cawanpink.net

Now that it’s semester break again – my attention turns to books

// July 5th, 2010 // No Comments » // bookcrossing

Empress Orchid arrived at the most appropriate time. Perfect! By the way, I can’t believe I didn’t buy a single book in 2009. What a hectic life I had.

Look at how battered they are (the red one has been passed around for 4 years!)

This one has been to UK, US, Bosnia, Finland, Canada and now it's in Malaysia!

I bought The Lovely Bone earlier this year coz I’ve been hearing people raved and raved about how good it was. It’s an old book but good ones should have the same effect the very first time you read it. I’m losing touch with my inner nerdness – heh! I used ti visit bookstore often and I used to know what books were good and came well recommended. And mind you I don’t read chicklit except for Cecilia Ahern’s masterpieces ok.

I bet you don’t know what chicklit is. It’s short for chicks’ literature. Books that fall into that category include the Shopaholic series, Devil Wears Prada, Bridget Jones Diary (yes people those are books before they are moviezzz). They’re usually very light read, useful when you’re in stress and need a quick pages of relief during lunch breaks. But I don’t do that. It’s just what I imagine the books for. I couldn’t get myself to finish one of those (except for Ms. Ahern’s) at any given time. And I won’t buy any chicklits anymore, not ever (except for Ms. Ahern’s).

I’m kind of an old soul. I think that’s why I don’t get chicklits. People are mystified why I like History channel so much. Or Discovery or NG, you get the idea. I don’t watch Astro Ria that much, I think it’s purely entertainment, not much substance there. But I don’t watch much news channel either, as I don’t like war and politics. Music wise, I like standards. Yes I do think it’s odd but I like those, especially the lyrics in those times. See? Old soul

Been such a looooooooooooooong time since I updated my blog. This felt good.

Cheap cheap

// February 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // bookcrossing

RM19.90 only! Where else, MPH Alamanda Putrajaya where the shelves for English fictions are the same size with their Malay counterparts.

After sooo many moons, I got this book.

I have quite a long list of books to read but have been resisting the urge to buy any coz I know they’ll end up on the shelf collecting dust. I like going to bookstores. I love looking at the bestsellers and new arrivals. Books price here is considerably expensive for me. Average for those 300-pagish is around RM40 where in US it’s only USD3.99. What a world would it be if they cost RM3.99 too here. Hmmpphh you wish!

I miss the feeling after reading a good book. I have no idea yet when to start reading this one, I bought it coz I’ve read Empress Orchid by the same author, and I liked it, and RM19.90 is cheap.

An alien has invaded my place

// January 19th, 2009 // No Comments » // bookcrossing, events, open source, personal

1. abdza told me he visited the office last Friday but I went off early that day.

Alien's note

2. KSN’s new system is applying FOSSchix.my’s theme. OMFG. Why can’t it use default Plone theme, change the base color to purple or something.

3. Hey we got sijil penghargaan for sumbangan melaksanakan projek inovasi MyMeeting, with my name incorrectly spelled on it.

If it’s up to me…

// January 15th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // bookcrossing, personal, travel

… I would grow and sell mushrooms. Yah that’s what I’d do. By mushrooms I mean the food, not anything else. I would eat them everyday. I never did like mushrooms, not until I met Adda 2 years ago in 2006 (we stayed together in a house with Siti for 4 months). She would put them in everything we cook, even in sambal udang! Amusing to think about it now but it was good nonetheless. There’s so many type of mushrooms. The only one I don’t like so far is the one that looks like taugeh. Eww… I couldn’t get it to taste nice enough for me to swallow. But yea I put mushrooms in everything I cook these days, well, most of the time. But you can’t get fresh mushrooms easily here, not if you’re looking at pasar malam. Even at Giant or Tesco, they only have it in cans which always works for me. But I’m not that cerewet (I’m a self-professed low maintenance person). The fresh ones are usually more expensive so I usually give it a pass.

Last Tuesday I went to pasar malam here in Putrajaya. I LOVE grocery shopping! Looking at the seafood that night oh wow – the fish were all fresh, the squids, shrimps, crabs etc. They smell like they had just been brought in from the sea. Last time when I was living with Adda and Siti, our house was near the beach. So you can imagine how excited I was everytime we went to the pasar after work. There were 3 of us so we bought alot for a week. Now I’m only buying for myself – no fun. And I found myself actually like to cook. I enjoy planning my meals everyday.

So I made that caramel pudding again today, without accidents this time, thankfully.

Had eaten it halfway when I took the pic. Sweeeeeet sweeet thing. The pic didn't do justice, I should've use white plate to bring up the colors.

