There has to be something interesting I can write here -but the fact of the matter is, I've got nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip. ASTALAVISTABABY.

I have no idea how that last exclamations fits inside this blog post.

I was toying with the idea of putting up a a short story here but my ideas have run dry, much like the River of -nevermind.

Meeting up with V and K this Sunday, can't wait, because I ain't seen them in what, a month?? Sad. Very sad. Plus with the fact (I announce here first ahhh) I AM NOT GOING FOR OUR GRADUATION CEREMONY.

No one is going to stop me. Because I can list you EASILY at least five good things about NOT going for the Graduation Ceremony.

First: I won't have to sit through hours of the MOST BORING old people in the world talking about what a bright fututre we are going to have, and the impact we will make in the working world.

Because I already know I am going to have a future that is semi-luminescent (at least) and if I work hard I can make an impact anywhere. Don't need to pay some old coot to tell me that.

Second: I can put that RM300 (roughly) to good use -and the use DOES NOT involve playing dress up in a robe that will be a) dusty, b) ill-fitting, and c) smell slightly like old people and cupboards.

I can use the money to pay for my transport as I go about MY JOB. Thanks very much.

Third: I refuse to be involved in something that requires me to pose, smile and be permanently frozen on a photo. End of story. Because I hate being photographed, and I refuse to bend to ceremony.

Fourth: Its a WTF. I STILL have to pay RM198 for my certificate, so no need to add to the expense. I refuse to indulge in sentimental, traditional ceremonial mumbo jumbo.

Fifth: I do not need to go to the convocation to meet up with my friends or say goodbye! I don't even NEED to say goodbye. There is something called Facebook, you know. And MSN. And Yahoo. *rolls eyes*

I know there will be some horrified gasps. I don't bleedin' care. I dare you all to try and change my mind. HAH. J has already tried and was unsuccessful.

Ahem. Anyway.

So back to my ideas -of which I have none. I want to write a good short story someday but I reckon I would need a good story first. I have yet to have lived long enough to decipher the meaning of life -and in fact, I don't think I ever will.

But I damn well will try. ^^,

Owh.

I think I do need to post up some explanations for my silly 'How well do you know Pauline Wong' Quiz. Heh. Lotsa you scored kinda low -but wait! Its no fault of your own!

Because:

a) My favourite colour is blue, so for those who got this wrong very the sweat lor. Hahaha.

b) I listen to Coldplay obsessively, but they're not the only people I listen to: I like mostly alternative bands and any and all epic score from movies. In fact, some of you may know that my favourite piece of music ever is Vide Cor Meum from Hannibal.

c) If I were to run out of a burning house -I would never leave Christian behind! Books I can buy again, but if wallet don't bring along, how can I do that? Lol. Replacing books is easier than IC and bank cards. And my dog, well, K is right, she can run, but she isn't the smartest dog to have existed, and would probably go lick the flames instead of running away from them.

d) I absolutely adore the Bridget Jones series, and I hated Elizabethtown, which is an Orlando Bloom movie. It was boring and even his puppy dog eyes couldn't save the show. Johnny Depp I love too but I don't love eveything he was in.

e) I would NOT eat chocolate for a month non-stop! NOBODY can eat one type of food for a month NON STOP! LOL.

f) I have always secretly wanted to be a guy -though V points out I hang out with them long enough to know what THAT is like. Haha. But for a DAY, I would wanna be a guy. This is because I've always wanted to know how it would feel to be able to burp, fart and be disgusting and totally hilariously funny just for a day and get away with it. Girls can never get away with doing things like that.

Btw, I want to be a famous novelist for LIFE. Heh.

g) I am always, first and foremost, attracted to a guy by his humour and his laugh. Its sad, but there you go. Its always the funny guys that get my attention, because there is nothing so good as a guy who can make me laugh, and likes to laugh. What kind of laugh, you say? Simple: a good, hearty one that is not fake or forced.

h) I am known for nothing at all, really. If you were to ask me what I were known for I'd say nothing, though in fact, people usually associate me with two things: tall and funny. But hence the hint: think of what I would say.

i) My greatest fear is the death of someone I love. I am deathly afraid that harm would befall my family, or my friends. My angry Dino I can handle. Eventually he'll forgive me and sayang me as always. (I am his favourite, after all, hahaha.) But losing my family? Or my close friends?? Never. It scares the heck out of me just thinking of it. Snakes don't even come close.

j) Ehe, I do admit I put questions 12 and 8 just to mess with you guys. NYAHAHAHA.

