Big discounts

I was in for a panic attack as CNY nears & yet I've not gotten any shopping done. Here's a problem in my family especially my grandma who expects each & everyone of us to be clad in new clothings - top to toe - which makes shopping for something I fancy & pleasing the elderly simultaneously is getting increasingly difficult. What's more, for some odd reason the red clothings sold around this time never looked good.

Honestly, I almost gave up searching & was tempted to wear my old clothings. I decided to drop by at WH, 1U with WL to try our luck since a large placard was displayed outside the store with "Relocation Sale" printed on it. Relieved I was when I found what I wanted whereas WL only bought a few shirts cuz most of them wasn't up to his liking. Guess how much the bill turned out to be?

Much to my surprise, I enjoyed 50% discount for each item I bought. All this while, WH was not known for selling affordable apparels cuz the prices range from RM80 onwards. Apparently, WH is relocating to one floor below but will be re-branded to cater to premium market. O.O Their clothings are really not worth buying yet they plan to sell it even higher than before after the re-branding. Anyways, I have one less thing to worry now that I've also managed to grab a pair of wedges at RM29.90. Thanks to all the wonderful discounts, it made my day! =)

WL turns 28!

This year, I celebrate WL's birthday in a slightly different manner. Instead of going out for a fancy dinner at a lavish restaurant, I ended up cooking pasta for him. And prepared a surprise - which ended up not being a surprise eventually - a cake for my dearly beloved. =)

We added a little twist to the pasta dish by using pork to mix with the bolognese sauce. It's little pity that WL couldn't consume beef & since chicken in pasta sauce doesn't taste as good, we used pork for its natural fats & savoury taste. We garnished the pasta with some egg & fried a few slices of luncheon meat for variety.

Our dessert for the day was the cake, of course. This cake differs from the usual ones we purchase from bakery or cake stores. It's homemade & consists of thousands of thin layers. That's right, it's none other than mille crepe! For a start, I ordered a vanilla flavoured to try in case the other flavours aren't too convincing. The multiple crepe layers are fused together with fresh light cream & vanilla custard whereas the top layer is glazed with caramel for a smoky sugary flavour. To save cost, we collected the box at one of the pick-up points at PJ.

Once opened, the sweet aroma filled the air & there lying in the box a freshly baked vanilla mille crepe made to order for WL. However, I was quite disappointed to see a poor presentation of the cake not cuz the cake was messily done. It was the birthday greetings which looked like ugly scribblings done by an amateur using cream.

One note of advice: the cake has to be chilled at all times!! Or else the cream in between the layers will melt & the cake will end up looking like ugly goo. WL seems very please with the token I gave him =)

Upon taking a bite, the crepe & cream melts together in your mouth like butter - so soft & light. What a heavenly taste! The cake keeps you wanting more with every bite. But it does fill up your stomach pretty quickly so I bet that you can only manage at most 2-3 small slices at most. I took the first slice which is slightly bigger than medium & I got stuffed easily. By the 2nd slice, I didn't feel like eating cuz my stomach insides started to swell up; signalling to stop eating.

It was a simple, private celebration between us. WL was all smiles & I'm truly glad that he had fun. Happy Birthday sweetheart! Hope you like my arrangement on this special day of yours~ =)

Lomo-fied

I've been actively taking pics using my iPhone after downloading a pretty interesting app recently. The app is called Lomo Lomo which simulates the effects of a Lomo camera, allowing you to capture images similar to the original device.

Here's an intro for those who have no idea what Lomography is all about. This form of photography emphasizes casual & candid snapshots. The cameras used are analogue film cameras which produces overexposed, light leaks & grainy effects on the pics. These imperfections are considered art especially among Lomo enthusiasts cuz the effects give a vintage feel & personal touch to the pics.

Nothing comes cheap when it's art related. Each Lomo camera costs at least RM300 or more as it only has one type of lens for a specific filter or effect. Fortunately, Lomo has offered a cheaper alternative for us by designing an app for iPhone. It's available free for download on the App Store. I downloaded it & started snapping pics immediately. And I'm amazed by the results produced!

See the different filters that create gorgeous pics of nostalgia. =) Cool, huh?

Of course, not all things come free. If you wish to try out new filters for different effects, in-app purchases are available at $0.99 per filters. Not that I'm gonna buy them anyway cuz whatever sampler that is given is more than enough to whet my hunger for candid photography. Yay to iPhone apps!! =D

Graduating!

Some of you might already know but this is for the benefit of those who are not aware. I was offered a new job & will be starting on the 5th day of CNY. It was a big decision for me but I've decided to take up the challenge. After all, I no longer have any reason to stay & the remuneration package in my new company is not too bad.

