Malay Films

PHSM 2 is out in the cinemas now. However, I have a feeling that this film will be another let down like most malay films in the market today. I still can't figure out what's the big deal about the first PHSM? The media (malay stream medias that is) were all raving on how good the film is and like a sucker I got caught up in the excitement to go and catch the film. But when I saw it I was like "What the...???"

In my humble opinion, I sincerely thought that the film was crap. I didn't understand the story line, I thought that some of the actors couldn't act to save their lives, the script was terrible and the editing was even worse...and the list goes on and on and on...

During my university days, I took a subject on malay films. We were to complete a term paper on reviews of films by local producers/directors. I had chosen Shuhaimi Baba films for my review. Among her films that I had chosen was Ringgit Kashorgga and Mimpi Moon. I literally had to stick needles in my arms to keep me awake and after watching those films several times (yes, I felt like killing myself everytime I finished watching one film), I came to the conclusion that it was absolutely and utterly crap, crap, crap. Not only was those movies extremely bad, I couldn't even figure out any social or moral message (if it had any for that matter) of the film.

If I was to compare today's local film with those by P.ramlee back in the olden days...although the stunts and special effect may seem lame and unrealistic (well, when you think about it, there isn't much to compare these days either) at least all of his film had some social values to present to its audiences. I marvel at P.Ramless's creativity in managing to implant social messages in all his films regardless of the genre. No wonder that this brilliant man almost everytime had won an award or awards in the Asian Pacific Film Festival throughout the 50's and 60's. He was a valuable asset not only to the Shaw Brothers but for all of Malaya as well.

These days, I'm even ashamed to admit to the world that I watch malay films because I do not want to be seen as a mindless imbecile. Local Film producers and artistes keeps ranting on and on for us to support our local film industry. How the heck do they expect us to do so when they continously cheat us with their mediocre effort in producing so called 'outstanding films'? Don't they realize that that we hold the buying power and we have many alternatives to what they offer. It's not that I'm saying they have to come out with big budgeted films in order to compete...what I'm saying is come up with a decent movie that would appeal to ALL malaysians. Something that would give an impact and value to ourselves. Not the predictable boy meets girl, conflict, conflict, conflict, boy wins girl plot.

Broke

I am so broke. November isn't even done yet and I'm practically a pauper. I can't believe I've just spent an extremely obscene amount of money on beauty products. Never realized how pricey SKII products could be. I guess this is what they say about the price of vanity. I'm resigned to my fate of having to become a pauper this month.

I've been really self obsessed these days about my appearance. I guess all this while I've always taken for granted with the way I look. I just coudn't give a rat's ass. I've always considered that taking care of one's face is just too much hardwork...and perhaps because I was young back then and I could get away with anything, I just took beauty care for granted, believing that it will never fade.

I remembered coming back from LHR flight absolutely exhausted. Surviving with less than 5 hours of sleep due to partying throughout my 2 days stay in London proved to be too much. When I arrived home, I only just manage to bring up my bags into my room before I plopped on my bed and passed out for 16 straight hours without removing either my make up or my uniform. I guess that kind of neglect has finally caught on...and now that I'm older, I just can't get away with it anymore. My skin condition is just pitiful.

Why is vanity so important? Why is it so important to look good? I guess it all goes down to self confident..or the lack of it in this matter.

Lets hope that the money I spent on my new beauty product is worth every cent I parted with. I'm so tempted to withdraw the money I put in this month in my saving but that would be wrong. I may seem desperate...but I'm not that desperate yet. Hmm...maybe I'll ask my lil sis to repay me the RM500 she borrowed 2 month ago. I helped out of her mess that time, so its time for her to return the favor...hey, hey, I guess now I'm not so broke anymore after all. However, gotta be super sweet to hubby this month. Who knows he might be willing to shower this woman who has given him a daughter and now am bearing his unborn son a few more hundred of ringgit. It's not that I need the money for groceries or anything(hubby does all the grocery shopping, thank goodness)...just that I'm in the mood for shopping some more maternity clothes and don't have the dough for it. Guess I gotta work my charms on poor darling hubby now...sigh...

Much Ado About Nothing At All.

Went shopping with Hubby today. Manage to get some really nice bathroom accessories at really great prices. All this while we've been scouting around Puchong hoping to find bargains but all that we've found seems a tad overpriced. Whomever that has been feeding us with the idea that in Puchong, everything's a bargain, definitely needs to get their facts checked. The stuff we bought was in bandar Sri Damansara, and this must be said...Bandr Sri Damansara is definitely bathroom accessories galore!

