My Blueberry Nights

Watched a movie just now. Interesting one. Non-conventional.
It stars Norah Jones and Jude Law as the love interest and directed by Wong Kar Wai. His movies are a little offbeat and mostly difficult to understand sometimes. He likes to use a technique I don’t often see in other films. It’s the colors; it reminds me of movies that are old and film that is over-exposed, garish tones, neon lights. He likes to use movements of objects too, the speed and rush of the subway and the trickle of melted ice cream through a slice of blueberry pie. Most people would find this movie boring, I think. It is a little slow moving. I was looking for a point in the movie at first. But until I stopped searching and let the movie play it out, and then did I get the meaning of it. At least, how I interpreted it.
It’s about a girl who met a guy. You’re probably thinking that this is the same old story of most love stories. But hang on. This has an interesting twist though. Unlike most movies, Lizzie (Norah Jones), doesn’t sleep with Jeremy (Jude Law) after the first meeting. I must admit, I kind of thought that would happen. So the movie managed to surprise me.
Well, Lizzie’s nursing a broken heart, she meets Jeremy whom she can talk and write to about anything. She goes away from New York to heal her broken heart and to forget her memories. Meet’s a couple of interesting personalities along the way. Al had different versions of interpreting love. Familial love, husband and wife love, companionship…
Interesting as I said, very signature of Wong Kar Wai, don’t think any other director has this flair. I’ll leave you to find out the ending yourself, if you ever get around to watching it that is. It might be a boring film to you though, or who knows, maybe you would learn to enjoy it.

More of Penang...yess overdue

Francis Light's Memorial at St.Georges church. The church was closed. I was longing to go insdie. I'm pretty sure they would have all these high ceilings, probably dotted with long necked fans, windy, and pleasantly painted cream, with old wooden pews and a giant altar at the front.
Anyways, the Francis Light Memorial in the grounds spoke of a man who although supposedly painted as a tyrant sent to conquer us, was actually remembered affectionately in the plaque. Now we don't remember tyrants with affection do we? He must've been a good man.




The restaurant tucked away in a little corner that we had our dinner on the last day of the trip for work. Nice, but a little pricey. We must've looked foreigner like.


The cloudy and gloomy weather over in Queensbay.

Penang's Heritage

Check out the really traditional type of temple and YAP Temple, side by side.

One of the many temples on the island.


Ahhh...yes, good old Fort Cornwallis. I learnt a lot there.

Check out the Brylcream inscribed on the cover. Never would've thought this hair cream had so much history!
I've always wanted to walk around Penang like I've seen all the tourists do. Never got the chance though, because every time I went, it was with my family and they've got like a standard list of places and food they must have. So it's almost similar every single time. Well, finally got the chance to satiate my thirst for soaking in culture, amidst a very happy sun, I might add.
The pigeons reminds me of Trafalgar Square. This place's name just sticks in my mind.

BuSy, bUsY, BUSY...

Man, know what that word means? I thought I knew what it meant, and then at one point, but then it morphs into something even more defining for the word. You think you're busy when you've to send 5 reports in one day. Wait till you need to submit orders for the entire month, submit reports for 12k worth of stocks (which you've to dig out from the screwed up computer system) and allocate stocks for the change of season, about 14k worth of them in a few days...wowee...
You know, but I would rather be busy. It keeps you from wandering, in the mind I meant. Idle minds are the devil's best playground.
I didn't think I would willingly go back to work on Saturday when it's my official rest day but it's almost becoming a norm for me to go back for a few hours some Saturdays to clear my workload.
I thought that was my limit. But then, today I went back for a few hours too! I know! It's a Sunday. It's supposed to be rest day and all. But I'm glad I did go back after all. The few hours helped clear some of the workload. Not to mention that I got a pleasant surprise after all. Thank God for landlines. My cell's battery was dying.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, monday, monday...

