thanks for the memories

It's only been a week in my new workplace, and what i'm not missing from my previous office is .... the freezing air-conditioning. As cold as my surrounding is, the warm reception from my new colleagues is more than welcomed. Surely being new, there's certainly much for me to pick up - new products, systems, policies, and for example, since i've been using Microsoft Outlook my whole life, now, i get to meddle with IBM's Lotus Notes. 

Ya, exciting times ahead. You can just tell by the smiley face right outside my cubicle. ^^ 

And of course, i can't avoid the occasional feeling of 'axa-sick' (get it, like in homesick or lovesick?). Pretty normal, since i've been an AXA parasite for 9 frigging long years. 

Yup, missing my cosy humble workstation that faces the wall, so no one can know that i've actually dozed off in front of my PC. Now every one of my peers would be wanting to sit there too. 

My last day in AXA was the most memorable of all my days there, touched by the beautiful farewell i was given, not to mention, the surprise gifts i got! Seriously, i did not feel deserving of them.
Especially when one of my 'unawared' colleague came up to wish me 'happy birthday', seeing all my presents and the flowers. ^^

The most meaningful 'money-can't buy' card is indeed precious.Yin was right to tell me to only read it at home - it was as tear-jerking as when Jack died in Rose's arms (how can you forget that famous Titanic scene)

Look, I didn't lie when i said i was shocked at receiving my going-away pressies.

Danny's just jealous that my other team members decided to make me a little something too.

Knowing that i'll be missing the company's forthcoming annual dinner, they decided to throw one for me. The theme was similar - 'Polka Dots and Stripes'.

We had the best creative designer and decorators in town - Vivian and Charmagne, supplying elaborate cut-outs for the entire team.

The cut-outs were suited to each individual's personality.

Crazy times with some crazy people......

How i envy my sweet young juniors who are easily a dozen years younger than me!

How i truly felt the love!

Sitting at the Broking Head's desk - Yin Pheng, you're the sassiest boss i've ever known!

At Yin's work station with Jin looking sharp with her Starbucks tumbler. Jin, stop taking one entire day just to finish your coffee. (Yin, i know you'll let her see this, now that it's posted on the Internet ^^)

I was taken to a lovely dinner at Rendezvous restaurant.

Dinner with cheese fondue included!

Lighting was pretty bad there, but who cares!

The night was still young so we just had to pop over next door to Caffeinees.

I had Gingerbeer, which was literally Ginger (tea) + Heineken. haha, crazy i know.
But the night finally ended with me feeling kinda bittersweet. =.=

I will forever cherish the times of joy and pain (more joy definitely!) in the office.

We will always remain the 'Tiga Sekawan', even though we are out of sight, but never out of mind.

Stay wacky y'all!

Till we meet again!! 

cny craze

A serious case of kia-suness when it comes to CNY decor during day...

...and night.

i hope this doesn't set the house on fire. 

ck dental surgery delivers.

Just completed my 3rd and final visit to the dentist for my Root Canal Treatment (RCT). Yup, serves me right for neglecting my annual visit to the doc, and allowing caries to destroy the nerves in my tooth! Yeowch!

Pity me and pity my dentist for having to treat the nerves located in 4 canals of my molar tooth (in which 2 of them were curvy, with one shaped like an 'S'!) Due to the complexity of my canals, doc set me up for 4 appointments in all. Not to say he can't get it done sooner, but more likely it is I who will not be able to open my mouth wide for too long in one seating. 

Well guess what, i endured it all in 3 visits, thanks to a bite block (to keep my jaw open) and a whole lot of determination. It helped too to have a doctor that counts down on the duration of time; '20 more minutes......10 more minutes......2 more minutes......give me 1 more minute only....' 

Due to its location in Sunway Pyramid, i wouldn't have gone to CK Dental Surgery, but then it came recommended by dentist friend, so there i was. 

After getting my RCT from Dr Siow, i have no more doubts about him.
Yes, my usual impression of dentists (especially those who're always 'fully booked') are they want to get things done quickly to make way for other patients.
Well, Dr Siow is exactly the opposite!
He takes time to explain every single detail, from giving me a pep talk, showing me all the tools and gadgets he'll be using (kinda freaky), runs through every procedure step-by-step and talks about the duration needed. He even showed me the big hole in my tooth after it was drilled into, and the 4 canal openings...i went 'ewwwww' and told him i'd rather not see. hahaha.

He is such a down-to-earth dentist, he's least concerned that he doesn't talk like a professional surgeon.
Sure once or twice, he doubts himself (out loud) or erroneously selects the wrong size of equipment (at first), but somehow i never once lost confidence in him. I think its his very humble demeanour towards his patients that makes him a very likable dentist. Few times, i met some parents who brought their young kids to him. And the kids actually come out skipping from his room. hahaha.

