Poor fishies...

A dear friend had just moved into her new house last month. And as part of her Balinese-home concept, she had installed a small water feature in her in-house garden. The whole thing had fit in perfectly in her plan and even her husband had to agree that it was a great concept.

Hence, when I went for her sort-of house warming get-together, I asked whether they are going to get any fishes, e.g. koi, for the new kolam...


Friend: No way!
Binx: Why laa?
Friend: Firstly, it stinks.
Friend: Secondly, what if it jumps out of the kolam on to my new sofa?
Friend: Habis laa sofa baru I...
Binx: Rite.........


Anyway, I guess the husband managed to persuade her into buying some goldfish for their new kolam. So the couple had happily went shopping for goldfish and not to forget an 'ikan bandaraya'.

Being an amateur at it, the couple meddled their way through in preparing the kolam for their new fishes. Little did they know that fishes, especially goldfish, are very sensitive creatures that needed to be settled into their new 'home' gently. With a single thrust, they let got of the fishies to dive their way into their new environment.

Soon after, the fishies became the center of attention of the couple, especially the husband. He would actually feed them constantly around the clock.


#1 (Conversation over the phone)

Friend: You know what?
Binx: What?
Friend: I spent the whole night cleaning up the kolam last night..
Friend: All the fishies dah mati..
Binx: Huh? All of them? What happened?
Friend: We don't know.. But urrgghh.. the smell was horrible..


#2 (Conversation over breakfast)

Binx: So what actually happened to the fishies?
Friend: I don't know.. Nak kata I didn't clean the kolam, I did..
Friend B: Did you change the water?
Friend: Of course laa.. Fresh tab water ok..
Friend B: Did you put anti-chlorine in the water?
Friend: Errkk.. Kena eh?
Binx & Friend B: d'oh!
Friend: Opppss..
Friend: But hubby feeds them well.. non-stop
Friend B: Bagus laa tuh.. Makan banyak2 plus minum air filled with chlorine.. poor fishies..
Binx: *lol* Kejam nya you guys..
Friend: No wonder the fishies were very fat and bloated when we found them dead..
Binx: Oh my god...

Binx: So how many fishies did you guys get actually?
Friend: Around 30 kut..
Binx: And all 30 of them died?
Friend: No lah.. but we decided to get rid of the rest too..
Friend B: What did you do with them?
Friend: I threw them into the drain.. so that they can swim off to the open sea..
Binx & Friend B: You ingat macam dalam Finding Nemo ke?
Friend: Betul laa.. At least that was better what..
Friend: Hubby wanted to flush them off into the toilet bowl.
Binx: Eh.. hello.. where do you think the drain leads to?
Binx: Mana ada laut kat KL nieh kak oii...
Friend: Then?
Binx: It leads to the water reservoir laa.. where the water will be treated to be recycled.
Friend: Oh my god.. I'm a fish killer..
Friend B: Poor fishies...


That was the funniest conversation we had over our monthly breakfast date by far. Imagine the look on the other customers' faces when we were laughing our hearts out and even screaming (takde laa on top of our voices) to our 'smart' friend this morning.




binx: "nemooooo.. where are youuuuuuuuu....?"

Exam Woes...

What is it with exams that people get so hyped, stressed and panicked about? It is just a paper set to test your ability to memorise, understand, apply or even bullshit (back in school we use to term it as "menggoreng") your way through. However, that particular paper also can drive a person to a certain extend that he would do anything just to aced/pass it.

I never realised that an exam can cause a great impact on a person until I sat for the professional exams. My god it is tough..! I mean, yeah people might say that it is just another set of exam.. "Apa susah sangat?".. Well, to tell you the truth, according to my lecturer, the examiners for most of the professional exam papers are sadistic people. They just love to torture the candidates because they feel that as a professional, you should be able to handle the challenges and the stress that are thrown your way. Hence, if you are able to handle the stress and exam pressure well, you should be able to handle anything that comes your way. Hmm.. really?

