"I'm still full." -Shangari S.

TGIF's has a new set of mouth-watering desserts - in shotglasses!!
How precious! :D Only RM3.90 each.

Anyway, pictures speak a "thousand words", so I'll save you having to read my regular thousand-word blog entries and just upload some photos from today. :)

As for how the internship is going, May Yen and I have just received the material we need to start work - so I'd better get started! :) Let's just say that by the end of my internship, I'm probably going to know a helluva lot more about Fiji, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Laos than I ever thought I'd find out. Human-rights-and-governmental wise, that is.

Also three cheers for the freeing of Raja Petra Kamaruddin! :DDD

Have a good weekend, everyone - and I'll be seeing some of you at Absolute Bazaar tomorrow! :D

"Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavour." -William Cowper (English poet)

It's Thursday. Week 9 in Monash has just ended (for me).

Good news?

Afraid not! Seeing as Week 10 is The Week.

DEADline week. Note the emphasis.

With 3 major assignments due on the 18th and 19th of September... I can't help wondering, can I do it? Can I do it? Can I???

But I must!

I have no choice. So I shall persevere, and know that if I emerge from the end of this dark, lurid tunnel in one piece, I'll have grown. As a person.

Joshua (FEH WAYYYYYNE) says I am so good at dramatizing things. I TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT. :D It's a gift, I tell you. Ha, ha, ha.

I've decided that when if I ever weigh 55 kgs, I'll go and audition for T4YP. Hahahahahahaha! Did you knowww that in Form 4, my Chemistry tutor said that she could *see* me as an actress? Gosh. I hope I don't become like one of those desperados on American Idol who should really, really stop dreaming their butts off.

Besides, crying on cue is a blessing not everybody can possess. :D

Apart from my far-fetched dreams and ambitions, Monash has been hit by a political tsunami of its own! It was Monash University Student Association (MUSA) Elections Week! :) Banners, balloons and flyers outnumbered the number of lecturers in Monash. HAHAHA. All week long I was walking around getting the feeling I was in some sort of mini-Malaysia where BN and PR campaign and put stuff up everywhere.

[Pic: Yellow SMILE balloons I so badly wanted to steal, and pink SPEAK flags like the ones on Fear Factor.]

There were also 2 Presidential Debates (like the ones we see on TV between Govt and Opposition) - one held last week (which I missed coz I had NO IDEA about it!) and one held this week which I got to catch about 30 minutes, thanks to babi... hutan. :)

(You know who you are! ;P)

Politics aside - politics is too messy for someone as terus as me to get involved in anyway - I hung out with Supergirl after classes today. :) We bumped into each other and I was all for accompanying her for lunch! I got to show her some interesting stuff, hehehehehe. And I met her fellow Business School friend (whose name I dunno how to spell, a dude named Chi Wen? Zhi Wen?), who was so funny lah. He was like... (referring to me) "My new acquaintance is making me say hello to my primary school friends" hahahha. Funny story lah, but gotta keep this short (read above: 3 assignments) so we'll just deem it NFB (Not For Blogging).

I was in such a good mood after getting back my Contemporary Worlds 2 Assignment #1 (a website analysis) today. :D Although I made some citation mistakes (which I'll need to consult my tutor next week for). I learnt something new about assignments this week - if a paper is given a Fail (N) grade or a High Distinction (HD) grade, the paper will be "double-marked". It just means that it will be marked twice, each time by a different person.

Also, if your paper is double-marked, for some strange and unknown reason someone may cut off the top left-hand corner of your assignment with a giant pair of scissors, where the stapler was. o_O?? Maybe they want to photocopy it and couldn't be bothered to remove the staplers. HAHAHA.

Supergirl ate a pricey cafeteria meal lor. RM5 for the chicken alone. RM2.50/2.70 for the other stuff. But it was a lot of chicken. Hehe.

Ohh and what's interesting! My journalism lecturer, Wong Chin Huat, found this blog! HAHAHA. He talked about it during the tutorial today. So funny lah. My friends were all "HORRRR Sha-Lene what did you write in your blog arr?" -

But people, people, people. (Haha)

Cardinal rule of journalism (didn't learn it in class): never write anything you don't want read!

:D

Tutorials have been so cool (last week I did a profile on Lee Chong Wei, this week I'm working on employing fiction-writing techniques into feature writing), even though the MAC computers are still the "ASS" in the School of ASS.

I can't stand that there is no word count function, NeoOffice is STILL not as convenient as Microsoft Word, and eventhough I've worked my way around all the pitfalls to make do with what I have to work with ........................... maybe I'm just not used to it yet. I've only sat in front of that powder-white computer a grand total of 8 times, after all.

But I'm SO looking forward to the Podcasting Workshop I'll be taking on the 29th and 30th of this month! :D CAN'T WAIT! In that 2-day workshop (free of charge, limited spaces), I'll finally get to learn to optimise the use of the MAC computers! :) An opportunity I wouldn't miss for anything!

