GE13

The 13th General Election (GE13). A big hoo-ha in Malaysia. We even gained international publicity for crying out loud. It's a known fact that corruption is rampant in this year's election, flip through any international newspaper and you'll be bound to read about it. Take CNN as an example    http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/02/world/asia/malaysia-election-preview/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter. What angers me most is the fact that this is happening under broad daylight and nothing has been done about it. Correct me if I'm wrong but I haven't read of a solution regarding the vote-buying in Malaysia thus far. Chartered flights from East Malaysia? How subtle is that? The Election Commission has failed the Rakyat on this. 

Next you give identification cards (IC) to illegal immigrants for your own selfish gains. You are willing to give everything at any cost to uphold your position, but at whose expense? I've read about cases where locals have yet to receive their ICs. Their children are not able to attend school because they do not have proper identification. But here you are, handing ICs out ever-so-effortlessly without (I believe) the proper procedures. 

So you win (albeit unfairly), and then what? Now that these people are citizens of Malaysia, you are obliged to protect them and care for them, like how any country would for her people. Are you able to put a roof over their heads and give their children and their children's children an education? My heart goes out to these people whose votes you bought with money. They become the subjects of ridicule and people lash out their dissatisfaction towards a certain local party at them (I do not in any way condone this). 

OK, maybe they accepted the bribe against their better judgement but if you put yourself in their shoes, wouldn't you do the same? I'm talking about people who are not very educated and in need of money. It's disheartening to see the insults and remarks hurled at them. Is this the Malaysian hospitality that you promote? It was wrong in the very first place to obtain votes by unlawful means, but you turned a deaf ear to the pleas of the Rakyat (during the Bersih 3.0 rally- duduk bantah). You therefore sparked hatred among the people. Why can't you see the larger picture?

And it all comes down to love. Do you love your people enough to sacrifice (your seat)? At this moment, I doubt that. But it's not even about sacrificing, it's about democracy- the Rakyat's choice. And we, the Rakyat, are deprived of this.

So in the midst of a heated election season, please let's not forget to show some love to those around you. 

On a lighter note...

I live in a bubble

Sometimes I can be really shallow. I qualify to be a dumb black (my hair is black). If you still don't get it, I derived that from 'dumb blonde'.

I was telling the whole world (even my mum knows wth) of my wedding plans... about how lavish I want it to be so I'm starting to save now WTH. Eh hello, it's a once in a lifetime event ok. So next time please bao big big angpows for me hahahahaha. Help me cover a bit of cost ma if not I can't go honeymoon T__T - I'm thinking Dubai cuz I fell in love with the place after watching Sex and the City 2 plus they've got a nice musical fountain.

During a pillow talk session with a friend, I went on and on about how I want to have the poofy gowns. The bigger the poof, the better even if it hinders my walking. Talk about impracticality. But yeah you don't get to wear poofy gowns everyday, people will think you're mad so let me wear it once in my life? *gains sympathy* And I want to change evening gowns many many many many many times during the dinner reception, so many times that I don't get to sit and eat. It's the only time I get to model dresses. Thinking of my wedding really makes me happy hahahaha.

More examples on my pea-sized brain...

Before I got my Kindle Fire I first looked for tablet casings. I chose nice ones ignoring the dimensions. Then only I got a tablet that fits the casing. This is how things work around here. In the reverse. Honestly I sometimes think I should be slapped. (I got scolded la so it didn't work out that way)

Then I bought pretty clothes. So now I want a pretty house to keep my pretty clothes. PLUS I've already got a design for my future bedroom *evil grin* and I intend to make that come true. The only thing between me and my bedroom is a house. My OWN house not my parents'. Maaaaannn I need a lot of money to live.

Oh and there's this video circulating on facebook- "what if money didn't matter". If money didn't matter, I'd be an interior designer lololol. You know I love Ikea from the bottom of my heart. Who shares my #Ikealove.

And yes, my mum thinks I'm being very impractical, unrealistic and absurd.

