GOD I'm damn freaking sleepy now, I really got to turn in for the night so I can only blog half of this entry. I'll save the next for tomorrow. Seriously, I can't keep my lids open, I was almost falling asleep driving back from the office today. I kept nodding off at traffic lights and would jerk awake, damn afraid that there would be an irate driver knocking on my window and a cacophony of horns around me. You know what I blame this all on???? Early mornings and late nights staying up to read BLOG DRAMA. Seriously, I have so much to say on this issue but I have to wait til I sit down and properly write everything out.

One thing that *is* burning on my mind though is about bloggers and their advertisements and the whole hoo-ha over whether they ought to label them as adverts or not. You know what I think? I think... anyone who doesn't know when a blogger is blogging an advertorial is a retard. You don't need to have a freaking label or special "category" for me to be able to tell that you are obviously paid to write something. So I don't really care whether they label it or not because I know. And it's not the "I know because I saw someone else blog about it and now here you are singing praises about it" kind of thing. It's because I do something called LOGICAL DEDUCTION.

Maybe I would feel differently if I was a "famous blogger" myself being offered advertorials, because advertisers would prefer to ask someone who doesn't label the review as a paid review because of course we want to MAKE it seem like this person genuinely likes the product la. So if that's the reason then just say so.. "you buggers are hurting OR will POTENTIALLY hurt my income". Don't pretend it's about ethics and about cheating blog readers and all that. Most of the time, the readers know la. How honorable for you to think on our behalf. And honestly, I think it's more hypocritical to blog about things that you definitely won't be using and label it as a paid advertorial than to blog about things you do actually use and don't label it. Such as... which college to go to. If the reviewer is almost 30 and blogs about "oh , this college is very good" and NEVER ATTENDED the college before, then how you know the quality of the education? At most you can just talk about the facilities only, and personally, I rather have brilliant lecturers who show up on time and average facilities then wowza facilities. So if I'm taken by your ETHICAL PAID REVIEW that this college is GREAT, that their quality of education is good and dependable and then halfway I feel like these people who are supposed to be educating me doesn't have any brains, then how? Is it to say that just because someone labels it as a paid review then they wash their hands completely of helping the advertiser spread false information? The onus is on me because I saw it is a "paid review" and therefore should have been more cautious?

I'm just using college as an example because it's one of the most expensive things being advertised via blogs. College education yo. What's that compared to say, a Lipice? Which btw, I bought because of two reviews which I knew were obviously paid reviews haha. I have to say LipIce is quite nice to use though.

Anyway I know no one who gets paid advertorials reads my blog so no harm done. :P But if there are any who stumble upon this and reckon I'm talking about them, I honestly don't have any particular person in mind, just a mish mash ideas here and there. I'm not defending or not defending whether to put or not put the whole label on it, just think that some people do act too high and mighty just because they DO.

Woke up early the day after Raymond's wedding and was all pumped up to go to Penang island. Er... forgot to mention that Raymond's wedding was in Butterworth which is still the mainland. Haven't crossed the bridge yet! Had breakfast with the whole gang and when we were driving, had gajus air some more. =) Really an eating trip, no wonder til now I haven't lost all my "vacation weight". T____T

Oh yeah, 2nd day at Penang = 2nd of June 2008. 1st of June was Raymond's wedding and it's such an easy date to remember for me because 1st of June = day Simon and I "officially" got together and 1st of June is also the first day I started work in this bank!

Oily free chalet breakfast.

More eating in the drive to the island. We love gajus air!

Anyway, we couldn't stop by the side of the bridge to take pictures because there's construction going on to... I don't know what. Doesn't seem like they can WIDEN the bridge right? That's like... super intensive and extensive reconstruction right? Well, what do I know.

Towards the island, across the bridge and straight on til sunrise!

Of Doraemon endorsed restaurants and blue skies.

Again with the old shophouses.

This "beauty" was parked in the same hotel carpark as us.

Look like hell without the humongous shades on.

After unpacking at Oriental Hotel, we set out to explore the surrounding area (and scout for food too, who are we kidding). These were taken around Campbell Ave.

This cineplex only shows Tamil / Hindu movies... located just opposite our hotel.

Gu Gandang.

WTF @ Justin's pose.

Vibrant!

Police station down Campbell Ave which has meaning to us... because AhSiang called Raymond up one morning and asked him where we could find good "duck egg char kueh teow." Raymond replied, "Isn't Oriental Hotel near Campbell Ave?"
AhSiang, "Yes!"
Raymond, "Do you know the police station along the road there?"
AhSiang, "Ah.. yes! I remember seeing it!"
Raymond, "Yeah, you just go right on in and ask the officer to tell you how to find duck egg char kueh teow."
BAD COLLEAGUE!!!!

Flowers.. and stuff...

Justin says that this is a very artistic pose of Mr AIP's as it really looks like he just got dumped.

Stopped here for some makan time.

Showing you what it's all about.

Testimonials on how good the cendol is can be found etched on our faces.