So thats it la. I am glad to know that most of you weren't at all far off. I heart you guys! ^^,

Bye now.

A Chef in Black and Other Stories

A Chef in Black

By Pauline Wong

He was not dressed in black, actually. It was a grey vintage-feel T-shirt purchased from the depths of a store called Ed Hardy (now in residence in our fair country at KLCC) , and a nondescript pair of pants. His name isn't 'Something -something Black' either. Its Emmanuel. Stroobant. He's Belgian.

His moniker is virtue of his black St Pierre uniform, (I think, I am just making a wild guess), which he wears on his TV show 'Chef in Black I' and 'Chef in Black II'. He's head chef there -a position he enjoys because (in his words) 'he cooks, and I do all the talking'.

'He' being his creative assistant. A rather quietly sexy French guy (ahh the French, their men can make slicing tomatoes look sexy) who I'd love have cooking in my home. Antoine, his name. He gave me better poses during the live demonstration at 7AteNine, The Ascott.

Nonetheless, he was chatty, friendly, a great sport (with multitudes of press descending upon him, it is amazing and a testament to his tolerance that he didn't throw his hands up and curse, with alacrity, the Malaysian press in very colourful Belgian), and an all round charismatic and funny guy. Short blond hair and all.

Nothing appeals to me so much as a man who cooks and makes jokes while he does so, so I had enjoyed my (very brief) interview (with 5 other journos) with him. I don't fancy much places that 'posh' -food too small and prices too big.






When the World Works, You Work

By Pauline Wong also

Work has been all consuming, she thought to herself, sitting at the corner of her bed, reaching over to pluck that pesky wire off the floor. She plugs it in viciously into her handphone, and proceeds to flop onto her bed.

She missed her friends. Still do. Misses, then. She misses her friends. She missed their infinite freedom to just 'hang' whenever they wanted to, wherever they wanted to. Most of all, she wanted her 3am bedtimes... okay. Maybe she doesn't.

When the world works, so does she. She types away at her laptop (supplied by her office): she enjoys what she does but sometimes her freezing fingers hurt.

She likes her colleagues a great deal. She likes her job. She is happy.

...but there is something to be said for being able to kick back, relax, and wear ratty T-shirts everyday and talk utter perverse nonsense with equally perverse and nonsensical friends.

Reticulating 4D Splines

And so begins yet another long-term affair with The Sims: this time, they are BACK for the 3rd time.

You would think that after the mega-mad success of Sims 1 and 2, they would sit back, relax, enjoy their profits (gained from capitalising and exploiting the inner megalomaniacs of the God-Playing community) and never work a day in their lives again.

Yeah, EA guys, I am talking to ya'. You and your madly addictive games and greedy over-taking of smaller, independent game developers. You are supposed to be sitting by some nude beach somewhere (you and your whole Sims-developer team), sipping apple martinis and turning yourselves over like tempura fried chickens under the sun as you try to make up for years of getting pasty under the glare of your computers.

Ahem.

Maybe I am just jealous I didn't think of creating a game where you can play God and make your Sim drown in a swimming pool by taking away the pool ladder.

Maybe I will create a game where you can play God in a youth NEWSPAPER company and have your writer+Sims drown from drinking too much free guava/mango/orange juice. Hah!

Ahem again.

But while they should be doing aforementioned things, they are not. They are going about thinking of MORE ways one can play God, and of MORE ways they can make the God-experience even more fun.

Because with Sims 3, you can now play God ALL OVER the neighbourhood, and not just in your house.

Because controlling your Sim going toilet/eating waffles/sleeping/woo-hooing/practically every detail of his/her life inside the home YOU built just simply isn't enough.

