Circus: Rock Version

Christian Fiction

Okay... I think I get it.

Bloggerwave Owe Me $$

I've been reading so much about paid-to-blog programs on the Net and blogosphere about various websites, and when it comes to BloggerWave.com, everyone said that they paid within one month and guess what? BloggerWave.com have owed me my ten bucks and still haven't paid it yet. And despite e-mails to them, they've never answer or reply back to me. So I can safely assume that BloggerWave.com is a scam. Here's my proof:




I've submitted my post on 17 June 2008.





And until now, my payment is still "due" to me. What gives, BloggerWave.com?


And I am so angry thinking and harping on this for so many months that I totally forgot to blog any posts today!! Grrr!!

I e-meow U, U e-meow me‏

I received this in my e-mail from an old beloved acquaintance and thought I had to share it with everyone. A presumed e-mail excerpt from Ah Beng to Ah Lian. Hold your stomach 'cos it's hilarious!!


Dear Ah Lian

Thanks you for your letter. Wrong time no see you. How everything? For me, I am quiet find.

You say in your letter your taukeh soh want you to chain your look? Somemore you must wear kick kok soo, hope you can wok properly.

You know, Ah Kau Kia working in a soft where company now. Last week, he take I, Muthu & few of his friend to May Nonut to eat barger. After that he take we all go to kalah ok. Muthu sing and sing no stop until the sky bright.

Next week, my father mother going to sellerbread 20 years annie wear sari. My father mother go! ing to give a fist to all the kampong people. So you must come with your hole family.

I only hope one day we no need to write and send letter to you and to me. Better I e-meow you, you e-meow me. I will ketchup with you soon. And when you got time, please few free to call me. Goo bye.....

Worm regard,
Ah Beng


And for the rest of you who might not understand Singlish, here's a blow-by-blow (some pun intended!!) explanation on what some words meant:

taukeh soh = lady boss
kick kok soo = high heel shoes
Ah Kau Kia = name, literally, Kau means "dog" and Kia means "child"
May Nonut = McDonald
barger = burger
sellerbread = celebrate
annie wear sari = anniversary
kampong = kampung, where Singaporeans from around 1930s to 1980s
e-meow = email
ketchup = catch up
few free = feel free
Worm regard = warm regard

Web Hosting Rocks!!

Although it's true that most small business and personal users will most probably have no use for a reseller web hosting account, but it is useful to users who have a number of web sites and want to save money at the same time as well. In a sense, a reseller account are generally cheaper than purchasing multiple shared hosting accounts.

And armed with a reseller acount, you can also sell hosting so that this is a relatively cheap step into hosting business on the Internet. You can have the flexibility of controlling your everything within your grasp and also at the same time have the knowledge that you can save money and create accounts when you need them. You can have budget web hosting while at the same time have plenty of bandwidth and disk space at a cheaper rate.

It is also relatively a cheap web hosting solution, meaning you can concentrate totally on building your business while at the same time maintin a steady monthly income. Remember not to accomplish too much in a short period of time as this will lead to unhappy customers and also evidently losing clients at the same time too.

Tips for Better Life

1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Sleep for 7 hours.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did the previous year.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
14. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
15. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
16. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
17. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
18. Smile and laugh more.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with others.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Forgive everyone for everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
28. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
29. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
30. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
31. The best is yet to come.
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often.
35. Your inner most is always happy. So be happy.
36. Each day give something good to others.
37. Don't over do. Keep your limits.

Love Your Body

The other day, I went snooping around the mailboxes - mainly to make sure that this particular idiot didn't squeeze superglue into our mailbox keyhole - and saw this in the mail. I knew my membership was gonna expire in less than 2 weeks, so I thought I knew what was inside. But, it was a nice surprise instead.





The Body Shop actually placed quite a high amount of trust in their customers that they mailed in my renewed membership card, along with some goodies and a note.





My membership card got a new status, called the "Love Your Body Star Loyalty Programme" and I get to save 15% on my purchases for the whole year while my card is still valid. Previously, I had to troop down to the nearest Body Shop just to do a renewal.





4 coupons that I can use within the month of February. The previous time I got vouchers from The Body Shop, my mother and I totally forgot about it and only recalled the vouchers way after the validity date.





A note about The Body Shop Love Your Body Star Loyalty Programme.





Enclosed within is a Rewards Card. For every SGD30 spent at any The Body Shop in Singapore will net me a Reward stamp. And all in all, I need to make purchase(s) of SGD450 within a year to be able to enjoy 15% discount for the subsequent year. Not much to ask for, especially when The Body Shop do not test their products on animals.

