6 years ago, I celebrated by 18th birthday...

My colleague turned 18 today and she asked me what happened on my 18th birthday as she swore to never forget this joyous occasion of her life forever. 

I was dumbfolded when I learnt that I could not remember a thing! "Oh shit!" This is not funny. I tried so hard, as if I was madly searching for a needle in a haystack, the feeling was tremendously frustrating. It took me a few minutes before I could utter something out of my mouth. I just plainly said, "like you, I had so much fun!". But really, what fun?? I cannot even remember a thing. I then sat down, pretended to be using so much brain power for work and made myself squeeze every drop of memory juice out of the memory bank and this is what I gathered:

I had a surprise party planned for my 18th birthday! It all started with a long drive to One Utama where all 3 of us, Alison, Jessie and myself were dressed in black. Upon arriving we had to wait outside the restaurant for ages. Apparently we cannot be let in until they had to set the table up for the 3 of us. And so I waited patiently. While waiting, I met my friend, Bee Voon and I was totally surprised. We exchanged hugs and she said she was meeting a friend and so I let her go and promised to catch up. After a couple of suspicious minutes later, Aaron appeared at the door to welcome me into the restaurant and I was fully taken by surprise! There was a video camera and camera flashes when the doors were opened. And gee, all my friends were gathered there...Ee Jhane, Bee Voon (liar, she was late!), Renee, Elaine, Amelia, Kar Wye, Mei Chin, Evan, Bryan, Aidan, Koks, Steven, and some other college friends which I apologise for not being able to remember their names. Was a fantastic evening. Everyone was in black. I received a few presents, one being a jumper I've been eyeing on since forever from Miss Selfridge, few bottles of alcoholpop in celebration of my officially legal drinking age and a beautiful diamond pendent and a matching necklace. That's all I can remember. Of all the presents, the only thing I still possess is the jumper. Of all my friends, the only ones I still contact are a hand-full out of the lot. 

I wish things hadn't changed, I wish those friends never left, I wish I never left, I wish forever and ever meant forever and ever, I wish to re-visit every single detail, I wish to feel the happiness I felt, I wish life to be always a happy-18-year-old..I wish, and I wish, and I wish, and all I can do is *wish*...

We are watching Opera!!

This was the conversation between John and I on the way home from work last week...

John: Hey, we're going to watch Oprah!

Michelle: Okay...(in my head I was wondering, is Oprah Winfery hosting her talk show here?)

John: Is next week good for you?

Michelle: Should be fine, but is Oprah in Brisbane??

John: Yaaaaa...Like as if you didn't know??

Michelle: Oprah Winfery is in Australia?!?!?!? 

John: Nooooooo laaaaaaaa!! Why would we want to watch The Oprah Winfery Show?!?!?

Michelle: Huh?? Then??

John: Phantom of the Opera laaaaaaaaa!! 

Michelle: Oppsies!! *laughs uncontrollably thinking what an idiot she was*

John and I will be watching Phantom of the Opera on 25th April 2008 (which is the NZ day public holiday too!)...woohoooooo!! 

The white mask, the stalk of red rose and Andrew Lloyd Webber...I make sure I got it right this time around!!

International Food Festival

Tomorrow is our annual International Food Festival at our college. 

All students and staff are invited to cook a traditional dish of their culture. 

Gosh, cooking is not exactly my cup of tea...last year I fried mee-hoon which I swear not to ever do again because I was up until 1am trying to fry so much mee-hoon for 2 billion people, I had mee-hoon everywhere in the kitchen, it nearly killed me. It is at times like this when I desperately wish I was at the comfort of my own home where I can just pick up the phone and ring good-old-grandma! "Hello, po-po ar, I need some food for my 28 classmates for International Smiling Day (or some whatever celebration)" My grandma would just whack up some fried mee-hoon in less than 1 hour (she makes it look so super easy!!) or head to the markets to pick up some fresh (yummilicious) sponge cake...OOOoOoOoLaLa...!! 

Anyway, back to reality...I'm here thousands of miles away from good-old-grandma...a decision has been made, I'm making some KUNYAKU JELLY!! Heck if that is not Malaysian...siapa kisah?!?!?!? As long as I bring some food, which in this case...Asian food!!

Speaking of KUNYAKU JELLY, I had my moment of glory with it...As not many of you know, I taught in a kindy before I started college back in those days. During Teachers' Day, one of my students' parent bought me a super huge box of pretty looking yet yummy tasting KUNYAKU JELLY!! Such a moment pride, when I looked into the super huge box of shiny, colourful jelly staring at back at me...woahhhhhhh...such a not-too-bad cikgu I was!! I remembered hogging the box of jelly home and smiling from cheek to cheek bragging to my grandparents what I model cikgu I was to deserve such a lovely gift (I also had a total of 1 million photo frames, a few clocks and a few bouquets of flowers...okay I stretched the truth a bit, but seriously I had so many photo frames, it was not funny!)!! I can't believe I actually thought for a split second that I was a model teacher, hahahahhaha!! What subject did I teach?? ART!! Hahahahhahahh!! Well, that is what you do when you are 17 okay - think of yourself as invincible!! At least I know my self-esteem was all along on track, hahahahha!!

Anyway, back to the subject, I made some KUNYAKU JELLY...

Present for Someone Special...

John's birthday is around the corner...

Michelle doesn't know what birthday present to get him *scratches head madly*

I've got a few ideas:

1) Lomographic Fisheye Camera #2

He's into photography, I thought he might like a special camera which captures picture in a fisheye view. It's pretty cute, I like it. Now except, it uses film and knowing John, he wouldn't really like the idea.  

2) Tripod

He did say he needs a tripod BUT who in the world would dream of getting someone a freaking tripod as a birthday present?? Not me, therefore I'm not keen! But if all else fails, I know what to get la. This would be my fall back plan. 

3) Electric Guitar

This is a little over my budget but I think I might have a fat chance of fall for it! The fact that I will be leaving him here in August, he will be left all by himself and if he there is something he would invest his time on, I'd rather it be an electric guitar! Well, he's no pro at it...he can play the acoustic guitar and now he would like to learn electric. Hence the super idea for an electric guitar! He does have a few good musically inclined genes (as compared to yours truly!). Then again, would he invest time in sharpening his skills or is it just a hangat-hangat tahi ayam kinda thing??

4) Crumpler Laptop Bag

Okay, John does have quite a collection of bags. Does he really need to add one more to it? I don't think so. But this would be an easy present coz I know exactly what he wants and where to buy.

Well this is not too bad actually...I've got a few ideas...I just have work out which one to pick. I hate making decisions, but I'm a big girl now I better start having a mind of my own!! 

BBQ stinks!

Okay, barbeque sticks! As if you didn't know that yet!??!?!?

Today as part of my job description which includes "...and other relevant responsibilities given", I had to barbeque! For the first time in my life, I had to cook a massive lot of onions to feed hundreds of hungry students. And so I got right into it by ripping open a 1kg bag of sliced up onion and shoved my hand right in to grab a few hand-full of onion for the flaming hot pit. Now this was at 12pm okay. The time now is 11:30pm and I swear my hand smells like some disgusting body odour of some random person who's forgotten to shower for daysssssss!! 

I do cook occasionally and therefore fiddling with onions is no big deal to me. BUT seriously, my hand had never smelt this bad before! I am not kidding you, the smell of my hand makes me want to puke! Ewwwwwww!

Note to all: When (need be) to deal with large volume of chopped up onions, please do not attempt direct contact with any part of your skin to avoid vomiting sensation (you will thank me for this warning!).