Bloggers' "White Christmas"

IT'S OUT!! IT'S OUT!!

The highly anticipated production by Lin Peh is finally out!!

Now, you must be wondering what's the fuss all about. It's a collaboration by a couple of bloggers, some whom I believe one of them is in The States, and another one 'tengah' holiday-ing in Auckland. The thing is that, I don't know about the rest of the participating bloggers, but in my case, I have no correspondence with any of them in any way - not even e-mail, phone nor in person. Well, perhaps got la read their blogs, leaving comments here and there. But heck, I don't think they even knew Lil' Patchee exists!

So, to have strangers combine their voices together to produce a short and simple song... It's a wonderful feeling, I must say. Without Lin Peh's effort to start a project like this, I wouldn't have thought this was possible. Of course, I should give bundles of credits to the participating bloggers as well. Without them, there wouldn't be a production like this.

So, a huge huge pat on the back to King's Wife, GBYeow, Helen, 5xMom, Ongline, Mikel Lian, Jomel, Simmie Lang, Jkn of KL Podcast, PJ, Desmond9394, KC Yap, Siao Cha Bor and Lin Peh (yes.. He lent his voice too!)

Go listen here or here, and tell me what do you think of it. Oh.. And can you guess which is my part? Hehe..

Christmas Songs Compilation

Since Christmas is around the corner, thought that maybe it's high time I compile a list of Christmas songs.. The versions which I *think* are nicer.. If you feel that there are better versions than these ones here, let me know yah.

1. (Charlie LeBlanc & Integrity Worship Singers) - Joy To The World
2. (Olivia Olson) - All I Want For Christmas Is You
3. (Cliff Richard) - Mistletoe & Wine
4. (The Merry Carol Singers) - Frosty The Snowman
5. (Clay Aiken) - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
6. (Jewel) - Silent Night
7. (Backstreet Boys) - Christmas Time
8. (Jim Brickman) - Do You Hear What I Hear?
9. (*NSync) - Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire
10. (Bro'Sis) - The Gift
11. (The Merry Carol Singers) - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
12. (Hannah Morris) - When A Child Is Born
13. (Billy Gilman) - Jingle Bell Rock
14. (Paul Norquist) - Hark! The Herald Angel Sing
15. (Human Nature) - Last Christmas
16. (Martina McBride) - O Come All Ye Faithful
17. (Jessica Simpson) - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
18. (Clay Aiken) - Winter Wonderland
19. (The Merry Carol Singers) - We Wish You A Merry Christmas
20. (Billy Gilman) - O Holy Night

And finally, need to add the White Christmas song compiled by Lin Peh laaa.. Hehe.. "World premier" will be out at 12 noon.. Remember to keep an eye on his blog, or here. ;)

R&D Christmas Lunch & Gift Exchange

My colleagues & I had an absolutely lovely Christmas day at work!

We went to Atrium Cafe, Sunway Pyramid Tower for buffet lunch, under Dexter's expenses. We left the office early and came back quite late. Hehe.. They didn't have much of variety on the buffet line, then again, cannot expect so much for RM 35++. But they had prawns, crabs, scallop and baby octopus. So.. Quite worth the $$ also..

Buffet at Atrium Cafe - the 2 pillars in the centre of the tables are very 'jor deng' though

Their Christmas tree - big ah?

Chocolates for sale

One hour after we got back to the office (and TRIED to do some work), it was time for us to celebrate the birthdays for the December babies. We got Dexter, NR and another colleague a tiramisu cake. Yeah.. We could still eat!

Remember we set up our Christmas tree some time 2 weeks ago? We got everyone to buy a gift worth around RM 20. I numbered the gifts and placed them under the tree.

Christmas tree - so many presents!!

So right after the cake-cutting celebration, we proceeded with the Gift Exchange. I got everyone to draw out a number which represents which gift they were to receive. I got this!

My gift - a box, purse and a silver bracelet with dangling dolphins

We had so much of fun - Definitely a lovely day of constant chatter, feasting and togetherness. Gotta thank Dexter for that. ;)

Christmas Sing Song Project

Received an invitation from Lin Peh to join his Christmas Sing Song Project.

He's gathering as many people as he can, to record their voices, singing to "White Christmas". He will use his magic touch to combine all the voices and remix it to become something like "We Are The World". It's kinda cool idea, I must say, uniting all the bloggers (their voices, in this case) for the festive season.