Grabbed from a dear friend's blog

"Melissa
- My housemate, hmmph. Melissa don’t know much about her (psst mysterious girl).The reason why I say don’t know much about her is because not that she is snobbish, in fact I would say she posseses a very nice and pleasant personalities. She has a very nice smell … no I mean smile. Dimples haha. Thanks for helping me find a room.
Ashlee
- My 2nd housemate. Gosh she is one lovely girl. She cooks, she’s caring, and very understanding. She would sit down with me and chat bout stuffs and insisted on looking at my photos. Thanks for all the heads up.
Calisa
- Ash’s sister. She inherits all the good values from her sister or was it the other way around? She doesn’t like durian, loves junk food. I’m still amazed how you can mix potato chips with rice and giving me the finger licking good sign. I must try that sometime haha … Best thing is she invites me for dinner everytime she and her sister prepares dinner. Thanks for all the food."

Lol, I never knew a friend who wrote these about me and my sister. LOL, but it's nice. And I hope he finds peace and friendship that last for always.
A good buddy once told me to reassure me when he got together with a girl. "Relationships come and go but friends are forever."
I'm not sure how it makes his other half feel if she read about it. I don't think I would be very happy reading that if I am her. But it brings a small measure of comfort to me being his friend that I don't lose his friendship because he is venturing into another phase in life.

Screwed up system

I think I scared a few of my colleagues today. Guess they've never seen my screwed up face when faced with a screwed up computer system. Bad analogy, I know. But seriously, it's so screwed up that I am at a lost for words to describe it.
Ah well...
Tomorrow will be a better day.
What will it bring? Love? Hope? Peace? Joy?
Can I have it all? :)

Thoughts from a bridesmaid's story

Watched 27 dresses yet?
It's a romantic comedy. One of those where one doesn't need to think too much, is reassured of a happy ending and fuzzy warm feelign at the end of it.
;) don't mean to be cynical. I like this genre pretty well. It does wonders to help one unwind and relax at the end of a tense day. So, on a rainy evening, curled up at home and watched this particular movie.
Is it possible that sometimes we want something so badly that the thing that we need is passing in front of us, yet we're blinded and can't see it?
Or is it possible that sometimes we think this is what we need but the very thing that we need is right in front of us?
Or maybe we don't even know what we need or what we want?
What a laugh!

On an unrelated note, I want to give thanks to God because a part of what I've been fasting for has been answered, and answered beyond my wildest expectations or what I could even dream of.
A friend who has been diagnosed with uterus cancer was to have the operation some time this week. She has had it. BUT BUT...I just found out today that it is only the lining of her uterus that has been removed not the whole uterus.
Which means she has a chance of becoming a mother! I'm so, so glad that the doctors are taking a chance with her. I think the risks are obvious. But I will continue to pray for her. I hope she gets married and have babies. Yes, that's a plural! LOL...
Thank you, all who prayed.

Now...I am still fasting, and praying...hopefully the rest of the parts will also come true.

It never goes to waste

Lately I've been thinking about the question. What if the item you're praying and fasting for doesn't turn out the way you wanted it to? Does it mean that all your efforts were futile, that it was useless?
Would I be disappointed? Would I lose heart?
I believe so. It's human, it's natural.
But I also believe that my prayers and fasting did not go to waste and they won't go to waste. Stubborn child, ain't I?:)
I believe something is going to happen. Even though the item that I'm praying and fasting for doesn't happen at once, I believe it WILL, or better still something better will happen.

But of course, as of now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that what I'm praying and fasting for will come true. I really do. I must've prayed so hard for something at some points in my life, but I can't remember when.

Dear God, please remember me and the items that I'm praying so hard for. Would you please allow us a chance?

Mika Nakashima's Sakurairo Maukoro

Bracelet

It's made up of a few strands caught together in a vintage gold clasp. Beads are pearlish, brown and transparent amber, capital "G" in the middle of a strand.

Versatile enough to wear for a Chinese dinner, or a shopping trip downtown.

Retailing for $25 (Malaysian Ringgit).

Earrings

From Guess Accessories, a vintage pair of earrings, heart shaped loops, with a capital "G" dangling and a strand of amber coloured stones.
Perfect to glam up a simple outfit, or just for a day out with the girls.

