Going Home for CNY Celebration

Wow, time flies like a rocket...just another 5 days, Lunar New Year comes! Yeah......err......don't misunderstand, ok? CNY not really make me excited, I'm "Yeah" for is time to go home, "Yeah"!!! So what?

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Hmm...I'm going back to hometown (Kuching) for CNY celebration this evening at around 6P.M . by AirAsia. I think this time would be my longest CNY break in Kch (almost 2 weeks; 22 Jan - 5 Feb 09) since year 2001, as I was either studied in Kelantan (USM) or worked outstation in Miri in the past 8 years.
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Actually I have bought the air tickets (dated 22 Jan 09 & 29 Jan 09) earlier, before I made the decision to quit from the previous company. But later have changed the return flight schedule from 29 Jan to 5 Feb.

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Some mind curious why am I not manage to go home earlier (before 22/1/09) and why still back to Miri while I'm not working in Miri anymore? Well, firstly, you should know that my GF, Fern is in Miri mah... I'll surely miss her very much without her beside me; Oop, NO! should be Fern mind miss me like crazy the day(s) without me...... :p
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Secondly, I don't have Internet connection at home (Kuching), so it is certainly not that convenience for me to seeking for a new job. A good news is, I received a SMS from my eldest brother on 15/1, said that an Internet line (Streamyx) has just been installed at home! Anyway is too late, not going to change the flight schedule anymore......jobless eh, don't have extra money to waste liao... :)
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That all for this post, wish you have a prosperous & Happy Chinese New (牛) Year! @_<
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We Love to Hear Nice Words

"Boleh ambil saya 1 kotak Dunhill?" Err...anything wrong? Why the casher who with smiling face few seconds ago suddently shows us the "white eye" (白眼), and reply us loudly cum rudely: "讲清楚一点, 要大的, 中的, 还是小的啊?" What would be your first reaction & what is the first premonition comes across your mind? "Wow, he or she has attended Chinese education!" or "Oop...is he or she a Chinese?".
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The language used in a communication most time is depend on which ethnic group we are dealing with, such as if we meet with a Malay, India or other Bumiputra group ( Iban, Bidayuh, Kadazan, Bajau and etc) , normally Malay language would be the first choice, and English is an alternative; or if the other party is a Chinese, of course Mandarin would be the first choice, English is an alternative. We have no doubt on the language to use if we can exactly know a person is from which ethnic group. [ Of course sometime the occasion or environment plays an important role in determine the language to be used ]
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However, we may sometime uncertain if a person who we wanna talk to is from which ethnic group, especially if the judgement is between the Chinese, Malay or Bumiputra. As one person can has 50% Chinese look + 50% Malay (or Bumiputra) look, so if you encounter such situation, what would you do? Or which language will you use to begin a conversation? [ Of course you will never have such worry if you are a non-Chinese, so just assume that you are a Chinese ]

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Experiences tell me that, whenever you come across a person with 50% Chinese look + 50% Malay (Bumiputra) look, it would be better that you just speak Mandarin to him or her. Very unlikely you may provoke an unsatisfactory reaction or spoil his or her mood, despite he or she is a non-Chinese. Instead he or she probably will tell us politely "Sorry, saya bukan Chinese" (Sorry, I'm not a Chinese) or "Saya sik faham Mandarin!" (I don't understand the Mandarin).

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Of course you may speak English to start a conversation, but beware you may offend those Chinese who love the mother language "Mandarin" like crazy and being scolded for being a "banana" man too...Please try not to use Malay language to start a conversation as well, as there are so many "racist" Chinese out there who are so offensive & unhappy when you judge them as a Malay or Bumiputra, it would be quite awkwardness too!

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Then how about you? How is your feeling if a Chinese guy or girl speaks Malay to you?
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Cursed SMS vs One Miss Call

Recently, there is a hot hearsay which has been spreaded widely via the SMS. The SMS is sent with the purpose to remind or warn the public that recently there is an Indonesian created a cursed SMS or call with an intention to test the effectiveness of his / her so called "black magic" (curse). According to SMS, it warned that never answer any phone call with phone numbers of 4 weird digits (0666 or 0888) and with a red screen beyond 10:00P.M. Or else the person who has answered the call will die unexpectedly......it sound so scary!

