i only have 5mins to blog now before i have to run to catch the bus...so it will be short and the rest will be continue next time if its necessary...so read on..what do u guys think?

I had a conversation with a friend recently. We were talking about how some people tend to be gila glamour at all times...they want to have the nicest and mahal-est car, the kewlest and biggest accesories, have the kewlest job, have a kewl title which people usually attach with being...'wah,dat position must demand alot out of u...or wah...basar gaji nya tu...or that is such an important position'...etc etc etc.

And some people might appear to be nice and sweet upfront..always ok with everything, tapi sebenarnya ia inda suka. So although he/she tends to agree with whatever you say and do dapan dapan...tapi actually he/she will mengumpat of how they dont actually agree with what u r doing.

And some people wont settle with anything less than what they expect although they know they cant afford it..so, some will indirectly put pressure on their partner's or parents just because they want to have that thing...whatever it is...

What do u guys think about this? DO you guys agree that people are becoming more like this?

k,got to go now.

Till then...muahz

Top 10 Stress Warning Signs

Was browsing through the news on MSN when I saw this...was surprised that I am experiencing 6 out of the 10 signs here. But, EASTER is coming soon...yay!! so its ok!! ;p Anyway, give yourself a check against this list....is your body telling you to stop and rest? ;p

BLINKING

Increased blinking = we are feeling the pressure, either emotionally or physically. When in a relaxed state, the average blink rate is around 15-30 times a minute but under stress this can increase to up to 70 times a minute. The response is known as the Nixon Effect after American president Richard Nixon, whose blinking escalated to suspicious levels when under pressure during the Watergate scandal.

TEETH GRINDING

Clenching or grinding teeth is a recognised response to anxiety, however, most ‘grinders’ are unaware they have this symptom as the condition usually flares-up when they are fast asleep. But it’s important to wake-up to signs such as chipped teeth, tooth sensitivity, sore jaw muscles and earache because prolonged exposure to grinding can result in headaches and jaw disorders.

DANDRUFF

Stress sets off a chain reaction in our physiology and as a result plays havoc with the immune system. On the outside, our hair and skin is one of the first places to show the strain - so it’s no wonder dandruff is the most common condition affecting the scalp. Research suggests weakened immunity triggers the bacteria which cause dandruff to grow out of control, swell and irritate the top of the head. As the cells die they break down to produce the pesky white flakes which cause a snow storm on our shoulders.

DRY MOUTH

When the going gets tough, our instinctive ‘fight or flight’ response kicks in. For basic survival purposes, blood flow is diverted away from less important areas and re-routed to essential muscles in case we need to scarper sharpish. This lack of fluid causes dryness of the mouth. Stress also interferes with our breathing - we take shorter, shallow breaths which leads to stinky breath. It can even make it harder to swallow because our throat muscles go into spasm as a side-effect of the strain on our system.

POOR SEX DRIVE

Stress can sabotage your libido in more ways than one. When you’re stressed to the max, the body’s reaction is to put survival ahead of pleasure. This affects the hypothalamus gland and the body’s production of estrogens and testosterone which give us sexual desire. Women may find it hard to achieve orgasm and men can experience temporary impotence as the chemicals released when stressed reduce blood flow to the penis.

IRRITATED SKIN

Emotional stress can cause chaos with our skin as pressure prompts the release of histamines into the bloodstream. Our skin then reacts against this enzyme which results in itchiness and hives. Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema are also thought to worsen when tense. Studies of psychological stress show anxiety can decrease the wound-healing capacity of the immune system by up to 40%, which doubles the effect of stress on acne.

SWEATS

Perspiration doesn’t only increase but is also smellier when we’re under emotional pressure. The sympathetic nervous system kicks into action when the body is stressed which forces our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing to rocket. Our apocrine glands (responsible for smelly sweat as opposed to odourless eccrine gland sweat) also work overtime and secrete more fatty fluid into the tubule of the gland. When we’re wound up, the tubule wall contracts and pushes sweat to the surface of the skin. It’s the bacteria waiting to break down the apocrine sweat which causes body odour.

TUMMY TROUBLE

One of the first places we run to when we come under increased pressure is the toilet. Stress tampers with our biochemistry and sends a surge of hormones including adrenaline racing through our body. Our digestive and immune system temporarily shut down because these stress hormones hinder the release of the stomach acid we need to break down food. However, get ready to say hello to diarrhoea as, simultaneously, the same hormones stimulate the colon so its contents are fast-tracked through the gut.

