Phy's Food Crave List: The Offside (Healthy Eating Down The Drain)

If you know me you'd know by heart what I'd be craving when the time comes to be craving something. Sushi, Yoyo Milky Tea with small pearls, Cadbury Time Out, Sour Cream and Onions potato chips, Starbucks Hazelnut Hot Chocolate and Daily Fresh peanut butter + chocolate waffles. Those are the things that I would crave at any one time, NOT all at once (for which I am truly, truly grateful).

Yesterday for some reason I did a total turn around and had the urge to eat something that was not on my food 'Crave List' which was KFC Hot and Spicy chicken with Colonel Rice. Yup, I actually craved the oily, greasy combo. I tried to be good by getting the Jom Jimat set which is Colonel rice 1 pc chicken and soft drink. Should have been enough right?

Here's where it gets weird. When I crave something, it's very rare that I would want it again on the same day or even the next day. This time I wanted another set right after! I would have loved to tell you that I had gotten on my feet and walked away but I didn't. Instead I ordered Colonel Rice and 2 pc chicken to go. And ate it at 3.30PM.

If that wasn't bad enough, today I still wanted it! Argh!!!!!! So just now I got the same order as yesterday, only this time I added Cheezy Wedges.. Kamikaze! However, I am happy (albeit still shame-faced) to say that after having it 3 times in a span of 2 days, I am finally cured. I am not happy that I had to go through that amount but at least now I'm so sick of it I feel like throwing up everytime I see a picture of a chicken. Or rice. Or a certain old Colonel in the colors of red, white and black..

Into the mouth and straight to the hips they always say. Looks like I owe me a looooootttttt of walking for the next few days and a double, if not triple dose of prune consentrate to cleanse me up. Eww... Get it outta me! Get it outta me! I feel so sluggish (small wonder).

Such a crazy thing had never, ever happened to me before and I hope that I never, ever, ever, ever have to go throught that again. What about you dear readers, have you ever experienced crazy cravings like that before?

Post Hiatus: Travelling, Packing And Laundry

Wow, it's been quite a while since I've posted a blog post and it's not due to a depression-induced hiatus or lack of topic. It's just that I haven't had the chance to sit down and write (or type, if you'd rather). First, I went back to Keningau last Friday to take advantage of the long weekend and came back on that Sunday.

On Monday I participated in a work-related course for 3 days and 2 nights (will blog about that soon!) at Imperial Hotel, Kota Kinabalu. Then yesterday morning I was told that I was selected to go to an Islamic-related course at PLI Kundasang..

Wow, I really feel like I am living in a luggage. The amount of laundry I've accumulated has grown into astronomic proportions. I've had to pack different clothes for the different reasons I'm traveling. For going back home obviously it's casual all round.

For my first course it's formal and 'stylish' semi formal (call me kampung but I still have this mind-set that I have to dress nicely when I go to KK. No track pants and t-shirts for me!) and for this trip to Kundasang formal and conservative casual.

I've already told my boss that I would prefer NOT to have to go to this Kundasang thingy simply because I'm not joking about my huge laundry. I don't have any clothes to wear! If it was spaced out to next week I would have accepted it immediately, if only just to get away from the office doldrums.. The place seemed nice thought..

PLI Kundasang.. Courtesy of Google..

Today will be the moment of truth, whether my boss will say I have to go or allow me to be excused from it. Keeping my fingers crossed.. Huhu..

Phy's Boys Are Back..

I have been experiencing Empty Nest (or rather, Office) Syndrome for the past 3 weeks. All of my boys (that's what I call my Traffic Policemen) were send to Sarawak to aid the election during the duration of that time. We were shocked that all of them were sent but orders are orders so they had to follow.

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It was so quiet at the office without their laughter, teasing and lewd jokes. I never thought that I would actually miss them but I did. Yesterday they were finally back and I must say that I'm very happy. One of them actually bought me the famous Kek Lapis Sarawak. Thank you Mon Mon Cat (bukan nama sebenar. I repeat, bukan nama sebenar).

Courtesy of Mon Mon Cat..

'Touching' kunu kena beli kek. Sekali sy tanya (dengan mata berkaca no less) "Perisa apa kek yang ko beli sy ni Mon?". The response? "Antah, sy pun nda tau tu. Sy amik2 jak tu, jan la ko tanya sy." Hmft, typical male in uniform response. Baru sy mo terharu pun trus x jadi. Haha.. They may be gruff but they have a heart of gold, these guys.

