Reviving the blog

for the nth time. Seriously I think I have some kind of illness. I get distracted WAYYYY too easy and WAYYY too fast. I will say yay I'm going to revive my blog and the next thing you know, I am once again using this as a platform to get to my favourite reads faster.

I changed the title of my blog to 'A click away' cause really, this is one click away from my day job. I share more personal thoughts on Dayre but maybe here I will write proper long ones like my recent Hard Rock experience or recipes I've tried and loved or just those more exciting stuff.

I try to rant and complain less here though since I have Dayre to do just that. I dayre at www.dayre.me/pingping

Go on and check it out. I quite like to write there cause I can read instant updates of everyone there and I just love how convenient it is for me to type wherever I go. Blog post requires more dedication, more time and more effort.

Ok, in my attempt to revive my blog, I shall not write too much and will update soon with my Hard Rock experience. Let's hope my effort this time around last longer.

Life updates

It has been almost a month since I last blogged here. I find my life fairly mundane and there's nothing much that I can blog about so I stopped blogging. But I turned my attention to Dayre where I update like nonsense every day.

Anyway, Christmas is like....1 more week! I have done nothing Christmassy at all cause I don't have the tradition or more like stopped the tradition of getting gifts for people. I realized that I am not much a giver and spend most time being a taker instead. So being a giver will be my resolution for next year.

I really hope Daniel and I will get our own house soon cause I don't know, that is like my aim for the very near future. I pray that God will provide us with everything that we need. As of now, I will have to clean my room which has been like a dump for like forever!!!

So,

1. Get a house.
2. Be more of a giver than a taker.

New year resolution. ^^

Interview?

Basically sent in my resume yesterday

Got a call today to go for 

Interview tomorrow!

Mad things happened in 3 days.

And I was like "Aiya, all my friends got the job already,

I am sure they have filled up all the positions.

But it's okay, I'm gonna send in my resume just in case they need people in the future."

And got 4-5 missed calls this morning!

I was driving so I didn't hear it ringing AT ALL.

Checked my phone once I got out of the car and 

ta-daaaaa so many missed calls

Called back and got greeted with the automatic call-operator.

Called back and asked for a few people and in the end got to the person who called me.

Tomorrow interview.

"God, You quite amazing hor?

I'm gonna believe this is from You cause I really gave up hope already.

But you gave me this. I was thinking, what else am I good at? 

I am relatively okay in teaching and I would love to try other things but for now, 

whenever I go to jobstreet, I will reluctantly scroll back to teaching cause that's what I know. 

And when I was typing the cover letter, I found back the reason why I wanted to teach in the first place. Whatever it is, I surrender it to You. You are so amazing You can do anything la!"

So off to prepare for my interview tomorrow.

 

Staying Positive

Taken last Sunday in the car in SP. Beautiful clouds. Came back to Penang after that to haze and rain.

At times like this, it's difficult to stay positive.

Especially when your close ones are not helping.

Lots of self-hating, self-loathing, frustration and anger.

And then I am reminded of what I told my students in Sunday School.

"Is our God BIG?"

"YES!"

"Is our God GREAT?"

"YES!"

"Is there anything our God can't do?"

"NO!"

"Can God help us with our problems?"
"YES!"

"What must we do when we face problems or difficulties?"

"PRAY! TALK TO GOD!"

Yet here I am, trying to do all things MYSELF, relying on my own human strength.

Of course God works in wonderful ways, ways we never imagine or even thought of.

He may not work the way we expect Him to work but His plans never to destroy us.

I can only do so much myself, but with Him, I know He will bring me to where He wants me to be.

Need to stop being a hypocrite. Telling my kids how wonderful God is and yet I myself struggle to understand this simple thing that God wants us to do.

Our God is a GREAT, BIG GOD who created all things wonderful. Just look at the clouds!

He who can create all wonderful and powerful things can help me.

And He who creates the sharks, the crocodiles, the beautiful clouds, sunset, sunrise,

all types of fish, birds, animals, the sea and the land, the ENTIRE UNIVERSE from NOTHING

is willing to walk alongside with me, guiding me. 