HUMMING

Did you know humming and whistling could be your body’s natural way of soothing a stressful situation? It might seem like an innocuous habit to subconsciously slip in to when you are stressed, but humming stimulates the right side of the brain (the part used for abstract and creative thoughts) and may help you to calm down. Humming is even one of the preferred stress-busters for babies who want to calm themselves.

BAD HABITS

Nail biting, nose picking, hair twisting are common habits if you’re nervous. It’s suggested that having something in our mouths reminds us of the calming, safe feeling of sucking milk as a baby. On the face of it, such anxious habits might look unpleasant to onlookers, but these manners may trigger calming sensors in the nervous system to give an immediate rush of relief.

:/

Its nearly the end of the term...everyone is looking forward to enjoy their easter break. However, this is also the time when people are pressured to siapkan their essays and presentations and reading lists etc etc etc.

I am currently doing an essay on risk assessment and disaster management. I could have finished it last week sudah because I have all the books needed for this essay and I have done my typing...i just need to re-arrange and re-organize the facts properly. I was in the mood to get it done like two weeks ago...and nearly did it all.

then i found out that my lecturer have different expectations in this particular topic (damn!! why did i choose this topic among all the other topics)..so last week was the last week for that particular module...and ive printed my work for me to revise bla bla bla...unfortunately or *fortunately*..i was the only one who came to the lecture (theres only 2 of us btw)...so we decided to discuss about my essay...then since ive printed my work, he wanted to read my introduction...and just browse through...he gave some flattering comments and less flattering ones as well...and since then, attempt to revise my work has failed.

Its a lil depressing that I dont have that 'drive' to finish it off and start with my other two essays (which due after easter altho i had plan earlier to finish atleast two before easter and leave one during easter). Ive been sitting on my ass kemarin trying to finish it off...but i think that is the hardest part....to properly reorganize the structure and conclude it. and i am way beyond my words limits.

I wonder cemana some people manage to stay on the 'high' all the time...ive lost my momentum, thats it!! ive pushed myself doing it but i ended up falling asleep...or i cant even focus to usai one paragraph. hmm. plus last wednesday, ive been told to cover this week's presentation...democracy and environment...ive done a bit of research and reading earlier on..and i will continue the rest tomorrow. i intend to usai my essay and add more relevant facts to it after this.

anyway, dont mind me...i think its just the fact that i still have a lot to do and i just dont know where to start with such limited time..and this is the place to let the steam out.

Just nonsense blabbing...

I spoke too soon abt spring, the sun and the heat....and now..snow is on its way...AGAIN!! Who needs snow in the middle of March...its making me lazy and it feels like xmas is around the corner..lol!! The world system is pretty messed up...is it global warming...climate change...or whatever the theories are out there....we dont really know for sure...as there are opposing debates about it. Anyway, it was sunny this morning, so thats good.

My week has been good as well...it started off slow...late nights..disrupted sleeping routine...skipping lectures. Then it progress slowly...trying to finish off essays...more readings...though it didnt stop me from watching TV as well :)...had a good catch up with Mr. Charlie Chaplin di starbucks for a couple of hours...was craving for ice blended mocha...wanted to buy this red jacket...its so gorgeous...but i guess now that 'winter' is coming back...its not worth it yet.

What else? Its a sunday and im in uni...realized that i have books due few days ago...and at the same time, i need more relevant books... coz baru tah sadar that i have not inserted any theories at all in the essay that im aiming to finish off the latest by tomorrow. hmm.

Anyway, i dont really have anything to say...so i better go off now. Takecare all and will update soon.

p/s: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL :)

Last weekend, we had our International Nights at the University. It was fun as we get to dress up and look beautiful in our baju kurung or cara melayu or dresses. When I was told abt the upcoming international night, i was told that selalunya orang belawa lawa..tapi amazingly (or not!!) ramai came in with tops and jeans..very casual-ish...even the judges were casual. I love casual...but just thought if International Night, people would want to come in their traditional dresses etc etc...apparently not all feels that way. Lol!!

