The importance of prayer

So the Australian Federal Election has come and gone. Australia is now led by Kevin Rudd, Labor leader. I don't quite agree with some of his policies but the Australian public obviously think differently =) Anyway, I came across Mark Conner's blog (senior pastor of city life, knox) and what he says is quite true and I thought of sharing it with you guys:

Regardless of who you voted for, we need to pray for Mr Rudd, for his party, and for all the candidates who were elected - in both the House of Representative and the Senate.

"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message that God gave to the world at the proper time." [The Apostle Paul - 1 Timothy 2:1-7.
NLT]

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On a different note, Brendon Nelson has been newly elected as opposition leader. He is a doctor by profession which is quite a change from the assemblage of lawyers!


Off to gym!

Day out + Restaurant reviews

I heart Bangsar! Bangsar rocks =) For me, Bangsar has always been a place to party (eat, drink and be merry) but never a place for me to shop. Today, Wei Chee brought me to all these nice boutiques at Bangsar (Jalan Telawi 2). The clothes there are sooo cheap!!! Seriously! A dress for RM 69~! I reserved a dress there. Am gonna pick it up either tomorrow or the day after.

Pheebs, I envy you =)

Xenri Japanese Cuisine

If you love sashimi as much as I do, this is THE place to go. Seriously. It's definitely value for money. The sashimi grade is as good as the Jap restaurant at KL Hilton or Shangri-La Hotel but it's half the price. The restaurant only uses premium ingredients and raw products flown directly from Japan twice a week.

It's a small little establishment off Old Klang Road. It's not very visible and it's fame is only spread by the word of mouth or occasionally, reviews in newspapers. If you enjoy sashimi such as raw prawns, mackerel, sea urchin, raw scallops, butter fish, yellow fin, blue fin tuna, you definitely walk out with a happy stomach. The salmon melts in your mouth *drool* Being a small joint, the service there is excellent. The chef and the waiters know their stuff and are extremely courteous. Nowadays, courtesy is a rare virtue in Malaysia. The dishes are well decorated - the largest platter of sashimi is served on a wooden boat with ice. Our platter had an ice igloo on it.

The head chef is the guy called Kew whom my family had followed religiously for years from when he was working at the Renaissance Hotel. My parents know him pretty well and even attended his wedding.

I recommend:
Chef's Special Sashimi platter (its premium sashimi served with freshly grated wasabi)

Special House maki

Spider Maki

Suki Yaki

Lunch bento box







No. 9 Wisma Elken
Lorong 4/137C
Batu 5, Jalan Kelang Lama
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-7783 8118
Business Hrs: Daily, 11am-10pm

Delicious cafe

Wei Chee and I patroned Delicious cafe, Bangsar for lunch today. They have a few branches in Klang Valley. There's a nice comfortable feel to that place - you know, when you feel at ease and certain that you won't piss them off for ordering just water (as oppose to juice or coffee) and sitting there a tad too long. I ordered the seafood speghetti and Wei Chee ordered the open-faced chicken sandwich.

My pasta was not too bad. Actually, its probably pretty good by Malaysian standards. I've tasted some really bad pasta in KL. That being said, I had really bad pasta at one of the restaurants in Melbourne Central the other night. The pasta was olive oil base and they garnished it with basil. It had the right amount of salt but in my opinion, the olive oil could have been a little stronger and they were a little stingy on the seafood. But again, I'm very picky when it comes to pasta. I give it a 7/10.



I didn't try the chicken sandwich but it does look good =)





Delicious cafe by Ms Reed
Bangsar Village 2
Bangsar

Ah Wa

I kid you not, this place serves the best "tai chow" (big stir fry) noodles. I recommend the Hokkien noodles in all its greasy glory. Its serve with deep fried lard as well (all authentic hokkien noodles must be served with the lard). Today, we ordered 'Ikan Bakar' as well (sting ray). The table's consensus was, 'its not too bad. It's not overly burnt'.

I dont have pictures as I was too busy stuffing myself with food.

Ah Wa
Jalan 66, Jalan 14/48
Petaling Jaya
(the corner coffee shop behind the shell station on jalan 222)



p/s: I just strolled into my parents room and found my dad watching 'Animal Planet'. My dad is such an interesting character to observe =) Cheryl and I always get a kick from observing him. He does and says the funniest things. He loves watching Animal PLanet - more accurately, he loves watching episodes on the typical animals such as lions and crocodiles. heh. Lions arent that interesting to observe are they?

Home is where the heart is

Im back in Malaysia. To anyone visiting or anyone who wants to contact me, call 012-3954380.

Touched down at KLIA last night. I fell asleep during the last hour of the flight and woke up when we were landing. The wheels against the runway caused a loud noise, I woke up thinking that the plane was crashing. haha. The first thought that ran through my mind was, 'is it engine failure? Okay, what should we do now? How do I jump off the plane' I'm overly panaroid i tell you.

