Christmas in Genting

Dear Diary,

Christmas is near. Beautiful ornaments are greeting me from each corners of supermarkets, hotels, restarurants and even on the streets. Lovely christmas songs kept ringing in my head as I hum along to them. They constantly reminded me of the BIG day which is around the corner. I anxiously anticipate for that very day to come.

       Last weekend, I was in Genting with him and my family. There were many other vacationers who crowded the place as well. We snap pictures at every opportunity we had.

Rudolph the red nose reindeer leading the sleigh

A candy store

DAY 1

Dinner in K-Box
We sang our lungs out during the two hours of fun. My mom was too tired somewhere in between that she slept on the sofas. Guess our voices were too 'soothing' and sounded very much like a lullaby to her. *giggle*

Dazzle in Genting International Showroom
This is the first time we landed ourselves with four free tickets to the exclusive showcase of 'Dazzle'. The whole sixty-minutes of performance was fun and fantastic. The showcase features:-

Magic show - Mr Ernesto Planas from Cuba
Hand shadow show - Mr. Sonny Fontana
Quick change illusion act - Duo Presto
Statue of Jerome Murat - Jerome Murat from France
and plenty of dance performances which completed the whole performances and left us in awe.


A poster of 'Dazzle'


DAY 2

Breakfast at New Orleans Barbeque Restaurant
There were 3 selections of set menus to choose from; pork chop, chicken chop or beef chop + cream of chicken soup + salad. The view overlooking Genting together with the ambience was mesmerizing. This was also free.

40 minutes in SnowWorld
Brrr.... it was chilling in there. Even the insides of the snow boots were cold. We had a few slides down the hill on a rubber float, ate strawberry flavoured ice-creams and almost licked the ice to see if it's real. There were some lil cute penguins running around in circles; o wait those were lil children wearing overly large jackets. The snowdrops gently fell on my face as we were snow-fighting. I finally got my white christmas afterall... 

The entrance to SnowWorld

A Winter Wonderland in Genting

Love Jo.

Conditional Love

Dear Diary,

A friend brought up a topic today during our usual pillow talk; a topic which many of us might fear even just imagining it. She asked, 'What will you do if you know your child is not like any other normal children?'

     This question brings me into deep thoughts. What will I do? Will I opt for abortion? If it is so, then does it mean that my love is conditional? We have always denied that we would love someone or something based on our expectations. So do you often pay more attention to cuter babies? This is what I meant by conditional love....

Photo taken by Landako with the theme 'Children Love'

     What do I do if my children would be born disabled? Am I strong enough to have this child? I have thought it over and I felt it is not the fault of the lil one. Unless of course the child would be born brain dead, I would have this child so that he shall see how beautiful the world is. It is going to be difficult for me as a mother but having this child I believe would give me greater emotional strength. 

Love Jo.

      

10 principles for Peace of Mind..

I came across this article about things you should avoid in order to obtain peace of mind. The interesting part lies in the truth on what we usually practise in our daily lives. So here are the 10 principles :-

1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked

Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality. God created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.
Jo's words of wisdom ' This we can see everyday... That is why there are always gossips running wild... hehe'  

2. Forgive And Forget

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive,20Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.

Jo's words of wisdom 'It's easier said than done...'

3. Do Not Crave For Recognition

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yours lf in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.

Jo's words of wisdom 'The hardest person to please is oneself... The more you expect of yourself, the more difficult you will be pleased with something.'  

4. Do Not Be Jealous

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody's life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has now become his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.

Jo's words of wisdom 'Women are green-eyed monsters... no doubts about that... No wonder women are constantly restless...'

5. Change Yourself According To The Environment

If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.

Jo's words of wisdom 'Blend into a situation... Then bring it to your advantage...'

6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control... If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.

Jo's words of wisdom 'Smile and the world smile with you... Smile is the best medicine'

7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend time in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.

Jo is thinking .... hmm... *nod nod*

8. Meditate Regularly

Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it yourself. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tend to become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time.

Jo says 'Ohm... ohm.... ohm...'

9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant

An empty mind is the devil's workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile . Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting.

Jo's words of wisdom 'But the mind is the hardest to control'

10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret

Do not waste time in protracted wondering " Should I or shouldn't I?" Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over spilt milk?

Jo's words of wisdom 'Life is a passage but it is a one-way journey. Regret not even if you only have one more day to live. Live life to the fullest.'

Beauty of a setting sun...