I'm really excited for our purchases to be installed. Hubby has manage to install the toilet seat in both the guest bathroom and our bathroom and I think it's really pretty. The sea shells embedded in the toilet seat are so pretty that it seems a waste to be sat on..well, i can't hang it as a wall decoration either..so no matter how pretty I think it is, it has to serve it's main function...hahaha.

It's been almost a year since we moved in so considering that we've decided against getting ourself a maid for now...it's only natural to spend the money in beautifying our home. Actually, we ought to get furniture and stuff for the new baby...but both of us have agreed to wait another month. We're both now thinking of changing the sofa set and painting the walls...hmm, at this rate, I doubt we'll ever get the baby's stuff in time for his arrival. Poor baby in mummy's tummy...

Thank goodness hubby is over and done with his base check..for now that is. Life as a pilot ain't a breeze...every 6 month they have to live through the mental torture and aggravation of sitting for a major exam with the knowledge that the future of their entire career rest on this exam. A single mistake that could lead to failure of this exam would result of them being temporary suspended until they pass the second time around. Second time around they fail again...it's either having to be demoted or bye-bye liscence. No wonder hubby's is practically moulting these days. His hair just can't keep up with the pressure. Haha! Sheesh..if hubby ever finds out I've been talking about his hair..or rather the lack of it, I'd really be in hot water.

In our marriage, among the big No No's is talking about the state of my hubby's head...or any balding man for that matter. He hates to be reminded that he is losing his hair. Well, whatever his insecurities are...I love him no matter what. In my eyes..I don't see a balding man...I see the 26 year old sexy hunk that I fell in love with. Hmm...I ought to tell him this, but naaah, knowing him he'll think I'm poking fun at his baldness. Hmph, MAN...always thinking of the worst.

Better get some shut eyes now...hubby's gone out. I hope he hasn't decided to go fishing...I'm very pregnant now and it's a malay pantang-larang for the husband to go fishing while the wife is pregnant. I'll should give him a ring to check on him now.

Toilet Seat Caper

Aaah...finally I've uploaded Sarah's latest pictures into my PC. Hehehe, this reminds me. A really funny thing happened last week. I've finally decided to be more determined about introducing Sarah to the toilet. So after taking Sarah to watch 'Chicken Little' at One U last week, we stopped by at Mothercare to buy one of those training toilet seats. Sarah was very,very excited about the new purchase and kept squirming in her stroller to have a look at it.

In the car, hubby and I was so deep in conversation that we didn't notice when Sarah took out the toilet seat out of the bag. The next thing I know, she called out "Mummy, mummy!" and when I looked back, she suddenly pulled down the toilet seat which she had placed on top of her head all the way down to her neck! She proudly exclaimed "Hat!"

I firmly told her to take it off and continued lecturing her how toilet seats are not hats. Sarah tried to take it off...(like daddy, she too can't stand mummy's constant nagging and would do anything to make mummy stop) but then found that the seat couldn't be removed. She then started screaming on top of her lungs in panic. Somehow, her stricken face plus the toilet seat around her neck just gave me a case of the giggles. She looked absolutely adorable. Hubby started laughing too and that somehow made Sarah more agitated. She kept screaming "Kukak! Kukak!"(Bukak! Bukak!) I quickly assured her that when the car stops, I'd help take it off.

Once we reached home, I tried to take it off but discovered that it was really stuck. Sarah has 'flower horn' forehead which actually complicates the matter. When I couldn't get it off, Sarah just cried louder and louder.

I told hubby lets just syampoo her head, probably when its all wet and slippery, we could slide it off. Sarah was a sight to be seen. All the way from the car to the elevator to the house, she had to suffer the indignity of having a toilet seat around her neck. Hehehe....she looked like a puppy with those funny cone shaped flea collar on.

Syampoo and water failed to help...and Sarah was exhausted. Hubby was still determined to get it off and his attempts was actually starting to hurt Sarah. She was beginning to have red marks around her forehead. Sarah's pain tolerance level is quite high...so if she does start complaining, then it does mean that it is really hurting her. My poor babay was tired and just wanted to go to sleep by now. It was already 1 am. Her attempts to sleep wasn't going well wither...because of the size and shape of the toilet seat..she was sort of rolling about on the bed...her head was elevated and she wasn't able to lie down at all...this just mad me laugh harder and harder and my laughter annoyed Sarah more and more.