Now, Sims 3 allows you to control what they do at work, too -whether its 'Business as Usual' or 'Work Hard' or 'Take it Easy'.

Sims 3 also allows you to go to the beach, for the first time ever, because sun tanning in your own backyard is not enough.

Sims 3 allows you to PLAY GOD to a whole new level. And guess what, there isn't even any expansion pack yet.

So yeah, EA guys. Here's to you. Lets reticulate the HECK out of those 4D splines and ascend those Maslows' hierarchies.

Because come 2015, there will be Sims 4, non? And this time, we control-freaks can play God all over THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!

WRITERS BLOCK (letters)

TODAY, IS CAPS DAY.

THIS IS BECAUSE I HAVE WRITERS BLOCK AND I DO NOT WISH TO DELVE INTO THE INDIGNITIES OF PRESSING THE SHIFT KEY. I INSIST ON WRITING EVERYTHING IN CAPS, SO AS TO BURST FREE OF THE CONSTRAINING ERM CONFINES OF SMALL AND BIG LETTERS.

I HAVE WRITERS BLOCK.

I AM STARING AT MY COMPUTER SCREEN (SOMEWHERE SOMEONE IS HAVING A BLAST WRITING AWAY AND ABOUT THE MOST MUNDANE OF THINGS I AM SURE OF IT, DAMN THEM I CANT WRITE) AND I AM ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE WRITING ABOUT MOVIE CARNIVAL AND ABOUT A UNIVERSITY THAT JUST OPENED AND WANT TO HAVE FREE PUBLICITY WITH US BECAUSE THEY CAN CALL THE SHOTS.

I AM ALSO SUPPOSED TO BE WRITING ABOUT KIDS WHO'VE FOLLOWED IN THEIR FATHERS' FOOTSTEPS BUT I PERSONALLY DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHOSE FATHERS ARE WRITERS OR JOURNALISTS OR ARE ANY WAY INSPIRATIONS FOR MY FRIENDS DOING ANYTHING THEY DO. EXCEPT ON EATING. BECAUSE I AM SURE (I CHECKED) THAT EATING IS NOT A PROFESSION ANYWAY. NOT YET. IT SOON WILL BE. AND IT WILL BE UNIQUE TO MALAYSIANS ONLY.

I DIGRESS.

I CANT SEEM TO WRITE ANYTHING THAT MAKES AN OUNCE OF SENSE AND YET I AM SUPPOSED TO SELL THIS UNIVERSITY WITHOUT ACTUALLY IT READING LIKE AN ADVERTISEMENT.

THIS SUCKS.

AND, TO TOP IT OFF, I AM ACTUALLY HAVING A GREAT TIME AT WORK. ITS JUST THAT I AM SO SO SO STUCK.

I THINK OL' SCROOGE HAD A POINT: BAH, HUMBUG.

Quik-ee Update

I have a few cents worth in opinions to hand out. And, whether YOU like it or not, you're gonna read it. HAH!


Its a Sad, Sad day for the Insurance Business

.....when a certain lifeform of little to no intelligence is tossed (to the horror of insurance salespeople everywhere; I can hear the keening wails of agony) into the world of selling someone something that could potentially protect them from unfortunate twists of fate.

At least the world of Journalists can breathe a sigh of relief.

Its a Good, Good Day for Quiz-taking

....IF the quiz makes any sense at all, that is. While Facebook quizzes are fun, many of them have either answers too obvious

-what kind of o-holic are you: answer to questions given are DOH obvious.

...or completely stupid:

- how will you die: what is your favorite colour, it asks- to which answers are blue, green, etc etc... how the HECK is your favourite PIGMENT supposed to determine the one certain thing in life??

Its a Great, Great Day to Watch Coraline

.... fav biscuits? Check. Milo? Check. Parents fast alseep and are not about to walk in, hoping to catch me watching something I shouldn't (*koff* YAOI* koff*)? Check.



Okay, my opinions are done now. You may resume your work/play/porn (ahem)/surfing now. Hee.