So, after heading for supper, we went back home and as my usual routine, I went through all my old musky photo albums. I love doing that - going through photo albums in the middle of the night. I don't know why I do that every year - going through photos for at least 2 hours. Perhaps, I'm afraid that if I stop refreshing my memory, I might forget the experiences.

I went to the pharmacy today. Apparently, I don't have ringworm. The pharmacist thinks that its a combination of some eczema reaction plus fungal infection. Argh, I dont know anymore. I just want it to heal. Ill try out this eczema cream for 2 weeks and then reanalyze the problem.

I signed up for a 3 month gym membership. I'm gonna become a gym junkie =) Having a personal instructor would be awesome but requires lots of $$. So, I'm gonna ask/beg for 1 free personal lesson from the manager tomorrow. Heh, need to brush up my persuasion skills.

Every holidays back to malaysia, im bombarded by my parents and newspapres with news of rape/kipnap/theft cases. I was flipping through the papers today and some cases dont shock my system as much anymore. Its scary when you have become immuned to such news. Its terrible. Today, a young woman in her eary 20s was kidnapped. Who knows what has happened to her. I never experienced such fear a few years back. I remember having late night chats with friends just outside my house or in the garden. Nowadays, I dont even dare sit in my garden at night. Just dont risk it. What has Malaysia become to? 50 years of nationhood and Malaysia has successfully worked its way backwards - mentality wise that is. I love this place because its where im brought up. It saddens me deeply that so much has changed.

Battling fears

If you think you'll fail, you'll fail.

If you think you'll lose the battle, chances are you'll be right.

So I went rockclimbing today. For some reason, I was slightly fearful of heights today. I'm can usually scale the walls without fear. But today was different. I didnt climb that well today. I used a lot of my energy gripping the handholds harder than necessary and I didnt really trust my feet on the footholds. Perhaps that was because I rented shoes today. I cant find my rockclimbing shoes! What happened to them? =( Anyway, every few seconds I had to tell myself that height of the wall was only an illusion and there was nothing to fear as there was a rope securing me. Rockclimbing is such a psychological thing I tell you. Its a representation of life really. Tell yourself you can do it, and you can. Tell yourself you can't and chances are, you can't. It's a mind game really.

Long weekend - Journalling

The weekend that just passed was a good one. So Friday night saw me out for a yummy meal of marinara pasta, drinks at Golden Monkey (i love the oriental feel in that place)followed by supper. We were really exhausted at 2 a.m., so we called it a night. I was looking forward to a nice hot long shower and to plunk myself on my comfy bed, only to find Ern at my place. Her unexpected presence brought a pleasant shock to my system. Ern lost her house keys and did not have her phone with her. Hence, her appearance. Anyway, I was helping her with her bday lunch preparations til 6 a.m. It was a long night. She just informed me of her bday lunch on Sunday, "hey, I have a bday picnic lunch on Sunday. Can you come and also bring some food?" Heh, she's a funny one. The only person I know who can pull off a bday gathering at the eleventh hour. Anyway, the bday gathering turned out well. Pictures to come.

Sat morning, I was meant to go for a sewing class.(to fulfill my dream of becoming a competent seamstress. heh) But i read the info wrongly, the class for actually 5 weeks long and not a one-off class. Dissappointedly I couldnt go. So we headed to house church bbq. It was a glorious afternoon. It was good catching up with everyone again. Good weather, good food and good company. What more could you ask for. We also headed to the nearby shopping mall to do some light shopping. I havent stepped into a shopping mall since...hm...3 months ago? Shopping mall experiences are always nostalgic. It reminds me of Malaysia.









The chef and host =)


Playing Wii!



After the bbq, I headed home to cook for Ern's bday. Then Jus, Kevin and I spent a good 3 hours glued to the t.v. watching the Federal Election results. I fell asleep at the end of Kevin Rudd's speech.


Sunday morning, I was meant to go for a 10 km fun run. I just couldnt get myself out of bed. The clock rang at 7.30 am and I snoozed it bout 10 times. I was extremely exhausted. I finally woke up at 10 a.m., kicked myself in the foot for missing the run and even managed to be late for church service. Argh =( Very disappointing. Anyway, after church service, I caught a train to Williamstown beach for Ern's bday. Was a little awkward at first because I hardly knew anyone. But, within a few minutes, I was doing o.k. I like meeting new people anyway. The weather rocks.