How to lose weight

When I was in my first year of university in the UK, my body had to adapt to the cold weather so it stored fats. Yeah... fats in the most annoying places ie, my face, arms and tummy. I really wouldn't have minded it if they went to my hips and thighs but no, they obviously have a mind of their own. I suppose it's the body's way of keeping one warm takkan you want me to die from the cold meh. This is called self preservation ok. Dunno if this theory is true but the birds in colder climate countries are fatter so I guess it is.

Having been skinny all along, when I went back home, everyone's first comment when they saw me was, "Hey long time no see. You must have had a good life overseas", or the more direct hurtful ones, "Omg you've put on weight". Family, friends and friends' mums said the same thing. Pfft. I was 48kg ok. BMI-wise, for my height, that was normal. But appearance-wise, I was a fatty boom boom. The F word. There, I said it.

Can you see the big, fat arm with 'bye bye' flesh. I want to be skinny again #vain

So, being the determined person that I can sometimes be (when I put my head to it), I started dieting. In a good way. It's not like I stopped eating. Duh. And it worked. I went back down to 44kg. And up till now I'm still maintaining that weight although I eat ALL the food. I guess my body has adapted to the weather?

Nah, share with you my petua. Don't say I never share:

1. Eat healthily.
2. I changed all white rice and white bread to brown.
3. Eat smaller meals but more frequently.
4. I usually have carbs for lunch and a salad for dinner cuz you don't use as much energy at night.
5. Although I have salads at night I still take my portion of protein eg; chicken, eggs and dairy products. Apparently they increase your metabolic rate.
6. Exercise. I hate exercising so I just do it whenever I feel like it. The diet alone works for me so yay! LOL

It's pretty much everything you can find on the internet.

I was on this diet for about a month if I'm not mistaken. My housemates thought I was anorexic wth. Anyway I started eating all the globally-labelled 'unhealthy' whites again once I achieved my target. Hehehe.

Excuse me I didn't take the shortcut in losing weight. Hmph. I know people who chose to gag themselves (bulimic). Easier whatttt. With almost immediate results. Plus you can still eat everything you want although technically, you're starving your body. I'M NOT ENDORSING IT! But oh well, all's fair in love and war so all's fair in diet and size hahahahaha.

Second Thoughts

I was BBMing a friend of mine who had just started working and we both ended up complaining about how working life sucks the energy out of you big time. Although I haven't stepped into this phase of my life I can roughly guess how it will be. Please I have one of the best-est imaginations ok.

He's an accountant and I will be a (future) pharmacist. So since we cliqued really well cuz we both enjoy complaining (it's me really), I told him I'd have a depressing profession in like, a year's time. Please la if you think a pharmacist equals a professional trained to read doctors' handwritings then you can eat your words. (Almost) All the prescriptions now are computer generated so anyone can read it. Muahahaha.

As I was saying, it ain't no bed of roses when you enter the working circle unless you inherit your family's company and become the CEO then that's another story. If you're a:

i.  Healthcare professional- Surrounded by terminally ill/ dying patients

ii. Accountant- Surrounded by colleagues struggling to survive in the office

Conclusion: All professions same-same la.

Which brings me to Corrinne's Future Life Plan:

Plan A: Gwai gwai graduate and become a practicing pharmacist

Plan B: Become a blogger WITH A SOURCE OF INCOME LA DUH if not how will I survive with no money. This is the funnest job ever cuz I kinda like writing. Non factual stuffs of course. But I change aspirations pretty often so I may quit anytime. If you look at the history of corrinnetpl.blogspot.com, it only had 3 entries in 2011 wth.

Plan C: Work as a clown in Disneyland/ Universal Studios/ Genting Highlands cuz it brings me one step closer to fantasy land. Who knows one day you'll see me making balloons in the shape of animals and handing them out to children. 

And if all else fails, I have a Plan D:

Become an amoeba (parasite) and live off my future husband. Muahahaha. Joking. JOKING ok. Do I look like that kind of a person to you?

Anyway, note to self: do not let Mum and Dad see this post or else I'll end up in the tong sampah with my body chopped up into 16 kerats and packed in black garbage bags outside my house wth. No la, I'm the bao bei nv er ie, the apple, banana, orange, heck, even durian, of their eyes. They'd never do that.