Retails at $25 (Malaysian Ringgit).

Bangle

Hi all, have in my possession some original pieces of accessories from Guess by Marciano. The bangle below here in my page is retailing for $25 (Malaysian Ringgit). If there're more than one person who's interested, I've to consider putting it up for bid. *winks, therefore I do hope that there are more than one person liking it.


A cluster of pretty beads dangling elegantly from the wrist. Simple enough to wear to classes, yet elegant enough to wear for a night out.

Black and transparent beads, a silver heart shape, a silver "g" representing Guess and a smaller silver heart attached to a small black bead, all held together with a thin black ribbon.

It would make a perfect gift either for a sweetheart or a gal friend. Please drop me a comment if you're interested. Or email me at ashlee1910@yahoo.com

First Spa Experience

Thanks to a one of my girl friends, my sister and I got a spa treat! Well, let's just say that a spa session is divine but you can't be self concious because err because well, you have to strip, so...
;)
The first thing they started with was ear candling. It was supposed to be cleaning your ears, improving blood circulation and for relaxation. The first two criterias passed, but I really must veto the last one. I was nearly hopping about with tension.
They sort of stick something like a lighted candle in your ear. Ok, that was exactly what it looked like looking across a wooden screen at my sister's side and without wearing any glasses. I was so worried it'll burn us or something. Not very comforting was the fact that exactly the same thing was sticking in my own ear! So, relaxing it was not for me.

We chose something called Pure White, which included a body mask, which I presume was something to do with milk. Can't really see what color the substance was because it was so dim. But they put it on our backs first then only the front. It was so cold! The environment plus the lotion. Honestly this is a terrible simile but it was what crossed my mind at that moment while I was shivering away. Lol, I felt like a piece of chicken or meat being marinated. * winks, I hope that doesn't squelch anybody's desire to visit spas!
After that, we were treated to a really delicious bubble bath. The water was just the right temperature, we soaked in there and almost fell asleep. The view from the window was pretty too after the rain in the evening.


Ahh, I can think of someone who'd love this mirror. I like it too. Bold.
After quick shower, we hopped back into the room and to the massage that followed. Awwwwesome. I practically refused to leave. Yes, it was that good, the masseuse lady smoothing out the kinks in my shoulders, back and neck applied just the right amount of pressure, without being too harsh or too soft. Lovely. That was one of the best massages.

They have this round hole for you to stick your face in so that you can breathe while lying facedown. Usually in most places you just stare at the floor, but here they put this floating daisy, which looks pinkish in the dim light but is actually orangey yellow in color. I thought it was a pretty great idea though.

Idle

Don't ask! I've no idea what those wines recommended are and where to get them!

Bali? To be considered...

Crap, the thing is I can never tell right after taking a picture if it's blurry. So disappointing when it comes out on the computer and it is. Anyways, I still like it.

F1

The specs I read meant little to me. Titanium, aluminium, speed...a single word comes to mind. Light.

As fast as light, as light as air.

But one fact stuck in my mind. Cars like these can go from 0kph to 140kph and back to 0kph in 1 second?

One SECOND?!

Haha, I took one second to write "one second". Fast.

News

The man behind the Mandarin version of Superwoman.

Lately I've been photographing news from magazines. Interesting way to get news. Any copyrights policy do you think?

Sad Bear

My colleague has this really sad looking bear sitting on her dashboard. She loves that bear, it's been with her since she started driving.
What is the little bear thinking?
"I wish I could get out and experience the world instead of sitting in here watching the world go by, they seem to be having so much fun out there."
Little bear might have a point.

Favourite Breakfast

The view from where I am sitting. Quiet residential area.

That morning was a little cloudy so it was good to sit out and enjoy the cool breeze and fresh air.

Favourite food, breakfast food.

I know, don't tell me I make you hungry. Go and open up that frying pan and cook your own!

Luxury Chocolates

Coffee and cheesecake

A mouthful of creamy cheesecake with the taste lingering on your tastebuds, take a sip of coffee. The fragrant and contrasting flavors tingles on your tastebuds.

