My Shocking Confession

OK, confession time. I'm having a hard time doing this, but I think it's about time. So please be prepared for what I'm about to say.

There were three bloggers who thought I was a girl. I had to tell them I am a guy. Those of you readers who have yet to check my profile, did you think I am a girl too?

But today, let me reveal my true gender.

In actual fact, in reality, I am a girl.

Yes, you read that right!

I am a girl. A female. XX.

Are you shocked?

A few bloggers whom I have met already knew this fact. Thanks for keeping my identity a secret, guys! Anyway, congrats to Rad, Nic and Che-cheh. You three got it right! Sorry I had to lie to you to say that I am a guy!

I would like to apologize to the rest of you who think I am a guy. Sorry!

Didn't you suspect it at all? My name foongpc - is that more like a male or female name to you?

The way I write my post - do you feel it's written by a male or a female?

My avatar - Jing Jing, the famous Beijing Olympic mascot is a male panda, but at first glance, don't you feel it's female?

Why did I need to lie about my gender? Well, it was actually for fun. I wanted to see how my readers react to me as a male. I initially started my blog as a female, but changed my mind after a few posts.

So why now? Why do I confess after all these while? I officially started blogging in May last year. It took me almost one year to finally build up enough courage to make this confession.

Well, it's because of one and only one reason. I am getting married. Yes, my fiance who knows about this blog and also the fact that I am masquerading as a male, is not too comfortable with me lying about my gender.

I've thought it over and I agreed that it would not be very fair to him. So I've decided to reveal the truth.

If you are angry with me for lying to you all this while, please just say what you want to say. I will accept all your comments whether good or bad, I will take responsibility for my lies. If you plan not to read my blog ever again, I will totally understand.

If you are not angry but amused, then please tell me that too. I always like bloggers with a sense of humour!

If you had actually secretly thought I am a girl, do let me know. I want to know how successful I had impersonated as a guy.

And if you are the ignorant ones who have yet to check my profile and had always thought I'm a girl all this while, please tell me too. I would love to hear from you!

OK, now that I've got this out of my system, I want to make a second confession. Which will probably be just as shocking, if not more. But I would like to keep you in suspense. At least make it a big bang before you decide to leave my blog forever, if that's what you intend to do.

But before I let you in on my second confession, I would like to make a final apology to all my readers and blogger friends. Very sorry if I had let you down. I know things will never be the same again.

You will need to scroll down to read it. Are you ready? Scroll down now...

























Got cha! HAPPY APRIL FOOLS' DAY!!! : )

Hope I've fooled all of you! Haha! Of course, those of you who have met me before will know this is an April Fools joke. But to the rest of you, I hope you had a good one : )

FIRST COMMENTER

In Praise Of Jesse McCartney

Do you know this singer songwriter by the name of Jesse McCartney?

I first know about him through his song "Beautiful Soul" from his debut album of the same name a few years back. Since then, I have been on a look out for his songs.

When I heard that he co-wrote the song "Bleeding Love" with Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic for singer Leona Lewis, I was quite sure the song would be a hit. And it indeed turned out to be a huge hit - the song was the best selling single in UK in 2007 and in USA in 2008.

Recently, Jesse came out with a song called "How Do You Sleep?". I heard it on the radio the other day and was immediately hooked! It was a delightful song complete with catchy rhythm and some rapping by Ludacris. This song is actually the third single taken from his latest album, "Departure".

Here's the YouTube video and the lyrics for you to sing along below. I hope they won't disable the video, so enjoy it while it is still available!



It's been about a year now
Ain't seen or heard from you
I been missin' you crazy
How do you how do you sleep
I found the letter you wrote me
It still smells just like you
Damn those sweet memories
How do you how do you sleep
How do you sleep

Tried my best at movin' on
Have yet to find a girl like you
See things now I didn't before
Now wishin' I had more time with you

How do you stay awake
Knowin' all I do is think of you
All the things we thought about
Then, never will happen again
If I could just see you

If I had my way come and get you girl
In your favourite car with the missing top
Around my way where we used to park
And did all those things to steal your heart

It's been about a year now
Ain't seen or heard from you
I been missin' you crazy
How do you how do you sleep
I found the letter you wrote me
It still smells just like you
Damn those sweet memories
How do you how do you sleep

It's been about a year now
Ain't seen or heard from you
I been missin' you crazy
How do you how do you sleep
I found the letter you wrote me
It still smells just like you
Damn those sweet memories
How do you how do you sleep
How do you sleep

Baby all that I hear from my friends
Again again and again come and ask 'bout you
They say we saw your girl at the game
And damn we gotta say a big mistake by you

Not only did your body bang
But I miss the conversation too
Tell me that you're gettin' more sleep
Can't think can't eat till I come see you

If I had my way come and get you girl
In your favourite car with the missing top
Around my way where we used to park
And did all those things to steal your heart

It's been about a year now
Ain't seen or heard from you
I been missin' you crazy
How do you how do you sleep
I found the letter you wrote me
It still smells just like you
Damn those sweet memories
How do you how do you sleep
How do you sleep

Oh-uh oh-uh oh-uh oh
Oh-uh oh-uh oh-uh oh

It's been about a year now
Ain't seen or heard from you
I been missin' you crazy
How do you how do you sleep
I found the letter you wrote me
It still smells just like you
Damn those sweet memories
How do you how do you sleep
It's been about a year now
Ain't seen or heard from you
I been missin' you crazy
How do you how do you sleep
I found the letter you wrote me
It still smells just like you
Damn those sweet memories
How do you how do you sleep
How do you sleep
Oh-uh oh-uh oh-uh oh

FIRST COMMENTER

Do You Support Earth Hour?