The Price

There is a price for everything. You know that's true. Please la when you go to the supermarkets, everything there is priced. Don't bring free food samples into the scenario ok.

If you're famous, you're bound to have haters no matter what you do, so the saying goes 'haters gonna hate'. They send you hate emails/ letters and judge your very being without even personally knowing you. If you donate half of your earnings to charity, you're doing it to gain popularity. Ask any celebrity and they'll tell you.

If you're pretty/ handsome, you went for plastic surgery (most celebrities do anyway but you get what I mean. In fact Korean pop idols all look the same to me I started to suspect that they went to the same plastic surgeon. Hahaha.)

If you're rich, your business must be illegal.

People are quick to jump to conclusions (and I sometimes may have unknowingly done so too ie, in the case of Korean pop idols). Who are we to judge when we ourselves aren't perfect (unless you are one self righteous person who honestly believes that you're holy)?

Heck, you don't even have to be popular or pretty or rich to be judged. A simple deed of bringing a coffee for your boss will start rumours going in the office and within what is less than a split second, your colleagues have turned their backs on you and you have become an ass-kissing, shoe-rubbing *insert whatever term you please* of the company.

So basically what I'm saying is, we ought to change our mindsets. Maybe that's easier said than done. Most people are NATOs (No Action Talk Only) after all... like me. Muahahaha. Which is why I've come up with a 99.99% foolproof solution for you and that is to... jeng... jeng... jeng... wait for it...

Turn a deaf ear/ blind eye.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

Disclaimer: When all else fails please don't come running to me and blaming me for your ignorance so don't heed my advice. Muahahaha.

Entry With Zero Content

Cuz I have no inspiration whatsoever.

Cuz I channelled all my brainpower into completing my crappy 2 page Pharmacology essay on midazolam.

Cuz it was my project so the only choice I had was to do it.

Cuz the deadline is this coming week.

And I don't want to die.

Oh by the way, it's free pizza week by Domino's. FREE with no strings attached. You don't have to sign up for any newsletters/memberships and there's no minimum purchase required. Domino's ONLY cuz Pizza Hut kiamsiap. Haha. You know the most celebrated week has arrived when you see 90% of the pedestrians along Oxford Road carrying a box of pizza each.

It's a twice-an-academic-year event that lasts a whole week each time. How to get this kind of treatment/promotion at home? Seriously.

#1

#2 Personal pepperoni pizza

They don't even bother how many times you collect the pizzas in a day. You can have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 7 days if you wished. I personally don't #notsokiasu so I am in no position to tell you that you'd get sick of it. HAHAHA. No la, it's just that I don't want the effects to be seen in the circumference of my waist. Pleaseeee, there's a layer of fats swimming underneath my belly skin already so don't tell me I'm too thin. If only I could make my fats deposit themselves at certain parts of my body according to will, the world would be such a beautiful place.

P.S: I ENJOY EATING WAY TOO MUCH TO BE ANOREXIC. You tell me how do I resist nasi lemak or wantan mee? You tell me la.

I was chatting with a friend in the afternoon today and I found myself telling her how much I missed Malaysian food. Off topic: You know what, the yummier the food, the unhealthier it is. When I came to the UK, I freaking forced myself to eat oats or bran flakes for breakfast every freaking morning. What better way to start leading a healthy life than when you're away from all the evil breakfast temptations ie, roti canai and nasi lemak which are packed with saturated fats that will clog up your arteries. So yeah, I eat bland food for 9 months every year and when I go home during my 3 month summer holiday, I eat whatever and whenever I want and lead the pampered life of a Corrinne (ie, waiting to be fed). Basically what I'm trying to say is, I work hard, freaking hard, during the summer to recover any cholesterol that I've lost during the 9 month period. Talk about kiasu-ness.

Forgive me if I sound like a glutton but you don't know that feeling of accomplishment I get when I sink my teeth into the perfect plate of Hainanese chicken rice after 9 months of stupid weather. Of course unless you're studying abroad as well *gives meaningful, understanding, sympathetic look* #DramaQueen

Now the question is: Are you willing to trade your life for food?

