Vivian and I.

Just love this photo. 

You won't believe I actually blushed in this photo, which is why I look so, uhh, good? I know I look and feel happy and indeed, I was. 

Seated in a very elegant and beautiful Malaysian restaurant -- Georgetown -- with piano music in the background, toasting to my birthday with Vivian. That Singapore Sling is a compliment of Kannan, the supervisor of this restaurant who is extermely a brilliant and kind person. 

I'm the star of the evening! Check me out, it's me birthday! 

Vivian's platter who begged for a taste of Malaysian's food, I recommended her this savoury fish, a Malay's locale dish. Quite tasty but she couldn't prefer to sink her knife into my beef rendang. ;) 

My birthday dinner platter, my country's food -- beef rendang -- generousity of Vivian who made the evening ever more beautiful. 

Wine glasses and a free shot of Singapore Sling cocktail compliments from the supervisor of Georgetown restaurant who made it all possible. 

My birthday cake, a gift from Louise who runs a successful Chinese restaurant Maxi's. Very delicious! 

Here are all me friends including my beautiful Vivian beside me. Dorothy shot this photo, so, from left to right: Paul, Alfred, Torstein, myself, and Vivian. 

Torstein (pronounced as 'toousch-tainn') and myself on my double settee. 

These are the nicest people I've known during my stay in Kirkstall Brewery on Broad Lane -- a student's accomodation. They were invited by Vivian to surprise me, as it has been a long time since I last saw all of them since I moved into this new premise (background) 

Enjoyed many good times

I've been thinking if I should blog as often as before and I gathered that my blogs will, in a way, make more sense if they're recorded down once every short period of absence. This way I get to highlight significant events during the times when I'm not blogging.

To begin with, I recall the most extraordinarily moment I had with HF on my 26th birthday. Months ago when I returned from Canada for a 2.5 weeks visit, HF and I spotted a Malaysian restaurant just in the heart of city centre when we were worming our ways on the streets looking for the office where National Insurance Number can be applied. Georgetown restaurant is adjacent to the office we were looking for. I scrutinizing the menu at the threshold of their entrance, I insisted for a curry puff and that would cost me £3.50 each. I didn't get any as it was too costly. HF promised to bring me here for my birthday.

And the experience on that night was posilutely and absotively a wonderful magical experience for me. The atmosphere inside is one of which that I should never forget to give credit for. To have my home country's food on such an occasion in such a wonderful and perhaps posh place could never ever get any better. Our experience was further enhanced by a mutual friend of ours, Kannan, who works at the restaurant as the supervisor. He gave us a couple of Singapore Sling on his tab, had the chef made a special order for me (made my main course extra spicy/delicious), made special arrangement with the pianist, who perfectly blended in a birthday rhythm for me from 'When I fall in love' when Kannan served us our 'Ice Kacang'. Customers who have already been seated at this time cheered and congratulated me and wished well for me; some clapping their hands. The best of the best of all at that very particular time was the fact that HF was there to commemorate that very day with me. Her calm and peaceful smile emmanating her radiance of happiness during all those very wonderful people, musics, ambience, and warmth. There's a lot of love in the air and that is what I sensed. Desptie all and most importantly, I was able to share my happiness with HF. Without her, that day would be as good as the mysterious voidness in the dark that's full of everything except positive & constructive feelings/emotions.
At the end of the evening, Kannan showed how much he desired to share my moment with me (he can't because he was on duty) with an over generous 15% discount.

We walked back to enjoy a cake specially made for me from an extremely kind friend, Louise, who runs Maxi's Chinese restaurant at "The Light". I helped her to understand some legal issues pertaining to one of her restaurant business in town a couple of weeks ago. I was still with her when she called on to her baker to bake a birthday cake for me. Out of embarrasment I refused but I guess she was already determined to make one as a gift for me. The cake was made up of fruits and it was very delicious. In fact, that cake is my first birthday cake after a very, very long time... say, 18 years? I'm not too sure, but I know my family doesn't really believe in celebrating birthdays. The Georgetown restaurant and the birthday cake has been a complete birthday experience for me.

_________________
I've sold "grandpa" (our car) just this morning for £142.00 to a family from Northants. It's good to know that grandpa is now in good care of another owner.

Our friends came over for an evening of fun. Torstein and Ling, and Asa were here. My finally found classmate Saravanan and his lady friend Jane who are both from Malaysia (one from Kuala Lumpur and the other from Johor Bharu) are a wonderful addition to us all. I just got Settlers of Catan in and managed to convinced all of them that it is a fun game. I'm sure I've got two, if not one, persons addicted to the game on their first try to the game. It's hilarious! It's also a very good game!

Until many good times ahead, I will write again soon. Take care and thanks for finding this site an interesting read.

A year of everything

Yesterday (or to be exact, 14 September) would mark my stay here in the UK for exactly 365 days. That's a year long. What do I think of it so far? Life is beautiful here with HF.