Love Is In The Air...

I spy again and this time around, Love Is In The Air. Sniff~ ~ Sniff~ ~





Moroccan Rose Eau De Toilette at 50ml (1.69 US fl. oz)





Maandarin Orange Eau De Toilette at 30ml (1.0 US fl. oz)





Moroccan Rose Shower Gel (L) at 250ml (8.4 US fl. zo) and Moroccan Rose Body Milk (R) at 250ml (8.4 US fl. zo)





Buy SGD64.00 and get a The Body Shop Mini Cosmetic Bag absolutely free. Comes with a lip gloss and eye-gel





She Shower Cream at 250ml (8.4 US fl. zo)

Cutey-Pie Giant Microbes

It's going to be a whole day of "Let's See What's In The Package" posts. So, join me over at -Chopsticks- as we unravel some cool and cute stuffs!!




I spy with my 4 eyes (2 are mine while the other 2 are from my glasses) and see an orange box





And so, I decided to open it and see what's exactly inside. Yikes! Microbes, to be precise, it's Giant Microbes!!


And so, Pu Niao wasted no time in trying to figure out which cell is which and what functions do they have in our body exactly!!




Giant Microbes: Sore Throat (Streptococcus Pyogenes)

Streptococcus bacteria cause about 15 percent of sore throats; viruses cause most of the rest! It can be difficult to tell if your sore throat is being caused by strep or by a virus, but it is important to try. Viral sore throats can only be soothed with such remedie as lozenges, gurgling salt or vinegar, or drinking honey or peppermint tea. However, strep throats can be cured easily by taking antibiotics such as penicillin. Also, if strep throat is left untreated, it can develop into a more serious disease such as rheumatic fever, which can cause heart problems.

So, how can you tell the difference? Viral sore throats are often accompanied by symptoms such as a cough, runny nose, watery eyes, hoarseness and diarrhea. Strep throat symptoms include sudden fever, stomach aches and swollen glands. Strep is also much more common during the winter.

Even so, the only way to be certain is to get a throat culture. If you have a sore throat that lasts for several days, you probably should consult a physician.





Giant Microbes: Flu (Orthomyxovirus)

The flu, a.k.a. influenze, is a respiratory infection caused by strains of orthomyxoviridae. The word "influenze" comes from the Italian word for influence - back when the stars were thought to influence the start of an epidemic!

Every year 5% - 40% of the population gets the flu. Fortunately, most people recover completely in a couple of weeks. Even more fortunately, since there are only about a dozen different flu viruses, vaccines have been developed that can be up to 90% effective in preventing infection in the first place.

These vaccines, or "flu shots", are best taken in the fall before the flu season starts, since it can take several weeks for them to become fully effective However, since eggs are used to make the vaccines, people who are allergic to eggs should not get the shots.





Giant Microbes: "Mono" Kissing Disease (Epstein - Barr Virus)

The Kissing Disease, or mononucleosis, is caused by the Epstein - Barr Virus (named after its discoverers Michael Epstein and Y. M. Barr). More than 95% of the population is infected!

Most people catch the virus at a very young age, at which time the symptoms are often too mild to be noticed. However, those who catch it when they are young adults (or older) suffer from sore throats, swollen lymph glands and extreme malaise. In addition, the spleen can become enlarged - sports and strenuous activities must be avoided to prevent rupture.

Esptein-Barr virus also causes an increase in the level of "mononuclear" white blood cells in the blood, which is how the disease hot its nickname. Nevertheless, Epstein-Barr is not very contagious. Transmission requires close contact such as kissing or sharing drinks. And with an incubation period of 4-7 weeks, it can be a while before you know whether you've caught it.





Giant Microbes: Bad Breath (Porphyromonas Gingivalis)

Many people believed that bad breath, or halitosis, is caused by gas rising up form the stomach - particularly after eating onions or spicy foods. In fact, most cases are caused by microbes such as Porphyromonas gingivalis!

Between three and four hundred types of microbes typically call the human mouth home. Most are harmless. But a few produce "volatile sulfur compunds". These compounds, such as hydrogen sulfied - which smells like rotten eggs - give bad breath its characteristic odor.

Other oral bacteria by-products include cadaverine and putrescine, which are typical of rotting corpses and rotting meat! So what can you do about Porphyromonas gingivalis? Brush and floss, of course. Oh, and avoid onions and spicy foods: they're very high in sulfur content.





