Janelle Monae - I love you

She released her first album in 2007 but I've only recently stumbled upon her and I'm hooked. I think she is just outrageous. She is quirky and her style is , well - so herself. Now this is a woman that defines being an individual.

Check out the vid below and also visit the GAP Christmas website. That's how I found her. Anyway I think the other Christmas remixes are also fantastic. Really puts me in a Christmas-sy mood.

The Bird and The Bee - My Love

This is a tribute to the person who posted the song on you tube. She is practically a saint in my books. Not only did she gave us all access to such a wonderful song that is not even released yet. She even mailed me the song in mp3 format for my ultimate enjoyment. I don't know how she got it and I don't wanna know but I think it is an ultimate feat. Thanks!

The song appeared in episode 5 of Grey's Anatomy Season 5 and is by The Bird and The Bee - due to be released on their album sometime next year.

Two hours of a good time

The two hour season premier of Grey's Anatomy Season 5 was a blast. It gave good promise to us fans, that season 5 will be once again be the show that we all fell in love with - way back in the beginning. Titled 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me', it narrated the course of the show around built up hopes and dreams of various characters with the central theme being that a happy ending does not exist in real life.

So true I would think. There is a reason why it is called a dream. Dreams only exist when you're sleeping. A lesson I have learnt all too recently.

For those who know what I'm talking about, the best part about season 5 (in my opinion) is the introduction of the love interest for Dr. Christina Yang. Dr. Owen Hunt is just what she needs. Someone strong that can match her fiery character definitely is a great pairing for her. I hope they keep him as a regular on the show. He'll make an interesting addition to the cast.

Kevin McKidd as Dr. Owen Hunt giving Patrick Dempsey a run for his money.

All said and done

With all being said and done, it's now official. I'm leaving my current company and in November, I'll be officially a writer for the NewMan magazine. It was a difficult decision with a lot of headaches and doubts but I think it's for the best.

Yea, I'm currently doing medical writing (in a sense), so I don't know how well I'll fare switching to lifestyle writing. But I guess I'll never find out if I don't give it a try - and I'll definitely will be trying my hardest.

Thanks to all of you who have been listening to me and giving me advice.Your time was well spent making me feel alot better (read: not look like a fool for switching jobs so soon and with all the odds against me). I really appreciate it.

Wish me luck.

The sun shines

Woot. It has been a good day. Firstly, roads were clear all the way back to Malacca. Although I strongly suspect it's because I went back so late (4 p.m. on Raya day itself). And went I got back I found this waiting for me. It was a gift! :)


I have not been wearing a watch for quite some time now but I guess it'll come in handy when it's needed to complete a look or outfit.

Grey's Anatomy Season 5 Official Music Video

And right on the heels of the last post, here's the official music video for season 5 premiere with Bryn Christopher's 'The Quest' song used in the 4th season finale.

Hoping for the best

Grey's Anatomy Season 5 premiered in the US three days ago and I still can't find a download for that season premiere. Whatever happened to the wonders of technology when you really need it?

I'm really looking forward to the revival of what once, was a great tv series. The astounding success of Season 1 only lead to mounting disappointment in Season 2 and 3 as the characters in the series got more and more tangled in a love web that lead to everybody getting hurt and whiny. However, watching Season 4, I think the story is picking up and I see promise in Season 5.

I'm leaving you with the closing scene of the finale for Season 4.

Feeding my ego

I feel that zodiacs do describe a person rather aptly but I have never really found a book that addresses the personalities of someone born on the cusp. Well, I read a book today in Borders that did and though it may not be all accurate but it'll do a fine job boosting my ego. I need every little bit of extra confidence that I can muster up for what I think will be a hard time for me in the coming few months. I survive solely in life sustained by confidence and heck, I'll certainly be needing it soon.

Those born on the Cancer/Leo cusp are creative individuals with artistic temperaments and a flair for the dramatic. Ambitious for worldly success, you are self-assured enough to continue believing in yourself in the face of obstacles and setbacks. You prefer a position of leadership yet you work exceedingly well within a team environment. You need to be in the thick of things rather than sitting on the sidelines. You always seem to know the best way to promote yourself and your ideas, and you have a gift for inspiring others to do the same.

The charming sunny personality of the July 22nd covers a proud inner nature with a concentrated drive to win. You project the illusion of tractability, but you generally manage to get your own way in the end. A incorrigible optimist, you enjoy the material trappings of the good life. When you want something, you buy it, even if you can't afford it. You figure that by the time the bill arrives, the money will miraculously be there to pay for them, and often that proves to be the case.