I took a panadol today and feel asleep right away. Loooong and deeeep sleep. Woke up at 5! Kinda late to do anything for the day so I just made myself some snacks and wash my clothes and sweep the floor. So now I feel like going to bed early for a change. I’m still reading Band of Brothers. Lots of spelling mistakes but what a book. I’m drawn by the individual experience during WWII, not just talking politics of winning the war. The series was great but the book offers so much deeper insight of what happened. Like LOTR, if you’ve read the book, you’ll understand the movie much better.

Next in line should be my borrowed pilates book and again Cecilia Ahern’s Thanks for the Memories. You know I never noticed the book stall in Street Mall of Cyberjaya. The books are new and really cheap. I got 2 books for RM50 that day. If it was a normal bookstore it would’ve cost me around RM70. That stall has all the new books I see on New Arrival shelf in MPH.

And I finished reading The Child Called It by David Pelzer. If it didn’t state that it’s a memorial/non-fiction book, I would’ve thought it was fiction, how brave of the author to put such gruesome details to sell the book. But yea it is a memorial and I was stunned at the end how on earth did he make it alive. Inspiring piece, I must say.

Come to think about it, I haven’t registered the books on bookcrossing.com yet! Alright. Toodles you blog readers – read a book.

End of the year updates

// December 30th, 2008 // 10 Comments » // bookcrossing, family, open source, personal

How was christmas everyone? I’m back at the office on the 2nd last day of the year. People are still holidaying I guess – the road was clear this morning. Mood yang sangat santai di ofis, memandangkan ramai orang cuti :p. The rest of my team is on leave so I’m kinda alone here but who cares. Oh well.

I read the news yesterday that Israel is starting a war or something? WTF? Sudahla dia block the road from any bantuan kemanusiaan masuk since long time ago, now they want to invade Gaza? On what basis? Hamas?? You started the whole thing and now you’re blaming others pulak? And the US seems to support the invasion, tell me what’s new. I’m sorry to say this in public but Israel can go to hell.

There I’ve said it.

Now we move on with events surrounding my personal life right now. Attended a cousin’s engagement ceremony last Sunday and I met Farah of OSCC (formerly)! Said she’s the bride-to-be’s best friend since primary school. That got my mom worried hahaha… We’re hoping for the best of course. Farah is Farah, nice girl and everything but abit of a wild side anyone would notice. But she’s cool.

My car is in dire need of some tyre alignment. Got me really scared the other day when exiting on a ramp, something happened and I almost lost control of the car. S-C-A-R-Y. Alignment pronto.

That said, the car needs its periodical service also (oil change bla bla bla). Can anyone tell me any Perodua service center around Putrajaya/Cyberjaya? It’s hell to go back to Klang just because there’s the only place I know that has it. Of course I’ve googled but if people told me about it I tend to remember it better. Such lame excuse but yea I’m practicing writing important notes down now so I won’t forget it. I’m a forgetful person. Oh yea I got this cute little notebook with super hot jacket from Prudential (thanks Ping Ting!). The notebook jacket is black and red (oooh I like) and what’s more the jacket can be used as passport holder. How I longed for a passport holder ever since I got my passport – that’s a few years back.  It looks ugy now what with wear and tear but it’s going to be kept in it’s pristine condition from now on tra la la la….

What else? Oh for last Friday I have to thank abdza for packing up my stuff in the office and Saro for any any covering up for me heh, it was really an emergency thing. Went to meet up friend to pick up my stuff on lunch break. Supposed to be back in office after that but things happened and yea I was in a tied position. Sometimes there’s other matters that weighs more than work. I found my laptop safe this morning – I was worried. Now today my Friday work comes on top and interrupting my planned Tuesday list. Seems I have alot to do but still have time to blog…heheh… I’m flexible, can’t you tell already.

Came in the office with my right part of the upper head hurt. Had coffee and then it was fine. Hmmm didn’t figure stuff as poisonous as caffeine would be the right fix.

Planned to do year end shopping but lot looks like that not going to happen.. *sigh*

Which reminds me I haven’t collected the RM600+ road tax reimbursment thingy yet. The light bulb kinda went on early this morning out of nowhere. Hmmm… that money will go to credit card payment obviously. Still no shopping for me. Sad,

I have to get my eyes checked. I couldn’t read the signboards from decent distance this morning. That got me worried.

Right now I’m planning a secret project, nothing to do with IT, none whatsoever. No I’m not furthering my studies. No I’m not changing job. No I’m not starting up a business. No it’s nothing to do with computers. Nothing to do with IT, none whatsoever. So stop fiddling around figuring out what it is. And no I’m not going to entertain private message/email enquiries. Friends who know me know how I can keep it sealed as long as I want. So don’t bother. *insert creepy laughs with eerie background music here*