desire.

Lauren and Whitney are in the bottom two, Whitney for her fake personality, and Lauren for her lack of confidence and tenacity. Whitney is told to "get real", and Lauren is eliminated. [source]

Call-Out Order

Fatima.

Katarzyna.

Anya.

Dominique.

In danger: Whitney.

Eliminated: Lauren.

ANTM 10 Episode 9 Quickie

2008-04-18T13:04:00.000+08:00

The girls learn about interview skills from Paulina Porizkova. Lauren cuts the tip of her thumb while chopping onions and needs stitches.

This week's challenge required the girls to work a "green" carpet at a 7 Up party and handle themselves well at the party. Anya is praised for her ability to connect with others, and wins another nude photo shoot for 7 Up and $10,000 as payment.

Tyra Mail hints to the girls that they are going abroad, and the girls pack their belongings. They are taken to an airplane-themed photo shoot where Jay tells them that they will be portraying a group of jet-setters boarding the airplane, using their suitcases as props. Fatima runs into trouble regarding her travel document and misses the photo shoot because of an appointment she had made to fix the issue at the consulate.

After the shoot, the girls are surprised that judging will take place immediately - at the tarmac hangar. Most of the girls are praised while Whitney is criticized for being too pageantry and Stacy Ann for not knowing her angles.

In the end, Fatima lands in the bottom two with Stacy Ann. Fatima is called out for missing the photoshoot, and Stacy Ann just can't deliver. Fatima is ultimately saved by her past performance. This makes Fatima only the second girl in ANTM history to miss a photo shoot and not get eliminated, after Shannon Stewart of Cycle 1. Fatima is also the first girl ever in ANTM history to miss a photo shoot and was kept over someone who had taken a shoot.

After elimination, Tyra announces that the remaining six girls will go to Rome, Italy for the rest of the competition. [source]

Call-Out Order

#1: Anya.
#2: Lauren.
#3: Dominique. For the first time, I acualyl liked her picture :)
#4: Katarzyna.
#5: Whitney. Climb back up, girl!
In danger: Fatima. She wasn't cut?!
Eliminated: Stacy-Ann. Um, I feel bad for her, but even if she had lasted, she wouldn't win the competition.

Just another bad day.

2008-04-16T11:17:00.000+08:00

If the fear of being stuck in the jam under heavy rain is not enough, my day (yesterday) gone worse when I found out that my CPU and modem had been struck by lightning, although they were idle and off at the time I wasn't at home. This is the second time that my motherboard had malfunctioned, and the first for it's a new computer bought this year. As for the modem, I have lodged a report, and is still waiting for an appointment with the technician. If, on any other days, these had happened, I wouldn't care much. However, I wouldn't desire for it when I have 3 assignments piled up and am in need of the Internet connection to gather information for them. Anyway... here I am battling through the war ground, haha. As Destiny's Child motivates us with their worldwide hit "Survivor", the song endlessly plays in my heart throughout this period of time.

Asia Pacific Dance X'plosion 2008

2008-04-13T22:40:00.000+08:00

Most probably I'll be taking part in the event stated above. If I'm joining, I will be competing in the newcomer level under the open category. There will be 3 dances - 2 Hell and Back, Part-Time Lover and Pump It. I've only done the second one before, and have searched through Youtube for the first and the third. They are all pretty funky, and yes, line dance could be funky, and not as country and slow-moving as one might think. The competition will take place in July if I'm not mistaken, so 3 months left for practices and refinement of movements. And while I'm getting all hyped and excited about it, I have not registered my name yet. Swt. Everyone would say, in it to win it. I do wanna be ranked amongst the top competitors, but as it's an international competition, competition is going to be really tough. There are just too many dancing machines in this world. Nevertheless, it would be a great exposure for me so I'm in it to have fun instead. Curious about the dances? Watch them now!

ANTM 10 Episode 8 Quickie

2008-04-12T13:37:00.000+08:00

This was the cycle's recap episode. It reviewed the first seven episodes and showed some never-before-seen footage, including Stacy Ann singing to the judges during casting, Claire's breastmilk-pumping antics, Marvita parading around the house naked as well as annoying the other girls by playing badly on a guitar, the New York firefighters' mock runway show, Anya photographing the other girls, a playful wrestling fight between some girls and a fun night out at "Libation", a New York pub, where Stacy Ann takes a bottle of "complimentary" vodka back home. [source]

35 Days

2008-04-09T21:44:00.000+08:00

That's the number of days I've been gone from blogging. Haven't been having much of the mood and things to blog about. Life's been ordinary once Uni-life has resumed. I'm more occupied now than during my holidays, which is rather expected. However, I'm still consistently attending my Line Dance classes on Mondays and Saturdays, although I'm always late on Monday. Also, I just attended a workshop for that which was held in the TTDI Community Hall. It was for those who are keen to learn some new dances in one day, and also for those who are joining the dancing competition to be held in July. having said that, I myself is considering to participate in the Newcomer category.

Anything new with me lately? Basically nothing. Life's such a routine for now. Attending classes and Facebook-ing are my major activities. America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 has started since February, and whilst I'm catching up with the new episodes every week, I'm not doing any recaps for now, unlike what I've done before. I'll see when will I dig the time out of my heavy schedule for it.

Anyway, I will be recovering many, many of my old entries in my other blogs in which I will post them here as archives. Nevertheless, I will be censoring many of those which deemed to be unimportant. reading back, I realised that how much I've changed over the years, from my very first blog entry to the most recent one.

Once and for all, welcome to my blog and happy reading!

ANTM 10 Episode 7 Quickie

2008-04-04T12:57:00.000+08:00

Tension brews when Lauren accidentally dumps away Fatima's unfinished coffee. While Fatima remains calm, Lauren starts swearing at Fatima.

The girls arrive at the Elite building for their go-sees challenge, and are split into two groups of four. The models walk for three designers, where they all receive rather positive reviews but the designers criticize Lauren's walk. There is concern that Whitney and Dominique's dislike of each other would impede their team's progress, but their team nevertheless wins the challenge, with Stacy Ann receiving the most bookings in the winning team. The entire team wins a shoot for the June issue of Seventeen magazine.

At the photo shoot, the girls have to pose over a mylar sheet in water from the off-Broadway show Fuerzabruta. Claire hurts her neck after falling straight down on the sheet, causing her to struggle with her shoot. Despite the advantage of her awkward look in her past photos, Lauren receives negative critique from Jay during the photo shoot. Katarzyna also receives her new haircut, which she takes great delight in despite tearing up a bit at first.

At panel, Fatima, Anya, Katarzyna and Whitney receive universal praise. Stacy Ann is congratulated for her challenge win but her film is criticized. Lauren's awkward personality and weak presence in the judging room lands her in the bottom two together with Claire, who is criticized for her lack of versatility. Despite a stellar portfolio, Claire is sent packing. [source]

Call-Out Order

Fatima. An Eqyption sculpture?

Anya. A nymph alive.

Katarzyna.

Whitney.

Stacy-Ann.

Dominique.

In danger: Lauren.

Eliminated: Claire.

ANTM 10 Episode 6 Quickie

2008-03-28T12:48:00.000+08:00

This episode starts with Dominique's alarm clock going off sporadically throughout the night, irritating her roommates. Tension mounts when Lauren, Claire, and Whitney accuse Dominique of being a negative person, bringing Dominique to tears.

Tyra teaches the girls how to pose at the end of the runway and how to pose while looking pained. She then declares a pose-off, in which Anya impresses Tyra the most. The teach was actually a secret challenge, and Anya wins a chance to shoot timeless nude photographs taken by Nigel Barker.

The photo shoot this week was embodying different genres of music as follows:

1. Aimee - R&B
2. Anya - Punk Rock
3. Claire - Country
4. Dominique - Folk
5. Fatima - Heavy Metal
6. Katarzyna - Emo
7. Lauren - Pop
8. Stacy Ann - House
9. Whitney - Grunge

Whitney is commended for her photo, while Fatima is finally given approval for her range of poses, but is criticized on holding back. Katarzyna produces a good photograph while sporting a wig, which inspires Tyra to give her a second makeover. Lauren does good portraying Pop, and gets comments on looking like Britney Spears The other girls do fair - Dominique continues to improve while Stacy Ann is again criticized for being too "Model 101".

In the end, it is Aimee and Claire who land in the bottom two. Tyra commented that both girls have produced equally good photos in the competition, but both produced equally bad photos this week. Aimee was criticized for not portraying her theme well, while Claire's poses and expressions were considered too couture and not sufficiently comical for her theme. In the end, Claire is spared, and Aimee is sent home. [source]

Call-Out Order

Whitney. The first time a plus-size is called first.

Katarzyna.

Fatima. I wouldn't have picked this picture.

Lauren. Taking on Britney?

Anya.

Dominique.

Stacy-Ann.

In danger: Claire.

Eliminated: Aimee. Quite an injustified choice.

ANTM 10 Episode 5 Quickie

2008-03-21T12:42:00.000+08:00

The girls meet posing instructor Benny Ninja, who teams up with supermodel Vendela Kirsebom to teach the girls the different poses for catalogue, commercial and couture shoots in an abandoned warehouse. Back at the house, Whitney creates a phone list which is a schedule that assigns each girl a limited amount of time to call home. When Dominique misses her phone time, she causes a row with Whitney, escalating to the point where Dominique accuses Whitney of being a racist, of which the latter denies.

For their challenge, Benny and Vendela test their knowledge of the three types of poses by pitting them against each other in a posing challenge. Team B, consisting of Claire, Katarzyna, Marvita, Stacy Ann and Whitney, ultimately wins a trip to a swag tent. Claire is deemed the best overall and wins an additional prize - a trip to Bora Bora.

The week's photo shoot required the girls to do an extreme beauty shot with paint as their main makeup. Most girls deliver once again but Fatima, Marvita and Whitney all struggle with their shoots.

At panel, most of the girls are praised for strong shots, but Marvita and Whitney's pictures are deemed unsatisfactory. The judges think Fatima's picture is beautiful but she is heavily criticized for not shaving her armpit, which shows in her picture.

In the end, Whitney and Marvita landed in the bottom two, both for their bad photos and questionable passion for the competition. Marvita is eliminated because the judges felt that Whitney had more desire. [source]

Call-out Order

Stacy-Ann!

Dominique.

Claire.

Anya.

Lauren.

Aimee.

Katarzyna.

Fatima. She could use some shaving cream here.

In danger: Whitney.

Eliminated: Marvita. A right decision.

ANTM 10 Episode 4 Quickie

2008-03-14T12:34:00.000+08:00

The girls are taken to the New York City Fire Department where they meet Miss J. for a runway teach. They have 90 seconds to change into proper outfits, but Fatima fails to change shoes. The mock runway is performed in front of the firefighters.

Tension brews in the house when Aimee calls a shower all to herself, being uncomfortable nude in front of others. When Whitney defends Aimee's conservative views, Fatima and Marvita instead vent their frustrations on Whitney.

The girls are then taken to a runway show where they have to walk for fashion label "Tuleh", and they meet Cycle 8 winner Jaslene Gonzalez, who critiques them after the show. Fatima and Whitney's wardrobe malfunctions don't go unnoticed, and Lauren's speedy walk is heavily criticized. Katarzyna wins the challenge, and picks Amis and Marvita to join in her prize - a Lot 29 photo shoot in Seventeen magazine with Jaslene.

