It Ain't A Goodbye, AUSMATs.

This post is specially dedicated to the AUSMAT students in my college who will be graduating soon. It's their last week in college and they'll be sitting for their finals next week. 

Frankly speaking, since I'm an A-level student, I initially didn't mix with the AUSMAT students until I served as part of the student council. Before that, I only had one friend from AUSMAT after knowing each other in a sushi lunch. Being in the council itself had me out of my bubble and teaming up with 3 wonderful AUSMAT students who were in the council too. Then came one of the orientation camps which involved mainly AUSMAT facilitators. 

I admit, I was a bit uncomfortable because I didn't know them. Plus, I was such a low-profiled council member who doesn't like to be noticed much unlike my President and Vice President (hehe!). Surely, these students wouldn't have known of my existence. Being in charge of the game sessions and leading the facilitators was indeed a blessing in disguise. Trying to build up a wall around myself, I find the facilitators breaking into my comfort zone without much effort, pulling me into the crazy world of AUSMATs. I once heard that AUSMAT students are not as busy as A-level students, hence spending most of their time on crazy yet amazing ideas. The craziness part is true but they are really busy, in a different way. 

In short, both the council and orientation camp helped me build new friendships with people whom once made me feel intimidated either by their popularity or them being in cliques. And I really thank God that we came across each other in life. 

Knowing that some of my close friends in AUSMAT will be leaving soon, left a deep scar in my heart. Painful, because the time spent together is about to end. Regretful, because I didn't appreciate them enough. But thankful, to have met them. And hopeful, to keep in touch and meet them again one day. Hence, I am not saying goodbye to you all. 

Good luck for finals, AUSMATs. You rock our college real hard. 

The Questions of Smoking Linger Around.

S.M.O.K.I.N.G.

S.M.O.K.I.N.G.

S.M.O.K.I.N.G.

smoking. Smoking. SMOKING. SMOKE-ing.

No matter how many times I type the word 'smoking', I can never understand the joy of smoking. Or the benefits of smoking besides releasing stress and helping one to be in cliques.

Back in high school, I was taught that smoking kills us, along with the hows, whys and whats. The usual stuff. We even had to write essays on the effects of smoking in both English and Malay languages COUNTLESS TIMES FOR 10 TO 12 YEARS. Overall, I understand that stress due to problems such as family issues, financial issues and peer pressure; and teenagers' curiosity towards smoking leads to the increasing number of smokers. Yet, why choose the cigarette as your solution to your problems?

If smokers read this post, you'd probably think, 'Do you have a problem with it? You hate smoking? Mind your own business and deal with us smoking!' Nope, I don't have any problems with smokers. It's your lives, you determine your future yourselves. But I'm curious. Why smoke when you'd already know the consequences (99% negative ones) of smoking? Before you start asking me to shut my curiosity away, hear me out first. (It's MY BLOG, anyway.)

I have a bunch of dragons in my family, smoking up to 2 boxes of cigarettes per day. One by one, I see them coughing everyday, worsening and eventually facing frightening and painful diseases which threaten to take  their lives away. You may say that they didn't know the harmful effects back in the old days. But for crying out loud, haven't government and NGOs been telling us the hell of smoking? Even if they had started a few years ago, doesn't that make us stop for a while and think, 'Oh, so that's what will happen to smokers. I'd better quit, no matter how hard it will be.' So why continue despite already knowing the truth? The most popular reason for not stopping is that the addiction gives them difficulty in doing so. Well, take this from me. You know what is more difficult? The regret after knowing that you are on your way to death in a very torturing manner. The tears your loved ones would shed when they see you dying slowly. You want to say, "If only I had stopped smoking." Sorry, too late for that.

And for the younger generations, why start when the truth has already set in your minds? Lack of exposure and awareness towards the effects of smoking is just a lame excuse to start smoking. Not forgetting the 'fact' that smoking helps you to get friends and release stress. Plus the 'fact' that smoking is a trend. What nonsense?! This may sound harsh but the real fact is that you are selfish, not thinking of yourself and your loved ones and neglecting your health just because of these pathetic excuses and 'facts'.