Malaysia will be having its very first Earth Hour tomorrow 28th March at 8.30pm.

A lot of bloggers have already blogged about this Earth Hour and most have expressed support for this event.

Now it's my turn.

I noticed not every country is supporting this Earth Hour. India is one of them. I wonder why.

I decided to go around asking my friends and their friends to find out what they think about this event. Here are some of the responses which were quite shocking to me.

"Earth Hour? What's that?"

"Oh yes, I know you are supposed to switch off your lights. That I can do, but don't ask me to switch off my air conditioner - it's so damn hot these days!"

"What? Switch off my TV too? I will miss my favourite TV show!"

"Aiya! Don't ask me to switch off my computer lah. I can switch off everything except my computer!"

"Switch off lights? Then do what? Go to sleep so early meh?"

"No fan, no air con? You want me to die ah, those mosquitoes will kill me!"

"Eh, very dangerous! If everyone switch off lights, thieves and robbers will make a killing!"

"I don't support. This is all a waste of time! What is one hour going to do to help the earth?"

"Tenaga Nasional will lose big if everyone practises Earth Hour! I don't think they will agree to this!"

"Crap! What global warming? There is no global warming! As if turning off lights for one measly hour can solve the problem which is not there in the first place!"

"Yeah, people are so silly, they think that if they switch off lights for one hour, they are contributing to saving the world from global warming. Then after that one hour, they switch on all the lights and waste electricity like there's no tomorrow."

"What nonsense! Do you know how much carbon is burnt for this Earth Hour campaign? Earth Hour is a joke!"

What about you? Are you for or against Earth Hour?

There are some anti-Earth Hour supporters out there who are campaigning to switch on every light and every electrical equipment they can get their hands on during Earth Hour as a sign of protest.

These people say that Earth Hour is a big hype and a waste of time. They think that for it to be effective, this habit of turning off lights should be done daily, or at least once a week. Not just a one day event.

In my opinion, although it is true that switching off lights for one hour won't do much to reduce carbon footprints and conserve energy, the main purpose of this Earth Hour is to create environmental awareness and also serve as a symbol of the fight against global warming. It is through awareness that real concrete action are able to take place. Do you agree?

I heard that a lot of buildings in KL will be joining in this event, like Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, Sultan Abdul Samad Building and MidValley Megamall among some of them. So maybe it will be a good idea to go out that night and watch these buildings turn off their lights just for fun!



So will you support Earth Hour and do something for Mother Earth? If yes, do visit this website and sign up to support this event!

PS: I just asked a friend if she supports Earth Hour a few minutes ago. Her response was amusing. "No, I can't switch off all the lights! I'm afraid of ghosts!"

Bloggers Care For The Earth Link Love Chain
Renny - Norway
EastCoastLife - Singapore
A Changing Life - France
Bill - Arizona, USA
Heart of Rachel - Batangas, Philippines
Life Ramblings - KL, Malaysia
Marzie - KL, Malaysia
Jean Chia - KL, Malaysia
LifeCruiser - Stockholm, Sweden
Sassy Mom - Manila, Philippines
foongpc - KL, Malaysia

FIRST COMMENTER

Is Homosexuality A Choice?

I know of someone whose teenage daughter is a lesbian. Not that this is a big deal in this day and age, but I later learnt that she does not really want to be a lesbian. She is just being a lesbian because she thinks it is trendy! Can you believe it?

Well, blame it all on Lindsay Lohan and some other Hollywood actresses who practise lesbianism!


Lindsay Lohan

However, I believe most gays and lesbians did not become who they are because it is trendy. They are born with a different sexual orientation. In other words, they did not have a choice in their sexual preference.

Some critics say that homosexuals are a result of upbringing and environment. They theorised that a boy became gay because his father was cold and emotionally detached. Or a girl became a lesbian because she had an aggressive mother. But this theory is neither correct nor proven.

According to the book 'Why Men Don't Listen & Women Can't Read Maps' by Allan and Barbara Pease, there were a lot or research done that concluded that homosexuals are born and not conditioned.



Scientists have already confirmed that the basic template for the body and brain of a human foetus is female in structure. That's why men have redundant female features like nipples and have mammary glands that do not function. In other words, we all started as females.

But 6 to 8 weeks after conception, a male foetus receives a massive dose of male hormones called androgens which help form his testes. Later, he receives a second dose which alter his brain from a female to a male configuration.

Now, if during that time, the male foetus did not receive enough androgens due to some reasons, he may be born with a more feminine brain structure, and is therefore likely to be gay by puberty.

Or he may be born with with a fully feminine brain structure yet still have the male genitals. In this case, he's likely to be a transgender, which means biologically, he's male but feel as if he's a female inside.

Even worse are some children who are born with both male and female genitals. They are sometimes born and raised as girls only to become boys at puberty. Their parents were shocked that their little girls had turned into boys! This change occured despite all the social conditioning and upbringing, which proves that social environment and upbringing had little to do with one's sexual orientation.

The important question is how does the male hormone, androgens get suppressed? Well, there are several causes among them, severe stress, sickness and certain medications will reduce the production of this male hormone.

So if during the early stage of pregnancy, the male hormone is suppressed, and the foetus is male, the chances of giving birth to a gay boy are high.

However, if the foetus is female, then the likelihood is that the girl will be a very feminine girl.

