Oh my buddha !! I just love the following comment from Jasin :

‘Hey, your lifestyle is so special :
“Single” life for 6 mths….Couple life for 6 mths.
Working for 6 mths….Break for 6 mths.
Busy without life for 6 mths…..Carry out luxury life doing things of interest, enrichment for latter 6 months
bit extreme and funny is : Living at South of earth for 6 mths ……living at North of the earth for next 6 mths…
A BALANCE , healthy and unique life you have !’

What do you think?

And my reply to him is

Hey Jasin,
I love how you described my life !!!
Haha..I never thought of it that way.
True as you said about the extreme…heehee…
Love what you said about the balance and healthy
Yup, I love my life for exactly what it is !!
Thanks for visiting and please come again
Very happy to know you

urban beach

有一天到多伦多市南部的Lake Ontario沿岸走走。

看到了这所谓的城市沙滩觉得很奇怪又好玩。

这长长的人造沙滩建在Lake Ontario 旁, 去年六月正式开放给公众。

这沙滩，虽有点怪，没海浪，也没得下水玩或游泳，但有沙，又有湖景，加上金黄色的太阳伞，还是特别有味道。

穿上性感泳衣，躺在沙上来个太阳浴，或带小孩来玩玩泥沙的游戏，或来沿沙滩走走吹吹 ‘湖风’，和其他沙滩又有什么不同呢？

也同样是一个悠闲平静的夏季下午。

During my leisurely walk along the waterfront, I was surprised to see a ‘beach’.

It is literally like a giant long sandbox along the water edge that is filled with sands and many tall yellow umbrellas.

I then realised it is a new waterfront public space project that was opened June 2007.

Well, it looks a little strange and awkward that a ‘beach’ that has no swimming and no waves. However, the good news is, you do have lots of sands, plus a lake view, with the umbrellas and chairs.

As you can see, many people enjoy lying on the sands for a sunbath , or bringing their children for some sand games, or just simply walk along the ‘beach’ and enjoy the refreshing lake breezes. So, what’s the real difference and why not?

And, it is equally a beautiful, lazy and leisurely summer afternoon.

一年一度世界有名的多伦多电影节（ＴＩＦＦ）又要来了。

因去年曾参与TIFF的自愿工作，所以，今年我收到特别通知，被邀请去只限有经验的自愿工作者的第一个招收会。我知道接下来的日子空闲，早已决定参与今年的自愿工作。

招收会在Roy Thomson Hall举行。我鲜少在这一带逛，也想细心欣赏一下这座有名的演奏厅。于是，招收会当天，我提早40分钟到。还以为有点时间吃晚餐 - 街边的热狗。嘻嘻！

怎知，我一走出地下铁站已见到了长长的人龙。不用问，我已知道是要参与TIFF自愿工作的人龙。我记得多伦多人怎样为ＴＩＦＦ而疯狂，没想到原来自愿者也这么热情。

我很不情愿地开始排队，心想，看来我的晚餐计划要泡汤了。只有祈求招收会快快完，我不用饿肚子。它准时开始，但有些排在后面的人被请回家，因为今晚他们只能照顾到４００个人！进主厅时，所有人的座位是照排队时的秩序编排的。有秩序得不得了。

原来，会议结束后，每一百人一组，先到的一百人先去另一个厅报名要的职位。我早４０分钟到，怎知原来有两百多人比我早到！所以，我是第三组，当前面的人去报名时，我们须乖乖在主厅等待。我的肚子呱呱叫。

等轮到我这组时，很多我想要的职位或日子已被人‘抢’光了。没办法，我随意选了几个，算了。要交报名表格时，还要排队面试。真的晕倒！

六点半开始，我九点多才出到来。什么胃口都没了，只想回家。

回家路上，我在想，这只是第一个招收会。接下来还有五个。看来可能场场都会爆满。又不见其他自愿团体有这么热情的工作者，连自愿工作都要‘抢’。

我为ＴＩＦＦ或电影界的成功高兴，但为其他自愿团体感到悲哀。如果，其他自愿团体也有这么多热情的自愿工作者，世界上可能会有多点爱，多点笑容。

Regard as one of most prestigious international film festivals in the world, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), is coming soon.