For the week's photo shoot, the girls are taken to the Meat Packing District, posing with and wearing meat. Aimee, Amis and Fatima all struggle in the strange environment.

Twenty minutes before panel, Amis is still sleeping, and she only has time to don a headband and sweater. Unsurprisingly, she is criticized for not dressing like a model. While Anya and Whitney shine, Tyra tells Lauren that she would have been called first if not for her bad walk.

The bottom two are revealed as Amis, for her lack of focus, and Fatima, for her poor facial expressions and lack of variety in modeling waist up. Amis is eliminated with her desire to win being questioned. [source]

Call-Out Order

Anya was called first for the second time already!

Whitney's doing great.

Katarzyna.

Claire.

Dominique.

Stacy-Ann.

Lauren.

Marvita.

Aimee. This looks like a subway train scene where one is holding the handle...

In danger: Fatima.

Eliminated: Amis, for taking a profile pic.

ANTM 10 Episode 3 Quickie

2008-03-07T04:21:00.000+08:00

The girls receive Apple Bottoms apparel that come in white purses. Allison gets offended when Fatima tells her that she has a larger body than hers, and Allison reveals her past struggles with anorexia. The girls are taken to Wal-Mart for a CoverGirl make up challenge, which Claire wins. Back at the house, Allison uses dolls to represent the earlier incident between herself and Fatima. Using a dark-skinned doll to represent Fatima, Allison takes a jab at her by saying that Fatima is a "black girl who takes it from the back".

Later, the girls receive their makeovers. To mimic a true agency, Tyra doesn't tell the girls their makeovers. Fatima's weave comes with a lot of pain, but she ends up loving it. There is general satisfaction among the other girls as well, including Stacy Ann, who wished for Naomi Campbell's long hair, but enjoys all the compliments she received for her short hair.

The photo shoot takes place on a yacht with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. They meet Elle Macpherson and model her line of lingerie called "Intimates".

At judging, Lauren shines for her awkwardness that translates into high fashion, and Marvita and Aimee are equally praised. Amis also struggles a lot in the photoshoot. Dominique and Allison, however, are in the bottom two, Dominique for her soccer mom look and Allison for not knowing the word "thank you" with her arrogant personality , and also ultimately for their lackluster photos. Dominique's name is called and Allison is eliminated. Tyra then tells Dominique that she will receive a change in hair color. [source]

Call-Out Order

Lauren. Why was this called first?

Marvita.

Aimee.

Claire. Bondess??

Stacy-Ann.

Fatima. Oh my, sticks...

Anya.

Whitney.

Katarzyna. Um, Maxim cover?

Amis.

In danger: Dominique.

Eliminated: Allison.

What goes into my favourite McDonald's food & drinks?

2008-03-06T16:21:00.000+08:00

As a frequent McDonald's customer, I have always been interested in the amount of calories in their food. I didn't seem to notice that leaflets on that information are actually provided in the outlets for our own benefits. On average, I think we have to consume between 2100 to 2400 calories daily. From the leaflet, a medium value meal will amount to almost a thousand. The killer is the drink, if normal Coke is chosen. So, Coke Light should be ultimately chosen to drastically reduce the amount of calories. Also F&N Orange is deem to contain higher sugar content due to its amount of calories. Nevertheless, as long as a balanced diet is maintained, this shouldn't be a huge concern... (Click to enlarge)

A Cow On Horse

2008-03-06T03:20:00.000+08:00

21st Birthday.

2008-03-04T16:26:00.000+08:00

A big thank you to those who remembered and wished me a splashy 21st, especially to those who I haven't been keeping in touch for quite a while already. The list is not long, but it's worth mentioning a few special ones that includes my beloved line dancing teacher, Ms. Lily Chin, my kaima (godmother), Ms. Patrina, Stephen, Cyrus, Soo Ching (my uni-mate), and the list rolls on. For the first time in many years, I celebrated my birthday at home, inviting a few friends over for a simple steamboat dinner. It was definitely a fun time hanging out with all of them. Besides, I'm glad that most of them came and made my night rather memorable. Anyhow, it feels great to turn 21. It's the legal age to do various activities that I've desired for quite some time now.

My birthday presents this year? I love most of 'em. It's pretty easy for them to get me presents that I like, since they know that I heart monkeys a lot. But, not all monkeys will do. Only cute ones. Especially E-sal. Other than that, frankly, I'm not really interested. Luckily, my E-sal collection grew larger with the addition of 3 merchandises. One day, my room will be overfilled with those monkeys, leaving me spaceless to walk or to sleep.

This keychain is from Caryn. Sorry for not inviting. It will never happen again!

Supermonkey to the rescue! This collection comes in 4 styles. So far, I have 2 of them.

This E-sal is huge! He's like the big papa in da house!

This is from Edward and May Yenn (Nixie). I've known them for a very long time now. It's a sweet present, cuz my name is engraved on it. I should use this to sign important contracts int he future!

Lastly, this is Occara, an E-sal look-a-like. it's head nods continuously under the solar light while sitting on the toilet bowl with a banana on its hands. C-U-T-E.

Once again, a final Thank You. XOXO.

ANTM 10 Episode 2 Quickie

2008-02-29T04:05:00.000+08:00

The girls are taken to their loft in New York City featuring a humanitarian theme. To Amis, Fatima and Kimberly's frustration, there is a "no smoking" sign which leads them to smoke outside of the loft. Mr. and Miss J. arrive and round up the girls for a city tour. The final stop is a Badgley Mischka runway show.

After the show, Fatima unintentionally hits Marvita with her hand, brewing tension. The girls are then taken to Elite Model Management building and they meet Paulina Porizkova and Neal Hamil, and Paulina gives each girl brutal and harsh criticism.

At the photo shoot, the girls have to portray homeless women being surrounded by high fashion models. Most of the girls receive positive feedback, but Amis' over-enthusiasm and Kimberly's dead expressions get criticized. Later, Kimberly admits to Fatima that high fashion is not her interest.

At judging, Paulina Porizkova is revealed to be the new panel judge, replacing Twiggy. When Kimberly is called for evaluation, she states her lack of desire for the fashion industry, and proceeds to quit the competition. She is the third contestant to voluntarily leave the show, after Cycle 5's Cassandra Whitehead and Cycle 9's Ebony Morgan.

Despite the shock, Tyra announces that there will still be an elimination. Atalya and Amis are revealed to be the bottom two, with Atalya lacking a high fashion appeal and Amis looking lost in her photo. However, the judges see Amis has having a certain "edge", and she is saved. [source]

Call-Out Order

Anya.

Claire.

Whitney.

Lauren.

Aimee.

Fatima.

Marvita.

Katarzyna.

Stacy-Ann.

Dominique.

Allison.

Amis.

Eliminated: Atalya.

Quit: Kimberly. (her picture was fab-)

Bowling, bowling.

2008-02-24T03:11:00.000+08:00

Time is running out. On Monday, my university life resumes. My time table is already out, and it appears to be as expected. Long campus hours happen to be from Tuesday till Thursday. Well, at least Friday's off, resulting in a longer weekend for this semester (again). However, it's unfair that Caryn and Julia are getting two days off. How'd I wished that my timetable could be as flexible as theirs.

It has been a few years since I last bowled, but looks like my skills is still quite good, and hardly rusty. I successfully obtained the highest score among Momo and Nixie during our day out to Endah Parade, a pretty deserted shopping mall on weekdays, but certainly is the heart of entertainment in Sri Petaling. It was really nice to see them and talk to them, since a little things are bothering them these days. Of course, trashing them in bowling made my day slightly better. =)

Round 1...

Round 2...

Round 3... and the ultimate winner was...

A while ago, I was damn unlucky to have lost my parking ticket in Mid Valley during one of the trips to the gym. Recalling from the incident, I am pretty sure that I have dropped it while holding it in my hand, and yet I couldn't find it anywhere. The only solution left was to register it as a lost ticket. So, I was actually issued a fine of RM50 just for losing a ticket. Personally, I think the fine amount is extremely high, considered that the maximum amount of parking rate is only RM7 on weekdays and RM9 on weekends. It should be reduced tentatively. Ugh. Luckily, the bad luck turned over during the Chinese New Year.

ANTM 10 Epsode 1 Quickie

2008-02-22T03:50:00.000+08:00

35 girls arrive at "Top Model Prep" where they meet Mr. Jay Manuel and Miss J. Alexander. They shoot a class photo before commencing runway lessons with Miss J., where Lauren is seen as the weakest walker. Next, the girls attend a bonfire where the "Homecoming Queen" is going to be announced. The cheerleaders by the stage are revealed to be a few contestants from past cycles. Mr. Jay then announces that the finalists will be taken to New York City. Homecoming Queen turns out to be Tyra, who surprises the girls, coming from behind the curtains. Casting interviews then commence.

In between interviews, a fight breaks out between Shaya and Fatima, but they later make up when the latter reveals that she is a survivor of genital mutilation. Memorable auditions include Stacy Ann's lap dance, Fatima telling the judges about her circumcision, and Claire's confession about drinking her own breast milk so her baby can breastfeed when she returns home. After the interviews, the girls are pared down to the final 20, where they participate in a senior class photo shoot and have to do their own hair and make up.

Later in the day, Tyra reveals the final 13. When she calls "Aimee/Amy", both advance, and Amy offers to change her name to "Amis" to avoid confusion. When the thirteenth girl is chosen, Tyra mentions that so many girls had potential, and chooses Dominique as the fourteenth and last finalist. [source]

Stacy Ann's the new Danielle (Cycle 8).

Aimee looks good here.

Allison's doing a reflected pose of Aimee's?

How did Amis got picked?

Anya's look is unique in the bunch.

Atalya, the prom queen here?

Claire's the mama!

Dominique, or Domitranny?

So skinny! Get some food, Fatima!

Katarzyna is so modelesque!

Kimberly reminds me of the Australian supermodel, Gemma Wards.

Lauren, that's an OUTfit.

Remember Marvita's audition during Cycle 9? She's back!

Lastly, Whitney's the plus size contestant this time around.

Monkey is Exhausted.

2008-02-15T20:27:00.000+08:00

Firstly, a big Merry Valentine to everyone who's reading my blog. No no, I'm not staying up this late because of this crucial day for couples. I'm single. On top of that, I was actually out with my family to my dad's friend's open house/celebration.

Well, FYI, on the ninth day of the lunar month, Taoism believers celebrate the birthday of the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven. In Cantonese, we always say bai tin kong (拜天公 in Chinese), which simply means heaven worship. Almost every year, I would go to that uncle's house for such occasion. After missing out last year's celebration due to some unremembered reasons, I made myself available this time around. It's the only time when I can meet back some of my friends whom I see less than 5 times a year. Sometimes, it's just once.

The worshiping process was pretty long. Being one of the people who were helping out, I was having a time of my life burning the offerings to the deity. The whole procedure took us roughly an hour and a half. Just imagine how much incense and joss papers were burnt. Extremely near to the fire most of the time, for the first time I felt the bizarre heat of a burning fire. *Touching wood* and for that, I would never wish that I will die caught in a fire or something similar.