It is interesting to note that certain medications like contraceptive pills and diabetic drugs actually dose the body with male hormones like testosterone. This overdosing of male hormones is the cause of the female foetus turning into a lesbian girl!

It is for this reason that you find more homosexual guys than girls. This is because the chances of the foetus not receiving enough male hormone is higher than an overdose.

So pregnant mothers, do be careful of the medication you take! And manage your stress well if you want straight boys!


Poor Fab Five! Apparently, they did not receive enough androgens while in their mommies' wombs.

After having read this, what do you think? Do you still believe homosexuality is a result of social environment and upbringing? Or do you believe that one's sexual orientation is already fixed at birth, in other words, one has no choice in the matter?

If one really has no choice in the matter, isn't it unfair that gays and lesbians are treated with so much hostility, prejudice and discrimination in some parts of the world?

It's like you are shunned because you have blue eyes, or red hair, or you are left handed or dyslexic.

Sometimes, I wonder if it really is a choice, why would any intelligent person choose a way of life that exposes them to so much hostility, prejudice and discrimination? Isn't it so much easier to be straight?

For more reading on this subject, check out the book 'Why Men Don't Listen & Women Don't Read Maps' by Allan and Barbara Pease.

FIRST COMMENTER

Are Men Promiscuous And Three Minute Wonders?

I have been reading this book by Allan and Barbara Pease called "Why Men Don't Listen & Women Can't Read Maps" and I must tell you, it's one of the most interesting books I've ever read!

From the book, I learnt why most men are promiscuous in nature.

You see, promiscuity is wired into a man's brain and is a legacy of his evolutionary past. Throughout human history, wars were fought and had greatly diminished the number of men, so mating became an important activity to increase the tribe's population to ensure their survival.

For this to happen, nature equipped men with large hypothalamus and enormous amount of testosterone.

Hypothalamus is the part of the brain that controls sexual drive. It helps to stimulate the production of testosterone. Men have a larger hypothalamus than women. As a result, men have 10 to 20 times more testosterone than women. That's the reason why men have higher sex drive!


Picture courtesy of becomehealthynow.com

The sad thing is, in this modern times, men still have large hypothalamus and lots of testosterone although they no longer need to. Perhaps this explains why men are promiscuous and polygamous in nature.

Is it any wonder that a woman wants lots of sex with the man she loves but a man just wants lots of sex? : )

However, this is by no means an excuse for men to have affairs outside of marriage. Despite being promiscuous by nature, men can still control their sexual urges.



A healthy man takes an average of about 2 and a half minutes to reach orgasm from a cold start. A healthy woman reaches orgasm in 13 minutes! That is why men are known as 3 minute wonders!

Perhaps that is why after love making, the woman will complain to the man and say "You're a lousy lover!" And the man will respond by asking "How can you tell that in 2 minutes?" : )

Why men had it all done in a few short minutes? In other words, why are men quickies? Well, if you look at nature, you will notice that copulations in mammals are all fast affairs because during copulation, the animals are vulnerable to attack from predators and their enemies. Therefore, the quickies is nature's way of preserving the species.

However, as modern men are not being hunted down by any predators, they have no need to have it all done with fast.

So if you are a man, may i ask if you are promiscuous and a 3 minute wonder?

And if you are a woman, what do you think of all these?

There are a lot more interesting topics in the book, and I highly recommend that you read them! One of the topics I will touch on in my next post is homosexuality. So, stay tuned!

FIRST COMMENTER

How To Enjoy The Rain

I know this is a somewhat ridiculous if not funny, title. Teaching people how to enjoy the rain. If my last post was about lightning, then this post is about the rain! But do anyone really need or even want to enjoy the rain?

Well, it has been raining lately in this part of the world and there are flash floods and traffic jam in downtown KL. Who will enjoy the rain in such a situation?

OK, flash floods and traffic jams aside, the rain is really a wonderful natural phenomenon that I love! I don't know why, but every time it rains, I feel lighter. I feel happier. Isn't it odd? Most people associate sunshine with happiness. Not me.

I mean I enjoy the sunshine of course, but I also like the rain. Well, as long as I'm not trapped in a traffic jam or caught in a flash flood or out in the open without an umbrella or a raincoat, that is. Haha!



Since you can't stop the rain, you might as well enjoy it, yes? So you want to know how I enjoy the rain? Here's how!

1. Sleep during the rain
Yes! This is how I enjoy the rain! That is why I love it when it rains at night. I find listening to the sound of pouring rain very soothing and relaxing. It's the perfect ambience to prepare me for my sleep. Also, waking up in the middle of the night and hear the sound of falling rain outside my window instantly puts me back to dreamland! No wonder when it rains in the afternoon, I feel like going to bed!

2. Read a good book
What better way to enjoy a good book than sitting beside the window while it is raining outside? The sound of the rain pitter patter against the window pane is enough to take my reading to a whole new level of enjoyment! And it doesn't even have to be in my house! I remember one time I was reading in Borders sitting next to the glass window and enjoying the rain outside! I found it so comfortable there I did not want to leave!

3. Have a steamboat meal
This is especially enjoyable if the weather is cold after a whole day of raining. A hot meal like a steamboat meal totally makes me appreciate the rain much more. And watching the rain while having my steamboat meal inside a warm, comfortable restaurant or home is just so heavenly!