I kept on reminding myself that if I leave any job to embark on a new career, it has to be for a good reason. Not cuz of any issues working with bosses, colleagues etc. No doubt part of the reason was due to someone, but I've a very strong reason to say that I have finally reached the maximum point of knowledge gain in my current company. There is nothing I can learn anymore even though there may be more things I could learn from my immediate superior.

Sadly, the culture in this organization doesn't encourage its employees to be bold enough to experiment & explore new ideas. The company doesn't cultivate freedom of speech & not bothered to nurture/groom talents. It's a good training ground for someone who is fresh & just graduated but a definite no-no for those who wish to expand his/her potential.

I have no regrets working in my current company for the past 2 years cuz not only it was a good training ground but it brought me the love of my life. I know you peeps are rolling your eyes but it's true. WL is no longer working here anymore but having him around in the same company is definitely the best memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. Now it's time I move on to pursue a new journey in hope of better prospect & greater learning experience.

Wish me luck! =D

New year, new resolution and...new toy?!

The new year came & passed by so quickly. Have you all set your new year resolutions? For the first time in my life, I actually thought carefully & listed out my new year resolutions. Not much, only 3 as I'm trying to avoid being too ambitious. Being realistic means at least giving me some form of assurance that my goals are achievable. That way, it makes this year a more meaningful one. =)

My 2011 resolution would be:

1. Get a new job.
2. Save more money.
3. Tidy up my junk.

Out of the 3, I have successfully achieved the first resolution for the year. Yippee! I've found a new job but I shall be keeping mum for now until everything's firmed up. =P Moving on the 2nd resolution, saving money is indeed a long term effort. I think I did ok in this aspect though there is definitely room for improvement. What's more, I think I have failed miserably. Why? Cuz I just splashed almost 3k for a brand new toy. XD I supposed the pics speak for itself.

Still not getting the idea? Then this should work.

That's riighhhttt!! I'm now the proud owner of an iPhone 4, powered by DiGi.

It wasn't a rash decision as I've been thinking of getting one but not so soon. I was using the Nokia Xpress 5800 previously owned by WL. Initially, I quite liked the phone for its good audio. Somehow the phone started to irritate me a lot cuz the OS hangs easily & its Wifi doesn't switch of even after we have manually did so. Its MSN was a nuisance cuz it doesn't receive new IMs by itself unless refreshed manually. What's more, the earpiece started going wonky as there were so many incidents when I had to receive urgent calls & I just couldn't hear the person on the other line. How frustrating!

Come New Year's Eve, me & WL were hanging out with our colleague when we came across the DiGi roadshow at the Golden Oval, 1U. I was tempted but contemplated much cuz I was supposed to only purchase it probably after CNY. And so I've decided to sign up the MNP, waited 24 hours for my network to switch from Maxis to DiGi before I went back to the roadshow to collect my phone. Thank God for the amazingly fast service. I would've died if the network is not ready & I couldn't collect it from 1U on the last day of the roadshow. Where on earth am I gonna collect my iPhone if I missed it & had to arrange a collection with the dude who services me but his office based in Kajang??

When it was my turn to collect, I was unfortunate to encounter some issues with credit card limits. It was sorted out quickly & yes, the phone is finally in my hands. Seeing the packaging somehow makes me feel both exhilarating & amazed at how slim & sleek it can be in order to store the phone.

Inside the box, there is a simplified version of the operation manual. For the complete version, you will need to download them from the net. What a smart way to save cost.

Due to the slim body & intricacies of the phone, a micro SIM is required to power the network. In order to insert/remove the SIM, a metal pin is provided to aid the process.

Every iPhone set comes with a USB cable cum charger & a handsfree earphones. Can't imagine such a compact box could fit so many items.

There you have it, a simple review about what's inside an iPhone 4 box. I'm still in the midst of getting used to typing text messages on its Qwerty keyboard & downloading the essential apps. Oh boy, I was supposed to be talking about resolutions. How far I've strayed away from the original topic. Let's get back on track. Speaking of resolutions, my 3rd resolution is to tidy up. That's err...a long-term commitment. Especially when it requires full cooperation from my roommate aka my little sis. Much of the stuff piling up high - important or trash - are basically hers. *sighs* Let's hope she'll do something about that.

As you can see, my progress in achieving my resolutions are not going too well. Haha! XD At least I've found a new job that pays higher, which eventually leads to higher chances of saving money (hopefully =P). Things should be better when I start my new job after CNY. =)