Lack of exposure and awareness? Bullshit. Look everywhere and you will see tons of campaigns, websites and advertisements screaming 'Smoking kills you!!' Oh they even included details and evidence too.
I'm stressed. Smoking helps me to relax. Sure, inhale those deadly chemicals, exhale puffs of smoke, relax and die your way out of your problems. There are many HEALTHY ways to relax and to think of solutions to your issues. It's the matter of choosing the right ones.
This cool gang said that I can join them if I smoke like them. Really? If they were to be genuine about friendship, I bet they wouldn't force you to kill yourself simply to join them? And what's so cool about smoking when it only ends up killing you?
I know smoking is bad but I'm doing this because I need my parents. I know that many teenagers hunger for their super-busy parents' attention and they turn to smoking, thinking that this would help their parents to notice them more often. For most cases, it works but what will you get in the end? Your parents' attention, if you're lucky, and a number of life-threatening diseases, if you're addicted. Is it worth doing so? Although parents who neglect their children are also at fault, I honestly think that these children too, are to be blamed. By smoking, aren't you neglecting and hurting yourselves just like your parents?
Smoking is a trend. You get more accepted by the society. And to be kicked out from the society. Seriously? Killing yourself is a trend?
Celebrities smoke. They don't have any health problems. Please do more research on them. Compare them with the non-smoker celebrities. Who has the healthier glow?
My parents smoke. My family smoke. My this and that smoke. Well, join them when they want to commit suicide. Smoking is just a slower method of committing suicide.
I want to stop smoking, but it's really hard. I can't quit. There are plenty of volunteers who have ideas to help you in this. What you should be questioning yourself is, 'Am I really going to quit?' If you're REALLY into stopping this unhealthy lifestyle, nobody and nothing can stop you.

Many seniors whom I respect went to study overseas and came back as smokers, giving me the same old reasons. I was shocked and didn't know what to say. My first reaction, however, was losing respect towards them. Then, I read a senior's blog on her smoking lifestyle. She posted something like this: 'Just because I smoke, it doesn't mean that I'm a piece of shit.' And it suddenly hit me. Smokers are always thought to be the 'lower' people, people who are nothing but useless junk. They lost the respect and it affects them in many ways.

So, I started thinking back about my seniors. Their personalities, achievements and how they treated me as a junior, what made me look up to them so much. Then, I thought that smoking tarnished every good image of them. Yet, they are still the same, maintaining whatever I love and respect in them. The only difference is that they smoke. No, it's not right for me to look down on them simply because they smoke. They are still capable human beings with good manners, inspiring me to do well in education and my future career. They deserve my respect. However, I can only never respect their decision for killing themselves.

It's not right for us to judge a person's ability by seeing if they smoke or not. It's not right for us to determine who smokers are unless we know them really well. If they have earned the respect they deserve, then respect them. Just because they smoke, that doesn't mean that they are not as good as us. If you want to talk about disrespect, question their decision to smoke. Question whether they have thought of themselves and their loved ones.

My father is a smoker. I respect him as my father who has been taking care of me. But I don't respect him for smoking because I often ask, 'What would happen if one day, you succumb to all your diseases, just because you smoke? What would happen to our family? DO YOU NOT LOVE US?'

p/s: I smoked shisha once and I didn't like it at all. I told a senior what I did and in an instant, I could see all the respect he has for me was gone. You see, we can't blame people for not respecting us simply because we smoke. It's natural for them to respect us or not. In a way, it's wrong to simply judge us by that. But at the same time, we have to blame ourselves too. We are not even respecting ourselves by smoking. How do you expect others to respect you when you don't respect yourself in the first place? 

Baking Possibility?

I might be baking this week!!! I got a new simple recipe from a forum and can't wait to try it out. I'll post them up after baking. :)

P/S: If you're into K-pop, check out my latest post on my 2 favourite rookie groups at www.dance-journey.blogspot.com.

I'm feeling real tired today, no appetite to eat.

Ciao!

Lost 'Houswife' Mission: Cooking!

I'm having a lil taste of a housewife's life. My mum is in Thailand now for a vacation and I'm at home taking care of dad and household matters. Well, just normal housework my mum does: cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and washing the rabbit's cage. What I'm doing now is not much compared to hers. I mean, she has all the worries and problems that I may not know.

Anyway, my mum cooks healthy food, which my dad and grandma can't stand with but have to eat. My cooking is worst, too healthy. I even came to the extend of steaming vegetables. I'd rather spend on healthy food than getting sick and live with regrets.

Today's lunch:

1. Tuna (for the Omega-D, good for the heart)
2. Celery, tomato and onion-mixed omelette (I used virgin olive oil, so it's a low cholesterol meal)

Ingredients: Celery, tomato, onions and 2 eggs (beat till fluffy).

Top: Steamed mixed vegetables.
Bottom: Simple sauteed spinach.

Today's dinner:

1. Simple sauteed spinach (virgin olive oil, of course and iron)
2. Tuna in tomato ketchup (protein)
3. Steamed mixed vegetables (celery, tomato and corn...all the nutrients!!)

Celery. I used 2 stalks, which was kinda too much for my dad.

Australian carrot. Just use one or two carrots, up to you.

Tomato. You'll only need one tomato for servings of 3. But if you really love tomato, you can add another one.

Sweet corns. Since they're small, I use a packet, which had 7 of them.