Okay, it's getting so damn late already. Shall I wish a good morning to everyone? I've been awake for almost 21 hours now. I know it's a no big deal, but heck, I'm sleeping this late for the first time this year. Overall, the day was pretty enjoyable. Oh, and I had lots of fun attending my line dance class this afternoon. We had special visitors today, and they were Chinese Lions. Yes, there was a lion dance performance in California Fitness, Mid Valley today. Watching them boosts the Chinese New Year atmosphere. And soon enough, I will be back to Uni again (which will happen within 10 days). I've rested enough, gimme some work to do baby!

Photos to share.

2008-02-12T01:30:00.000+08:00

Who's that girl? Someone that I worked with weeks ago.

Seen here together with Ms. Donkey and Ms. Piggy during the last Christmas.

16 years ago, Ms. Kelly played the role of Snow White in a Kindergarten act for SSg. 16 years later, the Barbie franchise actually named their own inaugural Snow White, Kelly. What a coincidence.

Farewell. [For Chyi]

2008-02-11T08:31:00.000+08:00

Some time ago, my Stats friends and I had a little gathering/farewell meal for Herng Chyi, who will be leaving for Australia this semester. Damn, having said so, my year-end holidays which is close to 4 months has only 2 weeks left. Didn't time fly by too quickly? Alright, back to the dinner, we went to um... ops, I can't seem to remember the name of th restaurant, but it's pretty well known for its seafood an is located in SS24 (unsure of that too, actually). However, I think I caused a grudge in them against me because I made them wait under the heavy rain by the bus stand in front of the Monash campus. Well, it wasn't my fault exactly, because I was stuck in the rain in SS15 with Julia. The food at the place we went to was quite delicious and reasonably priced. Oh, and guess what, I just found the business card which I obtained on my way out. So here's the details of the restaurant together with some pictures.

Pantai Seafood Restaurant
Lot 13575, Jalan Cempaka PJU A, Kg. Sg. Kayu Ara, 474000 Petaling Jaya, selangor Darul Ehsan.
Tel: 03-7725 5099, 7725 1099
Fax: 03-7727 8090

Photobucket

Appearing for the first time in my blog is Dhina, who stood right next to me.
Photobucket
Herng Chyi, we'll miss you!

Whilst she's leaving, I'm glad that a friend of mine, Ms. Kelly had decided to stay in M'sia. However, I just got to know that my ex-collegemate, Ming had gone to Oz to further his studies. People are leaving nowadays. So, am I the next in line?

Cooking 101 #4

2008-01-07T16:46:00.000+08:00

Victims: Tammy and Momo
Date: 4th January 2008
Venue: My house
Time: Dinner
Occasion: Momo resigned from her job. Sorta a celebration...

I've always wanted to cook omelette rice. Although I failed in wrapping the rice in the omelette, the taste was just fine. The alcoholic gravy was quite good...

Um, this was supposed to be Cassata but I couldn't find all the ingredients needed. Nevertheless, the vanilla ice cream is mixed with flakes and raisins and topped with melted chocolate.

Cooking 101 #3

2008-01-04T15:47:00.000+08:00

Hmm, am I living up to my new year resolution? Anyway, it was my first time utilizing the new recipe book which I bought last month. Chose 3 simple food to cook. As simple as they looked, it was tougher than I thought. The three dishes which I experimented were:

Green Curry Puffs
Roast Lime Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Coconut Custard with Mango

The puffs were quite a success. Screwed up with the chicken a little after misreading some of the procedures and added one of two of my own. The filling tasted well, but I will add up more spice the next time. Besides, I failed to gather all the ingredients needed because I wouldn't find any whole turmerics in Jusco mart and Cold Storage. The taste was fine but it needed a little more roast and less gravy. As for the custard, it was rather overcooked, making it rather hard. Topped it with mango slices. Well, overall, I had fun using a few hours just to make everything. At the end of the day, I was full, and exhausted.

Unlike the puffs sold outside, this one uses wanton skins as wrappers.

Yellow chicken with tender meat. I would call it a failure, but nevertheless, it was edible!

Coconut custard is easy to make, but not everyone would like it. My mom didn't. But my sister did.

This year.

2008-01-01T09:55:00.000+08:00

Year 2007 was not just another year. It was a year of reinvention, exploration and adventure. Well, first of all, it was our country's 50th year of independence, and we very much celebrated it with our very own Eye on Malaysia in Titiwangsa and Visit Malaysia campaign. Although it was initially said that the Eye will be removed by next year (which should be by tomorrow), the duration has been prolonged to the next Independence Day (31st August). Certainly, it's good news for those who have not gone abroad on it before, including me myself.

This year, a late new year celebration took place in Julia's house, Kajang. Whilst her house is the venue for numerous parties occasionally, this one is worth a mention because of the people who turned up and the joy that we all shared back then.

Of course, celebration reoccurs during the month of February when Kelly and I celebrated out birthday in the old Monash Campus. Well talking about birthdays, Stephanie just turned 20 yesterday! Happy birthday girl!

Somewhere around the year, there was also a reunion for ex-SSGians. It took place in a random Indian restaurant located in the busy street of Jalan Ampang. Even though the food was just mediocre, the importance of the reunion is having the chance to meet back some old friends. Most of the K2s were there. Julia? Kelly? Where were you all?

Sometimes, not everything comes in a good way. My precious Keahi ( the name of my car), was attacked anonymously on one fine morning. Luckily, it can be counted as a minor injury. No immediate loss was found. Must have been a failed attempt, I suspected. Anyhow, it has now recovered.

Moving on, I've joined a few competitions this year. They might be minor, but they did open up my opportunities to different jobs and experiences. For the first time in my life, I did a TV promo ad for Project Superstar Season 3. On top of that, I had one of the main roles! I can't express how fortunate and blessed that I nailed that job down.

Other than that, there are many little other things that makes this year as fantastic as it could be. Just lately, I was at Tammy's house for a Christmas party and fu-yoh, it was terrifically enjoyable. Thank you Bitch for inviting! Your homemade salad is undoubtedly the best!

Year 2007 has been an exciting year, I hope 2008 will be better. Few resolutions for the brand new year would be:

Improve on line-dancing. Hopefully, will be able to take part in the upcoming competition.
Improve on studies. I can't screw up on my final year.
Improve on languages. Chinese, Japanese, Thai... I just want to learn too many. Most probably won't accomplish this one at all.
Improve on cooking. I actually bought a new recipe book recently.
And many more...

Well well time for me to say bye bye! Hereby, I wish everyone a a simple phrase.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

ANTM 9 Episode 13 [Finale] Quickie

2007-12-24T16:28:00.000+08:00

As the competition narrowed down to only 3 girls, it was time for the CoverGirl photo shoot and commercial. The product was CoverGirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers, and each of them had to portray different flavors. Chantal chose lemon, Saleisha was tangerine-d whilst Jenah went for strawberry. Saleisha and Jenah struggled with the commercial. Chantal wasn't that great either. At the panel, the following was the call-out order:

Chantal was called first!

Oh-oh. Saleisha was called second...

Which means bye bye to Jenah. Seriously, I thought Jenah's picture is fabulous.

That leaves Chantal and Saleisha for the runway battle. And d'oh, anyone would know who's stronger in that. Saleisha did a really good job, and Chantal, unfortunately, had a little mishap during her final walk, which probably worsened her chances at winning. Nevertheless, she has a strong portfolio, although not as strong as Jenah's, but at least way better than Saleisha's. Yet, Saleisha had more experience, and a greater control on her runway walk. So who won in the end? Scroll down to find out!

Chantal looked pretty stiff.

But Saleisha kicked ass.

No doubt she's pretty experienced in walking.

Oh my, Chantal had a sharp misfortune.

And her recovery was, no good...

So, who win's America's Next Top Model this time? Chantal? Saleisha? Bring on the results!

And there you have it....

Saleisha's reaction immediately after the was crowned.

Okay, as much as I dislike the results, Saleisha had gone a pretty long way to the top. Read this if you're not quite sure what I mean. Anyhow, winners always have extra photos at the end of the show, sharing one or two of them with the show's creater-cum-judge, Tyra Banks herself.

ANTM 9 Episode 12 Quickie

2007-12-13T14:33:00.000+08:00

The remaining four girls moved to Beijing, China where they were introduced to the Four Beauties of China. The next day, they had to turn the traditional costumes into their own style. All of them were given one hour to shop around, and bloody Bianca purposefully gave a bad tip to Jenah. Luckily, Jenah did an amazing job on the runway, earning her the challenge reward of qipao. As the winner, she chose Chantal to share the prize with her. On top of that, she was rewarded a one on one runway lesson from Ms. Jay.

Why is the room everytime a mess?

The four beauties!

Bianca was being a bitch again, victimizing Jenah.

Like it or not, Saleisha has a great presence on the runway.

Chantal's walk was smooth, but her look isn't strong and fierce enough.

Haha, Bianca strutting her stuff...

Jenah, was with no doubt the best.

Jenah looked good in that.

So did Chantal!

Once Beijing is mentioned, how can one not think of the Great Wall of China? That's the place for the photo shoot that week, and Tyra herself was the featured photographer. Apart from individual picture, a group picture was taken to test their ability to stand out as a group. The call-out order for that week was:

Chantal was called first for the second time so far. She did extraordinarily in both photos. Bravo!

Um, is it just me, or does anyone else find it hard to appreciate this photo of Saleisha?

Jenah was again in the bottom two! She'd better work on her personality, or she'll fade away really quickly.

Finally, Bianca was axed from the competition. I have to admit, throughout the competition, she had been improving consistently, but she wouldn't win anyways, right?

Wait, who was the CoverGirl of the Week? Guess what, it was Heather again although she has been eliminated! It was a Top Model first!

So, the finale will be aired tomorrow. Who are you rooting for? I myself love Chantal, but my instincts are telling me that she wouldn't win as she's a rpetty nice girl who can model naturally, but doesn't stand out between Jenah and Saleisha. She, very much reminds me of Kahleen from Cycle 5, who was just the runner-up. As for Jenah, she has what it takes to be a model, but she really has to work on hr characteristics. From the preview I've seen so far, I think she will be one of the final two. Now, coming to Saleisha, I think her odds of winning is pretty high due to her long history with Tyra, and her need to win the competition in order to succeed in the modeling world. However, I would love to see her go next, leaving the final runway battle to Chantal and Jenah. And if that happens, Jenah will most probably be named as America's Next Top Model.

ANTM 9 Episode 11 Quickie

2007-12-13T13:48:00.000+08:00

Finally, the girls went for go-sees. Saleisha showed how evil she could be to Bianca by not telling her the location of the agency which she knew. Heather was lost in the city and made to only one go-see. Jenah had a little personality problem which sorta turned off the designers, and Chantal had a wrong undergarment on. In the end, Bianca booked the most jobs, crowning her as the winner of the challenge. Anyway, Heather, Chantal and Jenah were all late and were disqualified. Otherwise, I think Bianca might not have won.

Apparently, that lady is a popular model in China.

Nude panty is a must for a model. Striking pink with lace is a huge mistake.

Poor Heather was lost in directions.

Saleisha is being a little devious to Bianca.