I have already submitted mine. I borrowed Sis' headset microphone and recorded using the standard Sound Recorder. BUT I ain't gonna let you listen to it. "Pai seh" la... I'm definitely no way near Malaysian Idol standard!!

Come join Lin Peh's project. Deadline has been extended to 19th December. So... Hurry! Can't wait to hear the final product actually. Hehe.. Until then, have a good weekend!!

I'm Lovin' It!

What other better ways to keep yourself awake in the afternoon during work, than having ice-cream??

Soft serve whirled with bits of Oreo, picture courtesy of McDonald's

Many thanks to Koala Bear & Furball, whom both of them were sleepy as well, snuck out of the office, drove to the nearest McDonald's and got themselves & me ice-creams. Yay! I'm awake again!!!!!!!!!

"Saya Anti Rasuah" Campaign.. Yah Right!

Someone knocked into Sis' car last Friday. She was driving home when an impatient driver forced his way and knocked into her car. It was a minor dent on her side, yet he shouted at her. She told him that she would prefer to settle it at the police station and took down his particulars. He obviously got worried and said he only had RM 20 with him.

Sis accepted the $ and went off fuming. Frustrated that he only paid RM 20 for a dent that would need at least RM 220 to repair (I got my colleague's husband to check it for me - he was the one who fixed my car when it got scratched last time). Yet Mum thought it would be troublesome to make a police report or how she would lose her NCB if she make an insurance claim over something so minor like this. So she let it go.

On Tuesday, she received a 'lovely' saman letter. Turned out, the other driver lodged a report on her. So she went to the said police station to make her report the very next day. The police that took her case taught her how to write her report, and told her to go back the next day coz apparently, the Sergeant that was handling 'that case' was on leave.

So she went back to the station yesterday to meet the Sergeant. He said that she was in the wrong, so must be charged for it. That was RM 300. Because she did not make a police report within 24 hours, she was charged another RM 300. He kept
asking her, "Macam mana?". Sis asked if he could "tolong" her. But all he could say was "Macam mana?" She asked him what options does she have. He said, "saman lah". She intepreted it as having no other options but to be charged for it, so she agreed to be summoned. Guess what he did after that? He yelled at her up down, right left.

Sergeant : "Kamu tak ada budi pekerti. Dari tadi sampai sekarang kamu langsung tak minta maaf. Kamu tahu tak, saya yang berhak issue saman, kalau kamu tahu minta maaf, saya mungkin tak akan issue saman. Tapi kamu langsung tak minta maaf".

He went on and on and on about her not saying "sorry" to HIM. Eh hallo, why should she apologize to him?? If at all she needs to apologize, shouldn't she be apologizing to the other driver instead? Why need to say "sorry" to the Sergeant??

Now we understand that what he actually wanted was some "coffee money". But, on broad daylight IN the police station?? Mind you, he was wearing the "Saya ANTI rasuah" badge. A sergeant somemore! I wouldn't say that every single police is corrupted, but a few rotten apples like them can spoil the whole orchard. Or can't they?

Yah right!

So does wearing the badge makes any difference? I'd say no. They'd still abuse their authority. Corruption will not go away. If we succumb to corruption, more social problems like these will crop up. If we don't, we pay and suffer for not obliging. That said, Sis got herself a RM 600 fine. *grrr*

1 Candle for 1 Year Old Boy

It's Inspector's nephew's 1st birthday today, but we celebrated it yesterday instead. Princess ordered a huge birthday cake in the shape of the number 1, and I was assigned to collect it before meeting them at the restaurant.

Upon collection of the cake, I asked the guy who serviced me, to open the box for me to see the cake. If I take back the wrong cake, then I'm died-ed laaa.. It was definitely a cake in the shape of the number 1. Very huge one. Satisfiedly, I asked him to pack the candle.

Guy : "Cik, nak berapa lilin?"

I was like, "vartttttttttttttt??" Of course I want 1 candle laaaa... So blahdi huge number 1 on the cake, and he has to ask how many candles? Maybe he thinks I need candles for 10 years old... Or 100 years old? *tsk tsk*

How many candles do you need for a cake like this?

I have to admit, it was pretty amusing laa, that moment.. *grin* Inspector's nephew had a lot of fun . We watched him open his presents today. He loved the "Nokia 8210 handphone" we bought for him. Hehe..