Unfortunately 2 of them are being sent to Semporna again today, including Mon Mon Cat. When I found out sy pula lebih2 upset. Sy kesian anak bini diorang bah. They only get one day with their husband after 3 weeks of separation then they'll have to be alone again for another 3 days.

Bukan senang mau jadi bini polis ni, kena tabah, patient, understanding and very independent. That's why I don't want to marry a Policeman or anyone who works in uniform such as the Army, Fire Brigade, etc. I'm not sure if I would be able to handle their line of work.

Anyway, I'm digressing. Again, I'm very happy that my boys are back even if two of them will have to be out of my sight again so soon. I didn't even mind when they teased me mercilessly upon setting eyes on me, especially Bapak Mentua (again, bukan nama sebenar mahupun status sebenar). Who knows, it might be their way of expressing that they had missed me too (pedahal entah2 lepas gian. Ya lah, 3 minggu inda ijik sy kan.. Lol..)

Now I can resume my tasks with a smile. I won't have to be alone with Mr. Forever-Ada-Urusan-Penting-Jadi-Terpaksa-Setengah-Hari-Kerja or Mrs. I'm-Pregnant-So-I-Have-The-Right-To-Be-Nasty-And-Boss-People-Around. Lalala... Haha.. That's all for now peeps.. Cheers!

Phy Becomes A Goose

No, I haven't grown feathers. Here's the story. On Monday last week I experienced sore throat and fever. Alhamdulillah, it became 'better' by itself the next day after I drank about 4 Litres of water (throughout the day obviously or else I would have turned into a water bed). Or so I thought.

Wednesday I was well and I thought I had managed to 'escape' unscathed. It was only after work on Thursday that I suddenly started to cough. It was really bad too, made me felt like my chest was on fire. Turns out that I hadn't escaped the clutches of the Terrible Trio (Sore Throat, Fever and Cough). By Friday I had lost my voice.

As someone who loves to gab and sing (with no talent whatsoever, mind you) you can imagine how this devastated me. I've lost my voice before but it only took a day or two for me to recover but this time it was already over 5 days and my voice was beyond sexy.

In fact, I sounded not unlike a goose. Whenever my voice terple'ot my throat would make kind of like a honking sound which was mortifying when I talk to OKSes. I could see them surreptitiously looking left and right from the corner of their eye. They were probably trying to locate where the goose was.

I iz one very cool gooze.. Source

Hi, my name is Phy and although I am not technically a goose but I do sound like one. Feel free to feed me bread (whole grain please, preferably with raisins too) and other nutritious things so that I might recover in time for next Saturday's Karaoke session. Thank you..

*Honk!* Opps, excuse me.

Phy A' Rantin': Money, Maggi and Mail

This post has no purpose whatsoever. Just feeling disgruntled about a few things but don't have too much to say about each to warrant a full post.


Money
I swear, sometimes I feel like my savings account where my pay goes in to is like a Formula 1 stop-over station. Money comes in and stop for just a few minutes before being withdrawn to pay rent and bills. Having one's own money is sweet but it's bitter to see it go into the bill payment kiosks.

It's really frustrating how the price of groceries and fuel keeps rising but salaries are below the 'line of poverty'. As for rumors saying that there will be a rise in the Government servant's salary? Not that I wouldn't be grateful, but could they not announce it? Cause when they do, guarantee harga barang naik so sama juga pia' dia.

Maggi
Sigh! I had used to live on Maggi when I was studying. Now that I'm working I thought those years were behind me and I can enjoy proper food. It would be unfair to say that I don't eat properly AT ALL. I do, normally within the first week of pay day. After that it's Maggi for lunch or dinner as it's the only thing that's saving me from 'makan batu berulam rumput'.

I hope some big shot at Maggi is reading this post *keeping fingers crossed* so that they will appoint me as a spokesperson for the Maggi brand since I've been helping them achieving their sales target for yeatrs now..

Mail
The only mail I get is from are from pudgy, yellow men and from Bank Rakyat. How fun is that? Cuba lah surat cinta kah, kad kahwin kawan kah.. Sheesh! Service companies pun satu, bil pertama tu buat lah date end of the month. Ini, kalau 15hb orang apply servis tu, 14hb pula bil due for the next month. How are people supposed to pay? When we don't pay, cepat jak potong servis. Mau kasi sambung bukan main lagi lambat, macam siput tempang.