Ern, "Hey, pose with the flower and the handbag". "No way! That's so unmanly"










I rushed back home at 5 pm to prepare for another 21st bday. James' bday to be exact. I got there at 7 pm to help him set up. That punk, I got there even earlier than him. He was late :P Anyway, it was a good night. There were some funny speeches - lots of which I can resonate with. I confirm that he is one weird dude :P hehe. I had a fantastic time catching up with Nicole and Steph. Those two girls are amazing. Step is merely 2 years older than me but her maturity blows me away and puts me to shame. Nicole is as animated and lively as ever. I love her energy level and her optimism. Its contagious.

So that marked the end of my hectic weekend. I'm off to lunch with Sue and then to a rockclimbing session with James.

Democracy for you

Last Saturday, a peaceful rally consisting of 40 000 Malaysians marched the roads of Kuala Lumpur to submit a memorandum to the King demanding clean and fair elections.

Today, I tried entering into malaysia-today.net website, the leading biased-free, non-government controlled newspaper in Malaysia. Guess what? Malaysia-today.net cannot be retrieved! Tell me, is this a coincidence or what? 4 days after the biggest rally in the past decade, the leading alternative newpaper's website is down.

This might interest you



Okay, initially I was a little reluctant to post this up. Disclaimer: This is not a true representation of how Malaysians converse.


Transcript of Malaysia's Information Minister's interview with Al Jazeera News on the Bersih Protest.

Minister: I commend yo-yo-your journalists trying to project... to exaggerate more than what actually happened. That-that-that-that's it. We are not the-the and I-I congratulate your journalists behaving like an actor, that-that's it...

Reporter: As you say that, sir, we're watching scenes of protesters being sprayed by chemical-filled water!

Minister: YA! I am watching! I'm here! You've been trying... trying to do it this - to do this everywhere but in Malaysia people are allowed to, you know? We know our police head our colleague... Police have whatever allowed the procession to go to the Istana Negara, you know? Do police, first police, like, they handle them, they attack them, they... the police don't, don't, don't fire anybody?

Reporter: Our correspondent came back to the office, sir, with chemicals in his eyes!

Minister:You-you-you-you are here with the idea, you are trying to project, what is your mind! You think that we Pakistan, we are Burma, we are Myanmar. Everything you-you are thinking! WE ARE DIFFERENT! We are totally different!

Reporter: Well unfortunately when you refuse to let people protest, it does appear so.

Minister: Ya ya we are not like you! You-you have earlier perception, you come here, you want to project us like undemocratic country. This a democratic country!

Reporter: So why can't people protest then, if it's a democratic country?

Minister: YES, PEOPLE PROTEST! People do-do... of course they protest. We are allowing them protest, and they have demonstrated. But we just trying to disperse them, and then later they-they-they don't wanna disperse, but later our police compromise. They have compromised and allowed them to proceed to Istana Negara! Police, our police have succeeded in handling them gently, right? Why do you report that? You take the opposition, someone from opposition party you ask him to speak. You don't take from the government, right?

Reporter: Why did you not break up these protests...

Minister: Pardon? Pardon? Pardon?

Reporter: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?

Minister: I can't hear you! I can't hear you!

Reporter: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?

Minister: No we-we are! We... this protest is illegal! We don't want..this... the... NORMALLY...

Reporter: OK, so let me return to my former question. Why is this protest illegal?

Minister: YA! It's a illegal protest because we have the election in Malaysia. It's no-no point on having a protest! We are allowing to every election... every five years never fail! We are not our like, like Myanmar, not like other country. And, and you are helping this. You Al-Jazeera also is helping this, this forces. The, you know, these forces who are not in passion, who don't believe in democracy!

Reporter: Alright, many thanks for joining us.

Minister: I don't, ya, you, Al-Jazeera, this is, is Al-Jazeera attitude. Right?

I didn't understand parts of it. Did you? Was it even English he was speaking in?

Who is the trickster now

5 minutes of my time today was spent in frenzy. I was searching for my passport to look at the particulars when I realised that my brother's passport was no where to be found. A month back, I took my brother's passport from him to book air tickets back to Malaysia. I subsequently kept it together with the air tickets and my passport for convenience sake.

Now, i know im a real klutz having lost 3 mobile phones in my life. But my dad have always warned me to guard my passport with my life. Heading his advice, I have never ever misplaced my passport before. So, finding that my brother's passport was amiss came as a real shock to me.

My first thought was, "there's a thief in the house" but i realised how silly that proposition was because firstly, my passport would have been stolen too and secondly, my house was not ransacked.

2nd thought was, "I must have thrown it in the bin." Again, that was silly because I have never taken out my brother's passport and if any passport was to enter the bin, it would have been mine as I have been moving my passport around.

Okay, zeroing down all possibilities, I came to a final conclusion. My brother must have taken it back without telling me. I quickly ransacked his room. I managed to find it within a couple of minutes. Heh. I know his secret hiding places. That trickster! I recalled him asking me 2 weeks ago, "Where's my passport?" To which i replied, "Stop asking me so many times! I've told you I kept it together with the air tickets for safekeeping". I thought that question was very strange as it was very out of the blue. He turned his back and must have secretly smirked away. Unfortunately for him, I remember conversations very well. He was probably being cheeky and wanted to see me panic before he produces the passport.