And preparing for exams are really taxing as well. First, you need to invest a lot of money (A LOT! Remember the extra RM1k? It's gone now after paying for my revision class fees *sob**sob*). Then you need to put in some extra time to study, that is if you have extra time la. Hence, there goes your "me" time. Every free time needed to be planned and used wisely. You just have to think of it this way... The consequences for pigging out in front of the idiot box is that you will be calling yourself an idiot when you fail (again!). However, you should learn how to balance study and entertainment laa jugak. All work and no play makes you dull and grey..

Once you have nailed the studying part, now comes the most crucial day of your life, THE DAY. You have made sure that you know where the exam was to be held.. You have prepared everything that were needed for the exam (identification - checked!, exam entry slip - checked!, pens - checked!, calculator - errmm.. where's my calculator?!). You woke up extra early to prepare yourself for the battle, ate a healthy breakfast, braved the morning traffic and got yourself to the exam hall on time. Once the announcement was made, you walked into the exam hall, reciting all the doas' that you know and remembered, found a place where you feel was ok (you've checked that there's no psychos or irritating kiasu people sitting in front, at the back and next to you and made sure the the chairs and tables were stable) and took you sit. With the kalimah bismillahirrahmannirrahim you opened the question booklet, took one look at the first question and suddenly everything went BLANK!

Alhamdulillah that situation has never happened to me, yet. And I pray to God that it will never happen. However, that is a true scenario of what has happened to some students. The speaker of the exam technique workshop that I have just attended this evening had shared his experience as an examiner/marker of the professional exam board. According to him, most students goes blank and panicked when they see the examination questions. Some regained their composure and managed to tackle the questions well after pausing for a breather (which should not be more then a minute because every second counts in these exams). Others either walk out of the exam hall without finishing the exam or try to be creative and instead write a "Dear examiner..." note in the answer scripts.


"Dear Examiner,

I am sorry for being 40 minutes late for the exam. I was told to get on the No. 43 bus to get to the exam hall. However, the bus took me to another place instead. Hence, I needed to board another bus and was delayed on the way. I hope you could help me out by not penalising me for not being able to finish answering the required number of questions."


"Dear Examiner,

Please don't fail me. I'll give you GBP100 if you pass me. My number is 777-00-8370. I promise to pay you once I've received my result."


"Dear Examiner,

Please have some mercy on me. I've been sitting for this paper for my forth time. I know I've tried my best to answer all the questions required. However, I never seem to be able to clear this paper. I beg you to pass me this time around. My career progression depends on this. Thank you."




Funny ey.. But it's the truth. Some people would succumbed to the pressure and just do stupid things during exam. Luckily there are no multiple choice questions (MCQs), if not we can definitely see some people throwing out dices during the exams.

I have had my fair share of failures over the past 2 and a half years. I can't really pin down where did it went wrong. I guess it was just not my luck. Hence, I am now determined to overwrite those failures with passes this time around. Insyallah I will try my best to give it all that I have. Pass or fail will be beyond my control. Just knowing that I have given the best that I can will be good enough for now. Praying hard that I will not need to write one of those "Dear Examiner..." note this coming November *winks*.





binx: time to hit the books!

Renjis-renjis dipilis...

Just got back from a wedding tonight. It was the 3rd wedding I have attended so far of my ex-TTDI schoolmates. 1 was back in 2000 (the couple now has 2 daughters), and the other one was in 2003 (the couple now has a daughter too) and the other one was tonight.

The best part about tonight was when I went to picked up a friend before the wedding.

Friend: So, how have you been? It has been a while since we last saw you...
Binx: Yeah.. true.. I've been hibernating in the office laa you
Friend: How come I never see you at other weddings? Ramai jugak yang dah kawin..
Binx: Err.. maybe because I was not invited kut..
Friend: Eh.. errr serious? Takkan laa they didn't invite you?
Binx: Yeah.. but I guess it's ok.. Partly my fault also for not keeping in touch with them all...
Friend: (guilty tone) Ooook.. Takpe laa kut...

