My Website For A Fave!

I think ye olde English saying goes... My kingdom for a horse! So the modern translation must be... My website for a fave! Thanks to may for faving my site!!!

Wots all this faving, you ask me? Unless you're totally blur you would have heard about Technorati and their ranking of blogs. This is a good tag, especially if you want to boost your blog's exposure.

***START COPYING HERE***
Here are the Rules:

1) Write a short introduction paragraph about what how you found the list and include a link to the blog that referred you to the list.

2) COPY the Rules and ENTIRE list below and post it to your blog. To avoid duplicate content and increase the amount of keywords your site can accessible for, go ahead and change the title of the blog. Just don’t change the links of the blog.

3) Take “My New Faves” and move them into the “The Original Faves” list.

4) Add 5 Blogs that you’ve just added to your Technorati Favorites to the “My New Faves” section. Remember to also add the “Fave Me” link next to your new blogs (i.e. http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add=http://www.yourfavesdomain.com)

5) Add Everyone on this list to your Technorati Favorites List by clicking on “Fave the Site.” Those who want good kharma will fave you back. If not, you will for sure get the benefits of faves from the bloggers who continue this list after you.

My Faves:
zewt - Fave the site

mistipurple - Fave the site

jo - Fave the site

kyh - Fave the site

ahboy - Fave the site

The Original Faves:

rinnah - Fave the site

Kikare - Fave the site

Selba - Fave the site

velverse - Fave the site

ehon - Fave the site
PabloPabla’s Whatever - Fave the site

Little Miss May - Fave the site

Jutz1Blog - Fave the site

Sketches of Life - Fave the site

My Baby Bay - Fave the site
Hochiak! - Fave the site

Giddy Tigers - Fave the site

Oh! For the love of me - Fave the site

Live Life, organics and your health - Fave the site

Pink Elle - Fave the site
Paris Beaverbanks - Fave the Site

Tigerfish - Fave the Site

Wennnn - Fave the Site

SiwwyPig - Fave the Site

angel - Fave the Site
LB - Fave the Site

Cool Insider - Fave the Site

Simple America - Fave the Site

Chen - Fave the Site

Captain Picard - Fave the Site
East Coast Life - Fave the Site

Culture Shiok! - Fave the Site

Pond Perspective - Fave the Site

Carlo Ocab - Fave the Site

Fruity Oaty - Fave the Site
Michael McKinlay - Fave the Site

Nice4Rice Free Backlinks - Fave the Site

Work at Home, Make Money Online - Fave the Site
Web 2.0, Tech Reviews - Fave the Site

Wireless LAN Security - Fave the Site

Bobs [ReformatThis] - Fave the Site

Everyday Weekender - Fave the Site
Armen’s Blog - Fave the Site

Gary Lee - Fave the Site

Dosh Dosh - Fave the Site

Nate Whitehill - Fave the Site

Ms. Danielle - Fave the Site
Jeff Kee - Fave the Site

Scribble on the Wall - Fave the Site

Jimi Morrisons Head - Fave the Site

Jon Lee - Fave the Site

Samanathon - Fave the Site
Eat Drink & Be Merry - Fave the Site

The Man of Silver - Fave the Site

Hannes Johnson - Fave the Site

My Dandelion Patch - Fave the Site

Nathan Drach - Fave the Site
SiteLogic - Fave the Site

Julies Journal - Fave the Site

Stephen Fung - Fave the Site

Ed Lau - Fave the Site

QMusings - Fave the Site

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Positively speaking...

I have been having lots of -ve chi this week that I thought I'd take a page out of may's blog and list down the things that give me +ve chi! So I sat here and thought for a while and for a moment I couldn't think of anything at all. Nothing came to mind! This wouldn't do, I told myself, so I sat here and cranked my brain some more... and I came up with a list of positives for next week. (This week was such a majorly -ve week that I couldn't think of anything nice to write about. Bleargh.)