Sunsets are just so beautiful. They have captured my heart. There are no two sunsets which are the same. As the sun bids us farewell, the moon returns to work for a long shift during the night. This is the time when we are able to see the transition of day turning into night. There is a sense of security just by watching the sun setting each day. We are sure that it will be back for us again tomorrow, the following day and on any other days. Many a times we overlook the beauty of these sunsets because we know it is there for certain. Just like life we've often taken things for granted. 

       

     Sometimes the most wonderful things in the world are FREE. How long have you not steal a glimpse at the sunset??  Wherever you are, don't wait. Go ahead... just take a few moments to appreciate the wonderful scenery, whether you're on a beach, up a peak of a hill or maybe just right in front of your house porch.

Love Jo.

Birthday calender Part 2

Dear Diary,

We had to drive his brother's car from penang all the way back to kl. It was his first time driving that long distance on the highway. We were excited as we had a lot of plans ahead of us. After packing, we left penang for his hometown around 11.30 am.

First stop, LeeLing's house in Prai (a best friend of mine)
She wanted to show me the photo album of her wedding and also return me the sweater i accidentally left at her house after overnighting there. Everything was very brief even their introduction; him-her. 

Late Lunch at Kamunting
We took our brunch at a cafeteria in an isolated town within Kamunting. The Char Koay Teow and watermelon juice sure tasted good. hmm... Must be that we were having our brunch really really late.

Taiping Zoo
Taiping Zoo is one of the famous zoos in Malaysia. Well... Although it is not as big comparable to the zoo in Singapore, it is an interesting place to spend time especially for families with children. The entrance fee to the zoo is affordable and they have a myriad of very friendly animals there. There were beautiful green sceneries which were perfect for photo taking. The best thing is that you could feed the animals up close. 

     

     

Taiping Lake
It is approximately 10 mins away from the zoo. It is a recreational spot for lover birds and families. We reached there when it was almost sun down... such Beautiful place.

Dinner at Ipoh
We were lost on the way to Ipoh and so we stopped for directions. Somehow those who gave us the directions are unsure of the roads as well. Are there too many roads in Ipoh??? We went round and round and round... Finally we reached our destination. It is a place where everyone could have a taste of Ipoh's best and famous 'ngai choi kai' (bean sprout chicken). Again, the food was delicious. yum yum... 

Sungkai Hot Springs
It's location is situated 1.5 hours away from Kuala Lumpur. A swim in the warm waters really was rejuvenating. There were a number of pools with different temperatures, a egg boiling section and you can dip in any of these pools for just rm10 per pax. As we were there really late at almost 10 pm, only another 2 hours before closing, we were given special discounts for our entrance fees. The cold night accompanied by a dip in the hot spring really was what we needed after a long day of ride in the car. There were only the two of us in the pools and with the occasional sound of the breeze blowing against the bushes, it was getting really scary. So we decided to leave early. The road back to the main highway out of Sungkai was pitch black as there were no lamp post along the road. This is the best time to stop and take a look at the stars above. There were aplenty. The night settings was romantic but we felt it was too dangerous to be in the dark especially after we drove passed a man in white. We were wondering why the old man was cycling on a bicycle with no lights on in the middle of the night. How could he see the road? ah-hem... Anyways, moving on...

On the final highway back to Kl
We were using the old road as we made a wrong turn in one of the roads. There were still signboards leading us to Kl so we decided to follow them. As we continue on this journey for another hour, we realised that everything seems familiar. Wasn't that the broken car by the road that we saw earlier? oh no... we must be moving in circles. Hmm.... how now? Then, we decided to move a few more distance in front of us before we make our rash decision to call for help. And luckily we saw this sign that says 'To Kl highway'. Such relief. We manage to take the turning out to the highway.

Final destination : Kl
Phew, we made it. We reached our destination finally. Feeling exhausted but happy. Our backs and legs were sore from the journey but it was all worthwhile. It felt like an episode of Amazing Race; touring so many places in a given time limit. We would never forget this wonderful trip we made from Penang to Kl. 

Love Jo.

 

Birthday calender Part 1

Dear Diary,

My face disclosed a smile as I look through the calender he presented me on one of my previous birthdays. I sat there reminiscing the long year we shared together. There were some flashbacks of how it used to be having him around my side. Of course... there were these two events that I simply love. One, was having to take wedding photos with him. Mind you we are not married or anywhere close to being engaged but the experience was unforgetable. Second, was the trip back to KL in his brother's car.  
     We were 'found' by a studio photographer near here (taman pekaka) when we were having supper in Riyas. As I saw this man continuously stalking us, the creeps came crawling in. We wanted to leave the place immediately but he stopped us and introduced himself soon after. He asked if we were interested to take couple photos. Wow.... We were stunned. Never had we 'modeled' for any photographer before this. What next?!?! Of course we had to say yes.