Looks like every time we want to apply for a service, we must plan strategically and apply only after the 25th of each month to avoid the annoyance of being called or SMSes 3 times a day reminding us to pay our bills. Macam mo jak sy balas 'Ko SMS 10 kali pun tida' guna, sama juga sy bayar selepas gaji'. If it's not for me knowing that it's auto generated, I think I would have.

Oh well...

25 Random Questions

During the time when Friendster was famous, tag questions used to be soooo popular. I love doing them and was always on the lookout for new ones to do. I think that they are really fun and helps us get to know our friends better. Anyway, I've decided to do a 25 Random Questions post so let's get started.

 1. Do you have any pets?
     Not at the moment.

 2. Name 3 things that are physically close to you?
     Seventeen magazine, a bottle of water and my flu medication.

 3. How is the weather right now?
     It's a bit humid here at the moment.

 4. Do you drive? If so, have you crashed?
     I have a licence but I haven't drove for years. I've crashed into a tree once while I was practicing. Huhu..

 5. What time did you wake up this morning?
     Around 6.30 am.

 6. When was the last time you showered?
     About an hour ago.

 7. What was the last movie that you saw?
     Rio.

 8. What does your last text message say?
     Di mana?

 9. What's your ringtone?
     Pocketful of Sunshine.

10. Have you been to a different country?
      Yes, I've been to Singapore when I was really young and I went to Guilin, China recently.

11. Do you love sushi?
      Yes! Yes! And yes! Especially Salmon sashimi..

12. Where do you buy groceries?
      Mostly at Gmart Tuaran because of the variety.

13. Have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster?
      Nope. Unless you count Piriton but I only take it when I have the flu.

14. How many siblings do you have?
      I have 2 elder sisters.

15. Do you have a desktop or a laptop?
      Technically I don't own either at the moment but 'm currently borrowing my sister's laptop.

16. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
      My next birthday will be this year in June *hint* so I'll be turning 25.

17. Do you wear contacts or glasses?
      I wear contacts but occasionally I do go around wearing glasses.

18. Do you color your hair?
      I used to.

19. Tell me about something that you were planning to do today?
      Post this blog then sleep.

20. When was the last time you cried?
      I think it was last week while reading Mini Shopaholic. Luke Brandon was so sweet to Becky in the end!

21. What is your perfect pizza topping?
      I loooooovveeee tuna, pineapple and cheese.

22. Which one do you prefer, hamburgers or cheeseburgers?
      Cheese always win so I would prefer cheeseburgers.

23. Have you ever had an all-nighter?
      Oh yes, when I was in matriculation. When I entered uni I never did it again.

24. What is your eye color?
      They are dark brown.

25. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke?
      I think I can because I find Coke to be slightly sweeter than Pepsi.


I really enjoyed doing this post and you can do it too. Just copy the questions and change my answers into yours.. Cheers!

  

Phy: Bookworm Reinstated

Hi all...

All of my life (well, at least ever since I could read) I had been known among friends and families as a Bookworm. All I do is read. All. Day. No joke. I would live in a library if I could.

However, the past few months I haven't been reading a lot of novels. I've been reading a lot of magazines instead. This week something compelled me to pick up a novel that I had been reading half way through which is Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

It had been months since I've read it and I anticipated that I might be a bit lost when I start reading it again. Amazingly, I didn't! It just confirmed what I knew all along and that is Elizabeth Gilbert is a talented writer with the gift to pull you into her story. I felt as if I had only left my book for a few hours instead of a few months. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

The next book is also something that I read a little less than half-way through before having to put it down and it's Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. It's a very easy read but the main character in the book is doing such embarrassing things and getting herself in deeper and deeper trouble that I just had to put it down until I stopped cringing. It took me months to do that too.

I finished reading it on Thursday and was happy that I did because I liked how it worked out. I even shed a tear because I could completely relate to how the main character felt towards the end but it was made right again. I find that the Shopaholic Series have the same pattern in their stories.

The main character would embarrass herself and get into deep trouble, tell lies to cover up and get into more trouble because of it and spin MORE lies to cover that lie and wound trouble tighter and tighter around herself until it becomes unbearable and THEN comes the relief where everything would work itself out. I have a feeling that there would be at least another book in the future for this series.

I'm currently reading the Ivy Chronicles. I bought it at a book fair at 1 Borneo. It was quite a bargain at RM20. Oh, I bought the Mini Shopaholic at that same book fair too. So far I feel that the story is very loose and 'hoppy'.

When I say 'hoppy' I mean that the writer kind of hops over the details of what I would count as the important parts or phases in Ivy's life. It's getting more detailed as the story progresses though so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

What novel have you been reading recently? Do share. Happy Monday folks. Cheers!