I know it's +ve when...
~ The roads are clearer than normal and I reach the office 10 mins earlier than I normally would
~ Today is a Friday and that means the weekend's here! Very YAATTAAA!!!
~ Am meeting up with good friends (ex-colleagues) tomorrow for what promises to be a good time of lunching, picture-taking and gossiping
~ Not one, but TWO public holidays to look forward to
~ I get time to zzzzzz... in the mornings for four whole days (Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday)
~ There's a new TVB serial on telly that just started and promises to be pretty exciting to follow
~ There are only three working days in the coming week
~ The boss ain't gonna be around the whole of next week... *does a Red Indian war dance*
~ I don't have to see THAT colleague so much next week! *doubles the war dance and whooping*
~ I can dress down when I work next week *tosses away the heels and stockings*
~ I get to go home early next week *very happy*

The only thing that would make next week complete would be if I had my Streamyx restored... If not, do not be alarmed at my sudden disappearance offline! *grin, wink*

Kek Lapis Rinnah

I have been away for some time from the blogosphere but my absence was enforced. Kind of. It's a long story but the gist of it is that I'm without my Streamyx (crappy as it was) and I'm now putting up this post using sloooooooooooooow dial-up. (See how much I love you guys?)

Anyway, I owe L B a tag, so here it is!

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(special translation of the post title for Simple American: Rinnah's layer cake. A traditional Malay delicacy made of many many thin layers of cake stacked to form a block-sized cake)

L B was peeling onions the other day and wanted to know more about me. But onions make me cry (I am so NOT handy in the kitchen), so I decided that kek lapis was the way to go. I like kek lapis, by the way. :o)

Layer One - On The Outside

Name: rinnah (but that's not my real name, of course!) and I also answer to ryarin (pronounced as ree-A-rin)

Birth Date: This year it was the 4th Sunday of the first month

Current Status: Wishing I was anywhere else but the office (because this is where I'm answering the tag)

Eye Color: Dark brown

Hair Color: Black on top, light brown at the bottom (because it's growing out the previous dye)

Righty or Lefty: *sings Beyonce* To the left, to the left...

Layer Two - On The Inside

My Heritage: The NRIC says Chinese, but my true heritage is Baba Nyonya (with very very diluted strains of Japanese / Portugese, I'm told)

My Fears: Too many to list... *looks behind chair to make sure no one is there*

My Weaknesses: Uhm, also quite a bit... better not list it just in case!

My Perfect Pizza: Domino's extra cheesy thin crust pizzas with any topping *slurp*

Layer Three - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

My Thoughts first thing when I wake up: Do I need to go to work today? It's too darn early! 5 more minutes...

My Bedtime: Used to be 6am (when I was studying), then 5am, then 4am, then 2am... now it's 11pm or earlier, say around 10.30pm (I know, I can't believe it either!)

My Most Missed Memory: Being on vacation in Club Med Cherating with friends and especially with him

Layer Four - My Picks

Pepsi or Coke: Coke, the original. Chilled and straight from the can, no ice please

McDonald's or Burger King: McDonald's because I like the fries there better

Single or Group Dates: Depends on who my date is - I don't want to get stuck alone with someone I don't like!

Adidas or Nike: Can I choose Reebok? No? OK-lah... Nike it is then. I like their Women's range

Tea or Nestea: Hmm... Japanese green tea hot, Nestea cold

Chocolate or Vanilla: I'm assuming this is ice-cream, hor? I want McD's vanilla cone dipped in chocolate... Hehehehe

Cappucino or Coffee: Ice-blended latte! Can or not? If don't have then coffee lor... but it has to be Ipoh White Coffee or Kluang Station kaw kaw coffee

Layer Five - Do I...

Smoke: No. My lungs are smoke-intolerant. As is my nose and eyes. *a-tishoo!*

Curse: Shhh... not out loud

Take a Shower: Scrub-a-dub-dub... of course lah... if not dirty worrr...

Have a Crush: Not currently. Had many when I was younger. Maybe the expectation bar is too high now...

Think I've been in Love: Yes. First love is hardest to forget

Go to School: I finish liao! No more school... hoping to go back to uni for my MBA in three years time. We'll see...

Want to get Married: Yes, but only to the right guy - if he ain't coming my way, no

Believe in Myself: Most of the time. When I'm not being pessimistic. *grin*

Think I'm a Health Freak: I think healthy and practice healthy, but not to freak levels lah...

Layer Six - In The Past Month...

Drank Alcohol: What alcohol? That's for special occasions only...

Gone to the Mall: Yes, yes, yes and more yes. Now which mall were you referring to again? *wink*

Been on Stage: Go on stage for what? No need lah...

Eaten Sushi: Yes. Yum! Sakae Sushi! Got 5% discount mah...

Dyed your Hair: Not lately... last time was one year back and it's still here! (See answer to question five, layer one)

Layer Seven - Have I Ever...

Played a Stripping Game: Yeah... see who can strip the baby of clothes the fastest and change the nappy. Oh, not that kind of stripping? Then no lah...