I tell you, there's no dessert like coffee and cheesecake.

Paycheck

Past midnight and I couldn't sleep. I was watching Paycheck on television. I thought I haven't watched it before but I think I have, I vaguely remember some of the scenes.

Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman stars. The good engineer creates a super machine that enables men to look into the future. That was going to make him filthy rich, agrees to sell it to the highest bidder and have his memory wiped so he can't create another. He's used the machine to see into HIS future, knows his buyer's going to seal off all exits and have him murdered, leaves a trail and clues to save his own life and the woman he loves. He gave up 3 years of his memory. In the end realizing that the machine he created means the world will end because men saw into the future.

Working backwards, men saw the future and men makes the future happen like he saw it. Isn't it ironic?

Anyway, it had a happy ending. Good guy destroys machine and lives happily ever after with the woman he loves. Uma Thurman's eyes are so arrestingly blue.

On an unrelated note, pictures above taken in KLCC on a cloudy afternoon a few weeks ago.

From an ant's point of view

SPM Results

Call me ignorant. I didn't even know that the results for last year came out. LOL
That was until my sister told me my youngest sister had got her results.
It was pretty good and I'm proud of her. She was telling me about applying for universities and scholarships.
That transported me back to the time when I was doing the same thing a few years ago. Okay, maybe more than a few years ago. Okay maybe nearer a decade ago. Crap! That IS a long time ago.
It was a confusing time when I didn't know what I wanted to study. Come on, how could I know what I wanted to be for the rest of my life at 18? Honestly, I just wanted to play. ;)
I was not one of those committed few who knew that they like medicine or engineering and was so focused on doing a course and then being a doctor and have a career in engineering forever. I knew what I like. But what I liked was apparaently too generic to have a course for. Or so generic that a number of courses covered it.
Ah, well...I never regretted how the course of my life turned out. I wouldn't trade a second of my life because I realized that I've learnt lessons at each turning point, at each crossroads, for eac of the decisions I voluntarily made or was forced to make.
Hmm, maybe I should trade my entire life...bad joke. ;)
For my sister, I know she's got her own decisions to make. I know she's got her own choices and life to lead. But I hope she knows that her family will stand by her for life and she's never to fear.
So cheers to my baby sister who's venturing into adulthood and life decisions.

Enthusiastic Photographer

The wobbly results of pplaying enthusiastic photographer while maneuvering a moving car! LOL...

Allure of Hope

Hope produces a deepened desire, an aching waiting.
Now isn’t that a new way of looking at hope? I’ve always thought that to hope means to clasp one’s hands in anticipation, with limpid eyes looking heavenward. That would be a picture of serene, peaceful and stillness.
But locking my thoughts onto my experiences, I’ve always been impatient, restless, aching for things I’m waiting for, desire deepening as time passed. I put it down to my character, to my impatience of waiting for things to happen.
Disappointment, betrayal, confusion. Over and over again.
It is not the dream itself that is the point. The point is how the dream opens up the weary heart.

Charms

Charms in One Utama. The decorations are interesting, bright red and an odd mixture. I had the fried cheong fun, which was fried and garnished with sesame seeds. A tad saltish but quite a satisfying meal. Portion's quite big. I couldn't finish mine. The fried lou shue fun wrapped in egg had a similar taste to my dish, though without the spiciness.

Dome's

Fish therapy

Spa like environment.

This is getting quite popular now. They use these little fishes to err eat your dead skin cells on your feet. Sounds totally gross I know. And it's ticklish!!

San Francisco and the tower of KL

Shaky picture, cos I was driving when I took this.

First visit to San Francisco Steakhouse was an interesting one. They managed to pass the service standards. Lol, I sound like some kind of expert on this but anyhow, I believe that as a client, one would have certain expectations towards the service that one gets whichever place one visits.
In truth their service was only slightly above average. But I’ve frequented so many places that have crap services that an average service seems very good in comparison. Did we bring our standards down?
Lowering standards, is a good thing or a bad thing? In our expectations of life? In our expectations of a partner? In our expectations of ourselves even?