You'd be amazed at the number of people who are actually willing to do just that.

LOL I can go become a motivational speaker on health now #ShamelessAsUsual

You see... I never fail to surprise myself. How can I possibly crap this much about absolutely nothing but on the contrary am still unable to come up with a decent piece of midazolam essay.

Ohmigawd facts

I kinda stole this from 9gag although I don't remember all the details. I think it went something along these lines:

This is a new species of fungus found in Malaysia

(Bet you never heard of it... Me too)

Hmmm... What shall we name it?

Maybe it can has my name?

Yes... Yes, it can.

Therefore name given: Spongiforma squarepantsii

Faith in scientists: Reinforced

Seriously, that's the best name they could come up with. Not complaining. It certainly makes life easier for all the science students out there. Including me. Maybe we can now rename the mouse as 'mousiforma mickeysii'. Geez...

Post Valentine's

I spent Valentine's Day last year being a gardener, pruning my roses with tender loving care, like how the beast in 'Beauty and the Beast' cared for his rose. Guess I'll be doing the same this year. Not complaining. At least I'll have a temporary pastime that'll keep me occupied so I don't shop anymore.

The overpriced flowers came a day late. And some of them have already wilted. Sometimes I can't help but feel that these companies are out to rob vulnerable people of their money. #Just saying Anyway, the company offered a full refund cuz I was sulky the whole of yesterday so now B can get me something else :P

My babies arrived as well so I'm a very happy girl today *Dancing on cloud nine* The thing is, neither one can fit a file so I probably won't be using them for lectures. Ughhh.

Playing Uno Stacko with myself. We'll see when it comes tumbling down. Obviously I have way too much time on my hands.

If there's one thing I love about shopping in the UK, it's definitely the customer service they provide. I'll never get this kinda service from where I come from. That's why, like I said and I've said this many times before, I won't shop when I go back so I gotta shop more now and be prepared for the years to come. Plus I'll be really busy once I start working so I won't have that much time anymore.

Also, I was chatting with a friend yesterday and I told him that I wanted to buy myself pretty things just in case the world really did come to an end this year (2012). At least I will then be able to adorn myself beautifully in the grave like the Egyptians or something. He called me chee sin which means crazy -_-

Here's the reason why I love shopping in the UK so freaking much:

I emailed ASOS about a faulty item and asked for an exchange. Unfortunately, that was the last item in stock (Read: I've got good taste and everyone wants the same thing) #self obsessed :P

And this is the reply that I received on the SAME day (I'd say about 2 hours after emailing them). This is what I call professionalism duh!

Dear Corrinne,

We're sorry to hear the item you have received is faulty. Please don't worry about sending it back, just throw it away (or recycle it if you can).

We do hope you will still shop on site - it's rare for customers to receive faulty products and we do everything we can to prevent it from happening.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused,

ASOS Customer Care

I got a full refund and they didn't even bother to check the item (it was only a ring anyway) but still... You see what I mean?

The Lost Watch

Seriously, I should put my time to better use. After coming home at 12, I've been seated in front of my laptop until now. That's almost 8 freaking hours of online shopping. Right, I was shopping. Again. All because I had a stomach ache and I needed to steer my mind away from the pain. I ended up buying a couple of rings and a watch by Lipsy but I needed a blouse to match the watch cuz it was so blingbling that by the time I wanted to check out it went OUT OF STOCK (I was blouse-hunting at a snail's pace). So I only bought the rings after wasting 8 hours of my life -_-

Current state of mind: In denial. *Sheds a tear* In fact I was ready to burst into tears. Out of frustration.

