< SCRIPT language="JavaScript"> < !-- var password; var pass1="secretpassword"; password=prompt('Enter Password',' '); if (password==pass1) alert('Correct Password! Click OK to Enter!'); else { window.location="http://njapf.blogspot.com/"; } //--> < /SCRIPT> Not Just Another Pretty Face: February 2006

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

How evil are you?


How evil are you?


I got this from Janvier. Haha. Is it a good thing to be neutral?

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 2:27 PM 0 comments

Monday, February 27, 2006

New York, New York!

When I think New York, I think Sex and the City, Empire State Building, big yellow taxis with rude drivers and Saks 5th Avenue.

Only because I am planning a visit there (extending my stay after a working trip to Atlanta) did I realized that Manhattan is actually an island and is a sprawling, confusing mass of different sections. Downtown, midtown, upper east side, lower east side, upper west side...with "boroughs" ie, kampungs/outskirts like Queens and Brooklyn located on the mainland.

Now I understand why Miranda (from Sex and the City) was so reluctant to move to Brooklyn despite the cheaper rents, a quieter lifestyle and more room for their family. It's something like 20 subway stops and at least 3 subway changes (my estimate) into central Manhattan where the party is!!

The different sections of New York City

NYC subway tracks, look to me like multi-colored snakes!

I can't wait to go! I just hope I don't get too lost in the big, big city! Now's that's scary, and yet, at the same time exciting...

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 11:13 PM 0 comments

Sunday, February 26, 2006

'Ong' ar??? %&@#!!!

Ha! I spotted the empty parking slot and grinned gleefully to myself.

"So lucky, usually super long only can find parking!" I thought to myself as I flicked my left indicator and swerved smoothly into the slot near TMC in Bangsar, opposite the road from Bangar Village.

I looked at my car's clock. 6.56 pm. 4 minutes early to meet my friend. Right on time, I thought as I locked my car and walked to the designated meeting place: outside Outback Steakhouse.

My friend wasn't there yet so I had time to play with my new toy: my new Samsung D600 handphone! I've been debating for about forever which phone to get since my Nokia 8310 a.k.a THE "class phone" (since it was the most popular phone in our IMU class in Strathclyde in 2002) fell into a public toilet bowl last, last CNY.

Just yesterday, I finally decided on D600! Hee hee. Look at the clarity of pictures!!

Pasar malam at Bangsar

Same scene but shot in sepia mode

After a very satisfying dinner, catch up and browsing at the pasar malam stalls, we decided to head home and I walked to where I had parked my car earlier.

I was just thinking to myself "Should I buy some soya bean milk?" and humming Oasis's Don't Look Back in Anger happily under my breath when I saw my car...

Splattered, literally, from head to toe in bird droppings! On the windscreen. Bonnet. Roof. Side windows. Rear windows. Booth. My beloved baby, smeared with gooey white stuff, that had small flecks of grainy yellowish stuff mixed into it for good measure.

Instinctively, I looked at both cars next to mine, and both were, ironically, spotless! Gah!

For a minute, all I could do was walk around the car to survey the damage in horror, which was a stupid thing to do in retrospect, considering the hazardous situation. In dismay, I grabbed a wad of tissues and started wiping of the bird droppings as best as I could. Some was already rather dry and I had to resort to scraping. And this wasn't the usual one or two mini droppings. This was big time, bird shite diarrhoea!

Can you imagine semi-dried droppings, mixed with dirt (from my more-than-one-month unwashed car) smeared with tissue paper? If you haven't, trust me, it isn't a pretty sight.

I drove back in semi-despair. And I felt paranoid that everyone was staring at my dirty car and secretly sniggering at my bad luck. Arriving at my apartment, I drove straight to the designated car wash area. It was 9.35 pm.

Rushing up to my house to grab a rag, I rushed down and started hosing down my car, at 9.45 pm at night. Oh but that's not the end of my harrowing night. In the midst of my washing, a security guard walked past.

"Malam-malam cuci kereta?"

"Ya," I replied curtly.

"Park mana, kena banyak tahi burung?"

"Bangsar" Gah, what is your problem?

"Oh, hahahaha, tak pa, 'ong' (hokkien for lucky) la tu...hahaha"

-_- And he had the guts to laugh in my face.

So did everyone else who I told this incident to, for that matter. Some even asked me "Why didn't you take some pictures of you car with your new camera phone??!!"

Actually, it does seem quite comical as I'm writing this.

Hahaha.

Moral of the story: Always look up before you park anywhere, especially in spots that seem too good to be true. Oh, but make sure you close your mouth.

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 9:33 PM 0 comments

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Mini Sunday room makeover

I finally got around to arranging my shoe collection nicely on my newly-bought Ikea shoe racks.

Ikea shoe racks, RM 9.90 each. I bought two.

Before, they were all piled higgedly-piggedly in shoe boxes at the foot of my wardrobe. Now, they're neatly arranged in a corner of my room.

While I was at it, I decided to do a mini makeover of my room as well. Since I was already stirring up all the dust with the shoes (*achoo* I'm allergic to dust and generally avoid stirring it up if possible...and I'm lazy as well), I might as well tidy up my books and magazines, my cluttered table, untangle wires from my TV, laptop, and other electrical appliances and also err..all the other skeletons in my closet. *achoooo*

Shoes, books, the Internet! Three passions in my life.

Hee, I think it looks great dosen't it? Now to tidy up my wardrobe and clothes drawers which, I think I'll leave to another day. =D

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 4:05 PM 2 comments

Friday, February 17, 2006

Retail therapy always works

My new heels, aren't they great?!

I stared blankly at the article that needed editing. I blinked owlishly at my computer monitor and with the half-completed article. Words swirled in a blurry haze. I suddenly felt claustrophobic. Nauseous,sick and trapped. The office walls seemed to be closing in on me. I needed out!