During the wedding, I met most of my ex-schoolmates, along with their husband/wife, fiance and boyfriend/girlfriend. It was such an awkward moment. Especially when I was seated between two good friends that kept exchanging updates about other weddings that they have attended. Orang tuh kawin, orang nieh kawin... It seems that almost everyone that I know is married (according to my friend laa.. "semua orang dah kawin..!").. *yawnnnnn*

I can't help but to feel a bit left out during the whole ceremony. But I didn't want to be pretentious by dragging along a guy just so as to not be singled out among the crowd. Plus I didn't want to have to explain to everyone that the guy was just a friend and keep getting the "uh.. yeah rite.. friend..". The last time I did that I ended up in a big mess.


To sidetrack a bit, why would people assume that when a guy and a girl go out, that they are actually a couple? They can be friends or colleagues accompanying each other to a function or on a shopping excursion to find a birthday/wedding gift for friends.

I was really stunned (jaw-dropping kinda stunned) yesterday when a promoter at one of the beauty counter at a mall actually called me and Izzy (an annoying colleague), a couple. "Biasa laa... orang tengah bercinta.." URGHHH! 1. He was just accompanying me in search for a birthday present for a dear friend, 2. We were not in any lovey dovey situation that would have prompted such remark from the mak nyah promoter, 3. I was actually whacking his head for cracking stupid joke about the promoter... Apa yang bercinta nya? I don't get it!


After today, I have made a vow to myself, to avoid attending any more weddings until I am ready to face such situations again. I'll try my best to dodge the bullets (wedding invitations) by doing the same thing that I've been doing so far, burying myself in work and studies. I just hope that I will not bury myself in too deep, that "the one" will not be able to find/see me underneath all those files and books.





binx: run binx..... run.........

I'm Never Gonna Leave You...

Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Music Video Codes by FreeVideoCodes.com


Summer has come and past.
The innocent can never last.
Wake me up when September ends.

Like my fathers come to pass,
Seven years has gone so fast.
Wake me up when September ends.

Heree comes the rain again,
Falling from the stars.
Drenched in my pain again,
Becoming who we are.

As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost.
Wake me up when September ends.

Summer has come and past.
The innocent can never last.
Wake me up when September ends.

Ring out the bells again.
Like we did when spring began.
Wake me up when September ends.

Here comes the rain again,
Falling from the stars.
Drenched in my pain again,
Becoming who we are.

As my memory rest,
But never forgets what I lost.
Wake me up when September ends.

Summer has come and past.
The innocent can never last.
Wake me up when September ends.

Like my fathers come to pass.
Twenty years has gone so fast.
Wake me up when September ends.[x3]

binx: *sob* *sob*

This and that..

• So this is how it feels like when you have nothing to do in the office.. The speaker is on, instead of the usual earphone stuck in my ear.. Spent the day surfing the net and wuhooo updating blog!


• Is this for love or money? I wonder... However, I salute her for keeping it a hush hush thing instead of her other colleagues that made it known to everyone who they are currently dating / eyeing / marrying.
  


• However, this was not something new. After this happened, it was just a matter of time before someone else snags her. Maklumlah, she's been dubbed as "Perempuan Melayu Tercantik" what...


• It was sad to see this happened last Tuesday night. Despite having the chemistry between them, it was not enough to convince her family to choose him as one of the finalist. They would rather have someone who is matured enough to handle their sister. Urrgghh.. I totally disagree (emo laa pulak.. hehehe..)


• Going to watch this movie later tonight. Can't wait. Have been hearing good reviews about the movie.. Hopefully it won't turn out to be like one of those typical malay movie that turns all sappy and lovey dovey through out the entire 2 hours.
  


• Malaysians are going bonkers over this. Sedap sangat ke dia nieh? Just hope that it won't be like one of those hangat-hangat taik ayam thing laa.. We just have to wait and see.


• If you have an extra RM1,000 lying around, what would you do with it? Would you spend it on new clothes? New shoes? Buy the dream phone that you've been wanting to get you hands on? Treat your friends for dinner? Or just save it for a rainy day?

binx: *yawns..........*

Pulling the weight...

All this talk about eating yesterday had got my appetite running wild. I spent one whole day discussing one food after another with friends and colleagues.. hehehe...