The photo shoot that week had the girls post with Chinese lions and dragons. Apart from that, they had to impress their photographer and also a judge, Nigel Barker. At the end of the judging, the final call-out order was:

For the first time, I'm liking Saleisha's photo.

But, why was Bianca called second?

Chantal was safe again!

The reason Jenah landed in the bottom two is her personality.

Meaning Heather, surprisingly, was eliminated from the competition despite having a strong portfolio. But at least, she was again the CoverGirl of the Week.

ANTM 9 Episode 10 Quickie

2007-12-12T17:11:00.000+08:00

The girls finally arrived in Shanghai, China. A little fight occurred when Saleisha refused to share her king size bed, leaving Heather without a bed to sleep on. The girls were taught some kung fu stunts, and they had to repeat the poses in the middle of the air, hanging a few storeys from the ground. Bianca was afraid of heights, and she was disqualified for not completing her task. At the end, Heather was the winner for the challenge and she shared her reward of 4000RMB with Chantal.

Gosh, the house is such a mess!

Selfish Saleisha had the bed all by herself!

Jenah and Chantal were the protagonists!

Lisa jokingly asked Heather to sleep on that...

Doesn't that hurt, dude?

The girls were shocked at first.

But Bianca couldn't conquer her fears.

Congratulations to Heather! It was her 3rd time winning a challenge. She was also the CoverGirl of the Week for the 7th week!

Shopping spree for Chantal and Heather who had the money to spend. It was about USD530.

That week, they had to do a commercial and photo ad for CoverGirl Queen Collection. A couple of them did really badly, while a few did moderately good. The call-out order was:

Chantal. Despite her farmgirl look, her appeal impressed the judges.

Saleisha was once kickin' ass again.

Bianca's one-of-a-kind look is hard to understand.

Jenah was taking risks in this picture.

Trouble for Heather who pulled off a great film but failed her commercial.

Yet, Lisa was eliminated for her inability to cope with critics. What the-. Yes, her commercial sucked but her picture was the best amongst the girls. She could have at least lasted longer than Saleisha or Bianca.

ANTM 9 Episode 9 Quickie

2007-12-12T16:22:00.000+08:00

The girls went to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising where they were paired up with student fashion designers as their muses. On the runway, the girls had to explain their dress whilst showing them off to the audience. Heather and Lisa had a rough time doing so and Saleisha was chosen as the winner. Her reward was a photo shoot for Seventeen magazine. Bianca and Lisa was picked by her to share her reward.

Benny Ninja appeared in the show for the 1564th time.

It was nice to see the girls to be enjoying together in the house.

Bianca did an impressive job on the runway.

Heather messed up her speech.

Ambreal was way too energetic.

Jenah rocked side by side up and down.

Lisa didn't own the runway.

Chantal looked mad.

Saleisha gave a little wink at the end of the runway..

Which was criticized by Jenah.

Saleisha doesn't look good here...

Lisa's mesmerizing!

Bianca's smile makes her beautiful.

Back in the house, Heather was bullied by some of the girls again.

The theme for the photo shoot that week was 'blazing car in dessert'. The call-out order was:

What? Bianca was the first to be called?

This shot of Jenah is absolutely wonderful.

Finally, Saleisha had a different hairstyle.

Chantal had leveled up her game.

Heather might not be the top this week, but she's again the CoverGirl of the Week.

For the first time, Lisa was in the bottom two.

But Ambreal finally got booted out of the competition.

Before that, it was announced during the judging that the remaining six girls will be flying off to China! 中国，我们来啦！

ANTM 9 Episode 8 Quickie

2007-12-12T15:28:00.000+08:00

The girls were taught by Tyra herself on how to model in front of a moving camera.

Whoa! I don't think I am able to do that.

The girls were given a Slide Down the Wall 101 lesson.

And they learned to crawl like a model too.

Later, the girls had to shoot a music video with Enrique Iglesias. Heather and Lida were both chosen to be featured more compared to the other girls.

Whoa! Their hair will be deemed lala here.

The sexy latino!

Lisa was triumphant when she was picked as a featured.

Heather had the naturally gothic look which won her the featured role.

Okay, now onto the call-out order:

Lisa got #1!

Heather was called next. And she was the CoverGirl of the Week as well.

Saleisha, third?

And Bianca?

A second chance did help Ambreal to last longer.

Jenah had a little slide.

So did Chantal who landed herself into the bottom two.

However, Sarah got the 'X' for losing herself and her 'plus-size' figure in the competition. What a reason...

ANTM 9 Episode 7 Quickie

2007-12-11T15:51:00.000+08:00

It was a recap episode so there are some extra footages which have never been shown before.

Look at Bianca. Can you figure out what happened to her?

She actually banged herself against the glass door and busted her upper lips. Ouch~

Then, as Tyra had announced that it will be a smoking free cyle, Jenah suffered from her nicotine withdrawal.

As she was struggling, she broke her front teeth while diving into the pool.

Remember the time when Bianca had her words with Saleisha? Chantal was actually there to back Saleisha up.

Poor heather got stepped on by Bianca who cut her queue to use the phone.

Dani shared her experience with the pressure of weight loss for models and healthy diet.

When Tyson gave the girls a little male fantasy, Heather had a sudden fascination on men's arms.

At the same time, Sarah stood out amongst the girls and Tyson got sorta attracted to her it seemed.

ANTM 9 Episode 6 Quickie

2007-12-11T15:27:00.000+08:00

As the competition moved on, Ebony felt homesick and pretty unhappy as she's not coping up with the things revolving around her. Anyhow, the girls were surprised by Tyson Beckford, a famous model-cum-actor. They were given tips on being a spokesperson which related to their challenge. Later, the girls were split into three groups and each of them had to come up with their own awareness ad for an organization called Keep A Child Alive. Jenah's group won, which also consisted of Heather and Ambreal. The reward was some goodies from Carol's Daughter but Heather got a little something extra as she was picked to be featured in an ad for CD.

Everyone was crazy about him.

Ebony a spokesperson? I don't think so.

But Chantal did a rather good job selling off the ice-cream sexily.

Chantal teamed up with Lisa and Bianca (who screwed up her lines).

They were the best.

Nevertheless, Saleisha, Sarah and Ebony did a good job too.

I have to agree that Heather is amazingly pretty.

The week's photo shoot involved the girls with some recyclable materials. Let's see who struggled and who remained on top of the bunch. The call-out order was:

Car parts: I think Saleisha was called first as she improved the most this week.

Cardboard: Jenah is impressive!

Aluminium cans: Heather with her face straight on! Fantastica! Oh, she was again the CoverGirl of the Week.

Oil: Alas, Bianca is modeling.

Garbage bags: Sarah ain't garbage at all!

Shredded paper: It might have covered her face, but I still like this photo of Chantal.

Plastic bottles: Lisa tumbled all the way down.

Bubble wrap: Truly, that photo of Ebony is quite disappointing.

Newspaper: It was all agreed that Ambreal was the weakest... BUT... (and if you haven't noticed, her picture was the only one in the form of portrait)

Ebony voluntarily eliminated herself, constantly giving Ambreal a second chance!

ANTM 9 Episode 5 Quickie

2007-12-10T17:34:00.000+08:00

In this episode, the girls were given a short posing lesson on the trampoline with Benny Ninja. Then, they were put to a challenge where they had to pose in the air while being carried by ice-skaters. The winner, Lisa got an Akademiks photo shoot with Cycle 6 winner, Danielle Evans (or Dani). Her win caused commotions amongst some of the girls.

The house was a total mess!

So that's Salei-style.

The posing lesson with Benny. "Ouch" - Ebony.

Girls gone wild again!

Dani has gone a lot prettier! =)

Heather explaining her awkwardness and her determination to do better.

Ebony portraying a sad emotion in a corny way.

Lisa won her first challenge...

And shared a photo shoot with already established model, Dani.

Isn't this photo simply amazing?

For the week's photo shoot, the remaining girls had to pose as gargoyles on the roof top of tall buildings. Ambreal has acrophobia which contributed to her poor performance. So who got eliminated? This was that week's call-out order.

It was Lisa's first time to be the number one.

I have to admit that Bianca looks great in this photo!

I never knew that Ebony could pull this off!

Oh Chantal Chantal! She's gorgeous, as usual.

Jenah is still kicking ass.

Um, Saleisha's next? Uh hm.

Heather was the CoverGirl of the Week again.

Sarah looked as if she was resting on the set.

And Ambreal came second last...

Which means... bye bye to Mama Janet.

ANTM 9 Episode 4 Quickie

2007-12-10T11:44:00.000+08:00

The girls went for a makeover at the Ken Paves salon where Bianca was given the most dramatic change where she went bald due to her damaged hair. During the challenge of the week, the girls had to put together their look using the CoverGirl cosmetics. Janet was sorta disqualified because she couldn't find the dress that she had to wear, and Sarah won the challenge which also implied that she will appear in a tutorial video on makeup application on the CoverGirl website.

Bianca's hair was disastrous.

Without her glued wig, Ebony felt empty inside.

Sarah was overjoyed when she won.

Ambreal's hair was cut and dyed black.

Supposedly, Bianca should look like that...

But, she went bald eventually.

Chantal was given bang and long bleached weave.

Ebony was given a Naomi Campbell inspired long weave.

heather's hair was only trimmed and highlighted into chestnut brown.

Janet went black.

Jenah became a blonde.

Lisa went short.

Saleisha had a mushroom haircut. No, Louise Brooks inspired weave I mean.

Sarah went short with blonde highlights.

Lastly, Victoria's hair was also highlighted.

That week's photo shoot involved the girls portraying different types of plants. Here's the call-out order.

Jenah did great as a moss and she's called first again.

Sarah was ivy.

Heather, a weed, was again the CoverGirl of the Week.

Bamboo Lisa.

Janet was the lovely hydrangea.

Ambreal was rose. Actually, despite the judges giving good remarks, I don't like this picture.

Welcome the new bird of paradise, Ebony.

Oh my Bianca. Did she shine like a sunflower?

Chantal fell flat portraying baby's breath.

Saleisha, the almost dead tulip...

So, it was Victoria who got booted as the prickly cactus.

ANTM 9 Episode 3 Quickie

2007-12-10T06:13:00.000+08:00

The episode started showing Bianca giving some bad tips to Kimberly. Then, she also made a rather bad remark on Heather, who had a makeover done by the other girls. The girls were invited to Fashion Madhouse, where Miss Jay watched their runway walks before giving some constructive comments to some of them. Back in the house, Bianca had a heated conversation with Saleisha. The latter won the week's challenge on runway walk, and wins a trip to Paris to do a show for Colleen Quen.

Poor Kimberly was fooled by Bianca.

Heather's makeover... and Bianca called her a freaking prostitute.

Nursey Jay...

Bianca is full of expressions.

Mouth-fight no more...

Oh, during the challenge, Ebony knocked onto Sarah.

Now, to the photo shoot. The theme was 'rock climbing wall couture'. Once again, some of the girls kicked ass but some failed miserably. The call out order was:

Jenah who looked like a fairy villain to me.

Heather, the new CoverGirl of the Week.

Love Lisa's pose in this one.

Chantal took the risk to do something different.

Sarah could be high fashion.

This is quite good shot for Ambreal.

Next is Victoria.

Whoa, how did Saleisha do that?

