Busy Bee

It has been a while since i updated this blog. The reason is simple. I am so busy right now that there were times that I didn't even switch on my laptop at home, let alone updating this blog. I was away on a 3-day course at Harbour view earlier this month (will do a posting on this later - when I am free from marking), then I was in KL for 2 nights and the whole of this week i have to attend a postgraduate diploma course in teaching and learning. It has a very tight schedule - with lectures, assignments, discussion and this monday we will be sittinng for a 3-hour exam...and in the meantime i am still marking my students' final exam scripts during night time ....

So, i will update the blog when I am free of this class, the exam and the marking ....

till then...
xxx

Salad Day...rabbit food..whatever

Today is a salad day for me...had salad for lunch that is. I woke up later than intended, and coz I need to do a lot of marking today I didn't want to go out. Coz knowing me, going out for a few items from a supermaket could mean a trip along every aisle, a full trolley of unnecessary items and more food than i intended to buy.

and i dont feel like cooking as well...and salad fit perfectly into the plan ... who couldn't do it, right? wash, toss, chop and serve with thousand islands straight from the bottle ...easy peasy, done in less than 10 minutes. The good thing is that i can eat a huge bowl of this without feeling guilty about overeating.

Now that lunchtime is over - it's back to marking!

Angelina Jolie as Kay Scarpetta????

Just saw it in E-buzz...apparently there are talks to make a few movies based on Patricia Cornwell's book - the Kay Scarpetta series. If you scrolled down to my previous posting, you'll note that Patricia Cornwell is one of my favourite authors.

I don't know how well the movie will be coz from previous experience, the movies can be a complete let-down. I mean, i was completely enthralled by the books - the page-turners that kept me awake and made me ignore anything else until i finished my reading types of book - but the movie was disappointing. One example is the Da Vinci Code (by Dan Brown) - the book was captivating, the movie was ok-ish (lacklustre performance) ...another example, Along Came the Spider (by James Patterson) is a great novel but the movie was ok - not as exciting as the book! but i kinda like Morgan Freeman as Dectective Alex Cross though ...and Ashley Judd as Kate!

Anyway, back to the subject on hand - apparently Angelina Jolie was rumoured to be the leading lady in the movie as well as involved in producing the movie. I am guessing that she'll be Dr Kay Scarpetta - the medical examiner who is the heroin. Don't think she'll be Lucy coz that character is way too young (Scarpetta's lesbian neice who then join the FBI). emmmm am wondering who is going to play Morino's character in the movie....a police detective who is a bit overweight but good...in the subsequent books, this Morino character seem to fall for Kay (turns out is is just one-sided)...

Watch this space....

Book Collections

I love books! I love readings. I have been a keen reader since I was in school. My first memorable reading collections were the Enid Blyton series, the Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drews Series. One of my English teacher, Ms. Julie Kuek, used to encouraged me and she would bring a few of her own books for me to read. That was in my secondary school years...but then again, i was hooked on reading way before that. I remembered there were time when I was in primary schools my dad would leave me in the library (attached to his office, and the library staffs all knew my dad) if he was busy and didnt have time to send me straight home after school. I remembered I would either be talking to the staffs or sitting quietly reading in one corner...

This habit continues till today...during my uni days, I would go to the public library to borrow book...i can finish a paperback novel in 2-3 days if it was a exciting thriller! But nowadays, I don't have the time to indulge in this hobby of mine. I am busy most of the time so going to the library is a bit of a hassle. So, I end up buying more books than borrowing from the library....When I was in the UK, when i was skint, I would browse for book bargains at the charity shops or car boot sales ...very cheap books as well - I could easily get a novel for 50 pence!

Here's some of my book collection. These are only from one crate box...hehehe I have 2 more unopened boxes upstairs....plus a lot more books scattered round the house. I have been meaning to get a bookshelf but up till now my books are still all over the place. Note to self: get a bookshelf soon!