God who is willing to go BEFORE me and bring me with Him will never fail me.


ps: A good and very comforting article
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/5-lies-every-twentysomething-needs-stop-believing

Refueling

with word of God. Woke up at 8am today (and intend to do so from now on) to spend time with God and then do my work. It's true that those who work from home need 3-4 times more discipline than those who work in an office.

Listening to kids worship songs while doing my work. Not a bad thing to do. ^^ A little sleepy but decided not to take a nap since my lunch break was slightly longer (with television and short rest on the bed slotted in).

So now back to preparing for my class so that I can clear off the rest of the time for demo.

Felt more energized after reading the word of God. I need this refueling. Been letting myself wander in the desert without looking for God or too "busy" for God for wayyy too long. Time to get back to the one who gives me Living Water, unceasingly.

ps: These simple yet innocent worship songs refreshes me. I've got the love of Jesus in my heart. And I'm so happy!

Minion Craze

Minion craze struck the country with fans lining up as late as 12am and as early as 6am to get hold of their very own minions. For the first batch, it was quite easy to get hold of it. Come 2nd batch, I went to the nearest McD which is just below our apartment at 11am to be told that they sold out all toys the night before.

Then for the 3rd batch, the boyfriend woke up at 6.30am to line up but ended up with 4 of the same design cause the other design was sold out. Now some may think I am like many other girls who wants this minions so bad that the boyfriend has to wake up wee hours in the morning to get it. And when he couldn't, we went at 6pm to another branch which was rumoured to restock their minions. Surprise, surprise, I wasn't exactly dyinggggg to have them. I was rather neutral about it. I wasn't crazyyy bout it and I am even less encouraging about waking up at 6.30am just to line up for it. I rather sleep. I am not complaining bout the free McDs tho (until I have to eat 2 sets and then the thought of eating 2 more makes me sick).

Anyways, the boyfriend was the one who wants to have the collection so badly. He said that it will be his last time to do such crazy act as he is going to start work soon. So I let him. Why argue with a big boy? Anyways, just got him to get a MyDeal deal where he purchased 6 minions (thank God are those that we missed) at RM59. Easy peasy, no need to wake up at the wee hours and stuff our face with burgers and English muffins and pancakes just for the toys. Or even put ourselves at risk to get into a fight with other angry and impatient patrons. Win-win situation!

Thermos Cooker

Have you heard of a Thermos cooker? Basically how a Thermos cooker work is that you cook something over the stove until it is very hot and then you transfer the whole pot into this Thermos cooker. The pot will be the one that comes with the cooker. And you close it and the food will continue to cook for another 2 hours with the heat that is trapped in it.

So it only uses a 15minutes gas but cooks for the next 2 hours. Of course that also means you must have a lot of time or prepare way ahead of time the food that you want. I saw this promotion in groupon or something and wanted to get one for the boyfriend so that he can cook himself some soup and then cook the rest of his dinner with Thermomix when he is home from work. I know he wouldn't cook soup for himself after work so this may come in handy. Luckily my mum and his mum seems to own one themselves so will have to see who can find their Thermos cooker first. I am not in any way saying that Thermomix is not good enough but it is always good to have another appliance to make his life easier. This one that I am showing above is RM600++. Not exactly cheap for something that can only cook like soup, braised dishes or curry. If it wasn't for the one in groupon that is about RM88, I wouldn't even consider this. But then again, we wouldn't know the quality.

Big Bonus

I went to Sunday School this morning and I had to help out with the kindy since only one teacher left there today. Most of them were out of town or away.

I've always been in the standard 1-3 and the only problem we have there are chitty chatty kids. And maybe some blur case ones who look at you as though you are talking gibberish. So going into the kindy was a bit different cause the students are wayyy cuter. Like a 6 year old answering you definitely cuter la sorry older kids, I love you too. =P

So after like 30 minutes into the class, a boy said he wanted to go to toilet. So I asked if he knows how to get there himself. He said no, so I walked him to the toilet (not really, he seemed like he knew his way, so I walked him halfway and decided to go back to class cause I have 4 more kids to control). Thinking back now, I shouldn't have. Ok, no more such mistake.