     Booking a session with him was somewhat an excruciating process. His schedule was always full; reserved for Singaporean and Malaysian wedding couples. When the day has come, we were so excited that we couldn't get much sleep from the night before. Not a good sign as on the day itself our eyes were surrounded by dark heavy eyebags. I wonder if this is what people usually experience a day before their wedding. 

     We had to be in the studio as early as 8 am to get my make up done. While I was having my make-up session, my dear partner took a nap on one of the sofas there. I wished I could sleep too. 2 hours passed and she was only finished with my make-up. Next the hairdo... Another hour into the making, fuh...... Do I have to go through this again in the future? Finally, she's done with my overall make over. Next was his turn. A swish here and a swash there.... done in 15 mins...

     The long wait was tiring. But that was just the beginning. What's coming up next is even more energy consuming.... We had to change into 3 different attires, change our background settings twice, change our posts every 5 secs and most of all SMILE in every single take. And looking back now we could barely imagine we had withstand all that for one whole day. And here they are... Presenting Jin & Jo's first wedding photo album..

  

     

Photos courtesy of David Thian (www.davidthian.com)

Christmas Wishlist

Dear Santa,

On this day, I wish I could have my man all to myself. I wish we could spend our time just like how we used to back in our uni days. Checklist:

      1. Spending time together doing practically nothing. I could lay my                 head on his lap all day long doing just this...

      2. Watching latest movies / dramas on PPstream especially lame horror
          movies with bad endings

      3. Riding on a bike around the neighbourhood. Oh how i miss the 3                  hours ride to and fro from Jusco.

      4. Cooking dinner together. Although it's the same menu each time, I
          never get bored of it.

      5. Watching the moon and stars at night. While listening to him sing...

      6. Just listening to his heartbeat

      7. Go for a walk in pasar malam and eat more and more lekor...

      8. Sharing a vanilla ice cream in mc d...

      9. Eating bak kut teh on rainy nights

    10. Last but best of all. Listen to him laugh, and I laugh with him...

Santa, I've been a good good girl this year. Could I have my wish come true?

Love Jo.

True love is but a glimpse of heaven...

Dear Diary,

It feels so real, so beautiful. I have never met anyone else who could make me feel the way he did.  I wonder is this what they call as 'true love'. It was a beautiful accident that we were together and I'm glad it happened. The moment I fell for him I realised every moment with him is just too precious to forget. That's when I started writing a diary. He never fail to take my breathe away every single time. There was something about him that makes me think about once in a lifetime. There is nothing in this world comparable to his love for me. I have never imagine something so wonderful as him could be mine... 

      If life is a love song, then he is my
      music that brightens my day...

      If life is night time, then he is          my moon that lites up my way...

      He is definitely someone                    I can't live without...

Love Jo.

Distance between two hearts

Dear Diary,

It's been so long now that me and him have been living apart. He left for a far away land in search of greater prospects. Promising it is going to be only temparory, however even a few years can feel like forever. Many couples went through the same experience while only some lasted... This worries me.

        When two people are living separately from each other for so long, everything 'might' change. This change in the relationship is inevitable. Not getting to meet him as often as I used to, Not able to hold his hands when I walk around the park, No more seeing his smiles on his face. All I get was :P smileys, which cannot exactly replace what was missing from the inside. But what really disturbs me is the fact that he is in a foreign land where it is alien to me. Rumours say '... the girls there are prettier, sexier'. I keep reassuring myself and those who told me that rumour over and over that if he were to find someone else, I would let him go. LETTING HIM GO is not something easy to do although it is easier said. My inner voices kept telling me to trust him after all that's the most important essence of maintaining a healthy relationship. Yet there is still something else inside me, something uncertain telling me to hold him back...

Jo.

Where to start??

Dear Diary,

This is the first day I created a blog. There's a mixture of feelings overwhelming me. Excitement, Enthusiasm, Sorrow all came pouring in without any invitation. Most of the good and bad moments in my life suddenly become so vivid. Are these some of the things I wanted to share with others? There's just so many ways of expressing oneself in a blog. Which should I choose from? Where can I start? There's just so much to say and I simply couldn't find the right words to pen it all down....