However, I am allowed to do so laaa.. because I am as skinny as a stick. I am the type that can eat a whole lorry full of yummy chocolates and will not gain weight. The only time I gained so much weight was back in form 4-5, where we were fed 6 times a day! Tuh pun the maximum weight reached was 52 kg.

Yeah.. I'm way under weight. If I were to measure my weight against my height (I am 5' 7" tall and my weight is 50kg, convert it here), weight-height chart(see below) will show that I am not even in the colored area.. Underweight! However, I am almost there laa.. 7 more kgs to gain and it'll be perfect. Tough! How to gain 7 kgs ek?




All these while, the only indicator that will show that I'm eating well (makan banyak) is when my cheeks turn chubby. Not cherubs-chubby laa, just cute tembam chubby *winks*. Looking at myself in the mirror for the past few days, I've noticed that they are a little bit tembam now.. Good sign laa kan... And this was confirmed by a dear friend yesterday when the first thing he said to me (after 5 months of not seeing each other) "Eh, dah tembam sikit".. Yipee!. Tembam sikit is definitely good.

Knowing me, the tembam-ness will not stay long. This is due to the fact that my eating cycle is not well balanced. Few weeks I'll be pigging out on all the sinful foods (like right now, am munching on double choc chip & pecan nut famous amos cookies) and another few weeks I'll just settle for 2 meals a day (sometimes just 1 meal). It's not something that I have control over. It's the hormones (yeah.. blame it on the hormones.. they can't talk back).

Some people say that I might be able to put on some weight after marriage. However, looking at my mom, I don't think it will change anything.

So, how about you? Care to share any tips to gain weight?




binx: anyone wants cookies?

Confession of a Picky Eater - Part II

Everyone kept asking me of the things that I do eat after I've listed out the things that I do not eat earlier. Hmmm... If my memory serves me right, there are like gazillions of food out there and I've just listed out like only 20 something things aje... *lol*. Relax laa.. I still eat maaa.. Never starve myself to death one..

Hence, check out my next list...

List of food that will never fail to end up on Binx's plate

1) Nasi Beriyani Ismail (TTDI) (with the yummy ayam goreng) *drool*
2) Lamb (lamb shank, ribs of lamb, lamb chop, grilled lamb) *drool*
3) Seafood (esp. crabs!!! masak lemak cili padi) *drool*
4) Pasta (esp. carbonara & lasagna)
5) KFC's whipped potato
6) fruits (alternative for vegetables!!) (fav: strawberries, peaches, green apple, & durian!)
7) Ayam percik
8) Siput sedut masak lemak cili padi
9) Nasi goreng ladna Santai (TTDI)
10) Kuey teow goreng kerang
11) Ikan terubuk bakar (Jln Bellamy's the best!) *drool*
12) Laksam (Klate) & Laksa Johor
13) Porridge (bubur nasi)
14) Beef Ginger Cantonese Kuey Teow (The Lodge - Jln Raja Chulan)
15) Kuey Teow Kung Fu (Muhibbah - TTDI)
16) Garlic bread
17) Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese
18) Fruit cake (esp. those Sarawak's fruit cake.. yummy)
19) Chocolate banana cake (Secret Recipe)
20) Banana cake
21) Karipap
22) Popiah goreng
23) Cream caramel pudding
24) Bubur pulut hitam
25) Strawberry milkshake
26) Chocolate milk
27) Sunkist Orange + Peach Fruit Juice
28) Any drinks with strawberries n peaches in it
29) Sultana cookies
30) Cream crackers (cecah teh'o or kopi'o panas)
31) Ice cream!! (strawberry, chocolate or any coffee-like flavors)
32) Chocolate mud pie
33) Yogurt (only the fruity ones)
34) Asam *drool*
35) Roti telur with kuah dal
36) Any bread with either kaya or red bean
37) Scrambled/poached eggs + baked beans + sausages + toast
38) Air cincau
39) Burung puyuh goreng *drool*
40) Kuih apam (those small colorful ones)

There you have it folks.. I don't know about you guys, but I for sure am hungry after listing all those food out.. So, who wants to join me for a makan-makan session now?



binx: *groookkk* *groooookkk*