Phy's Essential Items To Go Shopping

Hi y'all,
In today's post I will be sharing with you the essentials that I bring with me when I go shopping. Now, I don't necessarily bring all of these items every time. It really depends on what I'm shopping for and whether I am shopping on a normal day or during crazy sale season. If you want to know what they are, keep on reading..

Spagetti Strap Tank Top
I'm not a fan of showing cleavage so I would bring /wear an SSTT in a basic color (beige, white, black) for when I try on tops that have an overly daring neckline. I find that not all tops with plunging necklines look nice with an SSTT underneath so it helps to have one handy so that I can actually see how it looks together.

The SSTT is also useful during crazy sale season. Just wear it under a cardi and you won't need to wait in line to try on tops in the changing room. You can just take off your cardi and try the top over your SSTT. Just make sure the SSTT is a form fitting one so it doesn't add bulk to your frame by bunching up in odd places under the top.

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Cardigan
I don't like sleeveless tops  so if I wear one I would always wear a cardi over it. When I go shopping and see a  sleeveless top that I really like, having a cardi on hand to try over it is very useful indeed. Like SSTT, not all tops look nice with a cardi over it, or at least, with the cardigan that I might have. It helps to see how it looks like together before deciding to buy the top.

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Leggings
Leggings are super comfortable and are form fitting. I highly recommend wearing them when you're shopping for jeans during crazy sales. Why? Just like the SSTT, wearing leggings enables you to try on jeans without going through the hassle of waiting in line to go into a changing room. Since leggings are naturally form fitting, it won't add bulk to your frame so you can try other types of 'bottoms' over it such as shorts, skirts and etc.

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Sling Bag
If you don't know what a sling bag is, it's just a bag with really long straps that can be slung across your body. I love using a sling bag while shopping because it free's up both my hands to browse through racks or sift (claw?) through the clothing bins that are forever unorganized.

The straps of the average handbag tends to slide down my arm at the most inconvenient moments and I find it really annoying. A sling bag also allows me to position my bag in front of my body so it's safer and reduces the risk of me being a victim of pick-pockets.

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Heels
A pair of black heels to be exact. I would only bring these with me when I shop for long dresses or 'bottoms' such as jeans and long skirts. The reason is that I would go shopping with flat sandals or ballerina pumps. If the length seems just right when I'm wearing flats, there is a chance that it would hang a bit awkwardly when worn with heels but not necessarily always. Having a a pair of heels on hand would help me to see how it works out.

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Camera
When I'm window shopping or am in the mood to experiment, I would try out a ton of clothes (and I mean a ton) with different shapes and silhouettes to see how they look on me. When I find a shape that I like, I would take a picture of me wearing it from different angles as reference. Don't do it openly though, most shops are a bit icky about people taking pictures of their merchandise. Come to think of it, I hope nobody working in retail, especially in Nichii, is reading this blog. Hehe..

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Snacks
This is definitely an essential when you're shopping during crazy sale season. Combing through the racks and going through the clothing bins is not a small feat and could take hours. A snack would helps to fuel me until lunch or even longer.

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Bring more nutritious snacks if you're planning on skipping lunch (not advisable, but it's your call). Unsalted nuts, crackers, etc are great snack options. Skip sweet snacks as from my personal experience, they tend to spike your blood sugar level for a limited time then plummet, make you feel more famished than before.

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Small Bottle of Water
Ditto as above, water is crucial during crazy sale season. I just sip throughout the day to avoid having to go to the loo every 5 minutes. Of course, it's best to drink lots of water and just bear with the frequent loo visits as it is better for your body but I personally hate having to go through that inconvenience so I opt for the former instead. It's just one day after all.

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So there you have it, my shopping essentials. The key for me is knowing what I was intending to shop for, where and when. My fave would be the SSTT, cardi and leggings ensemble. The cardi would have to be a long one though because of the legings. I don't think I need to say why.. Lol.

I hope you enjoyed this and found it useful. Don't forget to leave a comment below on what YOUR shopping essentials are. Cheers!

Should We Pursue Security Or Passion?

Hi y'all..

This question has been playing on my mind for the past few months now and that is in terms of our career, should we pursue a job that is secure or pursue what we love to do?

For the sake of simplifying things a few factors will not be taken into account such as family circumstances, education level, family support, etc. This means that those who are limited in their choice of work because they are the sole bread winner of the family with younger siblings to support, lack education, or whose parents don't support their interest (you get the picture) are exempted.  

