"What chemicals do they sell?"

One day at work (a telephone conversation conveyed by one of the managers):

"My Chemical Romance will be coming up to the bar later"
"OK, where is this company from? What chemicals do they sell?"


Later on...

"You haven't heard of them?" asked Yvonne.
"No, what songs do they sing?" asked another.
"Erm, Helena... Black Parade..." said Yvonne knowing only these two songs.
"Oh, the video with the funeral thing... scary" offered another who probably have Astro and MTV at home.
"How come you guys haven't heard of them?" asked Yvonne trying to sound a bit more updated than the rest.
"Don't know. Beyond I know la," said another.


For the record, I do know who My Chemical Romance is. I have their song "Helena" in my laptop! "Black Parade" is somewhere.. I couldn't find it... somewhere. Anyways, I know a grand total of 2 songs by MCR. And I do think that these two songs are pretty good. You do find yourself humming to it sometimes. Well, I do.


I have always thought they were a bit goth and emo and stuff. But thanks to Wikipedia (which I have just utilized 3 minutes ago), I now know that they deny being emo. They are rock or violent and dangerous pop. Wow, the whole music genre vocab is growing everyday.


Anyways, I'm excited to go to their concert tonight. Believe it or not, this is my first concert. I'm just really worried about "fitting in". Who are their fans? What do they talk about? What do they wear?

I have decided to wear something blackish because
a) I'll probably blend in better... somehow something tells me that everyone will wear black
b) I suppose when there are a lot of people, all the pushing and shoving will probably result in dirt on light coloured clothes
c) it is monsoon season and it will definitely rain and the ground will get muddy and slushy and splashy and think about the laundry later on
d) so it will rain and we will get wet and wearing white is just a bit rude isn't it?


I think I'm giving this whole concert thing too much thought.

mushrooms were growing on my laptop

Well, almost. I could imagine mushrooms growing on my laptop since it has been ignored for such a long time. I almost felt sorry for it. I even used a hanky with printed sakura flowers from Japan to cover it... just to compensate for the loneliness and of course to protect it from dust. Those nasty tiny things - they are everywhere!

So the problem here is, I've been very busy. There is so much going on! So much to do! So many more pending! Yikes. Things just feel so hectic and especially now that it is the end of the year and the holiday mood seeps in. It is really difficult to feel horrible during such a wonderful time. So really, it is not horrible but just, well, you know - "Hurry up and get over it and let's head to the beach!". Haha. That is if my plans with my sis Susan actually materialize. What with the monsoon rains and stuff. I silently also think that spending the days shopping isn't that bad either. Oh well.

-An update to my work place-
My doggie pretending to have a sun tan. Christmas bell not too far away for any moments of impulsive Christmas cheer. Green tea in the cup to help with detox plans. Water - always essential. Photo with memories of my more relaxed training days. JuiceWorks menu for emergency juice-cravings. Let's not forget the needy and Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Of course the teddy bear and the stress balls and the back massager are still there. But I guess since it is already messy, what harm does a few more things make?




I decided to go back home last Friday by bus and I got to the station in the very last minute to catch the 6.30 bus home. I got the worst seat ever. I was in the back row and got the seat which was facing the aisle. I mean, if the bus driver had decided to slam the brakes, I would have flown very ungracefully to the front and crash right into the windscreen. Not unlike those bugs and bees in Bee Movie. Oh right, Bee Movie was funny! I watched it with my second sis back home.
However, I had unlimited leg space.


Anyways, to add on some Christmas cheers around, my hotel played host to some kiddies from ISKL. They were so adorable and they kept on moving and touching things and pressing buttons and fighting for a chance to speak and be smart. It was hilarious to watch them... from a distance. I mean, I don't think it is safe to have me around kids. I don't really know how to handle them. Anyways, I immediately found a favourite who was so adorable, handsome even, and offered him my hand to hold. He held it but only for a few minutes before he ran off to press more buttons. I tell you, kids have the attention span of about 30 seconds.


All my photos were blur because they just can't stop moving! They can amuse themselves by just waving their heads around. Wow. I wish I could too. I normally just get headaches. Anyways, my leng chai is the one in the second row on the left, behind the totally blurred one.