And rupanya International Night ani = competition night. Initially, I wasnt aware of that...but anyway, the performances by the BruneianMalaysian Society was lawa. It was properly coordinated and they all look beautiful...the zapin girls...so ayu dancing...and the Aduk Aduk boys and girls...so ganas ;p It was the most 'cultured' performance compared to others i think...but too bad we didnt win the competition. But they all did great...dats the most important thing...plus everyone enjoyed it . Congratz guys!! :)

Anyway, incase you guys are interested to watch the performances by the BruneianMalaysian society....click on the link..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzQFTE35W6w

Anyway, will post more pics once i get the pics from Idot & Wafi, Nadz, Jirin and the rest. Takecare ;p

Weather

Yay!! Finally Spring is here...hopefully the weather will be consistent from now onwards.

Although I kinda doubt it..coz the weather forecast were incorrect couple of times as their

predictions are not always right.

But lets enjoy the 5 days forecast in Canterbury where it is said that it will be as high as 13C throughout this week..and the lowest will be 3C. Lets hope it will not be that low.

Just to kill time...

Was browsing things online..and came across few interesting info on astrology...:) According to the internet astrology...

My karma sign is Virgo

Your obsession with perfectionism and order can leave you feeling frustrated and in a rut. You have an almost compulsive attention to detail which may have been learnt from a parent or authority figure. Often times you discourage yourself and others from trying new things simply because they won't be done the way you think they should be. Your karmic path is to always feel trapped within the lines and yet afraid to color outside of them. Fear is the basic motivation behind this desire for order -- it is the only way you know of controlling your environment. If you are capable of overcoming this fear -- letting go of control -- you have a chance of developing an imaginative side where your practicality could become a valuable asset.

There are many more things that you can calculate..like what is your sun sign, moon sign, love sign, passion sign, rebellious sign, etc etc etc. Its interesting.

Ok then, got to go now. Bye

I read this last week on Brunei Times...thought it would be interesting to share this with everyone...just incase you havent read it.

BlogSpeak

The pros and cons of public humiliation-->Rano Iskander 23-Feb-07

WITH the numbers of local bloggers rising, there's a wide variety of great reads out there. However, in some cases, bloggers may use this medium just to display their angst, accusations or simply embarrass targeted individuals. I'm sure some bloggers have their fair share of disgruntled moments which are poured out online. Some gossips, disses and undesired comments are posted without a sense of guilt. If one does, there is still some degree of discretion and anonymity on the related invidual or parties. But what if one does disclose identities? With reputations on the line, where should we draw the line? We are aware that the Internet laws are still a grey area and it's pretty hard to draw the line of what is acceptable. Ironically the care-free bloggers are protected by lack of authoritative intervention.

Let's give this particular website a shout since it's related. youparkingidiot.blogspot.com, once talk of the town, maintain their vision on sharing with other bloggers/readers on inconsiderate drivers who park their cars haphazardly. Everyone's entitled to contribute and all you need is a camera (phone or digicam) and the Internet. Who knows, your effort may even win you the accolade of picture of the month _ as an incentive measure. Despite its blunt approach considering how small Brunei is, that was an intriguing issue with regard to the displaying of plate licence numbers.

This brings me to my next question. Does it actually make it any less trivial should the plate numbers be blurred before the pictures are published on the Internet? When the website was at its introductory phase, plate numbers were visible to all and sundry. Soon after, it became a debatable issue and even polls were used to determine the outcome. The said website is just one of the websites accessible for Internet readers. There are other websites such as the infamous stereotyping memoirsofapoklen.blogspot.com which defines and provides hilarious observations of a true poklen (a Bruneian slang for a groupie).

Though it falls under public shame, it does draw a fine line and most readers agree with the details given. You might disagree with my views on this. Come to think of it, public humiliation does have its pros and cons.

Let's start with the bright side.

Certain individuals may experience some level of embarassment or shame which will in turn deter them from repeating their wrongdoings. Some bloggers use websites as their tool to express dissatisfaction or in yourparkingidiot's case, the chance to humiliate parking offenders.

I'm no exception to the rule as I have indulged in it at some time or other. The recent Brunei Marathon, for instance, rings a bell for the wrong reasons. There were a dozen of bloggers, including yours truly, who posted negative feedbacks on the chaotic event that put our country to shame in the eyes of many. At some point, even the media joined the bandwagon. Though the complaints were aimed at the organisers, it also indirectly affects the country's credibility.

As for the cons, it basically goes right down to the core _ reputation.

Being a small nation, with gossips spreading like there's no tomorrow, the respective individuals may not take the criticisms lightly. Instead, they become victims of public humiliation regardless of whether it's true or not. One popular web-based forum "Have Your Say" doesn't practice censorship on personal attacks. Does this tell us that we readers enjoy bad publicity of one another?