Giant Microbes: Stomach Ache (Shigella Dysenteriae)

A lot of stomach aches are caused by gas or acid in your stomach. But others are caused by microbes. Shigella is one of the more common culprits! It is particularly common in developing countries and is a major cause of traveler's diseases.

Shigella is named after a Japanese researcher named Shiga who discovered the bacterum in 1897. It causes an intestinal tract infection that produces abdominal cramps. fever and diarrhea.

Shigella is extremely contagious. In fact, it is so contagious that if even 10 individual bacteria get into your system, you can become infected! As a result, over 140 million people are infected by Shigella every year.

The most important step to take if you are infected is to stay hydrated - though antibiotics can be used against the bacteria in the more severe cases. Better yet, avoid infection in the first place by washing your hands a lot!





Giant Microbes: Common Cold (Rhinovirus)

There are over 250 different kinds of cold viruses! But rhinovirus is by far the most common. (Rhino means "nose" in Greek - think rhinoceros). With over 100 different varieties, rhinoviruses are responsible for almost 35 percent of colds.

Rhinovirus is particularly active during the fall and winter months. Why? Because rhinovirus loves the low humidity. Also, when the humidity is low, your nose dries out and is more susceptible to infection. But, despite what many think, studies show that one thing that doesn't cause a cold is cold!

The best thing you can do to lower your chances of catching a cold is to wash your hands a lot. Rhinovirus can survive three hours outside someone's nose. If it gets on your fingers and you rub your nose, you've caught it!





Giant Microbes: Cough (Bordetella Pertussis)

Coughs are very common and can be triggered by a variety of factors including smoking, allergies and even heartburn, as well as more serious conditions such as asthma, tuberculosis, congestive heart failure and lung cancer. But many coughs, particularly in young children, are caused by microbes.

While common cold and flu viruses can cause ordinary coughs, B. pertussis bacteria causes "whooping cough", a serious cough that can go on over 6 weeks. Coughing spells, up to 40 a day, can last over a minute and often end with a "whoop" of gasped air. While in older children and adults the risk are generally slight, small children can suffer oxygen deprivation and turn blue.





Giant Microbes: Red Blood Cell (Erythrocyte)

Red Blood Cells, or erythrocytes, contain the hemoglobin that carries oxygen and carbon dioxide around the body. Hemoglobin gives red blood cells their characteristic color. When it is oxygen-rich, it appears reddish; when oxygen-poor, it is darker and bluish.





Giant Microbes: Brain Cell (Neuron)

The little grey cells that make up your mind are primarily neurons. You have approximately 10 billion of them in your head!

The typical neuron is connected to thousands of others forming an inconceivably dense signal-processing network. With over a 1,000 trillion connections, or synapses, in your brain, there are more transmission-pathways in your head than there are atoms in the universe. But before you let that go to your head, think about this: the number of synapses peaks in early childhood, so the average three-year-old has ten times as many as the average adult!





Giant Microbes: White Blood Cell (Leukocyte)

White blood cells, or Leukocytes ("white cell" in Greek), are your body's white knights. If an enemy germ invades you, they ride to the rescue and fight to the death.

There are several different kinds of leukocytes, and each has special skills that help protect you. For example, neutrophils race to the scene when bacteria attack. They suffer large casualties creating the pus that forms on infections. B cells hurl antibodies at virulent viruses to neutralize them so T cells can move in for the kill. And when the dust finally settles, monocytes help clean up the place by digesting microorganisms and their remains.





Giant Microbes: E. Coli (Escherichia Coli)

The Escherichia coli bacterium was identified in 1885 by Austrian physician Theodor von Escherich. Its peritrichous flagella (the hairs which can sprout anywhere on its body) can twirl around propelling it forward at the bacteria-equivalent speed of a torpedo.

Many strains of E. coli are harmless, and huge numbers are present in the human and animal gut. In addition, E. coli is amongst the most studied of all creatures great and small. Not only is it ubiquitous, but it is simple to cultivate. Under ideal conditions it can divide every 20 minutes; a single cell can become over a billion in less than 10 hours!





Giant Microbes: Bunch of Microbes (BunchOfMicrobes)

Giant Microbes: Happy New Year!! *waves*
Red Blood Cell: Click the lion, it's red like me~ ~ ~
Pu Niao: Hey! That's supposed to be my line!!

Spaghetti Bolognaise

Boil a pot or pan of water on the stove.





Prepare the items needed to make Spaghetti Bolognaise. (Note: the Italians did not invented Spaghetti Bolognaise)





When the water in the pan or pot boils, turn down the heat slightly and put in your favorite choice of pasta to cook.