3 hours of intense window shopping, walking and browsing later, my mind felt cleared, my stomach growled and my mood was much improved.

Retail therapy, the modern girl's [and some guys'] cure-all!

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 12:58 AM 3 comments

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Happy Valentines

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 10:23 PM 3 comments

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Thanks!

There are some people in this world that you love to hate.

Repugnant. Overbearing. Hard to please. Sneaky. Nosy. They could be your superiors, your friends, accquaintances, colleagues. Every action of theirs makes you stop and think, "Is there an ulterior motive?"

They're the kind of people who think they are a million light years superior to you. And make sure you know it too. When you're with them, you feel miserable. Worthless. Sometimes even close to tears.

But then you realize, you ironically have them to be thankful for for who and where you happen to be today.

Their desire to break you only made you tacitly more determined to produce something/ be someone that they would have nothing to be critical about.

And yet, even when your 101% effort was rewarded with tactless comments, that only made you more determined to show them you could smile while being openly put down. That you could take criticism constructively.

In a way, you have them, your unwilling mentors, to be thankful for.

Luckily (or unluckily?), I have met only a couple of such people in my life.

"Thank you!"

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 1:42 PM 0 comments

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Highlights of my week

Saturday 4/2/06
Drove back from Ipoh at 6am to beat the jam so had to wake at 5am. Strategy was successful. Smooth drive all the way. It was my dad's idea to leave that early, btw. As most of my friends know, I am so not a morning person. *grumble grumble* Realized I left my KL apartment keys in Ipoh due to an unfortunate series of events.

Sunday 5/2/06
Slept late. Woke up had brunch and dilly dallied going to the locksmith. Finally at about 3pm, forced myself to drive out. First locksmith I went to near my apartment was out for afternoon prayers. The next 4 I went to (1 more near my house, 1 in Amcorp Mall and 2 in PJ States) were still closed due to CNY. *sigh* Finally found one open, of all places, in front of my office. Ironically, when I drove back, I noticed the locksmith who was out for prayers was back! Talk about a wild goose chase. Yoga later on calmed me down though I still failed at the headstand. Kept toppling over much to my instructor's amusement.

Monday 6/2/06
First day back at work from CNY hols. Sluggish from CNY food and late nights. Demotivated and lethargic. A dull headache throbbed the whole day especially with all the piled-up editing and e-mails that threatened to bury me alive. I survived only with caffein's help.

Caffein to the rescue! What would I do without it??


Tuesday 7/2/06
Got stuck in the terrible morning jam on Federal Highway for an appointment at SJMC. Headache throbbed persistently. A journey that would usually take 20 minutes morphed to a 1 hour 45 minute whopper jam. Grrr...welcome back to KL everyone!! Needless to say, I arrived late at my appointment.

On a positive note, it was an interesting interview on medical blogging. Had a craving for IKEA's Swedish meatballs the whole day (after seeing pictures on Shaolin Tiger's blog) which I happily satisfied after work. Hee hee..Yum. =D

Tender meatballs in warm, tasty gravy. Fantastic with the jam. Mmm...

Oh and memorable MSN conversations at night!

Wednesday 8/2/06
Another dreary day. Post-CNY lethargy, demotivation and persistent headache made me wish I could afford to fake an MC. Multiple shots of caffein, MSN conversations and friendly e-mails were my saviors. Locum at night was tiring as well. Two staff had just quit which left me with much more to do. No time for me to do my usual reading.

Thursday 9/2/06
I realized my headache abates with caffein and wisely took a shot in the morning. A productive day by the week's standards. Perhaps my system was finally getting back into sync with work. Had another shot of caffein after lunch (green tea). Worked late and had dinner at A&W consisting of waffles, curly fries and rootbeer. So much for detoxing after CNY!

Friday 10/2/06
Woke up super early for my US visa interview at 10 am at the US embassy in Jalan Ampang. Worried I would be ensnared in another massive jam and left my house at 7.15 am sharp. =D Waited for two hours for the interview which itself took less than 5 minutes and was conducted through a cubicle-like counter with glass windows between me and the interviewer. And I have to go back on Monday ONLY between 2 to 3 pm, no earlier and no later, to collect my visa. Grrr...what a hassel!!

Arrived in the office at 1.30 pm and proceeded to work exceedingly hard fuelled by caffein and caffein alone and managed to complete my work for the day by 5.30 pm. Then off to locum which was surprisingly lepak! Watched Jet Li's Fearless later in the night and I'm glad I was convinced to go because it was surprisingly good. I liked it. =D

Saturday 11/2/06
Finally had the luxury to wake up at 11.30 am. Proceeded to clean my room and the bathroom. Cooked a lunch of brocolli and tofu. It tasted terrible. Ha ha, even I have to admit that. Healthy food had never tasted so bad. Must be my cooking!!

Then headed out for a bonding session with the girls. We planned to try a nail saloon at Taman Desa and be done by 3.30 pm to meet up with a mutual friend in Bangsar. Haha, by the time we were done with our pedicures, it was 5.15 pm and by the time we arrived at Bangsar Village and found a parking at that congested place, it was 5.45pm. Poor guy had to wait 2 hours plus. We're sorry. Really. How were we to know that that place only had one manicurist/pedicurist for the 3 of us?

But I like my nails! Hee..see, the big toes even have tiny flowers stuck on to it at the sides. So pretty. *giggle* Haha.

All in all, it's been a tiring week of ups, downs, a persistent headache and caffein overloads.

I'm so glad that tomorrow is Sunday so I can err...rest.

posted by N.J.A.P.F. @ 11:18 PM 0 comments