Told hubby that we needed to take her to the ER. Hubby replied that he doubt an epidural or anything for that matter is able to get the thing off her. Hmm...he had a point. So at 2 am, the 3 of us headed to the Hartamas fire station.

The sleepy firemens were quite astonished to see Sarah in such a state. The Sergeant even told me, he had helped get people who were trapped inside car wrecks, kids who got their head stuck in between stair banisters and even grills but never in his life had to rescue a child who got her head stuck in a toilet seat.

They had to ponder for a little while on which equiptments to use. A chain saw was too large and scary. Their large cutter would do the trick because it is able to cut thru cars in a jiffy...but if Sarah squirmed, they might cut her by mistake. Finally, these 5 firemens decided to use the cutter to make an initial incision and use a very tiney cutter to cut the rest. One men held onto Sarah, two more were dancing about while making funny animal sound to distract her. Another had to ensure there was a safe gap between the seat and Sarah's neck while the last one had to perform the actual cutting act. It was quite a sight. However, I'm proud to say that Sarah was really courageous throughout the whole time while patiently waiting for her 'release'. When they manage to get it off...she actually looked relief and rewarded all the firemen with a big smile.

I'm really thankful to Malaysia's pasukan bomba dan penyelamat especially those in Hartamas. They truly displayed a high sense of profesionalism and efficiency. they can save me anytime, anyday.

Now, Sarah is more careful with what she puts on her head....everytime I show her the picture of her with the stucked toilet seat...I could actually see her shudder....hehehe, at least now I have somethng to talk about for her wedding!

Male Stripper

These days in Malaysia, if you just know the right people...don't be surprised to find that there are stripping services available. Not stripping wall paper or paint...but actual grinding, writhing, gyrating 'exotic dancers' or in laymen terms...strippers!

I bumped into an old, old friend last night. Somehow our conversation swayed towards another friends' upcoming wedding. I told her that I heard over the grapevine that she is organizing tha hen's night and has actually manage to secure herself an actual male stripper. She confirmed what I had heard. I'm amazed that considering that she has only been back in the country for a few month...she had managed to be really resourceful to be able to obtain such services. She replied "All you have to know, is to know people who knows people.."Sigh.. Whatever that means...

Anyway, I asked her to tell me about her unusual find. She said the services rendered comes in 3 categories. First class which would cost you about RM800, Business class which cost RM500 and there's your Economy class which only cost RM200. I asked her...what's the difference...she told me she doesn't know coz she balked when she heard those whopping amount. Without hesitation...she just opted for the cheaper price...

Anyway, the agent promised her a Eurasian. The bride to be who heard that she was to expect an eurasian booty gyrating away for her viewing pleasure got really, really excited and demanded the organizer to ensure this eurasian delicacy goes all the way.

Feeling duped, my friend called the agent and demanded to see a picture of this so called Eurasian Booty. What she saw left her flabbergasted. There must be something really wrong with this agent's eyes. This guy looks like your typical construction immigrant. And I'm not even talking about the buff version...we're talking those typical tiny polynesian types.

After laughing her head off...she showed the bride her little treat's picture...the bride decline... so my friend argued, for RM200...you can't afford to choose. So the bride reluctantly agreed...she even added that she is totally okay if this guy decides not to go all the way either.
I told my friend that if that's the case...why bother anymore? She said another friend who has hired him assured her that he is a lot of fun. He entertains his guest by chasing them all around the room. Personally, I don't find anything amusing about being chased about by a small polynesian construction immigrant lookalike at all. To me that's just plain creepy. But different people have different preference so who knows right? This reminds me of a little joke I'd like to share...

An overweight man entered a slimming parlour and asked about their slimming packages. The person behind the counter told him there is package A and package B. Package A is their Super Quick Slimming program and package B is the Super Duper Quick Slimming program. The man than chose package A and was told to enter room 1 to undress.

After undressing himself, a beautiful, long legged beauty entered the room. She told him, "I am going to undress myself and start running around the room...if you manage to catch me, you can do whatever you want with me."

This got the man really excited and he chased the woman round and round the room. Finally he passed out of pure exhaustion. He never caught up with the beauty.
The next day, the man came again and wanted to try out package B, the Super Duper Slimming Program. The man was told to go to room2 and undress himself. After a while, entered a large, hairy body builder. The body builder told him, "I am going to undress myself and start chasing you around the room. If I catch you, I will do whatever my heart pleases with you." Needless to say, the man never ran so fast in his life.

