Ok. I'm finally back on yesterday night (10.03.07). Holiday ends here. Somebody teased me and said her holiday just started only... grrr... kek si wa liao...

Anyway, I've updated the list in What Penang lang eat ?. During my trip in Penang, I've eaten 56 out of 72 kinds of foods (some drinks too). That's 77.77% of completion of the goal. This result is not acceptable since I expect to complete (eat) at least 90% of what's on the list.

It's really great to be back at home. Hmm... Penang is still like that, lots of cars, traffic jam (surprisingly, it happens even after midnight in some places, even it's not in city area), illegal parking everywhere, illegally asking for parking fee (if those idiots are inside GTA, I'll make sure they die ugly...).

Then, lots of shopping malls (well, actually not many, just that Penang is a small island), one or two malls became foreign workers heaven (or ghost mall), some became ah beng's hang out place, a few still struggling to survive and the new Queensbay Mall will make you feel guilty if you're wearing short pants and a pair of thongs.

Those uncle who are selling DVD *cough*cough* are very helpful/讲义气, there is no such thing as 'Goods sold are not replacable'. However, you never get a receipt from them (in case you want to claim your tax in future) and you might get locked up in the shop (if they own any) for a short time if you're in a bad timing. Sometimes, you must be there on the right time because their business hours are extremely 'flexible'.

Also, I found that more a lot Penang people are speaking English to their children instead of Mandarin or Hokkien. However, I still can hear 'Si gina ! You @%^&*....' when their children are naughty.

Uhh... makes me feel home sick just by writing this. I'll better stop here. By the way, I'll upload some pictures later on. Until then you can check out my previous blog entry What you can bring in to Australia to see what you can bring through Australia's custom.

ps: Out of topic... Brisbane gets level 5 water restriction when I came back, that's not good... I wonder how many levels of water restriction they got. Will level 10 means watering the plants are not allowed, instead you gotna pee on them to save water ?

I'm back again, to a place where birds won't even lay eggs... oh well, that's not true... but you get the picture. Anyway, my luggage got checked thoroughly (i mean, undies by undies, if you still don't understand) by the quarantine officer when I'm going through the custom. Some of the items got confiscated after inspection. So I would share with you what I have brought and which one of it is ok and which isn't.

Things that's OK:

• 义香豆沙饼(Ghee Hiang). I didn't buy 馨香豆沙饼 (Him Heang) because of its loose packaging... but shouldn't be a problem when passing through custom since there is no egg in the ingredients.
• Chinese New Year biscuits (Malaysia style) like 凤梨酥, that white colour cookie (I've asked a few friends, nobody knows the name -_-") Kuih Bangkit (thanks ynee). Also, Kuei Kah Phek should be fine too (I remember bringing that 2 years ago).
• Bracelet that's made of wood pieces. Can't guarantee you can bring all kinds of bracelet made by wood, but most of them are ok. Don't ask me why, but this kind of things are consider as plant material and the quarantine officer loved to check them.
• Curry powder and other kinds of powder. Cannot contain meat pieces/chunck.
• DVD *cough*cough* is ok, don't bring too much like you're reselling them.

Things that's _NOT_ OK:

• Milo (I believe most people already aware of this).
• 3 in 1 instant coffee. Quarantine officer says it contains dairy product in the ingredients and therefore it's not allowed.
• Biscuits and cookies that contain fruits are not allowed. However, 凤梨酥 is allowed. Again, don't ask me why.
• Dried porridge. Most of them contains meat pieces/chunk that is not allowed.

For more information, visit www.aqis.gov.au/airports or call 1800 020 504 (free call within Australia).

今年轮到十二生肖中的猪当老大啦 ！ 更难得的是今年是丁亥金猪年！希望今年金猪年大家能够过得愉快、幸福、顺意又安康！在此祝贺大家新年快乐、金猪年行大运！！

Hawker foods that I would kill (or do sit-ups) to eat...

List is not complete/final, miss-out food will be added and food that I've eaten will be crossed out. I'm back. No more chance to eat liao...