I love my job

It truly aint' everyday you see that phrase anywhere. Too many people are too unhappy with their jobs, and perhaps I am 'honeymooning' as my Bro puts it. But maybe, just maybe: I DO love my job.

As you all know, I have secured me a job: its a good one, one with minimum tension and a very light hearted, easy going approach. Environment is top notch -people are friendly, nice and generally fun-loving.

I have successfully survived 2 weeks, and so far, its been a blast. I write all day (and for me, there is nothing better), I disturb my colleagues, and I get to ogle some eye candy too. (Tee hee hee hee.) Work area is comfortable (though right behind editor and in front of CEO's office, gulp!) and there is abundance of free drinks. Work load gets crazy only Monday to Wednesday, and I am given a lot of free reign to do as I please, since my Editor leaves me on 'automode' (his words, not mine) most of the time anyway. So I abide by the rules, and he lets me arrange my own interviews.

Only downside? Its in the middle of nowhere, which is hard if, like me, you don't drive. Small downside. Small.

Can I gloat that I love my job? Sorry.

Anyway, took some pics while I was out this morning:

From the LRT, the sun was shining through the sky like a light from God saying HAHA YOU LRT SUCKERS; gorgeous, but I was too slow wid my camera, so the shot doesn't capture the full beauty (and glee of God of human bodies crushed inside a train).

From my house, just as the sun was rising. Gorgoeus colour.

And thats pretty much it. Expect more pics in my blog from now on -even more than when I first got my little Cybershot phone.

Now I upgrade edy. Muahahaha.

Buhbye now.

Woooo hooooooo Penang~!

So we went to Penang, right. And, in my usual convulated, wordy, lengthy, overly descriptive way, I will most likely bore you guys to tears with words. And, if quite rightly, people do believe in 'a picture says a thousand words', then, well, with THESE pics baby, this post could be taken off the Internet for word abuse and overuse.

Without further ado (with some descriptions at the bottom of each pic, read them or you will see pictures of random people doing random things instead of pictures from the best 3 days of my life), I present to you:

The Day Penang was Invaded by a Whale, a Chocolate Lover, a Bra-man, a Walrus, a Dumbass (but a good, lovable dumbass, and thanks for all the driving!), and a Nikon-ess (hee).

Pre-trip pic 1: Bryan's car parked out front, his vicious dog (he insists it cute, sorry Bra, can't say the same) locked inside, probably pining for its master, and the rest of us somewhere, waiting.

Pre-trip pic 2: J and his Canon Ixus 960 ( I think), damn jealous, and the first of three pics I would take of him with the camera in front of his face. XD

Pre-trip pic 3: LM saying something to Bra-man, they are such a cute couple. XD

Journey pic: Tried to be snap happy (read V's account of it here), but since I was at the back of the car, yakking K's and V's ears off and singing off-key, that kinda limited my pic-taking capabilities. However, this one V dearest took on my camera, so managed to get one of Penang bridge as we were on it. The journey took the best of 4 hours!

Upon finally finding the YMCA Penang (some guy gave us wrong directions, and my nasally voice was no help on the phone, shite-kimase, aren't colds supposed to give you a sexy voice??? I sounded like someone clamped my nose with a bullclip and stood there laughing their asses off)

The rooms were really nice, actually. No frills; so for those who simply can't live without five-star shag carpets and toilet tissues with floral imprints that wipe your ass in style need not apply. It was clean, pleasant and cheap: RM 85 a night.

LM (L) and V (R): LM made a funny face, hahahahaha, while V polishes off the last (probably) of the roll of Cadbury chocolate.

For the first night, we hit the Gurney Hawkers for dinner, where we found food was all-round better than KL (though true blue Penang-ites would scoff at the fact Gurney Hawkers aren't the best at all, but hey, why don't you smug Penang-ites drive down to KL and hit the stalls in TAR college area eh?? EH??)

We also dropped in on Gurney Plaza, where we found the boys in Toys'R'Us, contemplating buying this game called Nerve Attack (which K sez is basically equipment to play real-life CS, but without the blood and actual bullets) and I purchased Panadol, as, as V put it, Mr Cold and his troupe of Fantastic Headaches tagged along with me.