Speaking of opportunities, I've received the most interesting internship offer from Migrant Care (an NGO that looks after the interests of migrant workers) - to join their team in Jakarta! How cool is that!! An offer I just might pursue in the future. But my 2009 internship with ARROW is a priority, of course. :)

But priorities......... assignments are clamouring in my academic conscience.

Have a good weekend! :)

"Language is the means of getting an idea from my brain into yours without surgery." -Mark Amidon

Schoolwork is, inevitably, piling up ...

But all work and no play makes ... a lousy cliche.

Hahahahaha.

Leila came over today for a much-needed de-stresser. Her exams are on the 28th August and 2nd September... which is, like, less than 2 weeks away ... I know you can do it, Leila!! :)

I also wanted to show her the Magical World of Atria. Hahaha.

And she wants to learn a new language - French! :)

Lol. Maybe I'll join the classes too.

Bonjour! Merci! Escargot!

Pardon my French. Hahaha.

Lunch at Nando's... where everybody knows your name... :)

We had coupons so we saved like 10 bucks. Use your ASTRO coupons, people! :D


And a new store has opened in Atria, called "WHY PAY MORE?"
It's actually "Why pay more, when you can pay less?"

:D :D :D

In this day and age of price hikes and inflation, this shop is a godsend.
Everything is just SO much cheaper than in most other places.

I also introduced her to Big Bookstore Warehouse. Another godsend.

:) Don't you just love thrift-shopping? (:

Merdeka Day fever is just around the corner, and there's a play I want to go and watch at KLPAC. And one of my ickle wickle cousins is having a birthday tomorrow!

Which means I have to go offline and do my homework now. :/

Have a good weekend, all! :)

The Groove is Back in 1-Utama: On Sushi!

As a post-exam celebration for Carmen, we went to 1-Utama and decided to eat something "adventurous". Now, now, before you start thinking of Fear Factor-ish live cockroaches and bull's testicles or something, bear in mind that we are suburban youths who do not leave the house after dark.

Ha, ha, ha.

Kidding lah. But anyway, we went to that fairly new restaurant called "Sushi Groove". And I gotta say, it's such a cool place! It's like a newer concept than the usual conveyor-belt sushi plates, which frankly I'm not such a fan of, 'coz everything's so expensive and before you know it, you've picked all the prettiest sushi and simultaneously burned a hole in your wallet. :(

But here, you order things off a menu and 98% of the dishes are below RM10. There were also a couple of "communal tables" in the restaurant, so if you want, you can sit with total strangers and chat with them. Hahahaha.

Suffice to say those tables were all empty.

But I have to commend them on their new ideas, yeah! :) I've heard about those communal-type restaurants overseas before, usually in Western countries, where you can have dinner with total strangers and make new friends, but here - maybe Malaysians are not so used to that idea yet. :P Give us time, give us time!

Sushi Groove had something else to offer, besides refreshing new ideas:

M O C K T A I L S !

They also serve cocktails, wine, beer, soft drinks, the works... but mocktails are the best! :) Non-alcoholic cocktails. Hahaha. Besides, the actual cocktails were, like, more than RM15. Our moctails probably only added up to RM15.

And F O O D , G L O R I O U S F O O D !

Heheee. Delicious! :) We had the Flying Geisha, Takoyaki Croquette, Golden Gate and Mayonnaise Dream Rolls.

My favourite. :)

This was described in the menu as octopus and beef filling, but we only tasted flour and yam/potatoes. Haha. Kids will like this, but not the best dish to order.

Raw fish sushi: salmon and tuna. Delicious! :) And this is a lot coming from me, because I've never eaten raw fish before. There are also other types of sushi in the menu, like cod fish sushi, which I didn't order - but you could try it. Let me know how it goes! :P

Verrrry nice. Very dreamy. Hahaha. The topping was warm, so the whole thing just melts in a savoury swirl in your mouth. Makes my mouth water just remembering it, haha.

Moral of the story: Sushi Groove is a restaurant I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fresh Japanese experience. :)

Besides eating (always an activity for outings such as this, haha), we went shopping! Well, actually, we went window-shopping - but it was fun to try on clothes (we bought a couple - although, unfortunately, the JUSCO sale has ended and all the prices are jacked up again so we explored the other sales in other stores).

Then, before going home, we decided to conduct a social experiment to count how many people will stare if you take out your camera and start taking photos of yourself in a public place:

Haha, only joking. We really just wanted to take photos to kill time.