I think I may need to get professional help, maybe join a support group or something for shopaholics cuz I'm turning into Becky Bloomwood. Well, at least not as bad. She gets herself into financial crisis whereas I don't. *Still in denial* Anyway, I will stop shopping when I absolutely have to ie, when I'm broke and penniless. The thing is, I am penniless. I pay for everything, from groceries to bags, with The Card. It's my favourite thing on Earth, as long as there's money in it. No wonder Mum stripped me of my credit card when I came to the UK. #Troll face

So currently I am someone who is jobless (unless you consider 'student' as a job) and penniless with a stomach ache. #self pity You know, if blogging were a career that provides a steady income, it would so become my aspiration (besides being a wedding planner/ bridesmaid) cuz I kinda enjoy writing. It's like talking to myself (Internal speech: I'm a very lonely person just so you know. Not. No, really, I can blabber on and on and on without feeling tired- Content of speech: Nil) Unless I'm writing an academic-related essay, then I'd totally hate it. OK, maybe depending on my interest on the given topic.

I think I should stop now. It looks like it's never going to end.

May my dear readers have the peaceful-lest sleep and the sweetest dreams tonight and may the hottest models visit you in your wonderful slumber (except B, if you're reading this- don't you dare dream of models or else I'll kick you). And if you're not a reader, may you have nightmares and be visited by the scariest of monsters tonight. Haha. I'm so full of craaaaaap. (I'm actually a very nice person, so please don't take the last line to heart. I'm just amusing myself cuz I'm dying of boredom.)

OK, I'm really stopping now.

Retail Therapy

If I were to go to Nepal to take up meditation classes and to find inner peace and a purpose in life, it would be to shop till I drop. In fact I think I've already found my life's purpose. One cannot imagine the satisfaction and the sense of fulfilment it brings, the joy and happiness that fills my heart whenever I buy something new. It makes the gloomiest of days bearable.

Online shopping is the greatest invention ever! Of course you need a laptop to do that which ultimately makes it the greater creation. But that's useless without the internet, which is pretty much non-existant if there is no electricity -_- You get the picture.

Anyway back to the topic... It's an addiction.

Pros: No walking/carrying stuff/queuing- all you do is sit (Random fact: I spend 3/4 of my time sitting and the other 1/4 sleeping), no travelling time, no exposure whatsoever to the sun/storm/hail/sleet/snow and whatever the UK weather hurls at you, 24h availability- you can shop even after all the stores in the shopping complexes have closed.

Cons: It makes you waste time (I can sit and shop for hours without food- Shopping is more than a necessity and also a means of losing weight) and money especially if it has free delivery when you spend above 50-60pounds (most stores). I always find myself buying stuff that I don't need just to qualify for the free delivery. Oh yeah, I'm a victim of all these sales gimmicks.

...Which reminds me, I bought an exercising mat last year, used it for only a week before it became a permanent resident on my cupboard, collecting dust. I was fat ok! I needed one of those.

P.S. Bickie, I bought a pair of boots. I know I did say that I won't be buying anymore (but we agreed that ankle boots are an exception). But I'll be bringing all my stuff back to Malaysia when I graduate anyway so it doesn't matter now.

P.S.S: I also bought a coat. And some other awesome, amazing clothes.

P.S.S.S: Waiting for my babies to arrive. The feeling at each delivery is as good as opening the door to find a puppy at your doorstep.

For my future daughter

Exams. I suppose everyone has to deal with them at some point in their lives. Some find exams a joy- I am not sure if this group of people exists but the other group- people who loathe exams so much (testophobia- I got it from wiki, which is of course not an accurate source of information) do. And unless you're a nerd or you really just love studying or you're freakishly smart/genius-y, exams won't be oh-so-easy.

For me, the hardest paper in the universe just finished today. Chemotherapy. The two hours in the exam hall was pure evil torture. I had to squeeze all my brain juices dry and it's not like I remembered the stupid structures I worked my butt off to memorise. When they're all jumbled up in the structure bank THEY FREAKING LOOK THE SAME TO ME!! ...... It's ridiculous. It's like mix and match with more than a hundred different structures and scientific names that go 'pyrantel pamoate' or 'sodium stibogluconate'.

I just hope that I pass that paper so I don't have to do any resits. I don't want to study for this paper again. I'd die. When I was younger (in kindergarten/primary school), the marks were always 99% if not a hundred. Especially in the moral paper (Pendidikan Moral), questions went like this, "Helping an old lady cross the road is a good deed. True or false". I did those with my eyes closed. *pfft* :D Then it came to secondary school. Just get more than 70% and you get an A. That was fine. And now I've come to my lowest point where I just hope to pass. :'( What more do I have to face? The pain of labour? I may just as well go for a C-sec in the future.