Standing and eating because if we were to be served inside the coffeeshop, they would charge us extra. -____-

The coffee shop right next to the cendol store.

Clockwise from top left : laksa which was just ma-ma-dei, popiah which was also alright (at least better than the one in Asia Cafe), Ah Siang showing off the gooey goodness that is fried 'nian gau', fried yams & nian gau. The last two weren't from the coffeeshop, but another stall near the cendol stall. REALLY good stuff.

I'm getting a bit too addicted to the Virtual Bookshelf application on Facebook. I know, I know. People get addicted to Noggin or Scrabulous and I get addicted to a boast-about-your-bookshelf app. -___- I'm really tired - just came back from Body Combat's latest release. I think the tracks and choreography are really great... something that I would enjoy going for for the next month or so. EXCEPT for the "split the class into two" track. CRAZY AMOUNT OF LUNGES!

Anyway, its way too late for me to blog about the second day @ Penang --- there's like 120 photos to resize there. So here's a short & sweet entry about this "date" I had with Simon back in San Jose, haha. I CAN'T BELIEVE I WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE STATES TO EAT CHINESE FOOD. And bloody expensive Chinese food it was too. Erm, altogether it was about USD100... *still shaking head in disbelief* And you can't really see from the pictures, but the portions are HUMONGOUS. We ended up doggie bagging most of it. Simon, I hope you and Josh enjoyed eating the rest of it. :P

The obviously-influenced-by-Amy-Tan Joy Luck Place.

Which was doing brisk business. This was either the day before or the day after New Years Eve.

Simon and I. =)

We ordered pickled jellyfish for starters and zomg... this huge plate came out. I think if I could polish off the whole plate, it can be considered as a main meal already. That's probably an entire adult jellyfish right there. -___-
When the plate first came, I tasted a few pieces and I was utterly delighted. Good pickled jellyfish is so hard to find! But after more than 5 pieces, it's a bit of an overkill, y'know?

Each had a bowl of sharksfin soup. It guess it was alright, nothing to shout about. It's not like I think back on this restaurant and drool at the thought of the sharksfin soup. In fact, if I didn't take this photo, I would've forgotten we had it. No wonder the bill was so expensive then.

This is the vinegar for the sharksfin soup! This picture just screams, "I AM JAKUN! I HAVE NEVER SEEN RED VINEGAR BEFORE!!!" doesn't it?

Some tofu dish. I don't know why Americans like using hard tofu so much! Right now I'm cooking at home and following online recipes and they always ask for hard tofu!! Why don't you all like Japanese tofu!!

Some venison, snow peas and mushrooms...

Squab. That's like, some kind of pigeon, isn't it? Anyway, I ordered it because I don't think I've tasted SQUAB before.
IT TASTES WEIRD my friends. And I don't think it's the cooking style because er... the veggies around it tasted ok.
It's the actual MEAT ... blehk! What do they feed squabs? Shit?

Haih, looking back if I knew it was going to be like that, I wouldn't have eaten here at all. Jack In The Box or In N Out are so much cheaper. And then I'd have money leftover to buy clothes from Bebe. :)~~ (Of course, in one size larger, because eating In N Out does not make one skinnier). =)

VERSATILE... is probably the nicest compliment I've received regarding the way I work. I arrogantly believe this to be true. Talking about compliments, I'm damn jealous and kiasu when someone praises someone else and not me. Is it damn thick face to ask, "Yeah? How about me?" :P Is it damn thick face to reply, "I'm all that and more!" when someone brags? Such a hypocritical situation - hating someone who brags but wanting to do it as well. *slaps self silly*

Oh ya... today I lost my handphone!!!!!
Or so I thought! Hahaha, buat semua orang kan cheong for a while.

I also damn kan cheong... I left work at about 6pm to go to the post office to see if I could claim my RM625 "road tax rebate" thingy (answer : cannot claim until new form comes in on 1st July 2008) and to buy my mom a birthday cake (chocolate strawberry! does that sound yum or what!). While driving back to Subang I realised I forgot to take my handphone from the office, and was cursing myself all the way. Petrol prices not cheap lar, I *had* to realise when I was already back in Subang, already damn freaking sleepy... Well, whatever it is, after I settled my stuff at the post office and the bakery, I stopped by home to change to my gym clothes and then drove back towards Bangi. Thought that it would be a quick retrieve mission and then I could still make it back to Taipan in time for Body Combat!