4. Sit outside the garden table
If you live in homes where you have a garden and a sheltered garden table, do try this when it rains! Provided the wind is not too strong and there are no dangers of lightning, it is so enjoyable to just sit there by your garden table and watch the rain! It's good to sit there with family members or friends and chat away while the rain pours. Even better if you include a pot of hot steaming tea for everyone! In fact, that's the best time to bond with family members or close friends.

5. Play in the rain
OK, this may not be a sensible thing to do. You don't want to catch the cold or get sick, do you? But, in reality it's not easier to catch the cold in the rain than in the sun. Want to feel like a child again? Go out there and play in the rain! Just make sure you take a warm shower and have a change of clothing after that!

6. Drive in the rain
I don't know about you, but I enjoy driving my car in the rain. I like the sight of rain falling on my car windscreens and windows. The feeling is just so relaxing especially if I switch on some nice soothing music as well. Of course, the rain must not be too heavy or else it's difficult to drive. And definitely there must not be any traffic jam or else whatever enjoyment of driving in the rain will be thrown out of the car's window!

7. Daydream
If it's not pouring too heavily, try opening the window and let the fresh smell of the rain comes in. Enjoy watching the dark clouds above, the trees swaying in the wind, the rain falling on rooftops and the pavement. Observe the puddles of water created on the ground, and listen to the different tones of the rain falling on different surfaces. Breathe in the fresh air. And indulge in daydreaming even as you focus on your senses.

8. Blog on your computer or laptop
This is especially for us bloggers! I love to be blogging on my laptop while it is raining outside. Just like reading a good book, the sound of rain outside seems to make me enjoy my blogging even more. Perhaps the sound of the falling rain has some kind of psychological effect on me.

Well, that's how I enjoy the rain! And I hope you will learn to enjoy it too. Instead of feeling down and dreary when the rain falls, learn to love the rain and let it be your source of enjoyment!

FIRST COMMENTER

When Lightning Strikes!

Did you know that Malaysia has one of the highest records of lightning strikes amongst the countries in the world?

Being close to the Equator, we are prone to lightning and thunderstorms all year round. In fact, the Malaysian Meteorological Department recorded more than 300 days of lightning in a year in certain parts of the country!

So what are the chances of anyone staying in Malaysia getting struck by lightning? I don't have the numbers with me, but I would say the chances are much higher than winning a lottery!


Photo courtesy of xmwallpapers.com

I have seen many people jogging outside in the rain and even in thunderstorms. I have also seen many children playing football in the open field during lightning and thunderstorms. What were these people thinking? Aren't they aware of the dangers of lightning?

So today, let's do a short quiz and see how much you know about lightning prevention. Just answer TRUE or FALSE. Ready? Here goes...

1. It is safe to use an umbrella in a lightning storm.

2. It is safer to take shelter under a tree rather than stay in the open during a lightning storm.

3. The car is one of the safest place to be in a thunderstorm.

4. If you see dark thunder clouds gathering over the horizon while in the open, you are at risk from being struck by lightning.

5. You are safe from being struck by lightning if you can hear the thunder but not see the lightning.

6. You only need to run for shelter when it rains as lightning occurs during the rain.

7. It is safe to use the mobile phone in a thunderstorm.

8. If you are caught in a thunderstorm outside, try to stay dry as the chances of getting struck by lightning is lower when you are dry.

9. Lying flat on the ground is the best position to take in the open field during a lightning storm.

10. It is safe to go out in the open once you are sure there is no more lightning and thunder.

Well, how did you do? Scroll down for the answers.





















1. It is safe to use an umbrella in a lightning storm - FALSE
An umbrella is an easy target for lightning. Especially umbrellas with spiky tops.

2. It is safer to take shelter under a tree rather than stay in the open during a lightning storm - FALSE
Lightning tends to strike tall objects, and trees are one of them. Therefore, never take shelter under a tree during lightning storm. It is probably better to stay out in the open away from trees and tall objects like poles and lamp posts.

3. The car is one of the safest place to be in a thunderstorm - TRUE
A car with a metal roof conducts electricity and brings it down to earth. Make sure not to touch any metal objects in the car and keep the windows rolled up. Of course, the safest place is still inside a concrete building.

4. If you see dark thunder clouds gathering over the horizon while in the open, you are at risk from being struck by lightning - TRUE
Lightning has been known to strike up to 10 miles from a storm, so even if the dark clouds are not above you at the moment, you are still in danger of being struck by lightning. Stop all acivities and seek shelter once you see dark clouds looming on the horizon.

5. You are safe from being struck by lightning if you can hear the thunder but not see the lightning - FALSE
Lightning can strike up to 10 miles from a storm, so even if you don't notice the lightning, you may be within the lightning strike. Once you see the lightning, it may already be too late. Start looking for shelter when you hear the thunder.

6. You only need to run for shelter when it rains as lightning occurs during the rain - FALSE
Lightning often occurs before the rain falls, so do not wait for the rain to fall before you act.

7. It is safe to use the mobile phone in a thunderstorm - TRUE
As long as you are not out in the open, it is generally safe to use the mobile phone in a thunderstorm. Do not use land-line phones, any plugged-in electrical appliances, plumbing fixtures or anything that conducts electricity in a thunderstorm. As such, do not take a shower or touch any metallic object like door knobs and even taps in the house or building.

8. If you are caught in a thunderstorm outside, try to stay dry as the chances of getting struck by lightning is lower when you are dry - FALSE
Get yourself wet in a thunderstorm! Wet clothing helps to reduce serious injuries to the lightning struck person. Let the current flow over you instead of inside you.