Anyway, 2 minutes later, he came back, and told me, "Teacher, I mm mm in my pants."

And I was like O.O okayyyy....and said, "Go back to the toilet and wait for teacher okay?" and immediately signaled a more experienced teacher for help. I looked out of the class and saw droplets of little poo poo on the floor. So we had to clean up.

I rushed to the toilet to check on the poor boy. He stood quietly in the toilet. So I asked him to remove his shoes and socks and asked if he has stomachache. Poor boy said, "Teacher, no pain." So I said it's okay and removed his pants. Sprayed his bum bum. I asked if he wants to em em some more and let him do his business.

Then it dawn upon me. I am going to be a terrible mum and I seriously need training. Cause I almost puked when I had to wash off the poo poo from the pants. Thank God for another teacher cause she took it from me to wash. I cleaned the boy up and lent him new pants.

After that, I thought to myself, I will feel like puking when others do (even if I just hear it). I will feel sick if I smell something bad (like mm mm). I am bad to the point that if I enter a smelly toilet, I might come out without doing anything. And tell the boyfriend, "Baby, I can't." Initially he would go, "What do you mean you can't?" After a while, he finally knows my pattern and each time we would find a toilet high and low only to be greeted with me coming out and say I can't. Poor boyfriend. And he would be angry with me cause it's super unhealthy to keep my pee pee or poo poo in like that. T_T Sorry boyfie, I tried.

So I need more trainings. But that doesn't mean you should send your poo poo-ed child to me. Thank you.

So my big bonus today.

Homesick and Jackpot

It is a public holiday and I should be home!!!!

But no, I am here, don't know for what. =( I miss my che che. I didn't see her properly for few weeks already. Cause she is always flying!

Next week, next week I will pull her face to mine and stare at it for a long long time.

Anyways, while everyone else are having their short break, I am doing some work and getting them done as soon as I can. I've been getting weird dreams and through my dreams, my boss kept giving me work that we did not discuss earlier. And last night's was the worst. He wanted me to go to each and every taxi driver to interview them. WHAT?! Our research is on students going into higher education. Ask taxi driver for what? Thank God it is a dream.

So the above is about me being home sick. =P

Then.....about the jackpot. I am currently selling Thermomix, and two of all people (about 10 la) that I asked, JUST ORDERED it before I managed to ask them. Jackpot also not so easy kena, I kena two times!!! So unbelievable. So Thermomix is selling like HOTCAKES now!!

I better go and inform more people about it. Hot cakes hot cakes. Selling like hot cakes.

The Old Me

I think I used to be more interesting and exciting! I read my old blogs (yes, I just found one hidden somewhere) and I think I used to be less self-conscious and I blog about EVERYTHING and ANYTHING. I used to blog more also.

Nowadays, when I am free, I just do nothing or I'll probably cook something or bake something but most of the time I lie on the bed and stare into space. I need more motivations. I have motivation in cooking/baking something special now that I have Thermomix but occasionally I get bored and lazy too.

I basically spend Monday with a little work here and there, Tuesday and Wednesday with work and night with Wolfpack Burger. Thursdays are usually lazy days which will continue up to Sunday (with a little work throw in on Saturdays and Sundays).

I am trying to be more discipline in my work and not laze too much. I basically need to give myself datelines to finish up work so that I actually get things done. I'm a little bored with working from home now. Maybe I should get a proper job. Or open a cafe!

I have my to-do list lining up today and I will be tackling them one by one today and hopefully by tonight I can clear them off and call it a day.

So you know what? I am going to make some efforts in blogging. Even if I have no readers T_T. I'll most probably not blog about my previous trip but I'll try. If I have nothing to blog then maybe some pictures may make their way in.

I'm gonna try harder! My cookwiththermomix blog is also er....abandoned.So lots to be done. Need to un-lazy myself. Been in this mode for wayyy too long.

Running around in a circle

And sometimes I don't know what I am busy with also. It felt like I've been busy since I left for Bali and have never stopped running around.

my 25th birthday passed by just like that and I'm one year older. And then convocation, and then a few days of resting and I started running again between my jobs, my tuitions, Sunday school and church activity. I didn't even have enough time to slow down and breathe. Maybe this is what Ps Sam in Daniel's church said by a distraction more than an open door.