You believe that love makes the world go 'round, and in an intimate relationship, you're romantic and affectionate. You may flirt a good deal but you do it more for the attention than anything else. Once committed to another person, you're a loyal and devoted partner.

Voicing it

How much does a person's voice tell you about his persona and his looks? I have been getting alot of double takes from the people I have liaised with over the phone in the course of my work - when they finally meet me in person that is. All of them have said that I do not look like the person they imagine the voice on the phone belongs to. When pressed for details and an explanation on what they meant, they would desist in talking about it and I only get coy (or probably, devious) smiles. This has not happened once or twice, but lots of times.

I would like to flatter myself to think that they simply did not envision me to be so young but one can't help but wonder whether - the truth, will be very much more unflattering.

I don't think I can handle the truth.

Not yet anyway.

Killjoy

It was a rather good day, if I must say so myself - until I found out that my publisher's niece scheduled an interview for a writer's position in my company. And to say the least, I actually received a stellar appraisal from my editor this morning itself.

Now, I can actually feel my hopes and future in the company crumbling around me as I stood facing the new writer with qualifications more outstanding than mine. What more, she's a girl. Now now, I'm not being discriminating but on the flipside with the publisher and the editor being women, my chances of being given a fair chance at moving up in the company is at risk? No?

As much as women are clamoring for equality, sometimes it's the males that are overlooked. With everyone sensitized to female needs and demands, where are the men's lib groups to tip the scales? When one side is pushing hard, the other side needs to push back too - or else we men may just get rolled over.

I think I shall go back today and decompose on my bed.

Fit For A Prince

The Prince Court Medical Centre in KL is fantastic. Attending a media launch today, I was treated to a magnificent tour of its opulent facilities. Looking at the building from the outside, one would not guess it is a hospital and being inside, I would not think so either. It looks like a hotel, feels like a hotel and even smells like a hotel.

With fine dining cafeterias, Starbucks, fancy lounges, glass elevators and decadent decors, it is really unbelievable. And in case any of you are wondering, the price does not go up too high either. It is really comparable to other private hospitals out there in the city - pricewise.

The rooms come equip with a safe, refrigerator, flat screen tv, an enormous shower area and toilet, and even an attached regular room for guests. Oh and yes, the hospital is covered with its own wifi system. The fine dining cafetaria? You have complete meals with starters, main dishes and desserts. The media got to eat free of course, steaks, lamb shanks, salmons, salads, soups and plenty of sweet stuff like tiramisu and strudels. Now that - is bringing the term 'hospital food' to a whole new level!

Now this machine deserves special mention. You know why? It has somehow insulted me. It is a machine that is used to calculate a person's body mass index. I was picked for a demonstration and the following reading was given out:

BMI: 20.1
Average calories burn per day at resting state/BMR: 1393
Body fat: 13% (Yes, I'm not lean enough)
Muscle mass: 23% (Wth?? Is it possible to be so low?)
Weight: 54kg
Height: Not telling (I'm sensitive)
My body's age: 18

Yes, 18. The nurse was very happy to announce that and she thought I would be pleased to be having a body of an eighteen year old. I was actually flattered too until I went back and thought about it.

Was the machine confused because it thought I have the height of an eighteen year old?

Feeling like a fool

You know what is worse than looking like a fool?

Making a fool of yourself to the very person you don't want to appear like a fool.

Period.

The Land Before Time Soundtrack - If We Hold On Together

I recently got this song from a friend and listening to it brings back alot of memories. I loved dinosaurs back then and naturally, this was my favourite cartoon. I had the video and I remembered watching it lots of times - over and over. I even had part 2 but I didn't manage to watch part 3 and 4 (I think there were four movies).

Anyway, it is a beautiful song.

Ulu n' Terpencil

I had an event at the Pick n' Brew today. The place was rather nice I think but it's rather secluded - thus not many would know about it. It's deep, deep into one of the corners and is adjacent to the connecting door for One World Hotel. I have been to One Utama countless times but I've never even gone remotely near that particular place before.

Two words - Ulu n' Terpencil

Yes, those were shots from the camera in my new phone :)

Peter Gabriel's 'Down To Earth'

The song is fantastic. I think the lyrics are superb and the pensive mood it brings fits well with the movie.

China cheating in Olympics?

I have not watched the Beijing Olympics but nevertheless, I found this abit disturbing when I read about it. According to an article by the editor of AskMen, China is allegedly cheating in the prestigious event. I have not watched any of the sports event (apart from the feeble Malaysian attempt for a gold in badminton) and thus, I can't form much of an opinion.