Mad about My Kid

It really pisses me off. Hubby and I was at the bank last Friday. We wanted to open an account for Sarah at that particular bank because they had Internet banking which would be convenient for us.

Anyway, when we got there and presented all the essential documents required to open an account, the officer handling us told us that our documents or to be more exact, Sarah's document were insufficient. I double checked...gave her hubby's My Kad, the electric bill and Sarah's My Kid. "What else do they want?" I wondered. The officer then pointed out that I had failed to produce Sarah's birth certificate. Huh? Hubby told her that he still can't see the problem because we had produce My Kid to her. Then she delivered the bomb, "We don't accept My Kid."

What the hell??? Hubby argued that My Kid was just as good if not better than a birth cert. The lady was all infuriatingly swet and polite but was still adamant about the acceptability of My Kid in her bank. She actually told hubby that he needs to go home and get the birth cert. She said without the birth cert..she is unable to obtain the birth cert number and all important particulars. Hubby stubbornly told her that all the information are contained inside the smart chip of My Kid. The lady just as stubbornly still insisted on a birth cert. Sigh...how infuriating.
There was nothing that we could do at that point...so I had to cajole Hubby to go home and just get the birth cert so we could all be over and done with it and proceed for lunch. So, we went home, got the birth cert, went thru the whole process of opening an account for a painstaking one hour. Such a hassle. Its a wonder how the both of us were able to contain out anger.
Funny thing was, when hubby gave his My Kad to her...she put the card in a particular machine to retrieve all information needed. Why she couldn't do the same for My Kid is just anyone's guess. Talk about sheer ignorance and stupidity.

I feel quite vindictive about the whole incident and plan to make a complaint. I just can't figure out who to complain to. I don't understand why that bank doesn't accept My Kid. Plenty of friends had assured me and even said that they had manage to open accounts for their children using My Kid. So why was this bank an exception? Why wasn' t these people informed about the widely usage of My Kid? Are they totally unaware about use of smart card these days? Whatever it is, by hook or by crook, I am determined to lodge a complain. Just got to figure out to whom.

24weeks and 5days pregnant. Another 107 days to go!

Another 2 more days and I'll reach my 25th weeks pregnancy mark. This feels like its taking forever but somehow, there is this sense of urgency rising in me. Can't quite figure out why. Maybe the nesting instinct or whatever it is that they call it is emerging...who knows? My body is exhausted by I just can't seem to make myself stop cleaning the house.

Hubby thinks I've gone bonkers. He woke up at 1 am to find me spring cleaning the house. Told him I was going to hit the sack early last night...but as I went to wash Sarah's bottle, I noticed that the hob was slightly greasy. What initially was just an attempt to make a quick wipe ended up with me completely dismantling the hob to clean it inside out.

After that I thought to myself," Since I already have the cloth in my hand, why don't I do a quick dusting around the house?" I turned the house topsy turvy, every nook and corner of the house wasn't shown any mercy. Well, it was actually more like severe wiping rather than light dusting, After dusting the house, it's only natural the sweep the floor of all dusty residue. Well, in my cleaning frenzy, not only did I sweep, I beat the carpets, mopped the floor, rearranged the furniture and other decorative trinkets, cleaned up the kitchen, got rid of all the unused or unusable items and cleaned out the fridge. And to think, I just spring cleaned the house 3 days ago. Yup...perhaps hubby's right. I am going nutty after all.

Little baby Mika (did I mention that that's what we are going to call the baby?) did a mini tsunami on my tummy this morning. It's kind of eerie watching my tummy move like that but endearing at the same time. I still haven't quite figured out his bedtime routines. When I was pregnant with Sarah, she'd usually do all her somersault during meal times, towards the evening and late at night. Mika however, tumbles about whenever his heart desires. I woke up at 8am today by a sharp kick at the right side of my abdomen. I guess all my cleaning frenzy has worked up his appetite and I guess he was demanding to be fed. He's still in my tummy yet he is already able to boss me about. Hmph.

Talking about being fed, it's already almost 1pm. Little princess needs to be fed right now otherwise all hell will break lose. See? It's hard being a stay at home mom. Not only do you work long hours...you've got multiple bosses that you are answerable to. Hubby boss, princess boss and the soon to be crowned prince boss...sigh...when will I ever be my own boss? Anyway, perhaps today I'll just make cream pasta for the little princess..oops, need to defrost the chicken now.