1. A&W root bear (drink)
2. Ah mah's home cook food
3. Ais Kacang (Shatow Lane, 7/2)
4. All those cool roti series (eg. roti tisu)
5. Ark Thui Mi Suah (Farlim, 5/2 - Kampung Jawa no longer selling >.<)
6. Bak Kut Teh
7. Bak kwa
8. Bang Chang Kuih (Sunshine Market, 9/2)
9. Barli (drink)
10. Bi Tai Bak (Sungai Ara, 13/2)
11. Bubur Cha Cha
12. Cendol (Gurney hawker area, 10/2)
13. Chai Kuih
14. Char Beehoon (economical)
15. Char Hor Fun (dry)
16. Char Hor Fun (wet) (Gu Kan Tang, 4/2)
17. Char Koay Teow (Teluk Bayan, 6/2 * Kampung Jawa, 7/2)
18. Char Kuih Kak (Gu Kan Tang, 4/2)
19. Char Mee Suah
20. Chee Cheong Fun (Farlim, 5/2)
21. Curry Chee Cheong Fun (Special, something like curry mee but instead of mee it's using chee cheong fun, intro by Junnie) (Sunshine Market, 21/2)
22. Curry Mee (Jalan Tengah, 4/2/)
23. Dai Lok Mee (Super Tanker, 7/2/)
24. Dao Sar Piah
25. Duck Rice (28/2)
26. Fish Head Beehoon (7/3)
27. Gu leng peng (drink)
28. Hainanese Chicken Rice (Jelutong Market, 8/3)
29. Ham Jim Peng (Sunshine Market)
30. Hokkien Char (World of Leisure, 26/2)
31. Hokkien Mee (Loh + Thng) (Kampung Jawa, 7/2)
32. Jawa Mee (Sungai Ara, 6/2)
33. Jiu Hu Eng Chai
34. Kickapoo (drink)
35. Koay Teow Thng (Teluk Bayan, 6/2)
36. Lady fingers
37. Laksa (Near BJCC, 9/2)
38. Lam Mee
39. Leong fan (drink)
40. Leong fan + soya (drink)
41. Lok Lok
42. Lor Bak (Penang Rd, 23/2)
43. Lor Mee (A new food court near Macalister Rd, 11/2)
44. Mee Goreng (Super Tanker, 8/2)
45. Milo (drink)
46. Mom's home cook food
47. Muar Chee (Gurney hawker area, 10/2)
48. Nasi Lemak (E-gate, 5/2)
49. Nasi Kandar
50. Nasi Kunyit (Turmeric Rice)
51. Nasi Pataya
52. O-Jien (oyster omelette) (World of Leisure, 26/2)
53. Otak Otak (Shatow Lane, 7/2)
54. Pan Mee (Thng) (Near Sunshine Square)
55. Pasembor
56. Pat Poh (drink)
57. Popiah (Spring Rolls)
58. Ramli Burger Special (Kampung Jawa, 10/2)
59. Ramli Burger Telur (Sungai Ara, 7/2)
60. Rojak
61. Roti Canai (Sungai Ara)
62. Sar Po Mee
63. Satay (A new food court near Macalister Rd, not nice -_-", 11/2)
64. Tau Hua (Soya Bean Custard)
65. Thosai (28/2)
66. Tomyam Mee (fish) (Teluk Bayan)
67. Wan Than Mee (dry) (Gurney hawker area, 10/2)
68. Wan Than Mee (wet)
69. Yam Cha (Farlim, 4/2 * Chai Leng Park 11/2)
70. Yee Fu Mee (Gu Kan Tang, 4/2)
71. Yong Taufu
72. You Zha Kuih (Sunshine Market)

*Note* The location where I eat has nothing to do with whether they're famous or not. It maybe famous and purposely go for it or I'm just getting something for my hungry stomach.

*update* Junnie told me about Kennysia's Open Challenge To Penang Bloggers, seems like this Sarawakian has (almost) same goal as me, to eat famous hawker food (and let that prove him wrong ^^).

*update* Came back on 10/3/2007. Crossed out those I've 'completed' and this will be the final update. Re-sort the list according to alphabetical order.

Home sweet home, finally I'm back (on yesterday) !

There are alot of new shop houses, shopping malls, new but crappy (and also stupid designed) roads/highways, as well as the most-can't-missable thing - the hawker foods ! I've been eating and eating and eating... oh well, who don't eh ?

Okay, the coastal highway is finally done (hurray ~!). But I never know it will cause so much impact on the vicinity of 5th road (goh tiao law). No more wooden houses, now you got highways and cars only. Road and building constructions in area such as Relau, Sungai Ara and Jalan Tengah are still going on. Cars and bikes are still like the stars in the sky, there are so many of them. You just need to learn to live with traffic jams (which sucks anyway).

One thing which I never expected was doing a crazy shopping with family, 2 hrs right after I stepped on Penang's land. Blame the one-day-only sales from Gama and Sunshine Square

ps: damn... where are the beaches and coconut trees...

My notebook's harddisk is dead... totally dead. It happened without giving any sign before it just went completely dead and giving that loud clicking clunking noise making me thinks that it's a ticking bomb... The "best" part of it was, it's dead on the 1st day of 2007...Crap attack !

Sad thing is, I didn't backup most of the things in that hdd. Most of them were photos taken quite some time ago until recently... OMG !!! Last photo backup was 2 years ago -_- On top of that, I lost ALL the files for my site. That includes the older versions of all the scripts/media/data and the backup copies as well I always laugh and point to those admin and say "Why don't you do a regular backup ?" when their system crashed and they spend hours and hours trying to recover the data which is N days ago. Now I taste the bitter myself. Damn it ! why didn't I backup my things ?