Appreciating my volunteer work last year in TIFF, I was invited to the first volunteer recruitment session that only opened for returning volunteers. Knowing my following months will be quite free, I have already decided to volunteer for TIFF this year too.

The recruitment session held at Roy Thomson Hall. Since I never explored this area, I arrived 40 minutes earlier than the starting time. It was also to have enough time to appreciate the architecture of this famous concert hall in Toronto, and to quickly get a hotdog for my dinner.

However, I was shocked by the huge line-up I saw when I got out from St Andrew subway station. Although I remembered how crazy Torontonians could be for TIFF, I was still surprised by the ‘passion’ of the volunteers.

Well, without a choice, I knew I had to miss my dinner to start lining up. The session started on time. Many volunteers arrived later than me were sent home because Volunteer Department could only cater no more than 400 people at one session ! In the main hall, everyone was instructed to be seated according to the place in the queue.

After the session, every 100 volunteers per group as per the seating, were sent to another hall to register for shifts they wanted.  So organised ! And I thought I was early, but there were more than 200 people were earlier than me. So, I was placed in the third group and had to wait patiently in the main hall, while those who came earlier were signing up for shifts. And my stomach was groaning…

By the time of my turn, most shifts I wanted were already filled up. My empty stomach did not allow me to consider too much, but just quickly signed up for a few other shifts, so I could go home as soon as possible. However, to hand in my registration form, I still had to line-up for an interview! I almost collapsed due to hunger!

By the time I walked out from Roy Thomson Hall, it was already 9.30pm. I did not feel like eating anymore, just wanted to head home immediately.

On the way home, I noticed this was only the first recruitment session. There are another five more to come. I believe they will be as well-received as this one. Well, I never seen any volunteer work that need lining up at least one hour before, and have to ‘fight’ for the work.

I am happy for TIFF for such success, yet wonder why we could not have the same passion for other volunteer groups. If so, the world might be a better world…..

循慧沁要求，和已很久没摇电话回家，让我先报告近况吧。

回来多伦多有两个多星期了。虽离开了半年有多，一切都是那么地熟悉。除了，刚开始时，我记不清公共交通路线，下错站一，两次外，这里一切如常。Ed还是老样子，家里摆饰一点也没变。感觉上，好像从来没离开过。唯一最不同的是，现在是夏天，路上没雪，不用穿得胖嘟嘟的。

刚抵多伦多的第一星期，Ed刚好病了，我则努力跟时差战斗。加上，那时天天有雨，Ed拿了病假，我俩在家看戏和呼呼大睡。很幸运的是，我们看的戏都很不错。有，Helen Miren 的Elizabeth I 短剧，Juno, La En Vie Rose 等。当然，还跑去看新鲜热辣的 Wall-E。很棒！

第二个星期，天气转晴，阳光普照。Ed病好了，我则不再半夜眼睛张大大或下午打磕睡。加上是加拿大国庆 (上图），Ed有四天假，我俩和家人朋友聚聚，到处逛逛 ，也见证了加拿大人热爱阳光的一面。

现在，第三个星期，日子终于恢复’正常’。Ed去上班，我在家里悠闲，上网和朋友聊天，做做家务，写写部落…. 其实，有很多事情要办，如：找新公寓搬家，办药剂公考手续，准备考试，等等。都在做着，只是进展不大。唉 ！

As per request from friends, and since I have not been calling home recently, let me briefly update what I have been up to.

I have been back to Toronto for more than two weeks now. Although I have been away for half a year, interestingly, I still remember the details of this city. Only when I was lost and got off at the wrong subway station has reminded me that I have been away for a while. Other than that, things are the same - Ed remains the same (haha, yup ) , and there isn’t much changes in our home, I feel as if I have never left here. Oh yes, the only one huge difference is, there is no traces of snow on the street, and I don’t have to wear layers of clothing anymore. Yay!

The first week I arrived Toronto, I was struggling with jetlag and Ed was sick. He took a sickie and the weather was rainy, so we stayed home, either watched movies or just slept like a baby. The good thing is, most movies we watched (like Helen Mirren’s Elizabeth I short series, Juno, La En Vie Rose, and of course the new absolute gem from Pixar - Wall-E) are pretty cool. So, we were happy.