Well, in turn, I've now secretly hidden his passport. I can't wait to see the panic look on his face. haha.

Who is the trickster now.

See what i have to live with.

Hope

Proverbs 3:5-6 "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path"

Everyone needs compassion
A love thats never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of the Saviour
The hope of nations

Saviour
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquer the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

Pic galore

Victoria Market
Jus and I went to Victoria market on Saturday for brekkie and to buy food for dinner. Normally Ill order the popular bratsworth sausage but i decided to be a little more adventurous that day. Decided to get a mini pizza from the stall next door.




I ordered the typical hawaiian pizza. Guess I wasnt too adventurous after all. I might try the pumpkin pizza next time.


I detest birds! I placed my food on the table and disappeared for a mere two minutes to look for Jus and the birds ate my untouched pizza!!!! It's disgusting. I couldnt stop glaring at the seagulls for the next 5 minutes - hoping that my glare would guilt-trip them. I was going to eat the two untouched slices but I remember watching a man dying in one of Dr. House's episodes because of some bacteria that ravens carried. See, who says Dr. House is uneducational.


A good coffee makes my day =)


Heck, i decided to eat the two untouched slices. I have medical insurance anyway.



Kidding, Jus bought me a new one.

Southbank

I decided to take a stroll by myself at Southbank yesterday. It was one of the best evenings I had. I love talking to random people and obversing the sights and sounds.


Flinders St Station - One of the main train stations in melbourne. I love the perspective of this picture.



Southbank - the Yarra river


Kids buskers at Southbank. Instead of giving my kids allowance next time, Ill make them busk! haha. Start them young. Teach them the value of money.


I spent a good 20 minutes talking to this painter. Its his first time painting such a huge art piece. I love the vibrancy of the colours. I asked him what the painting meant. He said freedom and also because he simply like Jap carps.



100 metres away, I spotted a huge crowd. There was a mini game going on. Basically, you have to cycle from one white line to the other white line without falling off the bicycle. Sounds too easy huh? Heres the catch - the bicycle's mechanism have been reversed. To turn right, you have to steer left and to turn right, you have to steer left. If you manage to cross that 3 metres without falling off, youll win 100 dollars. Sounds too easy! Many gungho guys took part in the competition, but they couldnt even make the first 10 centimetres. Its harder than it looks. I spent a good 40 minutes laughing at them :P haha.



That was one bad fall.


Watch one of the participants


Watch the expert do it. He make its look too easy.



The onlooking crowd. I love public entertainment. Suddenly all barriers were broken. Frowns were replaced by lines of laughter. Everyone was cheering for the participants. Melbourne seemed even more beautiful that day.

Tonight's dinner'

After living off charity and outside food for the past one week, I decided to cook dinner today. I resumed my weekly Victoria market routine today and came home with 1 dozen oysters, yellow tail fillet, 2 mullet fillets, some greens and fruits.

Tonight's dinner

Entree

Mains

I give you... zebra fish recipe. Ok, that was my weak attempt to be funny. I made that up.

Pan fry the mullet. Mix oyster sauce + hoi sin sauce + chilli oil + cattlefish oil + sesame oil. Pour sauces on fish. Wrap seaweed around the fish. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Its a pretty easy dish to make. Preparation and cooking time of 10 minutes.

I made that recipe up on the spot =) Jus said it tastes pretty nice.

I didnt take pictures of the yellow tail fillet because it was really plain. I like it plain because the flesh is sweet.

Finding comfort

I find comfort in being around older people sometimes (older being my parents or grandparents’ generation). It’s because they are a constant, you can always count on them. Some days when I had enough of the bustling city, I would travel to my aunts and uncle’s place for a weekend getaway. I find comfort in being in that place. There will always be cookies in the cookie jar sitting on the kitchen bench. The fridge will have some sort of leftover food from yesterday night’s dinner. Fresh towels will always line up the linen cupboard. The beds will always be made. At seven pm, my aunt will turn the key in the doorknob as she comes back from her gym routine. On Wednesdays, my uncle will be reading a book at Borders. On Saturday mornings, they will be out for their brunch while reading the paper. I myself am not accustomed to such rigid routines. Sometimes I surprise myself with my spontaneity, sometimes running on impulsiveness - which can be a good thing or bad thing, depends on how you look at it. But, you know sometimes it feels good when you know there will always be cookies in the cookie jar.

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And right now, I'm seeking comfort once again. Everytime i view my blog, i see the timer clock counting down to day i jet off to the place I call home. Home is where I find comfort. Home is where the heart is.