9. Lying flat on the ground is the best position to take in the open field during a lightning storm - FALSE
It is dangerous to touch the ground as all lightnings are grounded. Instead, the best position is to squat down with your feet together, your head tucked to your chest or between the knees, your hands covering your ears or flat on your knees. This will minimise injury as the lightning will flow over your body instead of through vital organs.

10. It is safe to go out in the open once you are sure there is no more lightning and thunder - FALSE
Stay inside your shelter until about 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard. Lightning can still happen within that time frame.

For more information on how to protect yourself from lightning, read wikihow.

FIRST COMMENTER

The Haunted Penang Hotel

Strange. They were all senior citizens.

That was what both Colin and I noticed. The waiters were all males and at least above the age of 50.

Just then, Aurora and Kye Li came to join us. Kye Li was not her usual self. She looked pale and tired.

“What happened to you? Didn’t have a good night sleep last night?” I asked her.

She shook her head. We were seated by the window and the sunshine shining through seemed to trouble her.

“I didn’t sleep much last night. I had a very bad nightmare.” Kye Li said.

“Very horrible. I think she’s still shaking.” Aurora chipped in.

“That bad? Tell us about it!” Colin said.

“I don’t know….” Kye Li struggled to explain. “I don’t know if it’s a dream. It was so real!”

We reached Penang just the day before and had booked into this hotel along Penang Road. I and Colin shared a room, while the girls stayed in another room which was directly opposite the room next to ours.

After a tiring day walking around Georgetown, we went for dinner and then came back to the hotel to retire for the night. I went over to the girls’ room and chit chat for a while before going back to my room to sleep. There was no indication to prepare me for what would happen the following day.

As we ate our breakfasts, Kye Li slowly described what happened last night.

“I was talking to Aurora. We were both in bed. I think it was about 12.30am. I could see that Aurora was tired and wanted to sleep. I knew I should stop chatting with her and let her sleep. But somehow, I was not that sleepy.

But as I continued to talk, I realized she was about to doze off. I was starting to feel drowsy myself. Then I awoke with a start. I didn’t know if I imagined it, but I heard it! The water running in the bathroom as if someone was taking a shower.

I quickly sat up and shook Aurora to wake her up. I told her what I heard, so we just sat still for a while to listen. We heard nothing then, but we decided to check out the bathroom anyway. We had left the bathroom lights on, so we just opened the door and went in slowly to look.

Nothing. Shower was not turned on, no water running from the taps. Aurora said either I imagined it or what I heard was from the room next door. I was thinking, maybe that’s it! Anyway, we went back to bed after that.

I was chatting with Aurora for some time before starting to feel drowsy again. I think Aurora already slept – I was not sure – I was drifting into sleep. And then I awoke with a start! I saw several men in suits surrounding my bed. They started to pull me up from bed. I screamed. I saw Aurora still asleep next to me. I called her but she did not wake up. The men held my hands and legs and pulled me out from my bed, but somehow I struggled and struggled, screaming out for Aurora to wake up and help me.

Then I woke up. Aurora was sitting beside me. She said I was screaming like a mad person. I looked around. There were no men in suits. But everything else in the room was exactly the same as in my dream – every single detail including the box of tissue on the table beside my bed. And the clothes I placed on the chair. The details were exactly the same. I could not believe it was a dream!”

“She thinks the room is haunted.” Aurora said.

“Really?” I said. “It could just be a nightmare.”

“But it’s so real! I can even remember some of the faces of the men. One was very hideous. I remember his face very well. Oh, it’s so scary!” Kye Li said, trembling.

“Maybe you all should move out of the room.” Colin suggested.

“No!” Aurora shouted.

We all looked at her. “Why not?” Colin asked.

“I like the room!” I could hardly believe she said that.

“Besides,” she continued, “I think she’s just having a nightmare.”

Later that day, we searched for a temple and brought Kye Li there. I don’t remember the location of this temple, but we got Kye Li a talisman or ‘fu’ in Chinese.

Kye Li had almost forgotten her ordeal by the time we went back to the hotel to sleep that night. I was thinking, maybe with the talisman she felt much safer and was not worried anymore.

Boy, was I wrong! Both Colin and I were fast asleep when someone banged on our door. I quickly got up to my feet and asked who’s there. It was Kye Li. I quickly opened the door. She was crying.

“What happened?” I asked. Colin was by now behind me.

“Aurora. She…..she….” Kye Li stammered.

“What happened to her?” Colin asked.

Without waiting for her response, Colin and I stormed into her room. What I saw gave me the chills. Aurora was not on her bed. Instead, she was on the ceiling. Somehow, she was clinging to the ceiling, with her head tilted backwards and her long hair flowing downwards as she faced us.

I froze. Never in my life have I felt such horror. Colin gasped.

Aurora gave a crackling laughter as she moved towards us, her head tilted sideways as she looked at us. I backed out of the door in complete shock. But my legs gave way. I fell.

Then I woke up.

I could feel my heart beating fast and I was sweating. Colin looked at me and said, “You looked as if you have seen a ghost!”

I squinted as the sunlight from the window entered my eyes. I looked around the room. The dream was so real!

I then looked at Colin and said, “You know what, Colin?”

“What?” Colin frowned.

“We are changing room!”

“You are kidding me!” Colin protested.

“We are changing room right now!” I woke up from the bed and started to take my belongings and placed them in my luggage.

“Please don’t tell me you are having the same nightmare as Kye Li.” Colin teased.

“No, not the same. We are not having nightmares.”

“You mean this room is haunted? Is that what you mean?”