The second week, the weather turned fabulous, clear and sunshine. Ed had recovered and I wasn’t sleepy during the day anymore, plus it was Canada Day long weekend （pictures above), we finally ventured out from home.  We caught up with family and friends, walked around downtown, and I saw the summer madness here.

Now, entering my third week here, life is getting back to ‘normal’. Ed goes to work five days a week as usual, and I stay home doing not too much, cleaning, cooking, surfing, chatting online, blogging (finally) ….yup, doing them ‘leisurely’ too. Frankly, I have a long to-do-list and plenty of plans, for example, looking for new apartment to move, sending application for Pharmacy Registration exams, preparing the exams and etc. Well, I am trying hard to work on them, but procrastinatingly, as usual…..

没想到有近半年没好好写部落了。

日子忙是真的，还有, 就是有点懒和定不下心来写。

我写一篇贴字，加上翻译，还有整理照片，要花上至少两个多三个小时。

所以，这半年来，每个疲惫的晚上，我都选择了倒头大睡。

看来，我这个部落的读者可能已经跑光了啦。嘻嘻。

忙完了工作的日子…

忙完了飞来飞去的日子…

忙完了和久违了的家人朋友聚聚的日子…

忙完了不停地收拾行李的日子…

现在，半年后，终于回到多伦多。

接下来的日子，希望我会继续写部落啦

It surprises me to realise that I have not been writing or managing my blog for over half a year.

Well, life was busy, which is partially true. The other partial truth is, I was a little (or quite) lazy and I was just too all over the place to have a clear mind to write anything decent.

To write a decent post, plus the translation, and the photos, it will normally take me at least two and half hours or so. So, for the past half year, on most nights, the tired me chose to sleep rather than blogging.

I guess, seeing no activities for a while, most of the readers of this blog have long gone.

Finally, days of a complete madness of flying, working, catching up with family and friends, packing, and unpacking are gone. Now that I am back to Toronto, living a slower pace of life, hopefully, I will continue to blog

]]> http://shirls.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/%e5%93%80%e6%82%bc%e4%b8%89%e5%a4%a9/feed/ shirls 雪芬 http://shirls.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/%e6%b2%a1%e5%86%99%e9%83%a8%e8%90%bd%e7%9a%84%e6%97%a5%e5%ad%90/ http://shirls.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/%e6%b2%a1%e5%86%99%e9%83%a8%e8%90%bd%e7%9a%84%e6%97%a5%e5%ad%90/#comments Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:45:54 +0000 shirls 雪芬 http://shirls.wordpress.com/?p=655

真的很久没写部落格了。

最近的两篇都是Ed代我写的。

在没写部落的日子里，我和Ed在马游了几个旅游胜地。我这个十多年没在马生活的大马人，突然对大马有了另一面的认识。

在没写部落的日子里，我又病倒了。都是在旅行时吃出来的，嘻嘻。在大热天下走了好几个小时后，还要吃煎炒热辣的，还有什么任你吃海鲜生锅啦。不病才怪。

在没写部落的日子里，Ed回多伦多，我拖着一个旅行箱回到墨尔本勤奋工作。老板结婚，我回来帮帮忙。反正，在加国无所事事。加上内疚，做少奶奶也太久了。再出来闯闯，脑袋不会生锈。

在没写部落的日子里，我上班上得像条狗。下班后，累得什么都不想做。写部落很花时间，需要思考，要整理思索，也要整理照片。我虽然有很多感触，可却真的心有余而力不足。

在没写部落的日子里，我都在适应不同的生活，不同的气候。在加国，我是量地的。在马，我向爸爸学中医。在澳洲，我很努力地做一个好的药剂师。加国，现在天寒地冷。大马，天天炎热。墨尔本，天气多变。一个多星期前，气温39度，热。今天，18度，刮风，下雨，冷。

在没写部落的日子里，我都在飞，都在搬。从多伦多飞到大马，再飞到墨尔本。在墨尔本，我先暂住朋友家。现在，已搬到另一个空空的公寓里。迟些，可能会搬到乡下小镇上班。那里的药剂行可能会给我住motel吧。

在没写部落的日子里，日子很忙，有时也很累。还好，我有音乐和小说的陪伴。有家人，有Ed。在三个国家里，都有很多很好的朋友。也有很多朋友，还有我认识和不认识的读者常来这里看我。

所以，在忙和累，在飞和搬的日子里，日子很充实，很快乐。

“How much to stay at an old rickety house with no beach front” I exclaim, “are you sure it’s worth it?”