And omg Dr Siow was soooo freaking polite. He would apologise whenever i had to wait like 10 minutes later than my appointment time.
He apologises whenever my saliva started trickling from my mouth due to over-flowing (yea gross i know).
He apologises when i shift in my seat, thinking he'd hurt my tooth or something. lol.

Even his 2 young female assistants are very friendly.....Sorry, they were too shy to be in my photo.
So all you get is theis simple yet nicely decorated counter. .

 How about a doctor who displays his charges for all to view?
I paid a sum of RM 830 for my RCT (that's RM 700 for the Root treatment and RM 130 for the deep filling). How about that? Not bad for having to open my jaw wide for 2+ hours , for 3 weekends in a row.

As i am highly pleased with Dr Siow, i really hope his RCT would last me for a long long time. Though i'm already convinced that he has made a good name for himself out there. A hardworking chap he is, works everyday till 8pm except every Tuesday when he's closed.

Best thing is, when you make an appointment, they try their best to be on time for you.

Proven when you see only 3 chairs in the waiting section. ^_^

OMP!

Look what my dad grew in his garden ...

OH my PAPAYA...!

my chickeny dinner

Today we went to nandos for dinner.
Then i went back alone.

to mooncake or not to mooncake

Is it just me or do you also feel like you're losing interest in mooncakes year by year? I blame it on the ridiculously inflated prices of mooncakes which is always accompanied by some seller's excuse that China was badly hit by floods, hence the price of lotus seeds has hiked up la, etc. 

If 5 years ago, RM10 could get you a Lotus Paste Single Yolk (LPSY) mooncake, today, you'll be lucky if you can even find a decent red bean paste mooncake for that same price. The baked LPSY being sold today approximates at RM 16 - that's like RM 2 per tiny piece (if cut into 8 segments)!

As a fan of the Lotus Paste DOUBLE Yolk, i managed to forgo my fave this year. *proud*

However, i had a different 'itch' to try something new this time around - the Doraemon and Hello Kitty range of mooncakes!

 From their snowskin range of mooncakes, i tried their ....
'Tiramisu'.................didn't really fancy the cocoa powder dusting on top, real mess. Cheese flavour wasn't rich enough.

 'Black Humour' ...........nice rich chocolaty goodness, but rather sweet to my liking.

The 'Tropical Pure Durian' was their best seller and at RM 17 per mooncake, this was definitely the charmer.
Apart from the rather powdery tasteless skin, the filling was da bomb! So smoooooth and creamy, this mooncake must be kept in the freezer and consumed right away from the freezer!

Bought 4 of their mooncakes @ RM 17/piece (gulp!) and got this free velvety hand-carry Doraemon bag.
Too cute!
It seems a much better deal if  i look at it as though i bought this bag and got 4 free mooncakes instead! lol.

Will this be Darren's very first bag?

This year, i also got to try mini mooncakes from Peninsula Connoisseur, Hong Kong.
When i say 'mini', they really ARE small....It is exactly the size of a slightly flattened salted egg yolk.
With a very buttery skin, they cost about RM25 each! Siao, man....

And last but not least, money cannot buy homemade lychee jelly mooncake, made by mark's aunty.
An awesome looking shape of the jelly, with the perfect texture and sweetness of juicy lychee flesh inside. ..
Heavenly.......

Well, we're officially done with mooncakes, for this year at least.
I have a year to start learning the art of making mooncakes. My crystal ball tells me it's gonna cost RM20 a piece next year! ...............wanna bet on that?

tini and her kerabu

The Raya hype has really mellowed down for me this year...geesh, what happened la. No more eat-till-i-drop buka puasa feasts, no more minister open houses, even my colleague Roziah does not send me Raya cookies anymore (coz she's left the company that's why). Oh dear *sad*

Luckily all is not lost.

Thanks to Tini. Bubbly wacky Tini, who prepared home made nasi kerabu (a Kelantan rice salad dish) for all of us in the department.

The nicely set-up mini buffet spread.
Excuse the color of the rice which by right should be blue in color (from the blue pea flower). According to Tini, she was flower-less at the time of cooking :-P

Nicely marinated beef slices to go with the rice. yum.

And sweet juicy kerisik (toasted grated coconut) which i learnt had fish in it as well.

"Come come, fill up yer plates"

My healthy serving of lunch! LOVE the fish crackers though.

Terima Kasih, Tini,
Sekali lagi tahun depan!