In conclusion, whether you like it or not, bloggers and forum owners have the upper hand due to the lack of Internet laws. Hence, public shame issue will continue as it is. Unless you are willing to take the risk, remaining anonymous as a blogger may just save you from trouble or being questioned or even being sued.

Have you ever been in a situation where everything was going well...and then things started to be not so well..

In my case, my life is alhamdulillah doing well so far...Ive let go of things that I should let go...my uni life is not bad...my readings are going well as well although its a lil slow to my liking...and im starting my essays due end of this month...I only have another 5 days of hutang puasa to pay...etc etc etc.

Anyway, the reason why Im posting this post is because it is true when people say ur life cant go smooth all way through....you are bound to have few minor hiccups or major ones. And how when I was younger, my late grandpa used to remind me everytime I visited him during school holidays that life will not always be the way we wanted it to be...we have to constantly work towards a better life etc etc etc.

Last night, when I was just thinking that I am happy with myself because this term Ive been reading things that I should be reading for lectures and understanding it... and while I was typing my work, my laptop was making funny noises...tapi baru jua 2 jam I was reading and typing away in an attempt to finish atleast 3/4 of it so that I can start with another one by end of this week. So I thought maybe the sound will go away in a bit...and I thought to myself...maybe I should switch it off and let it rest...and decided I will do that if the noise persist in another 10mins...

Sekalinya without giving me a chance to save my work or without prior warning, it just switched off in just few mins to 10 mins. hmm. How frustrating can that be? My laptop has failed me quite a few times within the past 6 mths...and it struck me..this is only another test...cubaan (Lol)..when i think about it, its funny how in our minds...we are constantly talking to ourselves...just like how JD talks to himself in SCRUBS...haha..

Anyway, it struck me that I am being tested.I see this as one of my minor test...last term I was being tested at a time when I really need my laptop to meet my deadlines. It failed me by refusing to switched on...and bcoz I dont have a proper CD recovery for my laptop...it was 'disable' before xmas holidays....throughout xmas and till end of january.

It was only functioning late january and Ive only properly used it to listen to music, type my work, review stuffs ive saved from the internet di uni for the entire of february...and now when im doing my essays, it failed me again. SO i decided to sleep and wait for tomorrow.

Luckily this morning, when I checked it...it was fine...it switched on instantly when i press the start button bla bla...but then, how much of this can I take especially when Im gona start typing my dissertation after easter...hmm...should I invest in a new laptop? Im tempted...dad told me to buy apple saja coz ada the agent back in Brunei...but how about dell? do we have the agent in Brunei?

Anyway, im trying to get dad or a friend to send me the proper CD recovery for my laptop...and i will try to properly reformat it and etc etc...and see how it goes..

SO, right now, it calls for laptop hunting...:)...I will be viewing potential laptops online lah dulu...which will be difficult coz kak meng is the one who knows and help us understand all these 'computer-ish' functions in the IT language..im pretty useless trying to understand all these IT language...hehe..

Anyway, to kak meng if ure reading this....recommendations are welcome...and kak mel, do u find apple easy to function?

Ok then, thats it for today :)

I got this from a forwarded email from Yuli and I thought this would be interesting to share this with the rest. And it proves that although we should trust our instinct, but it does not always reflect the reality....so instinct + logic is always the best option in decision making ;)

Idiotic 'Millionaire' Contestant Makes Worst Use Of Lifelines Ever

Kathy Evans, the single dumbest contestant to ever get on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"

NEW YORK - Idaho resident Kathy Evans brought humiliation to her friends and family Tuesday when she set a new standard for stupidity with her appearance on the popular TV show, "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire."

It seems that Evans, a 32-year-old wife and mother of two, got stuck on the first question, and proceeded to make what fans of the show are dubbing "the absolute worst use of lifelines ever."

After being introduced to the show's host Meredith Vieira, Evans assured her that she was ready to play, whereupon she was posed with an extremely easy $100 question. The question was:

"Which of the following is the largest?"
A) A Peanut
B) An Elephant
C) The Moon
D) Hey, who you calling large?

I hope you guys do know the answer to this...;)..

Immediately Mrs. Evans was struck with an all consuming panic as she realized that this was a question to which she did not readily know the answer.