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Much pleasure doth thou bring me!

For every year the Christmas tree,

Brings to us all both joy and glee.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Much pleasure doth thou bring me!

Dexter came up to me yesterday, "Go buy a Christmas tree, put it in our department. Budget around RM 200". What, he thinks I'm his secretary ah? Every single thing in R&D also I have to organize. *grunt*

But hey, it's Christmas. I love decorating Christmas trees! I'd do anything to liven up the atmosphere. Buy Christmas tree, then buy Christmas tree lor... *skips around*

So, during lunch just now, off I went to Amcorp Mall with Labu. Cute Living is having a Christmas promotion at the concourse. Soooooo many trees! Soooooo many decorations! We juggled around with the budget. We took several sets of coloured ornaments - red, white, silver, gold. We took golden bells that go ting-a-ling-a-ling. We took silverish gold and blueish white garlands. We took 2 sets of multi-coloured blinking lights (It has 8 sets of blinking. So coool!). We took a few sets of gift boxes. We took a glittering gold star for the top of the tree. We separately bought a packet of cotton wool for the 'snow'.

Guess how much did we spend? RM 150!! And the tree was only RM 29.90 . Cheap eh?? Dexter will surely love us for not using the budget to the max. As soon as we got back to the office, we started decorating the tree with the help of 3 other colleagues. We thought it would be nice to put it at the space in front of Dexter's room and the Server room. The outcome....

R&D's Christmas Tree

Nice, ah? Nice, ah? We're having a 'gift exchange' event few days before Christmas. All the presents we buy will be placed under the tree. So fun! I shall go blast some Christmas mp3s on my PC now. *lol*

To Propose Or Not

Sometime during the last weekend, Inspector was talking to a friend about weddings, the 'pantang larang's and stuffs like that. Then she asked him if he proposed to me. She was a bit upset when he told her that he did.

Not that she was yearning for his love whatsoever. She's getting married next year, a couple of weeks before us. She and her fiance had already booked the venue and they're now scouting around for a suitable bridal package. She was upset that her fiance did not propose to her. It was a case of both of them going out for dinner, went to the jewelry shop to collect the rings after that, and that's it. She had hoped he would propose. She even hinted to him numerous times. But he did not do anything. She's taken a while to accept it, but she was disappointed with the way she had to accept it.

That brought me back to this post I wrote sometime early this year, when Inspector posed the question to his friends, "Are proposals necessary?". Somehow, now that I've been through it, I feel that proposals are indeed necessary. I'm not talking about getting a huge diamond ring, romancing your loved one by the beach or with a candlelight dinner, going down on bended knee and all that, but merely a simple "Will you marry me?" is more than enough. When the guy proposes, it goes to show that he's dead serious on wanting to spend the rest of his life with his loved one.

I don't know about the most of you, but in my case, proposal was THE sign. Inspector and I have had the serious talk about settling down for more than 1 year ago. Nothing constructive happened, everything was just talk, right ear in, left ear out. One day we would say "Let's find a venue, look around for a suitable package". We would scout around. We would talk about our findings. Then they just stopped there. Few months later, the process repeats. I'm pretty sure my friends Gummy, Moorish and Sue would have been pretty immune to all these by now. Heh! Until the day he proposed. That's when he started showing that he was serious about the whole thing. We tentatively decided on the date, arranged an appointment with a Wedding Sales Co-ordinator from a renowned hotel in KL, and drafted out the guest list.

I think usually when a couple have been together for so long, the girl would wait for THE day the guy proposes. Well, not that the girl can't propose. I mean, if the girl wants to, by all means, go ahead. But anyway, as long as one party has not officially asked THE big question, the other party would still be left wondering , "Where do we stand? Is (s)he serious about us?"

One year ago, Furball and his gf had purchased a house, they had planned to get registered. When Furball finally proposed to his gf, it stroke her into her head that it was real. That they were really serious and was finally getting married. But alas, it was through the proposal that she realized she did not love him anymore and she admitted that she had feelings for another guy. Could it be that she was tired of waiting for him?

I don't know.. To propose or not, it's entirely up to you guyz. If you feel that your partner needs to be romanced, if you have the means to do that, yeah, why not. Otherwise, it's enough to just ask her, "Will you marry me?". For me, it was definitely more than enough. The ring was a bonus. *wink*