Slowly taking off some weight from my shoulder, letting go and let others handle it. Cannot allow myself to be caught up with so many things, I feel so tired in church and I can't concentrate in my walk with God. And that is VERY important looking at my relationship with Him now.

Worst is that people think that I am pretty free and has nothing to do but I have a lot in my plate and they keep piling them up on me. I know you are busy, but guess what? So am I!

Will blog with pictures once I have more time in hand (which I will ended up using to read some books -.- sorry)

Job Searching Woes

You see, I don't do what I'm usually supposed to do. When I'm supposed to relax, I'll find 1001 things to do. Now that I'm supposed to read up my dissertation and try to justify whatever I wrote, I'm looking for jobs (something that I will not do when I'm free).

Now that I may get my Masters degree soon, I decided to check out some websites for job. Guess what I found? Admin clerks get better pay than say tuition teacher! You know how tough it is to be a tuition teacher? Seriously, it's not all happy and dandy. There's lesson plans, exam to plan for, students to control. There's a lot of hidden work that you don't see teachers doing in class. And to know that admin clerks get paid better is really NOT FUN! Anyways, not like I'm going to work for others as a tuition teacher anymore. Sick of getting peanuts when I have to do so much work. Tuition teachers (in tuition centres) are seriously underappreciated and underpaid, except for selected few.

The ones with good pays are those doing sales! And you know I can't sell anything which needs persuading. My persuasion skill is really working on the boyfriend only. Continues for job hunting because I don't like this feeling of being broke!!!

I just got my DropBox so I hope more blogposts after this with pictures from phone easily accessed.

I can haz new banner

Boyfie doodled this for me when I asked him to make me a banner that reminds him of me. As you can see, There's a girl who walks in front and pull her boyfriend behind her. That's really me. I walk really fast on my normal pace. Then there's teddies, flowers, movies, popcorns, airplane, presents, my Thermomix, him chasing me, our potted plants. These are really what we do most of the time, except for him chasing me. There's car but the car is so much bigger than my little kancil. There's submarine and boat (which I don't know why they are there) and there's also lanterns. On our first Valentines, I had cg until like 8-9pm or something. And he wanted to surprise me. So he set up lanterns all over one of the hidden field in USM before fetching me.

He even paper folded flowers for me.

Ok. I got distracted and went to read my old blog HAHAHAHHA...

Back to work. Been watching lots of good videos on youtube lately. Will share. =)

Goals until end of 2012

Pao and I set our goals while we were at the training just now. Mainly because our 90 days challenge ends on the 31st of December so it makes an apt goal to achieve before 2012 ends.

We will......

Attend the meetings and trainings diligently so that we are qualified for the 90 days challenge.

and

We will.........

try to do at least 4 demo (praying that two will bear fruits!!!) Uni has been crazy, duties are coming in, it's really hard especially now I have to purposely wake up early and try not to sleep too late (lest I can't wake up) for morning run and I feel that day has been cut shorter for me. But I know that I have a GREATTTT God. And I can do ALL things through Him who strengthens me. So I shall persevere, knowing that He is with me and I will be okay at the end of the day.

34 days till the end of December!!!! =) We shall end this year on a beautiful note.

Blogs have been boring. I will try to update more next week. I have to sacrifice Marshall Burger's opening okay??? It's not easy, just bear that in mind, it's not easy.

Wrong timing

Like when I feel like taking a nap but I just washed my hair.


So I decided to continue doing my work and maybe sneak in a short reading time. Been reading on this book on the footbinding custom which is really an eye opener.

It's called Snow Flowers and the Secret Fan. There's a lot of description of the process and what happens until they got married. I've yet to finish the book. Trying to finish up as many books as I can before I go crazy in BBW book fair in December. The boyfriend is bringing me!!!! *hops around*

Updates on Hatyai will be done soon, maybe on Saturday or Friday evening. =)

Hatyai Day 1 - Evening

If you have missed out on the previous post, click Hatyai Day 1. That post was until we went back for nap till 5pm.