My favourite collections: Alex Cross Series (James Patterson), Grisham's novels and Patricia Cornwell's book...

This is one of my favourite - easy reading - book "Princess Bride". This is my own copy - a farewell present from my best buddy, Angela... it is kind of fun and easy going, a fairy tale story of love with its obstacles and happy ending (of course!). I don't own many books of this genre...my favourites are crime thrillers, forensic detective works and mystery.

At the moment, I don't have time to read like I used to. But I always find ways to indulge and immerse myself in a good book...e.g. I always bring a book or two when I am travelling (plane ride can be boring without books!) or staying in hotels...photo below showed that I am reading everywhere (even at the poolside!)

One boring sunday

I am so bored! I didn't do any marking today ...i just don't have the energy to do any mentally taxing activities. Plus i am so sad to be left alone here, whereas my family are all together in KL. I hate being alone..the weather did not help either. It was gloomy since noon, followed by heavy downpour and snatches of lightings! Yea, very depressing!

Now, I am catching up with the CSIs that I missed earlier in the week ...a shocker indeed! Grishom left CSI for love ...yeah, who would have thought that! I'm gonna miss watching this Grishom character's but from the snippet that I've seen, Lawrence Fishburn's character as Dr. Langston (???) is going to be a fun character to watch! Especially on how he would fit into the team.

Hope tomorrow is a better day - that's the understatement! coz i would be invigilating in the morning (meaning I have to be there before 8.30am) and then would have to go and pay my tax in Kuching....but at least, it wouldn't be another boring day ...fingers crossed!

Today..in history

I created history today ...nothing major, mind you ...in fact other people may even think that this is such an insignificant event. For for me, it is a huge deal...real huge deal ...i managed to pop open the engine top (alah, the front of the car - see how ignorant I was of the components of a car!!)....and re-fill the water for the wiper as well as the other water thingy! all by myself! With little instruction via the phone from my dad in KL ...neat huh! I now know which one is the water container for the wiper and the container for the engine ..and check this out, I also check the M-oil hahahaha first time in my life that i did it. I always rely on my dad and my cousin to do it for me. My dad is in KL (attending a wedding reception today! So jealous!) and my cousin is back in Sri Aman ...i had to do it myself!

I know it is such a small thing, but am really happy (and not to mention, proud) that I can do it ...yipeee ...pity, my brother and sister didn't see me...and there wasn't anyone else around to take photo....

My afternoon at the salon ...

I hate coming back to my empty house. Since my parents and my dear nephew are in Kl (only a week since I saw him, but seems like ages!), the house is noticably quiet, very empty ...so, what i did in these situation is to delay going home...this is where it gets "dangerous".

The reason is that it could lead to window shopping and unnecessary spending! Just like what happenned today. I get off work a bit early today as i was sending moi lina to the airport. I dropped her off at 3.30pm. I was supposed to go for my monthly facial at Kose, but the beautician who always look after me was busy today (i'll go tomorrow at 2pm yeaaahhh). But rather than going straight home, i headed to my favourite salon at the 10th Miles...the intention was to get a hair wash (the cheapest one loh!) hahaha cheapskate ..or so i thought. I ended up with hair treatment (I told Anna I wanted the cheapest one available!), a hair trimming, hair wash, head and neck massage ...huhuhu that sets me back RM60....

But my head felt lighter now - emmmm maybe it's just a placebo effect, who knows ...but one thing about this "cheap" hair treatment cream is that it is not as good as the one that i often used. I love my fruity yogurt hair treatment cream - but that one alone costs RM100. It smells nice and fruity, and my hair will be smoother and just feel absolutely fabs. This cheap one that i used today is ok but didn't give the same level of satisfaction! Maybe it's the product ...or maybe it's just me ...again: placebo effect!

Note: no photos to accompany this posting (1) i was embarrased to take many pictures; (2) my mobile's battery kong when i was there - only took 2 pictures, and (3) the pictures made my face looks chubby so i decided not to put it up here! enough said, right?