"Hmm, oh boy, that's a toughie," said Evans, as Vieira did her level best to hide her disbelief and disgust. "I mean, I'm sure I've heard of some of these things before, but I have no idea how large they would be."

Evans made the decision to use the first of her three lifelines, the 50/50. Answers A and D were removed, leaving her to decide which was bigger, an elephant or the moon. However, faced with an incredibly easy question, Evans still remained unsure.

"Oh! It removed the two I was leaning towards!" exclaimed Evans. "Darn. I think I better phone a friend." Using the second of her two lifelines on the first question, Mrs. Evans asked to be connected with her friend Betsy, who is an office assistant.

"Hi Betsy! How are you? This is Kathy! I'm on TV!" said Evans, wasting the first seven seconds of her call. "Ok, I got an important question. Which of the following is the largest? B, an elephant, or C, the moon. 15 seconds hun."

Betsy quickly replied that the answer was C, the moon. Evans proceeded to argue with her friend for the remaining ten seconds.

"Come on Betsy, are you sure?" said Evans. "How sure are you? Puh, that can't be it."

To everyone's astonishment, the moronic Evans declined to take her friend's advice and pick 'The Moon.'

"I just don't know if I can trust Betsy. She's not all that bright. So I think I'd like to ask the audience," said Evans.

Asked to vote on the correct answer, the audience returned 98% in favor of answer C, 'The Moon.' Having used up all her lifelines, Evans then made the dumbest choice of her life.

"Wow, seems like everybody is against what I'm thinking," said the too-stupid-to-live Evans.

"But you know, sometimes you just got to go with your gut. So, let's see. For which is larger, an elephant or the moon, I'm going to have to go with B, an elephant. Final answer."

Evans sat before the dumbfounded audience, the only one waiting with bated breath, and was told that she was wrong, and that the answer was in fact, C, 'The Moon.'

Happy Birthday DAD...not sure if ure reading this...but if you are..then enjoy ur birthday and mudahan murah rezeki :)

And...Selamat ber-pencen....it starts today and lasts forever...;)

luv,
cells

I think I've been tagged twice about this...although the first time I was a lil malas to do it..hehe..anyway, i thought might as well...:)..

Here it goes...6 weird things about me :)

1)Ive been forever in love with tomatoes..dalam masakan, or juice, or just eat it as it is..or tomato ketchup. Friends find it peculiar that I enjoy eating bread with ketchup..;)...wait till they see me eat rice with ketchup and kicap...yummy!!

2)I dont really make daily plans, especially with others..as it doesnt really happen the way its planned. People cancel last minute..because it clash with sth else or because they dont feel like it, they change their minds or they totally lupa. Unless its emergency cases, then I dont like people cancelling their plans last minute, especially when I look forward to that day. So I dont make plans anymore...unless its important and needs thorough planning.

3) I have a 'mental block system' or i prefer calling it a 'shutdown' system. When im irritated/annoyed/not pleased/unhappy/ not agreeing with what they say or when i do not want to hear someones voice..whatever they say will just go through me. Their voice will be on 'mute' although they may be sitting next to me talking to me. Its like im in my own world n i can select what i want to hear etc. And that is how i can stand being patient all this time with whoever Im not so fond off. And this system is also good for 'suppressing' unhappy thoughts and memories..as I dont really like people knowing what exactly goes inside my 'brain'..or when im unhappy ;)

4)I'm slow...if im out with family or friends, i will probably be the last to finish my food(although im always the first to finish my drink ;p), be the last person to make a decision(unless im so into it). If people rush me into decisions etc, then i will most probably ended up with no decisions at all..;p

5)I let people get away with minor things. Example, if a friend of mine becerita abt something...and the story line is a lil bit different from the actual story or the story that he/she told me, I will usually let it be. Not because Im ignorant or cant be bothered, but bcoz its more or less the same story. tapi liat occasion lah, sometimes i will correct them when i feel its necessary.

But often, I let it be when people contradict themselves, I let it be when i found out a friend stole my money dulu..although i dropped hints about it, I let it be when i learned/heard that some friends had bad talked about me..unless its a big issue. I let it be when my feelings are hurt by something that someone might have said etc etc...I dont know why I do this..but I do.

6) Apa lagi ah?? hehe..let me think...i dont think its weird...but im out of points to say...but I still enjoy watching cartoons!!

Ok then, thats it...my post for the day..or week ;)