We got the van company we booked to drive us around on Day 1 evening as we had not been to the places we want to go and we did not want to risk getting lost at night in Hatyai on our first day. We paid RM10 each which total up to RM100 to the uncle to bring us to Floating Market and Tesco Lotus. It was rather worth it cause there's air-cond and we get to sit comfortably in the van and laugh at jokes the uncle made. And we did not get lost or get separated.

So Day 1 evening was Floating Market day. Before you get to the floating boats, you can already see rows and rows of shops selling awesome stuff like snacks, accessories, knick knacks and clothes.

Mandatory first picture before everyone went in their smaller groups

Boyfriend and I

Fresh Lotus

Fried Quail Eggs- Swee Win's favourite!!!

Bugs galore

choosing sunnies

 Finally the boyfriend bought one sun glass after searching for it in Bangkok, Penang, Phuket and Hatyai.

My favourite part of the day!! Choosing accessories

Give me MOARRRRR

Spoilt for choice and ended up bought a little only. Brrrr

Can you see tiny boats behind us?

Ah Yau center of attention cause so tall!!!!

Boyfriend and I with Diana and a dog photo bombing us

 

Food sold on boat

Clay cups

each got one. SUPER EXTREMELY SWEET drinks. Can get diabetes.

Us

With Yi Lin

Roti Canai with condensed milk

Coconut ice-cream, really wanted the chicken but mum and boyfriend didn't like the ice-cream.

I didn't manage to get this chicken clay thingie from the shop as boyfriend and mum didn't like the coconut ice-cream. So we decided to walk around the area and found this shop!!! ALL CLAY CUPS AT THB10. Which is RM1. Shouldn't have bought so much of the drinks till I get sick from the over-sweetness. All because we want that cup. So I got my chicken clay thingie from this shop. Happy. They sell lights and other awesome clay stuff too. I think if you have a big house, you should consider the stuff here cause they look pretty nice and it's pretty cheap.

Siew Mai. No meat one, only skin. -.-

After we nom-ed so much. Boyfriend, mum and I decided to slowly walk back to the van area and rest. Cause I was getting sick from the sweet food. Next, we head on to Tesco Lotus.

After buying what we need like lays and interesting sweets, we went to have our dinner (only mum, boyfriend and I). And we had ice-cream there. This cost about RM11. Not bad. It's nice.

After that about 9.30pm Malaysian time, our van driver came and got us back to hotel. We rested and bathed and change before heading out for supper. I skipped supper except for a few sausages and bought some stuff from 7-11.

Note: Check out prices of chocolate (especially Snickers and Ritter Sport) in 7-11 and Watson before you buy any from department store or Tesco. From what I see during my trip, chocolate are cheaper in 7-11 and Watson compared to the department store. Can cost easily up to 2x the price in department store.

Snickers are mad cheap in Thailand, like THB20 in Hatyai for the long one that cost about RM3.80 in Malaysia. Almost half the price!!!

Humungous prawns. To see, not to eat. =P Cause mad expensive.

That's the end of day 1. Some of my friends went for massage while some just go back to the room and slept the night away. More coming up on Day 2 and Day 3.

Note also: Go to Lee Garden's Boots and look at the toiletries like lotions and hair products and tooth paste. Some can be 1/2 the price of that in Malaysia.
 

Hatyai Day 1

Planned for this trip like 2 months earlier. Went with the girls, my boyfriend, Nana's boyfriend, my mum and Win's mum. Yes, I brought my boyfriend and mum to the same trip and imagine how awkward it is to sleep in the same room with them.. HAHA But the boyfriend is ever so accommodating and takes good care of both me and my mum. Thinking of it makes me want to buy him his digimon. No..not really.

Anyways, I shall write down our itinerary because I think it's quite essential especially when you are going in on a Friday and you don't know what to expect or what to do there. Mine has always been a 2 day 1 night trip but this time around, we decided for a 3 day 2 night trip since we have a holiday. And yes, I bravely went there one week before my proposal presentation. No regrets though.

Day 1
We left Penang at about 6am, got into a horrible human traffic in both Malaysian immigration and Thailand immigration but managed to get out of it quick enough because we have awesome van drivers.