This shot makes Janet a 6 feet.

Near far, Ebony failed to impress.

Bottom two trouble for Bianca...

But Kimberly was sent home due to her inability to translate high fashion into her photos.

ANTM 9 Episode 2 Quickie

2007-12-07T16:25:00.000+08:00

The girls returned to Los Angeles. It was announced that ANTM is turning environment-friendly this cycle. The challenge for the week was learning how to dress appropriately to suit their own distinctive personality. Saleisha was picked as the winner by the panel judges.

The girls taking a dip into the pool.

Heather was found to be alienated by the group.

Saleisha was doing a rendition of her own Tyra judging moment.

Chantal speaks up!

Does Ebony looks like Danielle from Cycle 6?

OMFG! That's horrendous!

Bianca and Lisa quarreling during the photoshoot. Of course, the bitchy Bianca started it.

The theme for that week's photoshoot was 'negative side effects of smoking'. Let's look at the pictures following the call-out orders. The last picture shows the contestant who was eliminated from the competition.

Heather was called first but she shared this photo with another girl (Saleisha).

Lisa was the CoverGirl of the Week.

I love Chantal!

Sarah is one hot plus size model!

Jenah was very modelesque.

Haha, finally, Saleisha.

Ambreal looked scary.

Victoria, the pregnant smoker.

I fancy Janet's short hair.

Oh Kimberly.

Bianca's not a threat at this point.

Ebony's stiff pose landed her in the bottom two... but

Mila was ultimately sent home.

ANTM 9 Episode 1 Quickie

2007-12-07T14:56:00.000+08:00

Should have started summarizing since it began airing, but heck, I got lazy. Episode 1 this time is just about casting and selecting the final thirteen, so it was quite bland. The girls were sent to the Caribbeans for casting, where each and every one of them had a short test on self presentation during the interview, impromptu cat walk and a photoshoot at the seaside. Jaslene was invited to appear for a few seconds for no valid reason - I think it merely for encouragement. Although she is anorexic no more in recent pictures, she appeared to be rather slim at the time the episode was shot. Just in this single episode, Bianca and Ebony looked as if they will be the bitches in the house...

A surprising performance by Tyra during first meet-up.

My early favorite, Chantal, who looks absolutely gorgeous on TV.

The cruise is luxurious! Here comes the snowball battle!

This reminds me of "Girls Gone Wild"...

The scenery is breathtaking!

Oh! That's Jaslene greeting the bunch of new Top Model hopefuls.

She's Sylvia, who, unfortunately was dropped of from making into the 13.

Bianca's reaction when Ebony's name was called. =)

Steamboat Adventure.

2007-12-06T17:14:00.000+08:00

Nowadays, more and more steamboat restaurants are established everywhere. In each area, I'm sure one can find at least 2 operating premises at ease. Although there are too many of them around, I have a few favorites in mind... Yuan, Ho Ho, Farmland, etc. And now, I have another one to be added in the list.

Steamboat stop: Chong Qing Restaurant

Address: 21, Jalan PJS 8/18, Dataran Bandar Sunway (Opposite Yuan Steamboat)

In this restaurant, there are more soup bases to choose from - Tom Yam, Herbal, 酸菜烫（Chinese sauerkraut), 麻辣烫 (sort of Japanese/Korean/Taiwanese spicy soup which is a lot more spicy than Tom Yam), and Soya Bean (if I'm not wrong). I myself ordered the herbal and Chinese sauerkraut soup, which were both fantastic! The herbal soup is sweet and aromatic whilst the Chinese sauerkraut soup with dried chili is sour and spicy. The variety of food there is a little lesser than Yuen, but there are meat slices which is quite limited and my favorite enokitake! Also, the seafood is quite fresh! The crabs there are a lot more meaty compared to Yuen. However, there were only 2 to 3 drinks to select from, and don't expect to get Yuen's signature BBQ chicken wings here. Nevertheless, RM 19.80 per pax is on par with the satisfaction level. I won't hesitate to try the other soups in the near future. =)

Look at the ingredients for the herbal soup! Hardly, you will find that in similar soup base in other restaurants!

Although the meal lasted for two hours, the soup didn't dry up quickly, which is a merit for the restaurant.

The lovely enokitake! Yummy!

It was the first time I had ham in steamboat. Quite an odd combination but worked.

The usual stuff that people normally take...

Look look! Tofu!!! I love tofu!!!!

The seafood platter! The crabs were excellent!

December Makeover

2007-12-05T15:46:00.000+08:00

Time to go back to black again!!!! Used the Smoky Black Hair Color Remake from Gatsby! Hopefully, it will last for at least 2 months. FIY, the color fades away rather quickly if the average product from the market is used.

On the left: That was then...
On the right: It is now!

Italiannis.

2007-12-04T17:55:00.000+08:00

My results for Semester 2 Year 2 in Monash was released on last Thursday night. I'm proud of myself for I had passed all the subjects this semester. The lowest score was a C grade whilst the highest score fell within the HD category. Once again, I performed better in the Econometrics units compared to Accounting/Law. However, average score have dropped compared to Sem 1, but maintained if it is compared to the same semester last year. Anyhow, it's great to have the rest of my holidays without any stress and worries. Say yeah~

A while ago, Nixie, Momo and I went to Italiannis in the Curve for dinner. It was most probably my 2nd time to an authentic Italian restaurant. Basically, the food there comes in rather big portion, which, is recommended for sharing. Overall, the food there is pretty great, especially the desserts. It was just enjoyable.

Look at the paintings. Don't we love art?

Bring me the food! I'm starvin'!

This is what girls love to do...

This was um, the appetizer? Bread with vinegar and olive oil.

Had nothing better to snap.

This is called Bay Breeze. Seriously, it should be renamed as Sour Attack.

This, Strawberry Splash was Nixie's.

Here it is. I'm not sure what it's called already... but, the taste is fantastic!

Then, the Napoli Bianco Pizza. Similarly, it was pretty delicious as well.

One of our desserts - Cappucino Pie. Loved the cookie at the bottom, but have to be consumed quickly before the ice-cream melts off completely.

We also had a piece of Tiramisu. Unlike the cake-type, I kinda like this one although it contains slight alcohol. Definitely better than the one in Bon Bon's.

Sharing a picture with Momo.

And with Nixie!

Here come's Moxie!

Finally, the three of us.

The Kingdom

2007-11-26T17:54:00.000+08:00

Gosh, when was the last time I went to the cinema for a flick? Should be a few months ago. Missed out on so many good movies. Recently, I was awarded a pair of tickets to the preview screening of The Kingdom, a movie about terrorism in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia which stars Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner. The scary beginning of the movie was able to capture the attention of the audience with all the sudden attacks on innocent residents and two suicide bombings. From there, the suspense really started building as four FBI agents risked their lives to investigate on the case. All while long, I was waiting to see if any of these agents will get killed. Not until the very end, one of the agents was captured. There was actually a plan to behead the unlucky agent. Nevertheless, he was rescued at the nick of time and the plan failed. Overall, it was quite action packed and truly depicts the fear and consequences of terrorism, conveying a strong message on world peace and humanity. You should definitely watch this. However, if you're a weak-hearted and sensitive person, don't catch it as it contains violence and religious issues. You have been warned! ****1/2

Econometrics Classmates Day!

2007-11-23T18:19:00.000+08:00

I have to admit that I'm bonding pretty well with my classmates this semester despite of my frequent disappearance from lectures and tutorial. Anyway, it was unexpected crazy day. We started off by singing in Redbox Karaoke which showcased my skills in some Hokkien songs which are probably older than I am. On top of that, I ruined some of the Korean songs which were requested by one of my friend. Hope she's not mad at me or something. The session was short, as it lasted only for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Luckily, we were charged at the student rate without any tidbits fees. For that, we spent RM6.90 individually for the short but fun activity.

After that, we did a little grocery shopping in Jusco supermarket. I wanted to go to the arcade actually, but seems that there was no such department there. What a waste. I hate Juscos without arcade. Somehow, we still had some fun at the supermarket where I started impersonating an old grumpy grandma shopping for vegetable. Soon, it was time for dinner and the venue has been decided since ages ago...

Dinner spot: Restoran Yuen Buffet Steamboat

Address: 32A-1, Jalan PJS 8/6, Mentari Plaza, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

After being in business for a very long time, I think many are aware of this restaurant already. Just like most of the other steamboat restaurants, the buffet concept is the main selling point. At the same time, the tasty, never enough BBQ honey chicken wings will leave the customers wanting for more. It's undoubtedly the food with the fastest turnover rate, and the fastest to finish whenever it's served. Other than that, it's wide selection of seafood places the restaurant on top of most of the other restaurants around in the same area. Normally, the place is very crowded, and it might take up to 30 minutes just to wait for a seat, depending on the time and the number of pax. Nevertheless, we got a table right away for being really early. As I had to leave early, I'm not too sure of the price per head, but if prices have not been raised, it should be RM18.80 excluding drink charges. Overall, enjoyment and satisfaction guaranteed.

Patience is crucial when it comes to steamboat. Food takes time to cook, y'all.

Herng Chyi couldn't wait any longer...

Wai Yin (right) is very knowledgeable in TVB dramas. Well, she actually competed for Astro TV Buff.

The girl in blue, she's Jane. She was actually from Caryn's secondary school. However, they don't really know each other lah.

Finally, a family portrait. Weng, the guy in red isn't majoring in Econometrics but was taking it as an elective only.

And if you haven't noticed, my swollen left eye was really obvious in these pictures!

Stressless Days.

2007-11-22T03:32:00.000+08:00

Ugh. Woke up with a swollen left eye today and I'm all set to go out with my classmates today. I'm suspecting another eye infection, just like what I suffered from a few months ago. However, it's not so serious this time around. Anyway, had breakfast this morning with Jennifer and Momo. We had to meet at around 8.30 which was rather early for someone who's on holidays but went ahead with it since I love spending my time doing something.

Breakfast stop: Woo Pin Fish Head Noodles @ Ho A One Steamboat Restaurant

Address: Jalan 1/109F, Taman Danau Desa Kuala Lumpur

This place is pretty easy to be located but it took us a quite sometime since it was our first time there. Despite being told how crowded it will always be, the place wasn't full and we settled down instantly. The shop basically offers three different types of dishes - noodles with either fried fish, raw fish or fish paste. Well, we only tried the fried fish head with mee hoon which should be the most recommendable one I think. The preparation time was rather long and we were starving horribly already. However, it was worthwhile as the food was just great. The milky soup (yes, milk is added into it upon request) is what makes it special. The amount of fish is also reasonable but watch out for the bones! Priced at RM6.50 (small) and RM8 (big), expect to spend a little more for this as breakfast. The restaurant operates from 7.30am to 2.30pm and closes on Mondays.

Eating Out.

2007-11-15T13:29:00.000+08:00

Finally, my 'summer' holidays have officially commenced. Sat for my final paper on Monday, which by all means, contained some unfamiliar questions on topics which I didn't even study on. The hurdle was as high as 45%, and the paper is marked out of 80 marks. So, hopefully, with all the bullshitting (note that it was a Law paper) and luck, I'll be able to pass the unit. Anyhow, the results are certain and cannot be changes already, so I might as well just enjoy as much as I could before the results are released at the end of the month.

