Firefly to fly Ipoh-Singapore route

The Ipoh-Singapore flight route that is expected to become operational in the middle of the year would be a generator of investment and tourism between Perak and the island republic, said Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

He said Malaysia's first community airline, Firefly, was expected to begin operations from the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (LTSAS) in Ipoh to Singapore in June if all goes well.

He said Singapore authorities had approved landing rights and the state government was having discussions with related parties to realise the matter.

"This is a good venture to ensure that investment and tourism between Perak and Singapore can be enhanced. I thank all who have worked to make this happen," he said after the state executive council meeting at the Kuala Kangsar Town Council building here today.

Zambry however did not tell of the frequency of the flights or provide other details.

The Ipoh-Singapore route would provide much-needed breathing space to LTSAS for being under-utilised. - Bernama

An Unofficial Spokesperson for Baby Lulu

I would like to make this posting on behalf of yummymummy, and I know at least one of her friends may like to see this picture (courtesy of Lis).

Mummy and Lulu are doing fine and they are going home right now, as I am writing this. I haven't got her vital stats but rumor has it she's hot! Well obviously we've got mummy to thank for that and perhaps daddy could contribute to the height. There you go!

The Arrival of Baby Lulu

Since yummymummy is unable to make any posting today, I shall write this on her behalf.

SHE IS HAVING A BABY ANYTIME RIGHT NOW.

A Darn Good Fantasy

I often wonder what I would say in a job interview should I be posed with the question on why I left my previous job.

A. It was the most logical choice in both financial and business sense.
B. The organisation was not supportive of me becoming a mother.
C. My ex-bosses were too busy saving their pot-pots and sold out their staff instead.
D. I did not see the point of having to prove myself all over again since the department was going to have its 3rd boss in two and a half years.
E. I could not leave my baby under the care of strangers.
F. The money was not worth it.

Even though all the answers above are true, I know that the politically correct answers would be either A or E, but it is nice to know I have scripted 4 other choices.

HIV

I remember the first time I went for HIV test, the wait for the results was absolutely terrifying. No, I am not a drug user, prostitute or homosexual. I am an ordinary person who works in the corporate world.

It does not mean just by having a university degree or a good full time job would exempt you from the possibility of contracting HIV. I mean it could have been from that tattoo needle, that blood test or just anything, and you never know would you? These are all the scenarios you will keep playing at the back of your head while waiting for the results.

I recently spoke to a friend about this and she was very surprised that I have been for HIV test because she did not know anyone else who did. Of course the most probable reason why many people would not do the HIV test is due to the stigma of this infection.

To me, the simplest reason why everyone should get tested is because there is no cure for this disease and if you do have it, you should know in order to protect your loved ones from it. I did the test when I was pregnant with Eddie and when I am pregnant with my next baby, I will do the test again, without a doubt. I was also an AIDS ambassador in my previous company to help raise awareness of this disease.

Of course this led to a more interesting discussion:-

1. Would you inform your ex partners?
2. How would you break the news to them?

So if answer to question (1) is yes, these are the options:-

• Hi, it's me. I'm HIV positive and you probably are too.
• Hi, you b*&%^$*. You gave me HIV and I hope you die soon.

Not my intention to scare you but I think it is funny

"Magazine ideal of birth as 'big, beautiful adventure' can increase risk of baby blues when reality sets in" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1169186/Magazine-ideal-birth-big-beautiful-adventure-increase-risk-baby-blues-reality-sets-in.html

Haha... I promise that I am not trying to scare moms to be. I just could not help it when I saw this article because I believe that it is absolutely true. First of all, I never subscribed to this whole "birthing is a beautiful" experience nonsense.

I still remember when I was in my final trimester, when having a baby was getting very real, I spoke to my friend about this. I did not understand how it is when you are doubling over in pain, sweaty, dishevelled, accidental poopsie with legs sprawled wide open in full view of strangers and all these could be described as a beautiful experience.