Changed Who I Am to Fit In: I am chameleon-like but usually not able to sustain the disguise for long. *borrow from chen* I am who I am...

Layer Eight - Age...

I am Hoping To Be Married: Was supposed to be this year. Not gonna happen. *shrugs*

Layer Nine - In a Girl/Guy...

Best Eye Color: Dark brown

Best Hair Color: Any color but preferably not white

Short or Long Hair: Short and neat; wavy optional, curls not. Hahaha...

Layer Ten - What Was I Doing...

1 Min Ago: Duh! Answering this tag, of course

1 Hour Ago: Reading some blog feeds

4.5 Hours Ago: Joining KL traffic to come to work

1 Month Ago: Most probably at work

1 Year Ago: Also at work, but at a different job

Layer Eleven - Finish The Sentence

I Love: many things in this life

I Feel: like a prisoner right now. Prison Break, anyone?

I Hate: feeling helpless

I Hide: my thoughts unless you're a close and trusted friend

I Need: to escape...

Layer Twelve - Tag Five People...

I think most people have already done this tag. No tag! Unless you want to do it, of course. Then be my guest!

Wanna holiday?

I so want a holiday... And today's newspaper says that Wesak Day is confirmed to be on 1st May on the same day as Labor Day. This means that we'll be getting two days off. Whoopee! If I could only take the Monday off, I'd be set for a five day long weekend. Which makes checking out HotelReservations.com something to do on my to-do list. Let's see if they have anything that's suitable for a weekend jaunt!

Don't be fooled by the name, this website does just about everything for your next vay-kay. Check availability and book your hotel, your flights / car rentals online or by calling the toll-free number. I like that the website is so user-friendly it comes with options for different countries, languages and currencies. English? Check. Spanish? Check. They've even broken down the hotels by city or region, so you can zoom in quickly on the link to where you want to go - brilliant for saving time. Once there, you can opt to search by availability of room, facilities or even hotel brand name or browse thru the list of hotels till you find one that's suited to you (or a name that you like. LOL!). But that's not all. Like all good reservation websites, HotelReservations.com has a city guide that offers suggestions on where to go, what to do and see, and what to eat for each major city in its repertoire. Even better still, the website has this search feature that allows you to specify the type of vacation package you require, accomodation + air, accomodation + car, etc. Another nifty feature is the activity search, which shows you all the activities / festivities happening while you're in town. If you're on a budget, fret not because HotelReservations.com lists out the prices of all the hotels, motels and vacation homes that you're considering, so you know exactly how much you're looking at. And if you make your booking before 31 May 2007, you can even get rebates of up to $100.00 on top of their guarantee of lowest rates. With connections to over 20,000 hotels and resorts worldwide, I'm pretty sure you can find a place that's just right for you.

Now I can start planning the much hoped for trip to the Maldives sometime in the near future. Care to join me? *wink*

Strange dreams

I had the strangest dream last night. Maybe it was because I'd been thinking too much about these things that they all got tangled up in my subconscious and translated into my dreams. My dream was quite long, but the gist of it is that...

I dreamt that I was asked to marry a prince of a far away land (who turned out to be Hiro Nakamura of Heroes!?!?!) and I refused because I was still in love with someone else and I didn't want to be locked up in the golden cage of the palace as it would happen when I did. My free spirit said no, but eventually my sense of duty won over (hey, it was for the good of the country! The only way to save planet earth) and I agreed, only to find myself having to placate a childish, pouting, temper tantrum throwing Hiro (who was upset that I didn't agree in the first place) by playing the piano (which I don't do in real life).

I think I dreamt the above because:
~ I am secretly frustrated with having to carry out obligations and duties that restrain me from doing what I want to do
~ I watched The Prince and I, and The Curse of the Golden Flower yesterday, ergo the themes on marrying into royalty and palaces
~ I want to watch Heroes so so so badly (this is entirely L B's fault for raving on and on about how good Heroes is!) and of course Hiro is everyone's favorite character
~ And part of it was related to my post on this person and also because there's another person whom I think is childish

You say strange or not? :o)

What I did on Easter Sunday

It's Easter Sunday today, a day of thanksgiving for many people all over the world. Most Easter Sundays would find me and my family in church, but seeing as how we'd already gone yesterday, this morning was time for us to carry out filial duties and visit the graves of our dearly departed. Because of events that happened last year, in one fell swoop the number of places to go had doubled from 2 to 4. A bright and early start found us on a look for fresh flowers. We visited three markets in the neighborhood before we found an Indian woman selling flowers and bought some from her at RM 2 per stalk. Apparently there is a shortage of flowers in Cameron Highlands? I guess all the visitors must have bought all the flowers in KL.