Had quarter of my day spent in PJ with Momo today. I wanted to try out this restaurant which was recommended by Chui Ling in her TV food program, One Day Five Meals which has wrapped up its first season. With quite a similar motive, Momo was deemed to go to Bon Bon's Cafe for some desserts since she did not join me the last time I was there.

First stop: Restoran Soo Kee

Address: 33, Jalan 41/17, Petaling Jaya.

Having been in the business for a couple of decades now, the small restaurant sells prawn wan tan mee and shredded chicken kuey teow only, which costs RM5 and RM4 respectively. However, one can order the latter with 6 prawn wan tan by adding another RM3 to the price. Besides, the steamed chicken which is topped with oyster sauce can be ordered as a side dish but I'm not sure how much it costs. Okay, the place wasn't as full as I would have expected, but the waiting time was a little above average. Maybe it could have been acceptable given that I wasn't really hungry at that time. Food-wise, I really love the taste of the soup. Broiled with prawn heads (which I presume), the soup is clear, sweet and salty, which works really well together with the noodles and chicken. As for the prawn wan tan, I thought that the taste was just good. Overall, I loved it.

Second stop: Bon Bon's Bakery and Cafe

Address: 22, Jalan SS 22/21, Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

It took us a really short while to travel to Bon Bon's Cafe from SS2. And lucky enough, we found a parking right away. I think I have amplely elaborated on the place before, so I'll just skip all those parts.

Momo ordered a piece of their best-selling cake, Rich Chocolate Cake. Living by its name, the whole cake is indeed very chocolaty but moist after reheated. It was served with vanilla ice-cream with cocoa powder shimmered all over the plate. Overall, it's quite heavenly, although Momo admitted that the cake was still inferior to the one sold in Leisure Mall district. Priced at RM 7 (without ice-cream) and RM 9 (with ice-cream).

However, I liked this cake more. The Banana Crumble, which most probably is another best-seller, made me wanting for more after finishing the whole piece, but of course, I was to full to order for another piece. With sweetened real bananas, the cake has them covered in crunchy oats (if Momo is right on that). It was my first time having such cake, so I'm pretty satisfied with it. Priced at RM 6.90 (without ice-cream) and RM 8.90 (with ice-cream)

Exclamation Cafe.

2007-11-01T09:23:00.000+08:00

Weeks ago, met up with Shook Yee and Momo in Cheras Business Centre to have a drink. The place has quite a wide choice of cafes and bistros but in the end, we ended up in Exclamation Cafe, a many few lots after Janbo Restaurant. Facing the main road, this place is a cozy, comforyable place to hang out. The shop provides some simple board games (chess, snake and ladder, UNO, etc.). The food is not bad also. There some some weird juices combinations, such as strawberry and jackfruit if I'm not wrong. At the time we were there, the shop ran out of French Fries... damn. Nevertheless, we had lots of fun.

Crunch the thirst...

Um, was it... deep fried chicken nuggets with sesame??

Snake and ladders. Look, our distances are so far apart. Shook Yee was leading, I was halfway through and Momo was at the starting point. ROFL!

In the end, Shook Yee did win and Momo was not that far behind of me.

Then, we played another game, which I won, followed by Shook Yee. As for Momo, she still had a soldier in the camp, waiting to be rescued.

My hands looked pretty unusual in the picture...

So took another one instead!

My bitch and I...

Camwhoring is what we do best.

Final picture of the 2 leng luis before we made a move.

Before I end my post, HAPPY HALLOWEEN to everyone out there!

1st Day of Exam-War

2007-10-30T11:10:00.000+08:00

Gosh, it's only the first day and I'm pretty much srewed up with my Econometrics paper. It's not the first time I have insufficient time to complete all the questions, it happens for most of the Statistics and some of the Accounting subjects. Anyways, not like I knew how to answer them. It was a really tough paper. Hopefully, I will pass the hurdle requirement of 40% in order to advance to the next Unit. Well, all I need to focus now is on Company Reporting, the subject which I'm most worried of due to my lack of concentration during the semester. The hurdle is 50% for this unit, which means I really have to work hard on it. I shall see how's my destiny tomorrow. *wishing for the best*

Bon Bon's Bakery.

2007-10-27T23:39:00.000+08:00

It's almost time for a post on desserts. This time around, Jennifer and I went to a a quite secluded area of PJ. Located in SS22, Bon Bon's Bakery and Cafe could easily be found next to Atria. Although we were there at about 4 o'clock on a rainy, customers kept pouring. We ordered 4 cakes, and oh my, some of them are really yummy. The price is fairly reasonable for its quality and taste. On top of that, the owner is pretty friendly too, which leaves a good impression on me.

It took us a while to get to the place at first... but there it is!

Nix ordered a cup of coffee called Machiato, which turned out to be really bitter for her.

Left: Chocolate Strawberry cake, which taste just nice. Jen said that it was ordinary.
Right: Tiramisu with brandy, which I didn't like because of the alcohol. Nevertheless, I would have liked it if I'm used to consuming alcohol.

Left: Raspberry Chocolate Cheese, which is really awesome! A must-try!
Right: Peanut Butter Coffee, which didn't taste that well on the first bite, but kept getting better. In the end, my 2nd fav cake for the day.

Well, by then we were full and were unable to try out the other cakes. Next time, perhaps. Anyway, I also tried some cakes specially made for Vegans, which exclude eggs in their recipes. The shop can be found near UE3, somewhere near the Monday night market in that area. Just look for the only vegetarian restaurant near 7 Eleven. Well occupied during dinner, the place serves good meat-free meals which are fairly priced. The cakes are around RM6 per piece.

The Almond cake was just a so-so. There was a slight nasty taste which I didn't like.

Then, this piece of Blueberry cake made the night. Although the cheese was substituted by some layered cakes with cream, the combination is nonetheless quite heavenly. Yippee!

Shabu-Shabu @ Sri Petaling

2007-10-23T11:44:00.000+08:00

Exam is so damn close and I have not really started on my revision yet. I can't manage to fail my final papers, I just can't. Company reporting is the subject that I'm worried of the most since I haven't paid enough attention during lectures and tutorials. As for company law, it should be okay since I have about 11 free days before the open-book exam. Next week will be one hell of a week since I have to sit for 3 papers all together. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. So far, my assignments grades are fairly well and true enough, I think I have actually chosen the right major for myself.

Anyway, quite a while ago, I went out with Amber and Jennifer to try a Japanese-oriented steamboat restaurant in Sri Petaling. It's located in the night market area, between the Golden Bread restaurant and Alison coffee shop. It's a buffet steamboat, with 3 different soup bases where you can only choose one. The herbal is quite nice at first, but turns nasty after a while. Anyway, the choice of food is normal (meatballs, noodles, etc.). Price is moderate, expect to spend about 20 to 25 per head. Oh, there 6 flavors of ice-cream to choose from. Overall, I won't mind going there for a second or third time.

Look at the food I picked.

These are side orders. Extra charges apply.

Yum yum. The ham actually tastes good!

Look. Who's that?!

Haha, biattttch....

Um, nothing wrong with the model, but there is something wrong with the photographer.

That's mine!

That should be Amber's. Everyone has their own cooking pot.

Jen jen jen.

Some dino-eggs, anyone?

When the ice-cream is mixed, there come's 'paddle pop'.

Two Q gals together.

The dynamic duo?

We're pretty full after eating for almost two hours!

A group picture before we left the premise.

Lastly, I would love to share with y'all a beautiful piece of music which i used for line dancing today. It's from a veteran Japanese singer named Mariya Takeuchi. The song is called the doors to life when translated from Japanese. Tell me what you think of the music!

Rock This Party with Lily Chin

2007-10-14T05:13:00.000+08:00

Hehe, some time ago, my line dance teacher, Lily Chin threw a party at Hee Loi Ton Puchong. It lasted for about 6 hours, with a 10-course-meal served as lunch while we had our fun dancing to the songs that we knew. In a glimpse, I've been taking up line dancing for over a year now, and I'm still loving it. During the party, I bumped into my secondary school English teacher, Miss Tan. Was kinda surprised to see her there after all these years, and had a little conversation, catching up with her life and all. However, didn't snap a picture with her although could have done so. Anyway, the party was nonetheless successful and my teacher was relieved and proud of it. Her children were there to organize it with her too. I have to express my gratitude for her as a really talented, friendly and beautiful teacher. I'm glad that I have her as my teacher. =) Oh, after the party, she treated me to a steamboat dinner. It was really kind of her. (Click to enlarge the pictures)

With Melissa, one of the younger line dancers in the bunch.

Cylok, the girl in one dances really well! Months ago, she was one of the winners in a line dancing competition.

My teacher is the the second one from right. The pretty girl next to her is her daughter while handsome lad (a breakdancer) squatting down is her son.

The final group picture.

Green Day at Monash!

2007-10-11T15:49:00.000+08:00

It was Go Green Day in Monash today. Those who wore green received a bookmark made from recycled paper as a little token of appreciation from Leo's Club in conjunction with Mother Earth Day. In addition, the 20 best dressed will also receive Starbucks voucher. Well, it was mesmerizing to see majorities in green today. Just for my statistics class of 12 persons, only 3 of them wore some other colors. I'd never knew that following the dress theme color could be this cool. However, I think I've cross over the border line a little as I was dressed in green from shoulders to toes. A living tree, became my one-day nick today. Anyway, I'm glad that I had fun =)

Green green with Julia and Kevin!

Old news!

2007-10-11T00:47:00.000+08:00

I'm very frustrated with the cancellation of Beyonce's gig which was planned on Nov 1st, but didn't we see it coming? It's pretty obvious that conservative minorities had pushed the limits a little too far.

[Source] Concert Cancelled: Beyonce has nixed her concert in Malaysia Kuala Lumpur's 9000-seat Putra Stadium. Her scheduled Nov. 1 concert has been canceled following protests by local Muslim groups and her reported refusal to abide by the country's strict dress code for performers, reports Billboard Biz. A number of Muslim groups, including the 10,000-strong National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students, had taken their pleas for cancellation to the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage-which in 2005 introduced a compulsory dress code and other rules for performers. Local promoter Pineapple Concerts released a statement Sept. 28 announcing the cancellation, but would not disclose the reason. A ministry official said Pineapple had not applied for a license to hold the concert. Industry sources speculate, however, Pineapple did not apply for a license until it was sure Beyonce would agree to follow the dress code and that the artist refused to do so. The dress code says there must be no hugging or kissing audience members or fellow artists, no jumping or shouting, no throwing objects onstage or at the audience and no foul language. Clothes cannot have obscene or drug-related images or messages, and female performers must show no skin from the tops of their chests to their knees.

All in all, Beyonce's Experience Tour will still hit all other Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and India where legislations are less strict. Initially, Beyonce didn't even thought of throwing a concert in Indo, but without the requirement of dress code, the swap occurred. How'd I wished that we, Malaysians would have the same thoughts and perceptions towards Beyonce.

[Source] JAKARTA (Reuters) - R&B star Beyonce Knowles will not be required to follow a strict dress code when performing next month in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, the organisers of her concert said on Friday.
Beyonce, known for her skimpy stage outfits, cancelled her debut concert in Malaysia in protest against the nation's ultra-strict dress code, an industry source said this week.