For the record, I would like to state that I'm no fan of China (anyone who knows me personally would know why) and I think that the Chinese, of all people are the most competitive - making this not unlikely. However I feel that since it's coming from the USA, the credibility of the accusation is laughable.

They may be right but who's gonna sympathize with or believe allegations formed by a country that is in second place in the medal tally? A case of jealousy gone bad?

Then, I googled the term 'China cheating in Olympics' and my my, I got an eyeful of different opinions by various blogs, websites and forums.

I know that the home country usually gets a boost to their medal haul but to this extent where disgruntled opinions are being flashed everywhere?

Did stuff like these get raised in previous Olympics?

When it ends

The 2008 issue 3 of my magazine has been closed and it will be out in September. It has been a journey for me working all these months. What more with being understaffed. I'm the only in-house writer at the moment and I'm proud that I have been able to handle everything that has been handed to me. It really has been crazy for the last couple of weeks with work being everywhere in my life. Now it is time to relax and come up with ideas for the next issue.

Look out for my magazine in September. It has my name splashed around in alot more of the pages.

:)

AI will soon take over the planet

The GPS system in my new phone is fantastic. I was abit apprehensive at first and it took great will power to go against all skepticism I had for listening to a device with AI. However it proved to be so accurate that I'm now a firm believer that machines are definitely gonna rule the world soon. :D

Not only did it give accurate directions, the voice direction it provided was unbelievable. It was like having a personal guide sitting right beside you while you're driving and telling you what to do. For a fact, I've never had driving companions this omniscient about road directions before!

It provided helpful voice directions like:

- At the first possible turning, turn left
-After turning right, keep left
-After turning right, make a sharp direct turn to the left
-After 250 metres, turn left and then continue along the road for 500 metres before keeping right

Ok, I did get lost a few times but it was really because I was reading road signs and somehow it was contradicting the GPS. Thereafter I realised that the GPS is always right. But never fear because if you do happen to take the wrong turning (due to your own pigheadedness no doubt) the system automatically maps a new route from where you are now. Fantastic isn't it?

The only drawback is that the GPS can't tell which roads are to be avoided because of bad traffic. I made the mistake of following its instructions on my way back to KL and somehow it took me into all the small roads that are inexplicably jammed and that I would never in the whole world would think to attempt such a route.

Well you win some, you lose some.

The morning after

I found the experience of the graduation ceremony rather anticlimactic. Barely three seconds and it was over. Delayed gratification? Most likely not.

I think the excitement and pleasure came more from meeting the people you actually miss since leaving that part of your life behind. My stoic junior (thanks for the card and flowers), my patient senior (who actually left work early to come and see me), my roommate for 2 years (a saint - he survived living with me in close spaces all that time) and my research partners (pleasant memories of pulling our hair out while moaning about failed experimental attempts).

So little time for so much catching up in so short an afternoon.

The worst of both worlds

I was reading this bit on a website on Native American zodiac animals and I was surprised that I did not fit in with the general description of my animal sign. Could it be inaccurate? So I read the description for the animal of the group before mine since I'm so near to the cutoff point anyway. And I realized it was not accurate either. Then I realized that if you put the negative traits of both signs together, you get an apt description of me. LOL

By the way, the salmon looks so cute. Reminds me of those itty bitty ikan bilis I gulp down with my nasi lemak for breakfast. I might get a tatoo of it someday. How cute is an ikan bilis tatoo? :)

Salmon: Jul 22 – Aug 21
Electric, focused, intuitive, and wholly creative, the Salmon is a real live-wire. His/her energy is palpable. A natural motivator, the Salmon's confidence and enthusiasm is easily infectious. Soon, everybody is onboard with the Salmon – even if the idea seems too hair-brained to work. Generous, intelligent, and intuitive, it's no wonder why the Salmon has no shortage of friends. This Native American animal symbol expresses a need for purpose and goals, and has no trouble finding volunteers for his/her personal crusades. In a supportive environment, the Salmon is stable, calm, sensual, and giving. Left to his/her own devices, those that bear this Native American animal symbol can be egotistical, vulgar, and intolerant of others.



Woodpecker: Jun 21 – Jul 21
Woodpeckers are usually the most nuturing of all the Native American animal symbols. The consummate listener, totally empathic and understanding, the Woodpecker is the one to have on your side when you need support. Of course, they make wonderful parents, and equally wonderful friends and partners. Another proverbial feather in the Woodpeckers cap is the tendency to be naturally frugal, resourceful, and organized. In a nurturing environment the Woodpecker is of course caring, devoted, and very romantic. Left to his/her own devices the Woodpecker can be possessive, angry, jealous, and spiteful.