“Look Colin, are you packing your things or not? I am getting out of this room!” I almost shouted.

Colin noticed I was serious and quickly packed his stuff. As we went out of the room, the girls overheard the commotion and came out of their room.

“What happened?” Kye Li asked.

“This guy say we are going to request for a change of room!” Colin said pointing to me.

“Oh my God!” Kye Li trembled. “You experienced it too, Foong?”

“Yes, my God, yes! I was scared as hell! We shouldn’t have switched room with you girls last night!”

Note: This is a true story, except that we did not switch rooms. My friends Kye Li and Aurora requested for a change of room the day after Kye Li had her nightmare. At one point, Colin did suggest we switch room but I was too 'scaredy-cat' to go along with that idea! We did go to the temple to get Kye Li a talisman. But she insisted on changing room even with the talisman protection.

I just made up the rest of the story to spice things up. As to whether the hotel room was really haunted, we had no way of knowing but until now, Kye Li still believe it is haunted.

I am not going to mention the name of this hotel, except that from my hotel room, I can see the sea and E&O Hotel. I have changed the names of my friends to protect their privacy.

FIRST COMMENTER

Dinner At Kiku Zakura

Last week, I was craving for some Japanese food and my brother suggested we try this restaurant called Kiku Zakura located at the new Tropicana City Mall in Petaling Jaya.

This restaurant had just opened at this mall so there were not many customers. Surprisingly, we had to wait quite long for our orders. I guess they were short of workers, most probably because it was still new.

I went there with my brother and his friend.

Here was what we ordered.



Don't remember the Japanese name, but it's something like prawn dumplings. Yummy! Especially when they were dipped in the sauce. Sorry there were only a few dumplings left when I took this photo. That's because we were all too hungry - must eat first!

I ordered this set meal which had this very delicious salmon fish as the main dish.



Damage to my pocket - RM37.

My brother ordered the chicken teriyaki set. I tried a bit of that - it was so delicious!



Damage to his pocket - RM22, I think.

My brother's friend ordered this beef with asparagus dish.



I also tried a bit of this dish and loved it! But the price almost made me faint. Guess how much? It was over RM60!!

For that kind of price, I could eat 3 dishes of that delicious teriyaki chicken! Or eat unlimited Japanese food at Tenji buffet!

The restaurant had quite a nice ambience which I like. All photos taken with my SE C902 handphone camera, so please bear with the poor quality especially in dim lightings.







This is the logo and the name of the restaurant.



By the way, my brother is the interior designer for this restaurant, so maybe if you visit it next time, do take notice of its interior design! Haha!

Oh, and of course because of my brother, we got some small discounts! But still a huge damage to our pockets. Well, never mind, I shall have bread or noodles for my next few meals!

FIRST COMMENTER

Will The World End In 2012?

21st December 2012.

That is the day many predicted to be the end of the world.

Is it true? If it is, we only have roughly another 3 years and 9 months left!

Normally, I won’t even bother about such predictions. I mean, we have been through that before, haven’t we? Remember the hype that was created when we were last approaching the year 2000?

In the past, so called prophets and psychics had predicted about the end of the world so many times but each time, it did not come to pass. Will it be any different this time?

Well, let us look at some of the evidences that support the 2012 doomsday prediction.

First, there’s the Mayan calendar that seems to end on the 21st December 2012. The Mayans were obsessed with time keeping and even during their time, they were able to predict with accuracy all the eclipses and positions of the planets. Why did their calendar end on 21st December 2012?

Secondly, an unknown planet called Planet X which has an odd orbit will be entering the Solar System in the year 2012. This planet enters the Solar System every 3,600 years and 2012 is the year it returns, and possibly causing devastating weather conditions, widespread earthquakes and rising of sea level. Watch the 5-part video here.

Thirdly, the Milky Way galaxy will be aligning with the Earth and the Sun on the 21st December 2012 at the galactic equator. This event happens every 25,800 years! Scientists do not have a unanimous agreement on the effects of such an alignment on planet Earth. The worst possible scenario may be the end of the world! Read about how the Mayans already calculated the date of this alignment long time ago here.

Fourthly, the late Terence McKenna used the I-Ching to do some kind of mathematical fractal operation and produced a computer program which produced a "time wave" which mapped out something called "novelty" across the scale of time, from Big Bang to Eschaton, the end of time. The mapping of time mysteriously ends on 21st December 2012! He called the year 2012 "Time Wave Zero". Oh, this is really deep stuff, so you might want to watch this video for better understanding.



Isn't is scary that so many things seem to be happening and all point to this particular date - 21st December 2012?

Some say that it won't be the end of the world as we see it, but will just be a consciousness shift which leads to a leap in the evolution of human beings. Others even predicted that since humans will reach a higher level of consciousness, it will be the right time for aliens to come visiting! So the year 2012 will be known as the year we will finally make contacts with aliens! Well, I really don't know about that!

Anyway, you may want to watch this video which is in 6 parts. This is the first part. (The above video about "Time Wave Zero" is actually part 3 of this 6-part video)



You can watch Part 2 and subsequent parts here.

In fact, this talk on the year 2012 is so popular it's even been made into a movie due out later this year.

What do you think? Will the world come to an end in 2012?

Let's suppose it is true. Let's just say we know for a fact that 2012 is the year the world ends. What will you be doing differently right now?

Will you still be working hard at your job or your business?

Will you still be stressed up over small matters?

Will you forgive those who have wronged you?

Will you spend more time with your loved ones?

Will you learn to love more and hate less?