She has chosen instead to perform in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on November 1.

"I expect Indonesians to see this in a positive light. She is a great singer and her stage act is entertaining. Why should we say no to the way she dresses?" said Nia Zulkarnaen, a spokeswoman for the concert promoter.

She said there had been no request from the authorities or from any Muslim group requiring Beyonce to cover up.

"Praise be to God, there has been no such demand. They realise it's positive entertainment for the youth," she said.

Tickets for the show cost between 2.5 million rupiah (134 pounds) and 750,000 rupiah.

Some Indonesian singers wear skimpy clothes in their videos and on stage.More than 85 percent of Indonesia's 226 million population are Muslim and most are moderate.

ANTM CYCLE 9 PREVIEW

2007-09-05T06:17:00.000+08:00

The finalists have been revealed! Based on the early pictures, the overall quality of the batch this time around is indeed a few folds better than the previous cycle. The girls are very young too, with Janet, at 22 being the eldest amongst all. Well, it's quite a pretty party, and I already have a few favorites in mind. A few of those who caught my attention are Chantal, Sarah, Jenah, Kimberly and Lisa. Well, the first episode will be aired in the midst of this month. And it has been confirmed that the international location is Beijing and Shanghai of China. Damn, I'm excited!

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#1: Ambriel, who reminds me of Brandy from Cycle 4.

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#2: Bianca, who will most probably be eliminated...

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#3: Chantal, the sexiest of all!

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#4: Ebony, who might be the most down-to-earth person.

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#5: Heather, who will thrill the judges.

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#6: Janet, who might just be another Mollie Sue.

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#7: Jenah, the cool brunette.

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#8: Kimberly, who should cast for Resident Evil.

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#9: Lisa, the girl from around the block.

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#10: Mila, one with exotic look.

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#11: Saleisha, who seems to be very determined.

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#12: Sarah, the rumored winner!

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#13: Victoria, who shouldn't fare well...

Miles of adventures...

2007-09-05T05:51:00.000+08:00

Been up to a few things lately. Assignment after assignment is eating up much of my time. Well, that is what to be expected for an undergraduate student in his 4th semester, or year 2 second semester. All together, I have 8 assignments with only 1 presentation this term. Up till this point, only 3 of the assignments are down. At the same time, I'm also busy with some random activities. Just that I've decided to voluntarily disqualify myself in the Samsung Look-A-Like contest, I've also participated in Monash Talent Time which is happening this Friday. Just this afternoon, I think I made a fool out of myself, singing and dancing randomly in front of strangers in the campus's cafeteria. I think it was horrendously disastrous, and I'd better step up my game and prepare well for the real show.

Other than that, I'm also in another online contest, which I'm a semi-finalist. The concept of the contest is professional ratings, sms and online voting to determine an icon for the website. Throughout the competition, contestants will have to take some professional studio pictures, and also walk the runway during the quarter finals and finals. Scores will be based on appearance, confidence and attitude, in my opinion. Just last Friday, I went to a photoshoot in Templer Park. It was an extremely adventurous experience. Not only that I had to wake up early in the morning (approx. 4.30am), I had to deal with allergy during the shoot. It all happened after I took mu lunch when I noticed some mosquito-look-a-like-bites on my right wrist and my stomach. As dumb as I am, I scratched them to release the itchiness. Sensibly, it got serious and everything swell in a few seconds. Immediately, I was taken tot he nearest clinic where I was given a jab and some medication for me to take. Phew, luckily, it was nothing too serious. In my heart, I was thinking of some poisonous insect bites or some black magic.

Life can be either as interesting as it may be, or as boring as it could be. My relief of boredom is packing my daily schedule with a bunch of things to do. Although I'm exhausted inside, I have a long journey left for me to explore. =)

We saw it coming!

2007-08-26T01:06:00.000+08:00

After all the noises made at Gwen's recent concert, nobody would believe that Beyonce will actually rock the stage without her being told to cover up for our own benefits.

[Source] JUSTIN Timberlake boasted about 'bringing sexy back' in his recent hit, but he shouldn't try that in Malaysia.

Some of the world's top pop stars are holding concerts in Muslim-majority Malaysia this year, but they are facing growing pressure to keep skimpy outfits and steamy dance moves off the stage.

Event organisers said yesterday that conservative Islamic critics have protested against some acts because they believe liberal Western performances can corrupt youths.

Gwen Stefani made what she called 'a major sacrifice' by donning clothes that revealed little skin at a Kuala Lumpur performance on Tuesday, after Muslim students and political activists called for her concert to be scrapped because of her sexy reputation.

Instead of her usual skimpy wardrobe, Stefani covered her tight-fitting tops in jackets and sported leotards under her dresses and mini-skirts during her two-hour concert.`

She said: 'I've been in the music industry for 20 years and this is the first time that I'm facing opposition from people who have misunderstood me.'
Promoters have announced that R&B superstar Beyonce, who is known for her sultry image, is scheduled to perform on 1Nov with outfits that are more conservative than what she is used to.
'We've informed Beyonce's management about this issue of clothes, but it takes some of the fun out of it,' said MrRazlan Ahmad Razali, chairman of Pineapple Concerts, which is organising Beyonce's planned concert.
'Beyonce won't be able to do the kind of show here that she does elsewhere,' Mr Razlan told The Associated Press.
'She's a fashion icon, and we know that she often wears mini-skirts and clothes that expose her navel during her performances.
'It's a pity to restrict her because her costumes are all tasteful and glamorous.'
Concert organisers are taking extra pains to ensure that performers cover up because of the uproar caused by a Pussycat Dolls concert last year.
The five-member US girl group performed in Kuala Lumpur last August wearing revealing outfits and doing raunchy dance routines.
The organisers for that concert were fined RM10,000 ($4,400) after the group was accused of flouting decency laws.
Malaysia's guidelines for public performances require a female artiste to cover up from the top of her chest to her knees, including her shoulders.
Performers may not hug or kiss, and their clothes must not have obscene or drug-related images or messages.
Grammy-winning hip-hop star Kanye West was also made to follow these rules when he performed in Kuala Lumpur in April.
The outspoken rapper had to omit one of his biggest hits, Jesus Walks, due to sensitivities surrounding the title of the song, said Mr Razlan.
Such concerns have made Malaysia less appealing to some stars.
A concert promoter, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the hassle about clothes was one of the reasons that sultry US pop diva Christina Aguilera skipped Malaysia.
Her recent Asian tour included Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
That's why promoters are hoping that successful concerts by Stefani and Beyonce will help lure other big acts to the country during Visit Malaysia Year 2007.
The opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which accused Stefani of promoting promiscuity and corrupting youth, says it will probably protest further if Beyonce, Timberlake or Kylie Minogue perform here.
'Even with Gwen Stefani, we're not satisfied just because she covered up at the concert,' said party official Kamarulzaman Mohamed.
'Outside, she still wears sexy clothes and influences teenagers who idolise her. It's bad to have immoral artists visiting Malaysia.'

Now come on, immoral artist? It's solely their personal perceptions. If them coming here induces bad habits-slash-impacts, it can only be blamed at our education level and self morality and senses for acting the way which might be against the religion, humanity or the legislations. I think the nonsensical protests should be put to rest when these artists even have the initiative of stopping by. Ugh.

And if, abiding to the traditions and customs, will those people actually come up with costumes like these for concerts? Definitely inappropriate (although the cheong sam looks half great), if to be performed with up-tempo hits like Crazy In Love and Deja Vu.

In Baju Kebaya...

In Cheong Sam...

In Sari...

Correction: Twins Protected!

2007-08-25T23:17:00.000+08:00

After watching the video numerous times, one could somewhat tell that Beyonce wasn't entirely exposed during her concert in Toronto. When her dress blew up, it seems quite clear that she wore a protection underneath it all. Well, with all those low-resolution videos in Youtube, we can only make certain assumptions. Perhaps, we need better sources...

[Source] A rep for Beyonce said the singer was wearing a flesh-toned bra when her top flew up over her head during a concert in Toronto. It wasn't a "flashing," her publicist tells People magazine. "She's wearing a flesh-tone bra. Do you really think Beyoncé would go onstage like that?" She adds that her mother, Tina Knowles, "is the quality-control officer" on the singers tour, making sure that an accidental exposure of the twins would never happen.

Oh no she didn't!

2007-08-23T00:17:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, to be sexy is to take risks. Wardrobe malfunction has been the 'it' term since Janet's Superbowl incident. And recently, Beyonce has became the next victim of WM. Reading the feedbacks on the current incident, many believed that she did it on purpose, which was possible. But heck, she sacrificed her all in putting a great show, and a bra would most probably ruin the whole look of that loosely designed skimpy dress. In the midst of strong wind during her Canada concert, it finally exposed her voluptuous twins...

[Source]US singer Beyonce Knowles exposed her breasts on stage at a concert in Canada during a 'wardrobe malfunction'.

The Bootylicious singer's shirt flew up as she was dancing at a concert in Toronto - and she was not wearing anything underneath.

Clearly embarrassed, Beyonce moved backwards and pulled down her flowing shirt, holding on to it as she completed her dance routine.

Fans who captured the scene on mobile phone cameras have already begun posting the footage on You Tube.

Talent Time!

2007-08-21T13:50:00.000+08:00

Monash Performing Arts Club is organizing a Talent Showdown Party on the 7th of September. Tickets are sold at RM10 each. Refreshments are included. And hey, I'm one of the contestants. Look, I'm listed as the 6th individual competing under that respective category in the audition results posted around campus. I ain't a good singer, but I'll just do my best that night, hopefully. Will be doing a couple of Japanese songs, which are unconfirmed since I don't have the instrumental music yet. It's just way too hard to look for karaoke version of songs from the late 80s and the early 90s. Help, anyone?

Pleasant? Or unpleasant?

2007-08-19T13:01:00.000+08:00

I'm not sure if this is one good news or not. It is extremely exciting to be notified that Beyonce will be coming to Kuala Lumpur on the 1st of November to throw a little show for her beloved local fans. However, if the controversy revolving Gwen's gig is showing sighs of more rules and regulations and tighter speculations and consideration, I'm pretty sure that similar oppositions will repeat. All these while I've been waiting for this to happen, and I hope that the best will occur, instead of the worst. Not long ago, Christina Aguilera, had toured in Thailand and Singapore, but missed Malaysia. Did she not get the approval from our national authority? Possibly, yes, since she's well known for the sex appeal. Will Beyonce suffer from the same predicament? The rule of covering from the top of the chest till the knees and the shoulders is rather ridiculous. Beyonce's famous for her booty-shaking and aggressive dances. Without the appropriate apparels, her show will flunk. But of course, her undeniable powerful voice swill somehow save it all int he end. Well, all in all, I'll just wait for further details to be released...