But one thing my friend and I concluded was perhaps months/years after, you will forget about all these ugly nitty gritty details. One day when you look back at that special day, all you remember is the creation of this beautiful life. It has got to be true, no?

Temptation

I hope no one took a bet on me to see how long I could last without working.

Yesterday while I was browsing the internet, I came across job vacancies in areas which I have always been interested in albeit NOT retail banking.

Well I am not going to start working anytime soon and plus job market is very tough at the moment. So I thought I just polish up my resume and submit it for fun.

An Oasis Concert Fraud

When I first bought my Oasis concert tickets 2 months ago, I was so excited as I was going to see them live in action for the very first time.

Few days before the concert, I started googling the only Oasis album I ever owned (the cassette tape has probably degenerated by now) which was (What's the Story) Morning Glory. I looked at the list of song titles and thought I'd better do some homework before the concert, such as -confession- memorising the lyrics. As I went through the lyrics, I could not recall the melody at all. Surely some of you know what I am talking about. The times when you are desperately trying to recall a song, lyrics usually could lend you the melody? Well they eluded me.

So the next best thing was YouTube. The moment the performance came on, the lyrics just came rolling off my tongue. Memories came rushing back, fond secondary school memories of my fanatic Oasis-fan friends. We could sing every single track of the album then, and I still can, well kind of, but with the occassional mouth gagging literally lost for words.

But what I did not know when I first bought the concert ticket was that Oasis had subsequent albums. Oh bummer, too late now. I just kept my fingers crossed that they would sing their older tracks from that one particular album.

The concert started at 8.30pm. Concert started with a song I have never heard before, and continued with more songs that I still did not recognise. When I looked around me, there were many other people who looked just as lost but trying to get into it by swaying their bodies to the melody. My friends and I occassionally screamed, and jumped up and down pretending to recognise the opening bars of some unheard of songs. Each time when a song finishes, I do not think I have ever clapped so enthusiastically in hope that the next song would be one that I know of.

Finally, oh-sweet-banana-chocolate-cake, they sang Morning Glory (song order may be wrong). You remember when you used to study for 2 whole years to prepare for an exam which consisted of only 3 essay questions? During your revision, you were bound to downplay the importance of certain topics thinking it would never appear in your exams paper. So all you did was memorise about only 5 facts of that topic. Then when that darn topic does appear in your exams, you kick yourself wishing that you have revised and memorised more facts to fill up an A4 page. That was exactly how I felt when they finally played a tune I knew!

After that, there were more obscure songs, but they did play Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger and Champagne Supernova. I called Reena when they played the Champagne because it is her most favourite Oasis song. After all what are the chances right?

So when the concert finally ended, I thought to myself that I should have invested the ticket money to replace my phased out Oasis cassette tape instead. Don't get me wrong. They are an excellent band but I knew only 4 songs in the 90 minutes long repertoire. By the way, so did hundreds of people around me judging from how they suddenly came to life when Don't Look Back In Anger came on. The band did not even have to sing the chorus!

To Shame or Not to Shame?

This morning while driving Sig.Ot to work, I came across a very very rude driver. This happened at South Bridge Road, at the traffic lights just before One George Street building (North Canal Road junction).

By the way the traffic lights were red. All of us were driving in the middle lane, as you could only switch into the Bus lane (left) towards the last 20 meters before the traffic lights. This stupid woman behind me switched lane the same time as I did, but she did it illegally (double solid lines) while I changed lane only where the dotted lines started. Of course I indicated my signals, and guess what she did? She sped up to cut me off to only then changed back to the original middle lane. Did I mention that the traffic lights were red? So after all that, it got her nowhere.

I was so furious that I wound down my window, whipped out my mobile phone and took a picture of her car. I cannot believe the ugly behaviour she has just displayed. I had to stop Sig.Ot from confronting her for her atrocious and dangerous driving. (Well I thought when the lights turn green, we would look really stupid. )

Well, I am no longer as upset as I was this morning. I suppose she is probably worrying about a picture of her car being published in the paper tomorrow and that is good enough for now.