We bumped into our classmates in Gurney: they were on their trip round the Peninsular, this was after we went to Feringhi and wanted to go back to YMCA but LM spotted CM's ( sitting next to me) car. Bryan made a dangerous stop with his trademark tyre-squealing ferocity into a parking lot, while K more sedately parked and was sufficiently puzzled.

After dinner, we hit Batu Feringhi, where I didn't take pics but spent a good 3 hours and a hefty RM 100 there. I am sure I made some of the stall owners there happy. Bought some very tourist-y things, and certain items for my Dino. Ahem. We were all happily walking about, K bought a 100% original fake Omega watch. Which looks a bit like Bra's. V and LM purchased some lovely bags and trinkets, while I made for framed bean-art and shell art. -_-'. I felt like a major tourist.

I swallowed 2 Panadol that night in an attempt to stave off the headache, to my relief it was successful, and we girls proceeded to talk late into the night while the two designated drivers + one Walrus slept, and, according to aforementioned Walrus, snored. Snigger.

The next day, we hit the streets of Little India, where they even still had old-fashioned cobbled streets! Also enjoyed some INCREDIBLE Indian sweets. GAWD. Awesome stuff.

Overview of the street, not a great shot but more on the way anyway

A shot that I particularly liked of a hanging ornament at the entrance of the shop selling Indian traditional clothes in Little India.

Bra-man. In. A. Turban. That should be a comedy routine all by itself.





A very nice shot taken by V on my camera, of some mannequins in the same shop.




A bit of old and new against each other. And two angmoh looking confused. XD

More shots of the streets, this time fiddling much with my Sepia function.




A cobbler fixing the shoe of a poor unfortunate angmoh. Welcome to Malaysia. Hee.




Look at the bottom right corner and you can see Bra and J talking about something, with the shop at the background apperantly being famous for being under a large tree and for the best char kuey teow in Penang. So my dino sez la.

Random shot of Little India

I suspect the Sepia spoiled this pic -it was a nice scene of a narrow walkway with LOADS of colourful stuff hanging.



We also went to the fascinatingly named Shamrock Beach.

A very nice LOL (little old lady ^^,) who showed us the way inside the Lim Kongsi.

Some of the incredible architecture in Lim Kongsi

A very quaint road sign.

Front entrance of Lim Kongsi, with Jee contemplating breaking down the gates with sheer mental willpower. Nah, Joking. Haha.

The three of us girls outside a very cool sculpture of a dragon. Also at Lim Kongsi.

Tablets of Lims past. (Thats a LOT of dead Lims) All dead. All reduced to gold tablets collecting dust. .


The front of the Lim Kongsi.

Parting shot of the entire area we were in. I also forgot the street name. Haha.

That day, we spent a lot of time driving around and getting lost thanks to my dubious map-reading skills. Okay not dubious so much as just plain horrible. Small emergency due to K's overheated brake pads (sizzling, his tyres!) but we visited Queensbay for lunch (where we also celebrated V's bday with a brownie!

After the day, we headed back to our hostels to chill, ate dinner at the restaurant there (rather pricey) and then we headed out to a mamak to meet up with old theSun colleague + UTAR senior, Bernard C. Nice murtabak there. Great company, had a tonne of laughs.

The boys' remote control cars. And my sandals. *rolls eyes.* BOYS.

On the last night together we gathered in the boys' hostel and proceeded to have the most ridiculous game of Bluff... EVER. We traded J's nuts (erm, the edible kind, not the, uh, other, uh, kind) in several rounds of Poker and then landed upon Bluff. Laughed so hard we all rolled on the floor/beds. We made nuisances of ourselves well into the wee hours of night laughing, eating the nuts, playing card games and having a whole lotta fun.

Thinking back now (tis post is late, btw) I never had such freedom to do as I please, eat as I please and have no responsiblities whatsoever except to have obscene amounts of fun.

And honestly, if I were to do this again, I would do it with no one else.

*happy sigh*

So I leave you now, with tired eyes. Hee. So many pics now that I have camera horrr.

P/S: Next post generally about work. *wiggles eyebrows*