[Source] PETALING JAYA: Beyonce, one of the world’s biggest rhythm and blues stars, will perform in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 1.
Malaysia will be one of the stops, besides Thailand, for the award-winning singer’s debut appearance in South-east Asia.
Pineapple Concerts chairman Razlan Ahmad Razali said Beyonce’s management had agreed to stage a concert in Malaysia.
“We are now working out details, such as the terms and conditions and the venue,” he told The Star in an interview.
Pineapple Concerts is well known for bringing big bands into the country, including Earth, Wind and Fire and Grammy winner Kanye West earlier this year.
Beyonce Knowles, 26, rose to stardom as the lead singer of all-girl trio Destiny’s Child in the late 1990s.
She released her debut solo album in 2003 and grabbed five Grammy Awards the following year.
Beyonce’s latest album, B’Day, won her another Grammy this year – making it her 10th in all – in the Best Contemporary R&B Album category.
She has also won awards for hits such as Deja Vu (which she also recorded in Spanish), Beautiful Liar (a duet with Shakira) and Irreplaceable, and led the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards with seven nominations.
Beyonce has acted in several movies, among them Austin Powers in Goldmember, The Pink Panther and Dreamgirls.
Dreamgirls garnered her nominations for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and Best Original Song (Listen).
She is also a songwriter, model, record producer, dancer and fashion designer.

Disney Jelly Slurp

2007-08-16T15:23:00.000+08:00

Products of Disney are simply innovative and creative. And the people behind the company are smart in marketing their products. Mickey Mouse is always the artificial ambassador who draws high sales and attention. Well, I bumped into this product a while ago, and it's called Disney Jelly Slurp. Originated from China, the drink is a mixture of juice (grape, apple, etc.) with jelly. Being sold at around RM1.90, this product can be obtained from Jaya Jusco or Carrefour. Once, I bought them from Bon Odori, and the price was marked-up to RM2.50. Anyway, as a whole, this jelly drink is refreshing and cooling, but it would be rather appalling when it comes to the taste of the juice. The blackcurrent is okay, but the apple flavor is rather wicked. Still, it's a good treat once in a blue moon. Try it!

Nutrition Facts

Blackcurrent Jelly Drink

Calories: 60 kcal
Energy: 252 Kj
Sodium: 60 mg
Total carbo: 16 g
Vitamin A: less than 2 %
Vitamin C: 120%
Calcium: less than 2 %
Iron: less than 2 %

And the only difference between the facts for Apple Jelly Drink is that its total calories is just 10 kcal higer (70 kcal)!

Beyonce To Release Spanish Language EP.

2007-08-15T21:23:00.000+08:00

[Source]Beyoncé Knowles' total entertainment domination continues this month with the release of her Spanish language EP Irreemplazable.

Since capturing this year's Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B album with B'Day, Beyoncé has set her sights on new challenges, overcoming language barriers with her newest project Irreemplazable. Scheduled for release on August 21, the eight track EP features original material as well as Spanish versions of songs from her multi-platinum sophomore release B'Day and platinum soundtrack Dreamgirls.

In addition to the title track "Irreemplazable" (Irreplaceable), which is included both in its original form and as a Nortena remix, Beyoncé's set includes a Timbaland remix of "Get Me Bodied" featuring Reggaeton artist Voltio as well as "Oye," the Spanish version of Dreamgirls' Oscar nominated song "Listen."

Other standout features on Irreemplazable include Beyoncé's duet, "Amor Gitano," with Alejandro Fernandez, which hit the top of the Spanish single charts and serves as the theme song for Telemundo telenovela "Zorro." Irreemplazable also serves up three versions of Beyoncé's collaboration with Shakira, "Beautiful Liar" - one in Spanish, one in Spanglish (featuring B's alter ego Sasha) as well as the English version.

Wal-Mart is also offering an exclusive CD/DVD version of Irreemplazable featuring special content including a behind the scenes documentary La Evolucion Latina de Beyonce (The Latin Evolution of Beyonce) and the music video for the "Get Me Bodied" Timbaland remix featuring Voltio.

Seriously, Beyonce works too hard. Well, her holiday must have served up well, as she is not showing signs of stopping yet!

Beyonce stars in Armani ad campaign!

2007-08-15T05:47:00.000+08:00

[Source]Diamonds are certainly a girl's best friend as far as singer Beyonce is concerned.

The 25-year-old pop superstar has become the face of Emporio Armani's new perfume, 'Diamonds' and stars in the company's new ad campaign.

The songstress has also added her own take on the Marilyn Monroe song 'Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend' for the advert.

The new fragrance features notes of lychee and raspberry.

The singer says she has learnt from experience to be prepared when she goes to photo shoots.

She carries three pairs of sunglasses (black, gold and brown) in her bag and not one but two pairs of Christian Louboutin heels, in nude and gold, in case she needs to glam up an outfit at a moment's notice.

A favourite with the paparazzi, who follow her every move with their cameras, she says she's not worried about them taking shots of her from unflattering angles.

And she says she loves fashion and shopping far too much to give it up because of a few photographers.

I just love how Beyonce is playing her game. She might be busy touring right now, but her ad has been released few days ago. Have a look at it! (Beware: Wear your shades if you may! ROFL)

Isn't she gorgeous?? I think Armani got the right person to represent that new fragrance!

Nightmare Detective; Ratatouille

2007-08-14T15:27:00.000+08:00

Watching movies is such a routine to me. At least a movie every week, I keep telling myself. Let it be new, old, any genres, any languages, any color. To date, I've seen almost 88 movies, an average of 3 movies a week. Of course, not all of them are released in the cinemas, and some of them are way back-dated such as the Evil Dead and Red Dragon. Anyway, I went for the preview screening of Nightmare Detective 2 weeks ago. At first, the movie occurred to be pretty cool to me, but after watching Nightmare on Elm Street, there seems to be quite a few similarities on concepts between the two movies. Basically, the title of the movie explains a lot of what one should expect and get from the movie. Japanese horror flicks are frequently to be missed whenever possible, but I seriously think that this one is a tad noteworthy among the bunch. ****

Just this evening, I won another pair of tickets to the exclusive preview screening of Ratatouille in GSC 1 Utama. Ever since I saw the trailer months ago in the cinema, I've always been wanting to catch this one as soon as it's up on the screens. Seriously, I had pretty high expectations from this new digitally animated film. But, I have to admit that it did disappoint slightly!, but as a whole, it's still a great, presentable movie. The story is pretty simple; it tells a tale of how a rat achieves his dream of becoming a chef. The moral value of courage, bravery and bond between organisms are instilled here. Overall, Pixar and Disney have created yet another masterpiece, as far as I'm concern. Love it. ****1/2

Some of the movies that I have yet to watch: Harry Potter, The Simpsons Movie, Rush Hour 3 & Rise: Blood Hunter.

Rose Camellia!

2007-08-08T12:22:00.000+08:00

Weeks ago, Adrien actually introduced me to one of the coolest online games I've ever played. The rule is simple and easy to be understood. The technique required is on the movement of your hand through the mouse. Accuracy and speed comes together in this case. The game is called Rose Camellia, who is the main character that has to defeat all other villains. About 5 of them all together. And guess what, the main focus of the game is, bitch slapping. Isn't that cool?

Anyway here's the introduction on Rose Camellia:

Newly wed to Shunsuke, eldest son of the historied Tsubakikoji family, Reiko suffers the loss of her husband the very next day. Under the cruel and unceasing mockery of the aristocrats, Reiko's common-born blood sets to boil. Clutching the rose Shunsuke gave her to her bosom, Reiko issues a defiant challenge to the house. "I am the widow of the eldest son of the Tsubakikoji family. This house is mine!" ...This is the elegant art of feminine conflict.

She was the first opponent. All you have to do is to attack...

And to evade when she attacks back. On top of that, counter-attack is also possible.

Alas, victory is found after defeating the big fat medusa lady.

Play the game here.

A HP in 4 days.

2007-08-07T11:02:00.000+08:00

A couple of good things to talk about. Firstly, after just 4 days of release, I actually finished the seventh/last book of the Harry Potter story, entitled The Deathly Hallow. With just over 600 pages, the suspense starts from page one up till the end. The epilogue offers some surprises to readers, too. All had came to an end, finally. I remember my copy of HP - Philosopher's Stone - roughly dated back to year 2000 when I was in Form One. Or was it Standard Six? Phew, almost 7 years since I knew Harry. That's long, isn't it?

Unlike the fifth and the sixth book, which were rather slow moving and boring at times, this book thrills fruitfully. It was ecstatic reading the pages on War of Hogwarts. It would have been could I was one of the wizards there, fighting against Voldermort. As war took place, death is inevitable. Some favored and disliked characters were unexpectedly (readers) but intentionally (J.K.) murdered, killed or victimized. However, readers won't be too sad over who died and who survived. Instead, they will be overjoy with the ending, wouldn't they? All in all, love the book!

Pocky, anyone? No it's not the ordinary chocolate or strawberry flavor, but apparently, in Thailand, chocolate banana flavor seems marketable. However, being a banana lover, I didn't really like the taste of it which certainly failed to meet my expectations. Nevertheless, worth a try since it's not in the market all the time.

UPDATES on Be Like Beyonce Contest which happened last month. I won something afterall. Just received their notification mail few days ago, infoming me about the details of the prizes and the address for collection. So, in the end, I won a copy of Beyonce B'Day Deluxe Edition CD and 1 WEP200 Bluetooth Headset! I'm pretty content over it, but I doubt that the headset will work compatibly with my V6 Maxx.

Cover Up!

2007-08-06T14:37:00.000+08:00

Conservatism can be good, and sometimes, could be bad too. Here's a a recent case to support that. Gwen Stefani has been making headlines since months ago being an internationally established artist who would be throwing a concert here in Malaysia this month. However, there is a recent attack, forcing the concert to be canceled. The objective is to protect our moral values, it seemed. What the heck. Although I ain't going to the concert, but to what extend can she spoil us all? I do think that it's our right to attend the concert as we wish, and even if we will be influenced, in this case, badly, it is still our own responsibility to take as we can consume. Certain groups can't just make something out of nothing. Ridiculous! Luckily, Gwen will be abiding to the stupid code of conduct such as "no jumping" just to carry own with the concert. Approaching nationhood for 50 years now, our country need to revise these laws for the performers. Anyhow, here's a article I found on the net (source):

Gwen Stefani to cover up for Malaysia show

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - There will be no revealing costumes at U.S. singer Gwen Stefani's concert in Malaysia this month, a newspaper said on Saturday, after a Muslim student group demanded that the event be cancelled as being too obscene.

Although Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country with sizeable non-Muslim minorities, conservative groups often frown upon departures from strict Koranic injunctions.

Malaysian mobile phone firm Maxis Communications, which is promoting the August 21 show as part of Stefani's "Sweet Escape" tour, promised it would feature no revealing costumes, the Star newspaper said.

"She will abide by the Malaysian authorities' guidelines to ensure that her show will not be offensive to local sensibilities," it quoted a Maxis statement as saying.

Malaysia's official guide for performers says women must be covered from the top of the bosom to the knees, the Star said.

Jumping, shouting and the throwing of objects are barred, while performers may not hug, kiss or wear clothes with obscene or drug-related pictures or slogans, it added.
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On Tuesday, an official of the 10,000-strong National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students said Stefani's video promotion clips were obscene and the event would clash with local Asian and Islamic values.

"We want the organizers to cancel the concert, failing which we will ask the authorities to intervene," said Mohamad Hilmi Ramli, the group's president.

Ethnic Malays, who are by definition Muslims, make up just over half of Malaysia's 26 million people, while ethnic Chinese and Indians, who are mostly Buddhists, Christians or Hindus, account for most of the rest.