Anyway, thanks to Karen, I'm able to resurrect my notebook with a new 2.5" HDD before this weekend arrives. Well, I don't know why the computer shops here close so early... some close at 4pm... and they only open half day on Saturday ! doh... I just hate that !

Installing the system took less than 30 mins, but doing the Windows update took me whole night. But still, thanks to the high speed internet, it's less pain in the ass compared to a 56k dialup.

Related weblog entry: New life, new Windows , a quick list containing links to some basic downloads.

My dearest hdd:
You gave me the chance to install (old) games like C&C, Warcraft, CS, Gunbound, Ragnarok, KalOnline and etc. I will not forget the sweet memories of pwning and kicking opponents' asses, may you rest in peace.

It's the last day of year 2006! Go go go ~~ it's only 15hrs+ left till midnight !

I'm busy lately, and I think I'll be occupied until end of Jan next year. Lots of things came up recently and a few of them are notable "milestone" in my life. The decisions that I need to make will causes a huge impact in my life. I guess everybody is has to or eventually will experience this, but this is my first time

I've seek advises from parents and those whose around me, but I'm still worried. I hope I've made the correct move and hopefully things won't screwed up later, if not I'm in big trouble




ps: hmm....next year is pig year, anybody got nice golden pig picture ?

Guess I don't have to say much with this picture...
Happy Birthday to myself !

This year is something special, aunty made a lot of dumplings yesterday. They called it 催生饺子. According to tradition, you must only eat them a day before your birthday, NOT on the birthday. First time I know about this =) .. those 天津 style dumplings are really delicious ^^

As usuall, I'm greedy and I wished for 3 wishes... Birthday boy is always larger than life... forgive me... hehe :p

Additional info about the picture:

Subject	Birthday cake
Location	Dining table
Date	2006.12.04
Time	7.23pm
Equipment	Sony Ericsson K800
Picture Size	Scaled from 1536 x 2048
Extra note	Image is saved with 85% quality. Watermark effects are done with Batch Watermark Creator 5.1. My feedback about the software? It's shareware but I can spot several serious bugs, EXIF data are not preserved... sucks !

I usually don't write personal or work related things in this blog... but... I'll blog this here as a reminder. I hope I'll remember this day and learn this as a lesson.

Things keep borthering me yesterday and I have a feeling something bad will happen. Shitty things happened while I'm in work. Now, as an employee, instead of losing confidence in my company, I lost my trust to it too.

Learn this hard and remember !

天地不仁，以万物为刍狗，圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。老板不仁，以员工为刍狗。TMD...

有一阵子没有更新我的blog了，好颓废啊……让我把我最近生活里所发生的事情概括一下吧：

不知道怎么搞的，最近我的手提电脑霉运连连，上个星期它被我连跟bed tray一脚从床上给踹了下去，差点落个魂飞魄散、万劫不复的下场……之后我的PCMCIA USB 2.0 CARD也坏了……靠！才用了两年就坏了！还以为Made in Taiwan的总比Made in China强些……郁闷~~ 这下可惨了，我的那些外接硬盘只能走USB 1.1，只能用乌龟的速度来听歌，其余活动如BT下载就免谈了。嗯……宝贝乖哦，要撑到明年 WinVista 出来之噢，那时我就可以买一台桌上型的电脑……然后……嗯……就上E-Bay给你找新主人吧

比较有趣的是我跟朋友、同事5人租了辆车直接开车下悉尼去看 Jolin蔡依林公主 的 《唯舞独尊》 演唱会! 没错！Jolin 在14号晚在悉尼的Entertainment Center开了场演唱会！开了近14个小时的路程，也见证了月亮和太阳交替，我可是第一次在澳洲看到这么多华人聚集在一块。当晚座位都坐满，虽然我觉得有几段Jolin跳的不是很好，不过看公主这么专心及卖力表演，我还是佩服她的。毕竟从头到尾，每一首歌都有跳舞表演，那可不是轻松的事啊！那天的嘉宾是言承旭，出来唱了两首歌就消失不见了，感觉有点莫名其妙的说…有点遗憾的就是公主那晚并没有唱 Love Love Love 这首歌，那是我们都想听的歌呀……

好啦，看照片的时间到了！我用相机拍的照片就不用拿出来献丑了，朋友拍的照片还没要来，以下的照片都是一些Jolin超级粉丝的无私贡献：




虽然，我们都不是Jolin的fans，不过估计跟我们这么疯狂(省钱)的开车下悉尼只为了看Jolin 也只有我们吧…第二天匆匆忙忙逛了China Town，买了想买的东西，就往回程赶…途中13个小时又见证了太阳和月亮的交替…呵呵

ps: 回某人，经过本人亲眼目测……她那不是original的……我确定、一定以及肯定！