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Anyway, don' t be too panic or worry, as now I'm go to announce, the film director Takashi Miike called me personally said that he is currently filming the horror movie "One Miss Call III", so if you do received such SMS or phone call with a red screen, please do not answer the call or read the SMS or please just ignore it, as you are not in the his actor or actress's list. Or else, please do so at your on risk (you have been warned, you will have to bear the consequence with full responsibility!).......:p

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Curse of SMS or phone call? Wow, it sound unbelieveable! Curse? It reminds me the black magics or witchcraft owned by the Malay & most of the Bumiputera in Malaysia (e.g Iban, Bidayuh...etc), by the used of certain kinds of supernatural or magical power. All these while, the curses or witchcrafts are the traditional practices, but now they have become so advance and can be practiced or deliveried to the victims via the high technology devices like handphones? Perhaps the programming experts should work harder, not only on the anti-virus, anti-spam, or anti-spyware programs and etc, but also on the new anti-curse program? lolz

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You see, most times the dramas or movies play an important role as the teaching materials. If the above hearsay is true, I guess the movie "One Miss Call" have gave the said Indonesian wizard a bad idea to delivery the curses or spells via the handphones! Well, do you believe in the existance of the curse, black magic or witchcraft?

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My Late Update on CNY Celebration

Firstly, sorry for not updating my blog for another long period (around 10 days) , as I went back to hometown, Kuching for CNY celebration on 5/2 and returned to Miri on 11/2 (no internet line at home), later travelled to Kota Kinabalu on 15/2 to attend a training course.

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Well, Im not really busy in the recent month, but the travels to Kuching & KK make me feel like can't settle down myself yet, I meant in term of emotion & mood (not the accommodation); it seem like the rhythm of my normaly daily life has been interrupted by these 2 travels. ~SIGN~ It seem I still can't adept to frequence travelling life!

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On the CNY eve, nothing to do at home, only awaiting the time to come for the CNY eve dinner. After the CNY eve dinner, I went out with Marvin to have a drink and look look around at Kuching town area, see if any obvious changes or developement? a

Marvin

Many "Sakai" stop their cars on the fly over (near by the BDC) to watch the fireworks!

Here somemore "Sakai"....of course we are 2 of them...:p

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First day of CNY, still stay at home with no program the whole day, but did went out at night time with Form 5 x-classmates, Apaw, Sonny, CK, WH, and TI who just finished watching the Stephen Chow's movie - CJ7 (I didn't join them, as Marvin has booked me a ticket for CJ7 on 9/2). We went to Dennis' house, what else? gambling & play Black Jack loh...:p I lost RM13 that night! >$<

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2nd day of CNY, not going anywhere at the day time too. I went out with Apaw & CK at night time, met other friends like Sonny, TI, & SF at YP & Jennifer's house (who just married in Oct 07). We later went to Su-Ann & JoJo's house, and returned to YP's house again for gambling session...: ) Oh shit...at last I lost RM90 in the game...T_T....>$$$<>

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Marvin fetched me to Lydia's house in his car in the morning on the 3rd day of CNY. We met with Calvin & Christina (張棟梁-Nicholas Teo's sister) and we had our lunch at Lydia's house. After lunch, Jonathan's house visited and later hanging at Christina's house.

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Calvin & Lydia viewing photos of Christina's Switzerland travelling trip

Christina & Lydia is busy setting up the digi-camera for group photo session
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Well Nicholas Teo was at home during our visit, but he only went downstair when we were ready to leave Christina's house for the movie-CJ7 at 3:15P.M. in Star Cineplex.

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Poster of Stephen Chow's movie - CJ7

4th day of CNY, I went to sing Kara-OK with Marvin, Lydia, Christina, Diana & Jason in "吃喝唱乐" at Crown Plaza from 11:00AM to 15:00P.M. Christina can sing very well, she sang lots of mandarin songs which Im not familiar of...: ). 4 of us (Me, Marvin, Christina & Lydia) dine in Food & Tea Cafe at the Spring Shopping Mall after finished the Kara-OK session.