Will you see the good in every person no matter how you dislike him or her?

Will you be more religious or spiritual?

Will you travel the world over to see all the wonders of the world before they cease to exist?

Will you be non judgmental of people and situations?

Will you see the positive side of everything?

Will you treasure every single moment, every single day of your life?

What about people and events around you?

Will Malaysian political parties stop fighting with each other?

Will Malaysians stop demonstrating in the streets?

Will racial politics come to an end?

Will Israel and Palestine finally stop their war with each other?

Will North and South Korea make peace?

Will the terrorists stop their terror acts?

Will we finally have world peace?

Maybe this is what we need - the end of the world - for humans to wake up and change their ways. Perhaps it won't be the end just yet. Perhaps there's still hope if we realise this now.

FIRST COMMENTER

My Upcoming Trip To Guilin

I am so excited! I am going for a holiday! And it's not a local holiday.

It's a trip to Guilin, China. I have already booked an AirAsia flight and paid RM559 for a return ticket.

Even though the holidays are still about four months away, I am really excited because...

1. I have never been to China before. This will absolutely be my first time there! Woo hoo!

2. I am going with a fellow blogger and his friend. The blogger is none other than Jam! Thanks Jam for inviting me to join you for this trip!

3. It's a 10-day trip! We will be departing from KL on 30th July 2009 and return on 8th August 2009. I have never gone for a holiday for that long! The most is 5 days! Now I can have 10 days of carefree time, without thinking about work and all the stress!

Guess what? Me and Jam would like to invite fellow bloggers from Malaysia to join us for this trip! Well, for one thing, I need someone to share a room with me to save money. Haha!

OK, I guess the main reason is it'll be more fun to go in a group and what's more, it's like a bloggers' trip! How cool is that? And don't forget, you will finally get to see me and Jam in the flesh! Now is that good enough reason to go on this trip with us? Haha!

Now just to whet your appetite, this is what Jam, who is the more experienced traveler, has planned for the trip. Besides Guilin, we would also be visiting nearby Yangshuo and Longsheng. Some of the highlights of our trip are:

1) Guilin numerous peaks such as Elephant-Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave and many others.
2) Li River cruise where you will see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.
3) West Street in Yangshuo.
4) Impression on Liu San Jie, a cultural show directed by the director of Beijing 2008 Olympics opening ceremony.
5) Terraced field in Longsheng.
6) Experience the culture of Miao and Zhuang minority tribe in Longsheng.
7) Visit Xingping, a small fishing village nearby Yangshuo which was once visited by Bill Clinton.
8) And many more!!

I googled some photos of Guilin and came away awed. For those of you who have never been to Guilin, see these photos for yourself!








All the above photos are courtesy of Wikipedia

Want to see more pictures? Click here.

So how much will this trip cost you? Well, if you like staying in 5-star hotels and dining in expensive restaurants, I don't think you would want to join us. That's because we are sort of back-packing on this trip and staying in just 2-star youth hostels or guesthouses. The total costs including airfare, accommodation, transport and food will come to about RM2,000.

However, there are two conditions which you must agree before joining us.

1. We are not to share photos. Make sure you bring your own camera if you wish to take photos!

2. Since Jam and I are private persons and we value our privacy, we will appreciate if you do not post photos of us (including his friend) in your blog or on the internet. However, you may post photos of us with our faces blurred (though I still prefer if you post none at all).

Well, what are you waiting for? Let me or Jam know if you wish to join us for this trip of the year!

FIRST COMMENTER

My Very First Canopy Walk At FRIM (Part 2)

In my last post, I mentioned about my fear of heights. I was surprised to receive many comments from bloggers saying they suffer from this fear too. I wondered how this fear came about.

I am sure that when we were first born, we were not afraid of anything! As a baby, we were not afraid of climbing out of the cradle. We were not afraid of falling down because we had not experienced pain from falling. Try putting a baby at the rooftop and I am sure the baby will be enjoying himself while we adults suffer from panic attacks!

So it seems that this fear of heights or acrophobia is a learned reaction. Somewhere along the way, we may have experienced pain from falling, or we had adults putting this fear in us by constantly drumming into us not to climb the stairs or out the window.

One way to cure acrophobia is to go for hypnosis. This method will help us trace back to our childhood and find the cause of our phobia. I thought this was time consuming and probably costly as I may need to engage a hypnotherapist.

Another way is to practise behaviour therapy. One kind of behaviour therapy is to gradually exposing yourself to your fear. You may start with climbing up a short ladder, then progress to looking out the window of a tall building, to climbing up the rooftop and so on.

Another kind is to immediately expose yourself to your most fearful situation without gradual steps.

I decided to go for the latter. By going canopy walking at FRIM.

I know, I know. It's just walking on a suspended bridge. Thousands have probably walked on it without any unfortunate incident. How dangerous can it be?

Well, those who do not suffer from acrophobia will never understand someone with acrophobia. I tell you, walking that suspended bridge is like risking my life!

Confucius once said "A journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step". And so with much hesitancy, I placed my right foot forward.



And I just walked without looking down. The bridge was pretty sturdy, I thought. I walked with the help of the ropes by the sides.

And then I reached the middle part of the bridge. I did not know why but I decided to look down. Oh my God! My heart almost popped out! I was very high up, as I could see the top of the trees below me. Falling down below would spell instant death!

My legs were turning a little rubbery like and I felt slightly dizzy.

Even then, I was thinking, should I take some photos here? I found myself saying, "Are you mad? You can't even stand steadily with both hands holding onto the ropes, you want to let go of the ropes to take some God damned photos?"