The pros of those choosing a secure job is that they will not have to worry about being laid off at the blink of an eye and have a stable/fixed income. Ah, bliss... The cons however is that because those not doing something they love are more susceptible to the feelings of boredom, demotivation and unenthusiasm. This might effect the quality and effort they put into their work.

On the other side of the grid , the opposite might happen to those who pursue their passion. That love for what one does gives one the drive to do their best in their job and enthusiasm runs high even in the most difficult situations. As one's interest might be in the conventional line of work such as being a nurse, doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc, instability of income is not necessarily an issue of concern. However those who love what might considered to be 'unconventional' careers such as being a magician, painter, musician, etc would most definitely face this flip-side.

For me personally, I'd choose the latter. If what you love to do happen to be in the conventional line of work, then you are certainly very lucky. For the unconventional ones, it's still possible to pursue your career under one condition; be the best in your field. Wanna be a musician? Take classes, practice, gain experience by performing every chance you get and be open to constructive criticism. Basically, do whatever it takes to be the best of the best.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no career coach but one thing's for sure, I know what it feels like to be the former. Feeling your whole being drying out and dying a slow and painful death is not very pleasant. What do you think dear readers? Which would you choose?

Phy Is Back.. And More First Experiences...

My, my, my... It's been such a long time since I've blogged. For some reason, everything just ceased to have meaning in my life for the past few weeks. Facebook felt boring, Twitter was 'aiso mo mo' (as my late great grandfather used to say when he insulted my then-10 year old mother's cooking), and I didn't have the energy to blog.

So what has been going on with my life? Here are some updates:

I've been under what can only be called a mild depression these past few months because I wasn't happy with where my life was headed. I've been toying with the idea of resigning but was afraid of making any rash decisions.

Lo and behold, a blessing came in a form of a local celebrity. I had the opportunity to chat with him over Teh C Special and he mentioned that he was once offered a music-related position in my sector. He did thought about it, took into account of all the benefits that he would get and everything as it was a lucrative offer but in the end he turned it down.

Now he and his business partner operates a business doing music classes for keyboard, guitar, drums, etc and he couldn't be happier. How's that for inspiration? It certainly gave me the courage to take other options into consideration.

So my second update is kind of in sync with my first one and that is I've applied for a position that is suitable for my qualifications at a major, MAJOR organization in Malaysia. Wish me luck! I'm keeping everything crossed at the moment and not only my fingers. Lol.. 

My third update is that two Sundays ago me and boo went to Tg Simpang Mengayau for the first time. We had wanted to go there for a long time but never had the time and on that particular Sunday it became an impromptu trip armed with nothing but my phone for a map.

When faced with conflicting signs like this, always go with the newer looking one..

It rained all the way and when we stopped over at Kota Marudu for lunch we contemplated on continuing with the journey but decided to push on anyway. It only rained harder and didn't stop even when we arrived at TSM. We took pictures in the rain, enjoyed the scenery, ate prawns fried in batter and mayo and drove back. to Tuaran. Crazy right?

Floating coconuts...

The relentless rain made the water rise in certain places, so much so that it was impossible to see the road. Coconuts floated along the road, even crossing it in places where the flood was particularly bad. Lesson learnt? 

Ask those who have been to the intended destination for info such as gas stations, and stop-over places along the way.

Bring adequate food/snacks and drinks especially water.

Check the weather forecast.

Service the car if bringing own transport.

The view was still gorgeous in all it's stormy glory.. 

Hehehe... Going old school with the poses.. 

A second visit is a definite must...

Fourth update! I've tried wearing leggings for the first time. Bahahahaha... I know, I know.. Just goes to show how 'fashion forward' I am. The trend has been around for years but I just never got around to buying them. To be honest, I didn't gave them the time of day because I don't like them at all.

My first encounter with these stretchy thingies was borne out of desperation. I was going for a movie after work and I knew I wasn't going to make it to KK if I went back to my house an d change so I brought a change of clothes with me, only to realize half-way to KK on the bus that I had forgotten to bring a pair of jeans with me *hand on face*.

Thank goodness my top was a long one so I bought a pair of leggings from Soxworld as it was a much cheaper alternative to buying a pair of jeans. Needless to say I like it. I don't LOVE it but I like it.. It's lighter than jeans. I might wear them again with my dresses. We'll see.. 

So this is all for now. I might update this post with some pictures from our trip to Kudat. Cheers!