Ooh, and we bumped into Nirumala! She's an old friend of mine from primary and secondary school, and Carmen's classmate in upper secondary. :)

And the last thing I wanted to blog about (this will sound really stupid to anyone other than me, so you can just stop reading here - but I guess now that I've said that, you'll feel even more curious and want to read on): I finally found a cap that was within my budget in The Reject Shop! :D

I'm not sure if it's called "Reject Shop" or "The Reject Shop" or just "Reject", but you know which place I mean. All the other caps I see around are ridiculously pricey, between RM50 - RM100, and that's like - why, why, why on earth would anyone spend that much on a cap? But obviously, people do, and that's why those things sell like hot cakes.

But those are hot cakes that I refuse to afford, haha. So this, this I got for RM19.90 -- which is already pushing it! But I like it. :)

This is what it looks like:

Unluckily, the real world is not a snowflake fantasy land, so here's a dose of a classic bubble-burster:

I returned home all pleased with my "moneysaver" purchase, only to have Mum remark that it looks like a Chinaman's cap. :( Apparently the top is flat and not round, or something like that. It's torridly frustrating when I have no idea why something is bad. I wonder if anyone else understands what I mean.

And An Nie goes on to say it makes my head look big. But at least, to that, I have a ready answer: "My head is PROPORTIONATE to my body size".

Don't you just hate it when people don't tell you what you want to hear? Ha, ha, ha.

But now that I've received every possible criticism about the cap - "you look like a construction worker, etc" - I am now more or less immune to disses re my precious new acquisition.

But if you see me wearing it and you insist on making a negative comment ...

I will still be able to take it off my head and smack you with it! :(

Ho-hum. I really shouldn't let it bother me that my family and friends think the cap is shitty. I mean, I only need to wear it when I'm forced to be in the sun! And when you're in the sun, everybody's eyes will be all squinty to keep the sun out of their eyes, so nobody can see my cap clearly anymore.

So, really, I could have gotten a cap with green flamingoes on it and nobody would notice. I just wanted to get a cap (I've never bought a cap before, so I'm allowed to buy ONE, right?) because I'm tired of the company-logo caps around the house, although I still might wear the "Rock Hard Cafe" one. :) And hey, it turns out there really is such a restaurant in Phomn Penh! The "Rock Hard Cafe". It's supposedly really famous, too!

That's all for now. Good luck to those of you having exams, like Vanessa and An Nie! :)

PS: If you'd like to try Takoyaki (octopus, etc), there's a shop in 1-Utama that sells 3 balls for RM4.30 - cheaper than at Sushi Groove. I didn't try it, but Carmen loves it. My mum says it's just okay. So anyway, if you want to give it a try: it's this shop called "Tako" at the JUSCO supermarket place, where all the food is. :)

travel agents in jalan tuanku abdul rahman

While my darling friends from law school grappled with their emotions awaiting their Year 2 exam results to be released online, Leila took me to KL! :D (First years got their results yesterday)

We got to see where Hamsa interns at Dhesu Travel & Tours! :) Their tagline should be: "Where the destinations are hot, and the travel agents hotter!"

*Note to Dhesu: If you actually do use that tagline, you're going to have to pay me. :D Or honour my name in a silver plaque in your office. Hahaha.



Then all of us had lunch (at - surprise, surprise - KFC! HAHA), went back to the travel agents', then did several hours' worth of SHOPPING at the lovely li'l shops along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

Hamsa has the most beautiful eyes!! She is Iraqi. :) Middle-Eastern good looks!

I love Malaysia! :) Its food, its prices (even though they're rising, thanks to the fuel hike T_T), and most importantly, its people! Foreigners included. Hehe.

Glutinous Dumplings :)

The best friend and I met up over some classic "tong yuen" today. :D

She was introducing me to her favourite glutinous dumpling stall in The Curve/IKANO.

Yummyyy. :)

I recommend the Lotus flavour. Tse Mun picked Lotus & Red Bean. You can mix-and-match, but seriously, Lotus is the best. :) Sticky goodness!

Tse Mun :)

Yours truly :) With all her FOOD.

And her new favourite T-shirt. Bought it for a steal from JUSCO in 1-Utama yesterday with other BFF, Cheryl. :) The speech bubble was the thing that sold me. If I bump into you in that shirt, I'll show you why! :D

And both of us pictured below - we weren't playing at the kids' section, okayy. It just so happened that this was the only place with a table to put the camera on self-timer. Don't look at me like that. Hahaha.

My friends and I have been taking advantage of the "Sale" season that's sweeping some clothing stores recently. :D We've been trying on lots and lots of clothes - and usually we don't buy them (haha - we'll wait for the cheaper, lower-quality version to come up in pasar malam or the "must-clear-stock" bins) but sometimes, we love the outfits so much that we do actually loosen the tightly-pulled purse strings. :) Hey man. What with the rise of food and fuel prices, we can't afford to throw our moolah around anymore.

