Nostalgia

don’t know about you, but sometimes when i hear a song over the radio, i’m transported back to a particular time and place where i connected with the song. memories come flooding into my mind and i remember exactly where, how old i was, my surroundings, with who i was with, what i was doing, etc as i sing along with the song, remembering the lyrics fully with all the expressions from the singer(s).

it’s crazy… i don’t know how i’m able to do this, must be my superpower! (watching too much Heroes). my dad used to say if only i can remember my history books as well as i remember lyrics!

so just about 10mins ago, the radio played Wilson Phillip’s ‘Impulsive’; and all the memories of singing some of the band’s fav songs with Mel came back to me. i recall vividly our Std 5M classroom upstairs, a bit dark and cool with wooden plank flooring, battered wooden tables and chairs – lazy days as sometimes the teacher was absent and we’d start singing together. this was one of our fav songs – Mel’d be Carnie and i’d be Chynna (yea, we need another person to be Wendy but no one had a voice as good as us, right Mel?) LOL!!

Recycling and Kuching

when we got back to Msia and were in Penang, i was pleasantly surprised that the state has declared a ‘no plastic bag day’ for every Mondays and Thursdays. i’m unsure to what extent this campaign is or how closely it’s being followed by the various businesses in Penang, but Jusco sure was one of the active participants. we were shopping there and since it was a Thursday, we had to buy a shopping bag to carry our purchased items; reminds us so much of Brats coz that’s what Ayl and I do every weekend for grocery shopping. we carry our own organic shopping bag, or we use our own trolley and load it into our boot. so seeing my beloved homeland starting out this campaign gives me a good and proud feeling, though i have no doubt that those who do not  have this kind of mentality would be cursing away at the hassle and inconvenience of it all.

why the bother all of a sudden? we’ve been using plastic bags for centuries and things have remained the same ever since!

what difference will one plastic bag make?

then what am i going to use for my rubbish?

anyways, i brought back the Jusco shopping bag to Kuching and had in mind to use it when i go to supermarkets or grocery shopping. i definitely didn’t notice it before until i took the shopping bag with me one day and asked the cashier to put my items into the bag instead of the plastic bag – it’s a norm for most Kuching supermarkets to tie a plastic string around the loaded plastic bag (shut tight); so that it cannot be opened unless it’s cut, so that ppl don’t steal. at that time with me at the register, the cashier had to ask ‘the person in charge’ (of security i guess) if she could upload my purchased items into the shopping bag i produced. i suppose they were really confused by my request, but he gave the nod of approval after checking me out. i must seem honest enough.

there was another funny incident that happened here in Kuching as well. i was buying something (can’t recall what exactly) and at the cashier’s, i told the lady i won’t need the plastic bag coz i can easily put it in my bag and to my surprise she asked me ‘why?’

errrr….. for one main reason is because i simply don’t need a plastic bag for something i can easily put into my bag. i don’t need to have a layer of plastic for everything i buy, esp if i already have something that can carry it on its own, otherwise my bare hands will do too.

let’s think GREEN!

Stuck in Catcity

life is super duper slow here; if not for Arielle’s daily antics, i can literally sit around the whole day and ‘phak bang’ (chase away mozzies). come to think of it, if not for Arielle, i really really don’t have anything to do at home… maybe start cleaning the house or finish ironing Ayl’s brothers’ big basket of unironed clothes. which was what i did the first time i came to Kuching (for 3 whole weeks!!!) before we got married.

yesterday i got to meet up with Pick Hiong and Jennifer (junior friends from UKM) and over some very expensive and ‘chic’ drinks, we caught up with each other. we met at 7pm, and all of us already had our dinner at home… hahaha! if we were in KL or Penang, we’d be having dinner together instead of after dinner drinks. sighs ~ Kuching life! it’s a norm if you want to go back home for lunch or even just to ‘pang sai’ (use the toilet) and rest for half and hour. everything is slow and easy here. a perfect place for retirees i’d suggest!

anyway, more of it when i have more to write about… since i’m at home only most times. *yawn*

Quick update

yea, i know i haven’t been writing anything much… but that’s just coz my PC’s fan gone nutz and when it overheats, it shuts down automatically. so now that Ayl has bought a small table fan, and it’s sole purpose is to keep the PC cool, i guess i can quickly type in some thing here.

we’re so looking forward to the trip home, that’s all we’re thinking about, that’s all we’ve been talking about. the buzz in church is also the same thing as we’ll have our current pastor leaving us (Pastor David Schick & wife who’s been here for 5 years now) and some church members leaving Brats either for new working contract or for summer vacation. our close friend Annette & family will be away for 5 weeks.

will update soon about the farewell party we had for our Pastor at the British Residence – the house of the British Ambassador, the loft is super big and super nice and also about our itenerary in Malaysia!!

as for now, we’ll need to go out for groceries ~

ai agreeeeeeezzzz…

Co to je?

i am so proud of myself!

on tuesday, Arielle and I went the nearby grocery store to get some veg for the week. because it’s a self-serving store, i had to weigh & print the price tag on the stuff that i’m getting. the thing is, i’ve memorized some of the things i’m used to buying like garlic or capsicum, and for some, the codes are clear for what items i’m getting. but i was getting some carrots, and i didn’t know which were the codes coz i don’t read Slovak!, so i was kinda stuck in a position there.

arielle was getting annoyed having forced to sit for so long on her pram, so i had to act quick before she starts; so i had no choice. i turned to the lady nearest to me (who didn’t look friendly) and asked her;

Prepacte. Co to je? (excuse me. what is this?)

and then suddenly she smiled warmly and tried her best to help. i was so glad that she turned out to be a nice lady, was really quite intimidated and nervous speaking Slovak for the first time.

Mrkva, she said.

And just to confirm the code, i said the numbers in Slovak and she said yes. YES!! i can converse in Slovak and with numbers too!!! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee… what an accomplishment. *pats meself on me back*

eh, don’t laugh la, i know you think i’d have learnt something so easy earlier but guess i was just too caught up being nervous and intimidated with the people to use it – plus Slovak’s not easy ok. but this is a good starting point for me to use the language more.