We brought them to see the rooms and see how the beds were made. They paid attention for about 30 seconds, which was about enough to see the mattress pad laid, and then they got edgy and restless. The Housekeeping team has hidden lollipops around the room to get them excited and it worked. They were so excited. I tell you, my favourite boy found his in the corner of the bathtub totally hidden from sight. Even I didn't see it. How smart, huh? Clearly, I'm biased.

This was one of the funniest activities. We gave them each a pillow case as "dirty linen" and they were to throw them down the laundry chute. They all got so excited and after they threw their cases in, each shouted "hello!" down the chute. So adorable. It seems they have learned the letter "L" last week but they did not include Laundry into their syllabus. "What a shame," says their teacher. This week was "M". When they saw the toilets labelled "F" and "M", they were confused. It seems they did not include Female and Male when they learned the letter "F" and "M". Well, next week will be the letter "N" and there have been plans with some of the moms to do some revision on "L" to include Laundry and "M" to include Male.


It is amazing how these things become the centre of conversation sometimes.


I suddenly can understand what my sis Susan is talking about when she talks about her students.

And then the kiddies got excited when we talked about food. They got so excited watching one of the chef cook fried rice and the fire was so huge that their attention lasted for more than 2 whole minutes. Wow.


Who needs hotdogs and fries when you can have Yang Chow fried rice? Which was a favourite because later when they were eating lunch at the coffeehouse, they asked "where is the fried rice?"

One of the funniest things heard during the visit... (took place at the Sky Bar)

"What they serve here is what only adults can drink but you kids cannot drink. Who can tell me what is it?"
"Cold water!" (Clearly, some elements of Asian culture is found in this little boy"
"That's right, that's right. But something else."
*scratch head*
"It is alcohol."
*No response*
"You know, beer, wine and so on"

"OOh! Ooh! Do you know what my brother does? He drinks beer."
*awkward silence*
"Well, we're going to have to talk to your mom about that don't we?"


It was an exciting day but it is really tiring. So many kids, so many questions. Their teachers must have so much patience. Anyway, later that night I went to The Actor's Studio in Bangsar with ShiowLing to watch this theatre show called D'arranged Marriage which was an appreciation invitation from the employee benefits company. We were so tired that we told each other, "The show better be good."



Well, we expected food because it started off with a cocktail reception but unfortunately, it was just cocktail... and a few tiny pieces of samosa and canapes and the waiters were those blink-and-you'll-miss kind. "We really should have gone for Chilli Pan Mee (some noodle) first". "The show have better be good".

So there were lotsa people who don't know each other standing around holding a drink and looking for food. We eventually made conversation with the reps from a medical centre from Puchong. This is of course after we parked ourselves beside a bowl of potato chips (which I suspect to be Jack n Jill Potato Chips in Original flavour). It was still very kind of ING to have organized this.

Anyways, the show was really good! It was a solo stand up comedy but with more action because the actor danced and sang throughout. It was the kind of show that I would feel happy to watch even if I had to pay for the tickets. The story is about how arranged marriages are a norm in the indian culture and it sort of depicts the actor's life since he was 10.

He is one person but he managed to play the role of, what, ten? And the lighting and sound effects were almost flawless eventhough it was just a small studio with very basic set-up. And he replaced his "f" with "p" just to add that extra bit of funnies.

"Your pather and I have pound the perpect wipe for you!"

"You know what you need? You need a wipe!"

He just did everything on his own for one and a half hour and it was entertaining throughout. Totally recommended.


And then of course there is the PIKOM PC Fair happening at KLCC for the weekend. I went there yesterday and got some stuff and also a few freebies which I ripped off the guy who sold my friend a camera. Well, the whole place was packed and the LRT coaches were packed as well. Today was worse. The whole KLCC was full of people walking at the speed of snails. Suria was full as well, with the festive season and the promotions and sales. And then before I knew it, I bought some tees and 2 pairs of shoes. Oh-oh. I think I need someone to cane me. I need to be barred from Vincci.

Finally, the day is over and I can enjoy my one half weekend. *breathes* *breathes again*



What's next?

HoHoHo... I love my job... :)