Well the day after Valentine’s Day, we decided to treat ourselves and stay at an upscale resort called the Bon Ton. We could only get one night booking and have to re-arrange our schedule to fit it in. However, after many days looking longingly into fancy resorts while staying in “budget” accommodations, we were pretty sure of our decision and was eagerly anticipating some luxury of our own.

The resort consists of only seven traditional Malay houses, found all over Malaysia and transported to the site and restored. Traditional on the outside and contemporary on the inside, the rooms has an outdoor bathroom with a cedar bathtub, a shower that drains through the deck, and a toilet with an uninterrupted view of the night sky. While we thought that the place might be full of suits and blue hair, it turned out to be friendly and homely with young couples and families. The owner is Australian and has a home for stray cats adjacent to the property. These cats also has the run of the place and are fed and cared for by the staff, who also went to great extent to make the sure the guests are happy and feel at home. The resort has an excellent fusion restaurant with some of the best food we had in Malaysia, or anywhere for that matter. During our stay, they were in the midst of an expansion with similar theme but would more than double their capacity for guests, and quite possibly for cats also.

The blue house to the left, named the Blue Ginger, is the one we stayed in. It is the smallest and least expensive. The dinner above is a Baba Nonya sampler consisting of seven dishes served on a banana leaf.

(Guest blogger)

Late last night, while Ed and I were walking on the Cenang Beach in Langkawi, I suddenly realised it is our 4th Valentine’s Day together.

Each of our Valentine’s is celebrated in different countries. We celebrated our 1st Valentine’s in China, 2nd in Australia, 3rd in Canada and now the 4th in Malaysia. Though we did not plan it, it was just co-incident. Yet, it is indeed a beautiful and seemingly ‘romantic’ co-incidence.

Each of our Valentine’s celebrated simply - with no candles, no expensive dinner or flowers or gifts. Well, we both don’t like too expensive stuffs anyway. Yet, each celebrated with hearts. In China, we had a drink in a bar, and Ed ’stole’ a rose in the bar for me. In Australia, I came home from work and a dinner was ready. In Canada, Ed came home from work early to make a salmon (my favourite) dinner for me. And I put together a slide show for him. Now in Malaysia, umm….nothing has planned for tonight. Maybe just some satays for dinner

Being back to Malaysia this time, I have seen some newly wed happy couples, also some couples who have been married for a few years are going through some tough times. Hearing all these stories, it gives me lots to ponder.

Since each of us are very different persons, for two persons to come together and being together needs extraordinary efforts. I think all efforts in relationship are efforts to understand ourselves and our partners more deeply and respectfully. From there, it will challenge our wisdom and creativity to find a way to be together happily, and hopefully for a long time.

Well, just some of my thoughts on this day.

May I, on this Valentine’s Day, from Langkawi Island, wish each and everyone of you a very Happy Valentine’s Day !

Wishing you all a happy, sweet, long-lasting and respectful relationship, not only with your partner, also with all your loved ones, and more importantly, yourself….

在新加坡的牛车水拍到这张照片 - 米奇老鼠向大家拜年！

今年是鼠年，家喻户晓的米奇老鼠顺理成章成了大主角。

除了大型模型外，很多新年春联或摆饰都有米奇。

Ed这半 个鬼佬开始时，不明就理，还错以为迪斯尼公司大花手笔在亚洲拉客。

我解释后，才恍然大悟。

好啦，费话少说，要在大年初一祝大家新年行好运, 万事顺利和身体健康！

I took the above photo in Chinatown in Singapore - Mickey Mouse and friends send their best wishes for Chinese New Year.

Apart from the huge models, we also saw Mickey in many new year decorations. Initially, Ed who is quite westernised, was quite confused and wondered why Disney spend so much monies for Chinese New Year this year. I told him this year is the year of Rat according to Chinese calendar, that’s why mouse is the main character this year. Only then, he realised why Mickey Mouse has suddenly become popular.