And at about 11am our time, which is about 10am their time we reached and checked into Asian Hotel. Mad love, super near the malls, has newer and nicer rooms than Lee Garden and serious, I love this hotel every since I went there few years back. Will definitely go back again cause it's very convenient and nice. Not too expensive either, about RM110/night.

Note: We booked using www.booking.com

Thank God for safe journey and super keng van driver cause we managed to arrive early and the hotel has rooms for us to check it as early as 10am!!! Was mad happy cause I was so tired after my futile attempt to sleep early the night before. Another group of people whom we saw at the borders reached about 1 hour and had to wait another hour for rooms.

So after we were done with resting and fussing over our rooms, we walked to the next road to the mall beside Lee Garden for our lunch. Sizzlers for our first meal, a girl could splurge a little right? Especially when she has her mum with her. =P Born cheapskate.

Interesting hotel card

My favourite girls in the whole wide world

First meal. Don't ask me why both our mummies are standing with Yi Lin!

Pretty and colourful hair pins. Mad expensive though.

Just cause Swee Win says it's the OLDEST BOOKSTORE OKAY?

Mad cute!!! Boyfriend didn't tell me. =(

Psy waiting next to our hotel for buyers.

 V neck, bright colours. CONFIRM FOR GAY LOR, according to the list given la.

Then we went back room to nap and rest till 5pm! Will update that on another post! =)

Redbull

Paid RM2.60 for it to keep me awake throughout the night. In the end, Redbull sat on my table from 10.30pm to 5.30am cause I went to bed at 10.30pm. Wasted my money. But nevermind, decided to take it when I woke up at 5.30am to do work cause I'm still mad tired.

Walao, don't know how people can drink it. I mean it taste nice, but it gives me this headache like the one I got after drinking a whole cup of over-sweetened lychee at floating market in Hatyai. I think it's the sugar. Too much that it makes me feel sick. Once I'm done with this whole presentation thing, I'm gonna blog about Hatyai, every bit of it!!!

Just let me get over with this presentation okay? Lots of things to do and so little time!!!!! Thank God for awesome supervisor though. Helped A LOT! I know it's God's blessing. He knew what is best for me and prepared this path for me to get to know this lecturer better and work under her. And because He has helped me in this, I have faith that He will pull me through. Just gotta finish up my part, present and let Him take over! Now, let me continue with my work so that I can nap at 10 or 11 later.

Upgraded

Since Jamie, my Thermomix came to my house (like 2 days ago), I've stopped cooking on the stove (COMPLETELY). I've been cooking rice, stir-frying, blending, making soy drink and kneading bread with my Thermomix. She has officially cooked at least 5 types of food by now. Not bad for a beginner. Trust me, I've only been to the demo twice (like recently, don't talk about 2 years ago okay?) and I've managed to make so much.

Proud of Jamie and myself and the boyfriend. =P Just showing what I've been cooking for the past two days.

Day 1 - Rice with Stir-Fry Vege cause we bought Ayamas. Just came back from training. Too exhausted to cook.

Day 2 - Eat the same stuff as the day before. Freshly fried vege and leftover ayamas. T_T

Day 3

Rice, Sweet Sour Chicken, Stir Fry Broccoli and Carrot

Soy Drink

Wholewheat Sausage Croissant

Never had such juicy, crunchy sweet broccoli and carrot. I've never been good with broccoli cause I always ended up under cooking it, making it taste bitter. Or over cooking it and make it turn yellow. But Jamie does it best.

Forgive the excessive sauce. Was trying to cook my usual dish with Jamie, my Thermomix. It worked, just a little too wet. But it taste AWESOME.

Soy Drink. With all the fiber, VERY HEALTHY

Wholewheat sausage bun with cheese (some only) for the boyfriend to bring to KL. And also to bring home. Free from preservative!!

This marks the end of my week 1 cooking as I'm going home tomorrow!!! Stay tune for next week!!! I'm very proud of myself, the boyfriend and Jamie. Thank you God for blessing us with Jamie, our Thermomix!

 

 

 

Never give up!

It's okay to fail once in a while. Just pick yourself up from there and start again!!! I shall never give up!