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Good bye to others' wives & see you may be the next year?
Christina (who will marry in June 08) & Lydia (who will marry end of year 09)

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Happy Chinese New Year

The year 2008 is called Brown Rat Year! Well, to understand how is your luck in the term of health, wealth, career & love (or marriage) throughout the Brown Rat Year is not to ask me, but to ask the trustworthy "FengSui" master(s) or you may search it out from the internet ...^_^.

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Although we are in the Brown Rat Year, I wish those who recently being employed & "makan gaji" like me can try the best to escape from the Rat-Race environment as soon as possible and take more efforts to fight for the the financial freedom!

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The come of the Spring indicates that is time for Chinese population to have Chinese New Year celebration. I wonder why my mood & feeling to the CNY is not as strong as or as happy as the past few years. Perhap the "AGE" has becomes a barrier or a limit that depress my mood & feeling to go further more. Unlike the childrens, they have not much thing to worry about; they play, they eat, and they laught (of course sometime they do cry) throughout the CNY, and the happiest moment is when they have "AngPaw" to feed their pockets.

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How about me? I have to spend lots of money to buy this & buy that. Do you know that I have 1 nephew & 2 nieces who are too cute that I couldn't find a reason not to give them the "AngPaw"? I wonder if this year I will need to do some charities? Don't mis-understand please, what I meant is gambling lah....:p

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I will fly back to Kuching by this evening (6:15P.M flight) to have my 5 days CNY holiday + leave (6th to 11th Feb). Well, in these 5 days, family gathering & friend gathering is the must. I hope I have time & chance to hanging in the Spring & Boulevard Hypermarket too. Hmm, how about the Sushi King? Do they open during the CNY?
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Lastly, wishing you all a very HAPPY & PROSPEROUS CHINESE NEW YEAR.
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Malay Friend Wedding Day

I & Fern just attent a Malay friend, Rini's wedding ceremony yesterday morning. She is Fern's x-coursemate cum good friend in Sibu Nursing Colleague. She is now posting in Marudi Hospital as a trained staff nurse.

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The bride, Rini Binti Taha

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The bridegroom, En Mohd Khairi Arman, a police officer form KL

According to Fern, Rini knows this guy, Mohd Khairi Arman through her elder sister introduction with the contact no provided. They (Rini & Mohd Khairi Arman) later know each other via the messaging & keep in touch closely with either SMS or phone calls. Don't know how & since when they started have feeling on each other, they seem fall in love...

As Mohd Khairi Arman is a policeman, he is too busy & hard to get his leave approved to come over to Miri to meet Rini. So no choice, Rini has make a decision bravely, she wanna fly to KL to meet with this guy who she tought that might be her Mr Right! She didn't bother the advices from her close friends like Fern & Hwei Chen. Finally she flied to KL somewhere around Nov 07 to meet her Mr Right for the very 1st time alone. Well, she seem had a nice days with her Mr Right there.

Not long after Rini back to Miri from the KL trip, she announced to her close friends that she wanna marry with the Mr Right. They all shocked? Anyway, it isn't a joke, Rini finally has dream come true & married with Mohd Khairi Arman on 3th Feb 2008. Wishing this new couple have a very happy wedding day and may them be well & happy!

This reminds me a post, "Online Dating - Is It Way The Way Of The Future?" by kennysia.com. Well, true love can happen at anytime & anywhere without our expectation. It just like the miracle(s)! So no matter how and what the condition, please don't ever to miss any chance to win youself a Mr Right or White Snow Princess. It just see how far you believe in Miracle Making; how dare are you in trying it up; and how confident are you to turn the wild dream or wish into the reality. In short, "Whenever here is a impossibility, there is a possibility too"!