I accidentally steamed over time, hence the colours of the carrots and celery weren't really bright and 'nutritious'-looking. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes. Not more than that, unless you're steaming corn. I used 20 minutes to steam the corn.

For the simple sauteed spinach, you just need spinach, garlic, virgin olive oil, lemon (to add a tinge of sourness) and a little bit of water. I didn't add water, hence the dish was kinda dry. Dad says that spinach tastes good when soaked in watery gravy or soup. I'm fine with anything.

A Taste of Penang Hawker Food and Beach with Loved Ones

Anyway, we call the trip 'SC Retreat'.

I went for a work trip to Penang Island with the council members 3 weeks ago. It was good to be spend time with the old people although 3 of my council members didn't join us. Still, good old times. Sigh, retirement makes me miss these people like mad. A few discussions with the new council members and our advisor plus extra delicious dinners, a duo trip to Penang town, swimming, and some time at the beach.

Whatever discussions we had there remain confidential within the councils. I'll let the pictures talk. Sorry if the pictures are not in order.

They had this parachute sight-seeing (is this what you call it?) by the beach outside our hotel. I think it's romantic to do this with a partner, as in lover. :)

My friends were shocked that I brought my Chemistry book and file for the trip. I had to, simply because I would have a test on the day after I came back. They didn't believe that I would study, meh, I proved them wrong.

Beautiful view of the hotels by the beach on our first morning.

Serenity.

Breakfast!! By the way, everything on this table except for the bowl of cereals belong to the current Technical Director. Big eater, yes. But scared of Slender.

Kenny Rodgers muffin bought by mum. My family went to Penang too, stayed in the same hotel. No, they were not stalking me, I will slap you if you think so. They just wanted to bring my grandmother on a vacation. 

First night's dinner: Clockwise from top: Fried spring roll, oyster omelette, asam laksa and  fried kuey teow. 

Lovely beach. Many foreigners spent their time there besides the locals.

There was even a wedding by the beach. I was excited to know that the bridegroom is a Korean. I would love to marry a Korean star. You know, those Kpop stars... What a dream.

I love this photo a lot because of the lighting effect.

Second night's dinner in Gurney Plaza. Clockwise from top, mata kucing drink, pasembur, rojak buah, asam laksa and otak-otak.
*Mata kucing is a type of fruit. Pasembur is a dish in which sliced up dough and prawn fritters, bean curd, squid and hard-boiled egg served atop a bed of sliced cucumbers and yam bean along with a myriad of sweet and spicy sauce. Rojak buah is a mixture of fruit cuts in thick brown sweet and spicy sauce. Otak-otak is cake made of fish meat and spices.

My vice president's meal, wanton noodle with pork. Looks delicious. Well, he said it was the best.

Burnt squid. I heard that it's popular in Gurney Plaza. So I gave a try. Despite tasting bitter (it's really burnt), I enjoyed this snack. My friend did not. Just a warning to tourists, think twice if you're there for good food. Unless you're up to something once in a lifetime, I suggest you don't eat this.

Cai kuih. Vegetable-filled dumpling. I ate 4 of them, so I reckon you know how delicious these dumplings were?

Studying arenes and amines on the way home in the bus. How determined.

First night's dinner place: Batu Ferringhi. 

I could just roll around here and lie down while listening to the soothing sound of the waves.

I spent 5 minutes waiting to catch the perfect shot.

Our hotel's spectacular swimming pool. It's not that huge but they've got a lovely ambiance there. All the greenery, coconut trees and the sweet scent from the jasmine trees.

Penang Island is an interesting tourist destination. Many Japanese have their summer vacation there. I have a number of Japanese acquaintance who always go to Penang Island besides Langkawi Island. Mouth-watering local cuisines, beaches with picturesque scenery and historical buildings (check out the shops' architecture in town!). 

If you're looking for food, I recommend to try the hawker food (asam laksa, pasembur,  fried (char) kuey teow, oyster omelette, spring rolls, rojak buah) and nasi kandar among the well-known dishes there. Gurney Plaza, Batu Feringghi and town, those are where you can find good food. 

If you're more adventurous, drive or take a bus to Teluk Bahang, where seafood restaurants and fishing villages are. You'll have the opportunity to see them bring back fresh catch and you can have an awesome seafood dinner there, FRESH! You can select your own and ask for it to be cooked in a number of ways. 

Another advice, it's better if you share food with others (whoever you're going with). Trust me, you'll pay less for a larger variety of food. My first night's dinner consisted of 5 different dishes and I paid less than RM15. I got bloated, if you think that sharing food is not enough.

p/s: I scared my friends by banging into the cupboard and jumping onto my friend's bed after I 'woke up'. Sleep walking rules.