BUT!!! When I reached the office, my N73 was no where to be found! Was damn emo ok, but I told myself not to cry (damn proud of myself for not bawling) and then searched high and low. Called my phone and there was no ringing tone to be heard at all. Oh yeah, in fact, the first time I called the WRONG NUMBER in a panic and this was the conversation that ensued:
Me : Hello?
Malay Dude who must be damn confused now : Hello!
Me : Er... is this 01x-6xxxxxx?
Malay Dude WMBDCN : Er... yes?
Me : WHOSE PHONE DO YOU HAVE WITH YOU NOW!!!!
Malay Dude WMBDCN : Har?! Mineeeee??? (In a very "DUH!!" kinda way).
Me : *Feeling damn bodoh already* Er... cause I'm trying to find my phone and I called my own h/p number and ..er.. you picked up.
Malay Dude WMBDCN : You're trying to find your phone and I picked up? (He also couldn't understand my plot)
Me : *SUDDENLY remembered that there was a caller ringtone and my phone doesn't have one* Aiyah never mind, I think I called wrong number.
God bless me la, want to dial my own h/p number also can dial wrongly. T_T

Searched my car 3 times, one time with a colleague watching and also worry-warted with me. Then I asked the security guards if anyone reported a missing handphone (I knew this would be damn unlikely since I was BLOODY sure I left my h/p on the CPU as I remember I was sms-ing Ian), and of course he said no and looked sad for me. Walked back to the office and then told myself to calm down and think what else I could do. So I switched on my computer and went through the staff profiles (contains the h/p numbers of all the staff in our company) and then called up Sifoo Wong since he sits the nearest to me.
Me : Sifoo Wongggggg... (dying voice)
Sifoo : Yeah? Whasssup?
Me : Did you see my h/p on the table before you left?
Sifoo : H/p? No. I didn't pass by your cubicle on the way out. I left shortly after you anyway...
Me : *almost tearing already* Oh.... cos I am sure I left it in my cubicle and now it's not there anymore!
Sifoo : OH... wow. Too bad. (WTF) Hey, ask boss if she took it.
Me : Boss won't take it la... I left my h/p in the office before, no one will keep it cos they know I'll come back to the office to take it.
Sifoo : No la, sometimes boss will take it.

And I called my boss and she did indeed see my h/p and then passed it to another colleague who stays in Subang as well!!! @#%@#$@#$#@ OMGzzzzz.. Apparently after I left, there were people calling my h/p and that's how they were 'alerted' that I left my handphone behind. Then they debated over what to do with my phone, and came up with the plan that Julia will take it home since I stayed nearest to her and "now that petrol price so high, not good for Leech to drive 70km to and fro for the phone... ya ya... have to pay another RM6.40 for toll", and then they would call my house and tell me my phone's with Julia. WTF. Damn emo. HAhahaha. Spent 40 minutes searching in the office altogether, so in the end I only arrived home at 10pm. Haih... my colleagues are truly caring. Seriously, when I thought the phone was gone for good, I just kept on suspecting certain people (I won't mention who) for having stolen it and I was thinking that if it's truly lost, I would QUIT working here because I can't work with thieving critters! How blessed I am that it is the total opposite! *_*

Okaylah, enough crap about the handphone trauma I went through. Here be pictures from Raymond's wedding dinner... which is the highlight of the entire trip to Penang.

Our table.

Raymond's nieces on duty. Nieces right? I think. Anyway the younger one is verrrrrry camera un-shy. :P

These are Raymond's "heng dais" (brothers from another mother).

A really good picture to showcase Raymond's "Son Goku" inspired hairstyle. WooT!

Robot dance!

"Touch of love" from Mr AIP gives Raymond a shock.

Good picture of the blushing bride and the grinning groom. (What a bad yet apt description of Raymond in this photo)

Raymond looks very happy to be opening a bottle of bubbly...

And here he is again trying to "cheong keng" from Alice in the cake-cutting 'ceremony'. :P

... and now he looks like he's elbowing Alice to get her glass of champagne!!
Er, he was actually trying to loop his arms around hers...

Outfit change!

HAHAHA! This picture is so funny because it looks like Raymond is giving a tour guide around the wedding hall. Haih.. why my colleague got such weird facial expressions! (Notice how Alice looks damn good and presentable in all the photos?)

Yam seng time!

Standing outside for final thank yous and goodbyes.

This is Raymond's sister, Mandy. Cun, right?

Me, Pauline and Ah Siang. I'm obviously just bumming about waiting for dinner to be served.

David and I.

Justin and David standing. Pauline and I seated. Yes, I got to play with the dSLRs too! :P

Me and Pauline. Slight tilt of the head makes me look somewhat different! Angles are so important, people!

What the heck... told Justin to take a photo of me and Mandy, but it looks like the person zoomed in to take a close up pic of Mandy only and cropped me out!!! X( X( And I somehow look like I'm staring jealously at her here. T_T

There's only one person here who is aware that there's a camera pointed in their direction, and it's not me or Pauline.

Camwhoring with dSLR. Never thought it was possible, but never say never. ;)

Fringe is getting too long.

Me, Pauline and AhSiang.

Justin and I.

I'm giving a lecture at the wedding dinner, hahhaa. AhSiang looks like Superman with his "Super Hearing" turned on ("Is that a cry of help I heard??")

Leech about to attack ...

with rose petals!

Dessert!

Two more solo pics of myself that I like.

Celebrating mom's birthday tomorrow, won't be able to have my 5-class marathon in Jaya33. Drats! Haven't been gymming in ages! Due to workload in the office, trips, random SHITE happening (like "losing" my handphone). T____T Ok, I go to sleep now.