The new couple, Mohd Khairi Arman & Rini Taha dressed in green

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The new couple, Mohd Khairi Arman & Rini Taha dressed in white
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Invited guests, I noticed that I & Fern are the only Chinese guests attent the ceremony!

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The bridegroom & bride with the family members

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From the left: Me, Mohd Khairi Arma, Rini & Fern

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From the left: Me, Mohd Khairi Arman, Rini & Fern
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Gift to Rine, an ELLE watch, cost around RM250.
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We are given this each, a hand-make rose with a cooked egg. Does it bring any meaning?
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The Thought of CNY Greeting Card

Received a Chinese New Year greeting card from my direct sale (Amway) upline last few days. (Don't worry, Im not going to promote you any direct sale products or services, Im just a "sleeping member"... :p ). I like the design of the greeting card, it is unique!

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Front view of the Chinese New Year greeting card

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Nothing, just recently Im reading a book by Wilson Lim, "创新中国". It is all about how we can have a new innovative or creative idea in creating or doing a thing. One of the idea is to combine 2 items become 1 item for the convinient & on demand, liked the greeting card I mentioned above, it is a combination of a greeting card & a calender.

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Back view of the Chinese New Year greeting card (with calender printed on the back)

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Well I can't remember since when I never buy or send Chinese New Year greeting card(s) to friends or relatives during CNY, I think it should be since Im studied in university if not mistaken, and since that I seldom receive any greeting card too! I don't know why now-a-day Im not in the mood to do such warm & meaningful thing; Im not sure too whether it should be considered as one of the cultures / traditional / customs of the Chinese population to do greeting card distribution during CNY?

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The role of the greeting cards (hard copy) are slowly take over by the e-Card (soft copy). As most of the e-Cards are available on the internet at FOC, which ready to send and can reach the receiver(s) /destination around the world via E-mail within few seconds only. Compare to the hard copy, it save both cost & time; it is so convenience with no time limit, you can send an e-Card at anytime, even at very last minute (if there is no disturbant like Streamyx line down) !

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New Year's Traditions Tag

I received a tag from Hazel, this being my first tag in my blogging life. Very simple, person who been tagged only need to answer one question as below:

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What are some of your new year’s good luck traditions?

Rules :Copy the person and persons’ names that sent it to you and add your own at the bottom of the list. It really helps to build community.Lets start it here!

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1. My mom used to collect some coins and when the new year comes she put the coins in a bowl and shake it to create sounds. She said its good luck for money throughout the year. And also wearing dotted dresses on new year don’t know why. CC/chalyza/keep

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2. My old folks always told us to avoid spending money on new years day. They said, once you spend on the first day of the year, you like to spend the rest of the year.Behind d Scenes of ME/ Retchel’s Pure Life /A little bit of me

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3. I grew up believing that if you have some money on your pocket (whatever you’re wearing) come New Year’s eve it will ensure steady flow of income throughout the year. The other belief is that the main door of the house should be wide open come New Year’s eve so that good luck will be ushered in. Juliana of MY WORLD and JULIANA’S LAIR.

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4. I don't have any traditionals during New Year. Juliana RW

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5. I have keep a RM50 note which the serial number is begin with number 8 and end up with number 8 also, between the number, it’s not encourage to have number 4 and number 0. By doing this we will have steady income throughout the whole life. It’s not easy to find such note. Another ways is to keep your “Ang Pao” in your pocket or put it inside your pillow on the New Year eve before you sleep. Hazel

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6. I don't know any traditions during New Year (1st Jan?) as no one tell me before. But if Chinese New Year, I can tell you a lots, which we called taboos like what the eldery told us:

~ Not to let the container that used to keep the rice be empty

~ Not to break any thing, like glass or glassware, if do happen, please say: "富贵花开, 越碎越平安!"

~ Not to sweep the floor & wash the clothes during the first 3 days of CNY

~ Not to scold or beat the childs

~ Not to wear black colored clothes and etc. Amei79

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How about you? Mind to share yours tradition(s) during New Year? Please do drop me a comment and post this tag on your blog. Yes, all of you who recently reading this entry, you have been tagged. Have fun ya....haha :p

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