made.good.again

The pharynx is inflammed and nasal passages congested!

Had to take sick leave today (friends had to teach me how to call in sick) so I wouldn’t infect the hundreds of innocent lives in hospital! The thing is I KNOW which kid gave it to me! It was this seven-year-old fattyfattykiddie I saw two days ago (shan’t reveal too much for patient confidentialitysake) who came in with a SUPER sore throat! Incidentally he BREATHED into my face although I was standing a METRE away. I remember I could imagine the virus-containing-respiratory-droplets floating and settling onto my mucous membranes and have now given me a SUPER sorethroat after incubating for two days in the ideal climate my oropharyngeal cavity provided.

Mmm…yummy paracetamol…

AH TAT!!!!!!! COOK PORRIDGE!!!!

(red font mine)

No pork for chang festival (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese celebrating the Dumpling Festival might have to go without their favourite “bak chang” or pork dumpling this year (HOW TO HAVE BAK CHANG WITHOUT PORK!! PORK = BAK. BAK = PORK! It’s like KFC without CHICKEN, BAK kut Teh without pork and tea!! Char kuey teow without si ham.. Wanton mee without wanton.. Pisang Goreng without banana.. you get the idea).  

This is because more than 3,000 pork sellers nationwide will not be opening shop for four days prior to the May 31 festival to protest against the “continuous” increase in ex-farm prices.   

The price reached a record high of RM690 per 100kg on Sunday, compared with RM500 last year. Since January this year, prices have increased four times. (PORK IS NOT cheap k..and the value continues to appreciate.. think twice next time before you call someone a pig)

National Pork Seller Association chairman (hehe what a glorious title, you wonder if it’s been a childhood ambition) Goh Chui Lai said the four-day boycott would start on May 27. The decision was made at an emergency meeting on Sunday night attended by association representatives from all states. 

“If we do not increase prices, we cannot survive. For every 100kg we sell, we make less than RM50. And we have to deduct operational costs.” 

“Pig farmers are manipulating prices by reducing supply so that they can keep charging higher prices,” he alleged. 

However, the Federation’s Pig Unit vice-chairman (i think this is even better) Sim Ah Hock refuted the claim.   

“It is not true that we reduced supply to increase prices. The low supply is because of strict government regulations and also due to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak which affected our stocks,” said Sim.   

He said the unit would call for a meeting to discuss the association’s proposed boycott.   

“We want to make sure that consumers will able to buy pork for their chang during the coming Dumpling Festival,” he said.  (yes please, VERY IMPORTANT!!)

He said the ministry would call for a meeting between pork sellers and pig farmers to reach an amicable solution as the current problem between them was affecting consumers (in malaysia, singapore, some say Melbourne oso ah!).

I still can’t figure out whether it’s the being in the centre of attention bit… or the getting to hear from / be with people I love bit that made the birthday weekend such a good one! Am thankful to God for surrounding my life with such beautiful people - family and friends, in Melbourne and abroad… who always make me feel special. I think it’s the consistent security, love and encouragement that taught me humility and gave me the ability to be able to promote others above myself…

Mum was the first to call (like a day before) - I think she knows that her happening daughter would be out: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ahh.. make sure you got celebrate, go and have a nice dinner with ah tat (which I did…seafood platter yumyum).. And make sure you eat more fruits ha.. you know ah.. they say fruits are very good for taking away the toxic things in your body.. so eat it half an hour before your dinner, like before you cook dinner.. so that when you are cooking you can digest the fruit, then when your dinner is ready your stomach is ready also……"

And then there were calls and SMSes (wah so popular) after midnight from friends and family who had good memory and loved me. Then a day after there were still some calls and SMSes from friends and family who also loved me but had notsogood memory - which I didn’t mind coz it just meant I got to celebrate my birthday for like THREE DAYS… Oo.. my notsolittle brother (who’s working back home now) sent a message reading "happy birthday to my wonderful sister"… I couldn’t help smiling, somehow it’s extrasweet coming from naughtyboy brother whose hobby is to tease me and ahtat…

My colleagues were sweet to insist on sneaking out so we could have some coffee and donuts downstairs (we got to sit around for like 15mins before our pagers got busy beeping with SMS-like messages about patients who needed some attention…. as in, medical attention).

My young adults’ cell surprised me pre-dinner..
Then OCF cell had a lovely cake for me too.. (heehee benefits of joining TWO cell groups)..
Just when I thought everything was over.. I went home and was pleasantly surprised by the Brunetti cakebox that was sitting on my dining table (which was empty because the HEAVY cake was hiding in my room along with my favourite peoples)… so I ran in to SURPRISE them (yay).. ah tat was the mastermind behind all these (he has a great gift of making people feel special).

Then the next day lunch and homecooked dinner with the OLDER OCFers.. hehe.. they treat me like a little sister because I am SO YOUNG (the power of denial)…

I love life!! I love this celebration of life =) God continues to make all things beautiful.. thank you to each and everyone of you who have added and brought much joy and meaning into my life through your friendships. Love you all!!