I grumble. A lot. And I complain a lot. That's just human nature. Well at least for me. I complain to my mum about how hard studying is. And Mum's advice: "No pain no gain". Why didn't I just become an air stewardess (if accepted of course), or find a rich guy and get married. But how long will that last? You can't be an air stewardess for 40 years. You become old and wrinkled and you get a job at the counter instead. Marry a rich man: if anything happens to that marriage, you are left with nothing. Money can't buy you no happiness.

After a lengthy post of self-debating/having internal conflicts, I found the purpose of studying. Just until 2013. So toughen up and don't be a no-backbone-r. By the way if the world ends in 2012 I'm so gonna throw a tantrum because studying ain't no playtime to me. And I spent the last 15 years bonding with my text books.

P.S.: This post is for my future daughter's reference if she ever questions me about becoming an air stewardess/marrying a rich man.

It's a small, small world

What are the odds of meeting someone you know in a different country or along the highway? Based on the Corrinne formula x+y=abc*def, I'd give it a one in a million chance, or rather a one in a 27.5 million chance :D, given that the current population in Malaysia is 27.5m. To sum it up in a word: unbelievable.

Example 1; I bumped into Yen Yen, a good friend who studied A-level with me in the toilet of an airport (Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan).

Example 2; I met TKC, a friend studying in Manchester who is currently back along the KL-Alor Star highway. His car was parked one car away from mine at a rest house.

Example 3; I met Ang, an ex-college friend at Tesco five hours ago. We are not even from the same state.

So I came up with a few conclusions:
1. The world is itsy bitsy teeny weeny small in size. (But according to Science/Physics the universe is expanding)

2. My social circle is extending. (Hardly)

3. I am not easy to forget, try as you may. I pop up when you least expect it. Like a genie. (Self-obsessed theory)

4. The friends I have are unforgettable, try as I may. They appear when I least expect it. (The Best Friends Forever/BFF theory. My favourite by far)

I'm gonna go kiss Yen Yen now.
Pity, she is a few thousand miles away from my warm, seductive kiss.

By the way, the It's-A-Small-World theory does not work because I failed to meet Lee Hom in Taiwan. Plus Taiwan is an ISLAND. Which means that if the theory is correct, I would have met Lee Hom on the tube, in the shopping complex and at Shilin night market. *stomps foot and walks away*

Yesterday and Today

I went to the gym for a workout yesterday :) (You know, since I'm gaining so much weight like nobody's business and I've already begun to see the signs, for example, puffy cheeks and a really flabby tummy)

This is the second step to a healthy lifestyle. (I'm already practising the first one-eating healthily. I eat OATS for breakfast everyday to lower my cholesterol level, okay...)

Honestly I didn't know what I was thinking at that time. Jogging Brisk walking certainly isn't the most pleasant thing in the world. Plus I only lost 54 calories after a 20 minute jog which is crap. I feel so cheated. And later that night, I ate a slice of chocolate cake for dessert which I almost immediately regretted but it was so tempting I couldn't resist it. It's so frustrating sometimes. It is so difficult to lose weight but so easy to gain weight. But then again, who said life is fair??

Today, I had pancakes and egg tarts for lunch (high calorie foods again) T_________T
*They were homemade*


Delicious pancake served with bananas, strawberries, hazelnut butter(nutella), and topped with golden syrup.

I know the picture doesn't look too appetizing. I used a blue tint(blue is an appetite suppressant colour) so that you won't feel like eating it and won't drool all over your keyboard. See, it is for your own good.

Sorry, no pictures of the egg tarts.

I baked and played cards the whole day. There goes my 'today'...
Gotta get some work done tonight. *keeping my fingers crossed*

Random fact: I'm beginning to like Professor T. His accent is sooooooo cute and I found out that I can actually understand his lectures if I pay attention. *loves*