Of all the graves I visited today, I am most drawn to my maternal grandmother's. It always leaves me with a certain sense of tranquility. But I never had the opportunity to meet her as she passed away a year before I was born. From the stories I hear my uncles and my mother tell of her, she must have been one very special woman. Hers was not a very different story from most women of her generation. She was given away as a babe and single-handedly raised eight children with little or no help from others. Working all day and half the night was the story of her life and when they could, her sons tried to give her the best in life when they could afford to do so, that she could finally rest. Her time with us on earth was cut short by the effects of second-hand smoke from her husband, who ironically continued on for many a year after her passing. Words often used to describe my grandmother are always kind, loving, compassionate, fair, generous to a fault. Traits that I wish I could say I inherited from her, as her daughter (my mother) did. I can only wish that I had the experience of meeting her, knowing her and being loved by her.

If you're looking down on me from heaven Ma Ma, this post is for you, from your granddaughter.

On missing someone...

Did you ever have someone entrench themselves so deeply into your heart that it seemed that they were part of you? We were strangers when we met, but over time I found that I knew him as well as I knew myself. I knew what he would say, knew what he would do, knew just what he thought. And it seemed that maybe he knew me too. When I was feeling down and discouraged, I didn't even have to be there with him and he would call. Just like that. We could be miles apart, and still it would happen at that very moment that I needed him the most. Some may scoff at it, but I believe that we were connected beings on a different, unseen plane of reality.

We've gone our separate ways and are living our individual lives now, but just a word from him is enough to bring all those memories back. It's as if I haven't moved a step in time, that I'm still there in that place, that time, that year. The emotions that the memories bring, still as strong as ever. I thought I had managed to put it all behind me, but apparently not. If I try hard enough not to think about it, it doesn't affect me. But when my guard is down, it overwhelms me.

I miss him very much.

Ultimately...

I found this picture on the Internet. It accurately sums up what I feel life should be about - doing my best and enjoying it. And this should apply to every aspect of my life, not just parts of it. Impossible? Maybe. But I'll certainly do my darndest. I'll be taking some time to figure out my new goals, aims, priorities and objectives. Hopefully, I'll list it out on this blog when that happens. *wink*

Inactivity

I realize that I've been very inactive of late - in almost every part of my life. And all this inactivity has led me to slow down tremendously. I talk slower, eat slower, think slower, drive slower, I even walk slower! *imagines an upside-down sloth in the jungle* The only upside to all this inactivity is that the pace of life is very much less hectic and stressed (except for the very brief periods of stress in the office daily).

I think the effect of all this inactivity is showing, because I am getting lazy! Lazy to think much. Lazy to do much. Just what I need to do to get through the day. I still haven't found my aim in life, so there isn't much spark to get me going to do what I need to do and go to the places I should go. I thought I would enjoy this time of inactivity after the stresses of the past three years, but now I find that I actually long for something meaningful and productive to do. Like my life and my work actually mean something to somebody somewhere.

I didn't use to be like this. Three years ago I was on a mission - to study and get my degree while simultaneously working. I had plans to get a car, plans to change jobs. All of which I accomplished in short order because I set my mind to it. Now that it's been there, done that, I don't know what else to do.

So my gear's in neutral and I'm just coasting along. I'm waiting for the next road sign to come up and see if I should turn off or not. Or maybe I should draw my own map and go where I want to go. If I know where I want to go, that is.

And the winner is... ? ? ?

OK, so we have come to the end of the month of March... time to tally up the scores and see who has walked away with the Gold, the Silver and the Bronze medals for Chuppers from this T H H C™ resort. Without further ado... *drumroll*

1st place Gold medal - kyh with 22 huggie points!!!
2nd place Silver medal - l b with 13 huggie points!!
3rd place Bronze medal - may with 10 huggie points!

Other lucky chuppers this month include:

4th - angel with 9 huggie points
5th - chen with 8 huggie points
6th - ah boy with 6 huggie points
7th - simple american with 1 huggie point

Oooh yes, and I made it into L B's Premier Hug Hug Club! Hahaha... on my first try too!

Happy April Fool's Day to all! Don't get fooled now, ya? *leaves hugs for all*