I haven't been blogging recently and it feels like it's going to take me a year now to blog as frequently as before. HF parents were here a month ago for a 25 days stay and we've been busy doing stuffs together and enjoyed every day every moment. After that, I've been doing a little self study on Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 so that I could video edit the videos we shot when we were in Scotland. It's quite a bit of a learning curve there but I didn't take too long to master it as the the book I got was an easy read and pretty straight forward.

Just got to know that I will be proceeding to Year 2 of LL.B (Hons) Law in the newly relocated Law department--city centre. Clouth Hall. I'm looking forward to it... most likely because there is pretty nothing much to do these few days. I start training with GE Capital for 3 weeks from the beginning of October before I start working for them. Classes will commence at the end of September. So, in the meantime, I'm just waiting for sales of duplicated softwares on eBay, of which I am earning £35.00 for every piece sold inclusive of shipping/handling costs. I've sold about 9 already and still counting. I thought back for a while thinking how upsetting it is for [common] people who just wanted to use professional softwares like Premiere Pro and have to burn a hole in their pocket to pay £599 for a retail version that works exactly just like the one I'm selling.

I am being such a good criminal here. But of course, if I continue to do this for a year, I would have probably end up behind bars with my pockets emptied for more than a year. Truly speaking, greed is every human beings weakness.

Meanwhile, on another matter, HF got time extension on her dissertation from her SPV till early next month. She's been at it day and night trying to write up to the finish line. My hopes and prayers are on her... hoping that every efforts put in there counts and is and will be something useful for some, if not every, academically and commercially sound people out there. I personally believe she's got a wonderful idea on her dissertation.

Until next year. ;)
j/k

The exhaust pipe was completely detached from the muffler (I believe that's what you call it) as the result of years of rusts and corrosion. Even steel have their weaknesses. Driving with a detached exhaust pipe like that is not that fun all the time especially I'd occasionally hear sudden loud explosion "BLAMM!! BOOMM!" or a "BANNG!!" whenever I ease off the acceleration/gas pedal.

Well, I had to replace the entire rotting exhaust system for �69.00. Not worth the money, as there are other parts under and around the car that needs to be fixed up and would total up to �400. We've decided to sell 'Grandpa' (as we'd like to call it) soon for all it's worth. *sob!* 

To my horror, I finally knew what turned my little old Clio into a sports car. It began to sound very loud from the inside, and even from the outside... which was the reason a patrol car doing their night duties the other night pulled me over along A65 heading west into city centre. It was a long night for me. 

Going under the Renault Clio 1.2 we bought to actually realize what it is meant or what it is like to be driving a 13 years old car. I'm the 8th person to own this Clio since 1992. There are rusts and corrosions all over. 

HF's dad and me, having a splendid time at the Scarborough beach side. 

Mmmmhh... chewing on money bone! (pork shank) 

HF and I on the beach in Scarborough. Had a smashing time there! 

HF and her family, visiting, and myself in my neighbor's flat. 

HF, on the Highlands of the Isles of Skye 

Scotland

I just came back from Scotland highlands... a 4.5 days road trip. Set out early morning from Leeds and headed north to Glasgow city and from there all the way up to the Isles of Skye and arrived by midnight. It was the craziest thing I've done... driving all day/night. The next day, we checked out the Isles and, although it was cloudy and rainy, the view/surroundings are abso-freaking-lutely mind-bogglingly awesome. I have literally lost count of the number of times I said "oh my god" and the number of times my jaws dropped in awe. good thing both my eyes are still intact. I thought I have seen it all when I travelled to Banff National Park and Whistler Mt. There may be other places that are expectedly better than Isles of Skye, but the latter is a must see (although i still think Banff and Whistler is better as there are more things to do). Just then I realized why this place is called the Isles of Skye. How does it feel if you could 'touch' the skies (not on sea level)?

A day's trip is sufficient and we headed back to rest and prepare for next day's journey -- to meet the mythical monster, Nessie, in Loch Ness upon Inverness. Ever heard of a sea creature/monster that lives in Scotland? We saw the monster... surfacing for air and stayed afloat. it's been domesticated... ;)

Later, we spent a day in Edinburgh and checked out the famous castle there. The month of August also coincides with the Scottish Arts and Culture festival, hence, tonnes of activities on the streets on Edinburgh. From mimes to street performers, art exhibitions to tattooing and shopping to climbing over 250 steps of a tower...etc. all happening at the same time. The city is absolutely vibrant and colorful and it's good to be there. When you should have time and the resources, I would personally recommend anyone to check out Scotland.

what-the-****!! 

Inside the castle of Nottingham (city centre) which sits on top of a hill, having the advantage of overlooking the entire city's skyline. We are just at the entrance, where we were greeted by the miniature plant that resembles Robin Hood (with his fav toy bow). 

That's me and Robin Hood weilding his bow and arrow poised to attacking whoever whatever that's in his sight -- it was me with an apple on my head later. 

At the bottom on the castle in the city of Nottingham where a large statue of Robin Hood and his friends (pictured) rests. 

At the University of Nottingham, HF and I trying the Mr/Mrs. Smith (the movie) pose... under a tree.