Cook pasta until al dente.





Since I like to have more tomatoes in my past, I'd take the liberty to slice them up while the pasta was cooking previously.





Cook your preferred choice of meat.





When the meat is almost cooked, throw in your preferred choice of veggies, if you happen to have any and cook them along until the meat is thoroughly cooked.





Using the "wine-Infused" spaghetti sauce which I bought before I was hospitalized.





Scoop as much as you need for the portion you're cooking. I use up 3 tablespoons in total.





Mix everything up in your cooking pan and cook thoroughly again until piping hot.





Drain pasta and scoop cooked spaghetti sauce onto pasta. Eat. Alternatively, you can add in some powdered cheese, dash of oregano or basil and a splash of tabasco for a hearty flavor.


Well, to be honest, I didn't detect any hint or taste of red wine within that bottle of pasta sauce. Although I have to admit, it's been quite a few months since I ate pasta and it still turned out so good despite not cooking it for a while. Hmm... Not bad.

Soup of the day

Nah, it's just canned Campbell soup, nothing too special at the moment.

Laska Woes...

I plainly love lakse for the clams. And nothing else!!

Hospitalization...

12 January 2009

Well, I had to report to my surgery ward at 7:30 am the next day. The bus ride was uncomfortable, dumb idiot on the bus kept trying to rub his butt against mine. Until when I finally reached the hospital and while waiting to be checked in, I saw a nurse pushing a sleepy little bundle out of the nursery room.





Breakfast for my mother and wistful-looking and longing from my side...





Sigh... I wish I was the one eating that bowl of Yong Tau Foo...





Admitted right next to the nursery room full of babies!! Nya~ Nya~

13 January 2009

Just because I was out doesn't mean my camera phone can snapped more photos of the babies. Nya~ Nya~

Many thanks for Bei Bei, Ismail and Phoebe for coming down to visit me. Thank you for the card and present, that was very sweet~ ~ Nya~ Nya~

14 January 2009

As soon as I'm up, I wasted no time in bitching to my moher about this old lady sleeping next to me. I asked for MY ceiling fan to be turned on as it was rather warm and stuffy. And guess what? That old lady mumbled that it was cold and wanted the nurses to switch off MY fan. Selfish behavior, all the way to the hospital, right? The On and Off issue carried on until she was carried away while trying to breathe through an oxygen mask. Now, if only she was a little nicer to someone who had came out of surgery and unable to walk properly, maybe that wouldn't have happened.

Anyway, that old lady understood English. So I simply said in English, loud enough for her to hear, that "she should stay at the C-class ward where the old folks there do not like to switch on the ceiling fan when they sleep!" I mean, come on! The reason why in the event when one have to stay at a hospital for surgery, he or she asked for a B2-class ward and above is to simply take the time to recuperate in a comfortable manner. And the old lady acted as if she owned ward 53A. Sheesh!

15 January 2009

My mother recounting to me about her C-section days. Back during when she gave birth to me at KK Hospital, the living conditions back in the 1980s weren't so nice and comfy, like what we have today. In a C-class ward back then, there would be close to 10 patients in a room and they all have to share one ceiling fan.

There was this particular woman at the ward where my mother was staying at after she gave birth to me. Also just as selfish, the woman claimed that it was freezing cold and requested the nurse to switch off the ceiling fan while the rest of the patients (all mothers in the ward) will have to sweat it out. Think that's it? You're wrong! Same selfish woman would then ask the nurse to draw the curtains around her, thus blocking her from the rest of the patients. And within the confines of her own bed area, this selfish woman would then turn on the table fan right next to her bed and chill away.

I really suspect this selfish woman could be the daughter of the selfish old lady sleeping next to me inside the hospital ward...

16 January 2009

Cook a bowl of pig liver and sliced ginger slices. After cooking, top it up with XO and eat. Don't mind the taste, but I mind the XO...





Hamper from my company. And it was expected to arrive on the day I was discharged. But I still managed to receive it when it was changed to be delivered to my house instead of to the hospital.





A close-up shot of what's exactly inside the gift hamper. "Bird Net", Ginger Tea, Ovaltine, Cookies, yummy!!

17 January 2009

Sitting straight kills my back and spine, so here comes the pillow!!





Luckily, I bought quite a lot of magazines before I was hospitalized. So now, I can slowly browse through all of them. And that doesn't include the other 3 copies Phoebe bought for me while I was in hospital. Magazine time!!





Okay, that was too much magazine to swallow at such short notice. Let me take a cat nap first before I carry on... Zzz...