But since I've got back from Korea, I've "thrown" a part of my allowance at a few books (Big Bookshop warehouse in Atria, Damansara Jaya is closing in July 2008, people!!), a birthday present for Mummy (she picked out some gorgeous orchids), clothes (1 T-shirt, 2 brown tops because my best friends have suddenly realised that brown is a great colour for me), and lots of FOOD. :D

And now I've decided to spend no more money on anything besides basic survival food and cheapest-possible transportation - so, tomorrow, Shaun, Cheryl, Leila and I are off to Muzium Negara and fringe tourist destinations. :D Yayyyyyyy.

-------------------------------- Now, on other people's news :D --------------------------------

Leila, her baby brother and her friends pictured below. Such a nice picture! :D I think that guy in the white jersey looks like Eva Longoria's character's husband in Desperate Housewives. SO DASHING!! :P

On world news, "cellar incest girl will recover": http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7447975.stm. You know, that scary piece of news where the father raped his daughter and her offspring for many, many years? (The daughter was held captive for 24 years!) Sigh. What is the world coming to?

And my blog post from yesterday received its first negative response already. I was even called an "idiot" and referred to as "sir". Hehehehehhh.

After our two or three too-hot hours at the zoo, we decided to call it a day there and go to someplace air-conditioned. Hahaha.

Next destination: KLCC.

I was famished, but the cousins got distracted by the gazillion "SALE!" "50% DISCOUNT!" "ALL STOCKS MUST GO!" signs plastered all over Isetan. :) They literally finished up all the cash on their bodies! Hahahahahahahahahaha.

After the shopping spree, everybody was very hungry. :D After another bout of "you decide" "no, you decide" "no no, you decide" - we finally decided on Al-Marjan, an Iranian & Lebanese restaurant. HAHAHA. Surprise, surprise.

But ... after the lunch we had, I highly, highly recommend this restaurant! :)

At first, I was really apprehensive - I had no idea which dish I would like, there was nothing reliable or good ol' American like burger, fried stuff, etc - so every dish was going to be a risk. The only Iranian food that I really, really love is olovieh - but the manager said that, unfortunately, they don't make that there. :(

And the extremely, extremely handsome Persian manager being ever-present at our table in the ordering process, with everyone around me jabbering away in Persian, didn't help me decide any better. Haha. At first we just got a waiter like everyone else, and he was Malay and really cool because he had developed a basic Persian vocab - but then Mahshid started talking to him in rapid Persian, and scared him away, at the same time making the Persian manager appearing like magic out of nowhere! HAHA.

It was hilarious, because the 3 of us were on the constant lookout for would-be suitors for Mahshid (who, by the way, is single - good news for all you hopefuls out there: Leila said to call her cell if anyone is interested :D), and the Persian restaurant manager was such a Middle-Eastern hottie. Hard to say if we were drooling at the food or the dude. Hahaha.

But I've strayed from the story! Haha! Anyway, after an intense 10 minutes or so of foreign language overdose (although I think the manager was talking to me in English, I'm not sure - I didn't pay attention HAHA), he rattled off our orders to confirm and walked away. I was so shocked, I didn't remember ordering anything! Haha, then I asked Leila if she had ordered for me - and she had, ahahaha. She was so confident: "You will like it. I am sure." (As it turns out, she was right! :D)

Mahshid had the Lebanese Shish Kebab, which the menu described as "simply marinated minced New Zealand lamb with herbs, and onions, Lebanese style". She forced a piece on me - I tried it, and it was delicious! :D And this means a lot coming from me, because I don't like to eat lamb. :)

Leila had the Lamb Koobideh Kebab: menu says, "This typical, distinctive Persian specialty is made of minced lamb simply flavoured with onions and saffron, with the flavors of the meat taking centrestage". She also made me try hers - and good thing I did, because it was really, really delicious too! :D

Last but not least, I had the Jujeh (a.k.a. Chicken) Kebab: menu says, "A generous portion of chicken breast with a citrus-saffron marination, this dish is redolent of tangy herb flavors". I cleaned the meat right up. :) It was really magnificent - I ate it with saffron rice (as did my friends, with theirs) and the onions went perfectly with the food too. Yummayy! The Lebanese bread is like pizza - but I've had a bread overdose from my vacation, so I only took a bite of mine.

After lunch, we went walking around KLCC - and then we went on the Skybridge adjoining the twin towers. :) We were first taken to the exhibition area (like a mini-Petrosains), then into a 3D film theatre, where we were treated to a 7-minute yawn-inducing video, which I don't remember anything from - I think it was basically an advert to say how wonderful Petronas is - and finally, into the lift (interesting to note, according to the guide who brought us up, the lift moves 4-6 meters every SECOND - so it took approx 40 seconds to go up to the 41st floor! wow!).

I got home at about 8pm, and have now fulfilled my promises to Mahshid and Leila to blog about this. :)

Mission accomplished. *Yawn* G'dnite and take care, everyone! :)