Anyway, on this first day of Chinese New Year, I wish everyone has a great year ahead with abundant joy and prosperity and excellent health.

It is not pouring outside (yet), but I am in the internet room in the hotel, waiting again.

I have to wait for 3 hours or so until the departure time of our bus back to Kuala Lumpur (KL).

Ed is out shopping while I can only rest in the hotel because I have fallen ill ! I have diarrhoea, stomachache, and feeling weak with no appetite. We could not pin-point what went wrong, possibly due to food poisoning or virus. Frankly, I do not get it because I have been eating street foods in Malaysia (supposedly a dirtier country than Singapore) without any problem. Well, I guess it is just bad luck.

In addition to that, I also suffered from some sorts of skin allergy. At first, we thought they were mosquito bites but now I have more than 30 to 40 very itchy small raised red dots across back of my neck and on my right arm. So, it is unlikely to be mosquito bites but possible allergy to either bedlinen or street food I ate. Well, bad luck again.

I think this is bad luck because I had traveled to many more remote places or countries but seldom experienced any troubles excerpt once in China and once in Tibet. Similar problems : skin allergy caused by bedlinen and diarrhoea caused by Tibetan butter tea. However, I would not expect to have the same problems in the clean Singapore.

I am glad this is our last day in Singapore and we are heading back to KL. I just want to get better soon before Chinese New Year.

As for my travel experiences in Singapore, apart from the above problems and the daily rains, we enjoyed Singapore. I will write more and upload some photos when I return home.

It is pouring outside, and I am in Hangout Backpackers Hotel in Singapore writing this post.

I arrived Singapore yesterday with a few friends from Malaysia. Thankful for one of them who drove such long distance. Each of them coming here for different reasons, and I am here for Ed. He will be arriving midnight tonight. We planned to spend 3 days in Singapore, then back to KL for Chinese New Year. After Chinese New Year celebration with family, we will then travel to a few places, including Penang, Langkawi and Melaka. Well, yes, the typical Malaysia trip.

I am, of course, excited, yet a little nervous. This is his first time in Malaysia and his first time to meet with my family. Hee hee….meeting the parents is not easy for him but I am sure he will do well. He loves to eat and my family loves to eat. So, there is a common ground ;)  I know he loves Chinese grilled pork slices. We have already received a few boxes as Chinese New Year gifts from relatives, so there are something to keep him happy and busy I hope Ed will also enjoy the Chinese New Year atmosphere here.

As for traveling in Malaysia, it is something I am a little concerned -  the Chinese New Year congestion. I have booked all the accommodations and transports weeks ahead which is something we don’t normallly do. We love to play things by ear and hangout around somewhere we like longer and move on to something else if we don’t like the place. I hope we won’t get stuck in somewhere we don’t like or nothing opened or too busy during Chinese New Year. Nonetheless, never really have the chance to travel in Malaysia, it is exciting that I can travel in my own home country as a backpaker.

While waiting for Ed to arrive, I am spending some times with friends who live and work in Singapore. Great to see them, especially my high school friends who provided accommodation for me last night. They are a lovely couple with two really young and gorgeous kids. I have not seen the husband for over 10 years and the wife for a few years. And the kids are so cute !

Another 6 hours or so, Ed will be here……and I am patiently waiting……at the mean time, will be going to my friend’s place to have steamboat dinner !!

新年要来啰 ！

所以，把部落格换回白色， 再加红红的照片来迎新年。

虽然很俗气， 算了，反正新年就是这样的

在此，先向大家拜个早年 ！

祝大家身体健康，事事顺利，心想事成 ！

近几年回马都来去匆匆, 没时间和一些朋友见面。

这次，机缘巧合下，在一个婚礼上遇到一位已失去联络几年的小学同学。

于是，就有机会和一群小学同学出来聚聚。

有几个我已十多年没见了 !

除了谈近况，我们坐在一起还记得小学时的羞事，顽皮事和无聊事。

突然想起，小学毕业纪念册时，我们喜欢写什么- 友谊长存啦，保持联络啦…

我想，我们真的是做到了….