And so I steadied myself and walked on. I could see a wooden platform at the end of the bridge. I made myself walked a little faster to reach it. When I finally stepped onto the platform, I heaved a sigh of relief.

I looked back at the bridge I just walked, bent down and took this photo.



I rested for a while at this platform. I realised I did not dare go too near the edge of the platform as standing near the edge made me feel dizzy again. I was so glad there was no one near me at that time as the platform could only take the maximum load of 4 persons!



I have to say the scenery around me was quite beautiful. But I did not take any photos as I was more interested in crossing the next bridge.

I proceeded to step onto the second suspended bridge. This time, I felt braver and calmer. When I reached the middle, I decided to stand there and enjoy the view. It was great! But I still could not bring myself to take any photos!

Then I reached the second platform which was slightly bigger than the first one. No wonder it could take up to 8 persons!



On top of this platform, I saw some breathtaking views and could not help taking some photos.







And then I was off again onto another suspension bridge and another platform. I would not say that my fear of heights had completely disappeared, but it had certainly reduced to a level that I felt was manageable.



Finally I reached the end of the canopy walkway, after walking all 150 metres of it! Yes, I made it!! It was a good feeling indeed!





Now that I have conquered the canopy walkway at FRIM, what's next?

Well, I am thinking about going for the longest canopy walkway in the world! Do you know where that is? Believe it or not, it's right here in Malaysia, in one of the oldest rainforests in the state of Pahang. Yes, it's none other than Taman Negara National Park!

The canopy walkway at Taman Negara is 500 metres long, which is more than 3 times the length of the one I've just walked in FRIM. And it's also higher, at 40 metres above ground as compared to FRIM's 30 metres.

Anyone interested to join me?

FIRST COMMENTER

My Very First Canopy Walk At FRIM (Part 1)

I have acrophobia. If that sounds alien to you, well, it actually means a fear of heights.

Somehow, I don't think my phobia is that serious, but I do get dizzy when I am somewhere high looking down. Like on top of a building, or a mountain, or a bridge.

So yesterday, I decided to face my fear. Yes, either I fight it or I allow it to haunt me for life!

What did I do?

Well, I went to FRIM in Kepong. If you don't already know, there's a canopy walkway in the jungle at FRIM, which is like a suspended bridge about 150 metres long and about 30 metres above ground.

Now, I am a lover of nature. I love the forests and the sound of wildlife around me. I love the smell of plants and I like to hear the sound of river flowing in the distance. That's the reason why I love to go FRIM to jog and to walk the jungle trails.

Although I've been there many times, and passed by the canopy walkway each time, I have never tried going up the canopy before, probably because I have this fear of heights! Well, all that changed yesterday.

I could not find anyone free to accompany me. It's a working day, by the way. Who in their right mind would follow me to go walking in the jungle and climb up a suspended bridge in the late morning? So I guess I had to face my fear all alone! No one to help me if I suddenly go paralysed with fear in the middle of the bridge! Boo hoo! Well, so be it!

I arrived at FRIM at about 11.15am. After paying RM5 at the guardhouse, I drove my car inside. Oh, just driving along the road made me feel so relaxed. The vast greeneries seemed to welcome me with open heart. For a moment, I forgot about the canopy walk.

Everytime I go to FRIM, I always thank God for the forests and the nature that God bestowed upon us. I don't understand why humans would want to cut down the trees and log the forests. It breaks my heart each time I see trees being chopped down in the name of development!

After parking my car, I went straight to FRIM's One Stop Centre to purchase the ticket for the canopy walkway. After being briefed about the walkway, I registered and paid RM5 for the ticket. The lady told me the walkway will be closed by 2.30pm so I should not wait too long to go there.

I left the One Stop Centre and walked a short distance to enter the Rover Tracks after passing the mosque. I often go jogging here, so this place was like my backyard to me.


Map courtesy of FRIM

Here's how the Rover Track looks like, with greeneries all around.





I really think my blood pressure drops a few notches when I am surrounded by these trees and plants! Somehow, I just feel so comfortable being with nature.

After walking for about 900 metres, I reached an open space area where I saw this signboard directing the way to the Canopy Walkway.



The steps you see are the beginning of the jungle trail.



Inside the jungle trail, it was really shady as the trees blocked out most of the sunshine. You could hear sounds of animals and birds here.

As I went deeper, the steps became steeper and it was getting harder to climb. In fact, when I first came here, it was physically demanding for me, and it still is, though I'm slightly fitter now. If you have never exercised before, you will definitely find the jungle trail a huge challenge!



At one point, it was very steep and you just keep going up and up with no end in sight! If you have leg pain and heart problems, this may not be the place for you. But don't let me scare you! As long as you are quite healthy, you should give this jungle trail a try! It may leave you breathless, but you will be much fitter for it.

Some parts of the trail had wooden planks on the ground as a small stream ran below the planks.



I was in awe with some jungle sceneries here I just had to capture them on my handphone camera.





Finally, after about 15 minutes climbing the steep jungle trail, I reached the entrance hut to the Canopy Walkway. I entered the hut and passed the ticket to the person in charge.

As I stepped onto the suspended bridge, I could feel the fear coming. Somehow, I got to do this. And do it alone! To some people, this is no big deal. But to me, who have a fear of heights, it was a big deal.

I held on tight to the ropes as I put my right foot forward.



Will I make it? Find out in my next post coming right up!

FIRST COMMENTER

Lindsay