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2013-05-26, "You are allowed to have... »»

2013-05-25, Sahabat Yang Harus Dihargai »»

2013-05-25, Things to Consider When Shooting on... »»

2013-05-25, Glee Season 4 Dah Abis! »»

2013-05-25, Hand in pocket could mean something... »»

2013-05-24, Poker Face »»

Ever since a few months ago, I realize that my money has been missing a lot. I thought that I might have spent it somewhere without keeping the change. As time goes by, I can see the pattern of my money missing. It disappears from my wallet little by little. I know how much money I had before I left my wallet on the table so every time I come back to my room, I notice small amount of money disappears even when I’m still at home..Weird huh? Could it be a little green guy is lurking around my house invisible to my sight?

Nope, it wasn’t the green guy. Surprisingly, the money’s also missing from my sister’s room. She’s in worse situation which involves hundreds of ringgit. After much thought and consideration, we came to conclusion that someone has been steeling our money right under our nose. I called that person Poker Face.

Today I made a trap just to see just how far Poker Face willing to go. I check my wallet (balance) and went out to our new house(we are doing ‘minor’ extension to our house since last December). True to my expectation, it doesn’t take long before I found out Poker Face has been entering my room. Upon checking my wallet, RM20 note was missing. The anger within me almost made me explode. As an adult, I tried to calm down and think rationally. Eventually, I made two notices and stick it outside my door with a massage. A few hours later, RM20 note was slipped under my door. Poker Face has returned it. I think it is a good lesson for Poker Face so I stick that note outside my room as well so that everybody in the house would read and see the notices together with the bank note.

To Poker Face, if you need money all you need to do is just ask. You might not get the amount you asked for but at least you’ll get some. Please grow up and be a responsible teenager. I see you grow up from your mother’s womb wishing you’ll be a great person but look at you now, slowly letting the world to blind you from right and wrong…keep doing that and sooner you’ll find out nobody will help you when you get in trouble next time…change Poker Face before it’s waaayyyy too late.

I wish my room is like this....

Anyway, I’ve been busy painting my room today. I started late so I manage to paint the ceiling only. Hopefully all are done tomorrow evening so I can have a good rest before I paint other room…so how’s your day? Make sure you make the most out of your limited time readers! Till then, c’ya!

2013-05-23, Lookbook; Mocha Latte. »»

2013-05-23, A Guide To Your Ultimate Party... »»

2013-05-22, Copy: Dropbox killer? »»

2013-05-21, Executive Leadership »»

2013-05-21, Fashionista's Review: BambooLite... »»

I have gone green.

No.

That's probably not true.

Before you read more of this post, let me just make one thing clear, I have never aspired to be Captain Planet, or even Mrs Captain Planet. Neither is my husband a candidate for Mr Save-the-Earth (let me think for a moment, nope, he wouldn't even pass the qualifying rounds unfortunately).

Anyway, in my quest to learning more about cloth diapers (you know, the reusable diapers that I'm planning on using for my baby), I have stumbled across a whole new world of alternative environmentally-friendly products (sadly, this goes to show just how small my world is). This company came to me by surprise (interestingly I did not discover it while googling cloth diapers, it actually found me). You know how Facebook now recommends pages that you might like based on the pages you have liked before (beware people, Facebook knows you better than you do yourself), so a few days ago I came across a suggestion for this page: BambooLite (and Facebook also informed me that 3 of my friends like the same page). So I clicked on the page, found out that they were selling cloth diapers and went to their website to get more information on their products.

And this is where my world suddenly opened up and I found out that they were selling cloth feminine pads *gasp* and cloth panty liners (something that I didn't knew even existed). I immediately googled reviews on cloth feminine pads (which I previously thought to have gone extinct since the introduction of disposable feminine pads) and found quite a few positive reviews on the stuff. Since I am not that adventurous (the only adventures that I go on involves exploring foreign countries and not introducing foreign items to my va-jay-jay), I've decided to test the waters by trying out BambooLite's cloth panty liner (and the fact that they're so many pretty designs to choose from helped out in me making that final purchase decision).

Among the designs for cloth panty liners available by BambooLite.

I made an order on Friday and voila, the item arrived three days later, on Monday. I decided not to try them out that very night but rather to wait for the next day so that I'd be testing them for a regular day at the office.

The cloth panty liners, neatly packed in a transparent plastic envelope complete with an instruction manual.

I ordered two cloth panty liners (at RM15 each they totalled to RM30) and also paid for PosLaju shipping cost of RM8.50 thus my total cost for these items only amounted to RM38.50. I would have to confess, my initial attraction to cloth panty liners is mainly due to economical reasons. By opting for cloth panty liners, I do not need to get disposables and therefore save money on future disposable purchases (besides helping the environment by not adding waste, definitely a win-win situation, right?). However, I am cautious in my decision to becoming a convert towards environmentally friendly products and that is why I bought only two of these. I'll buying more once I'm confident that cloth panty liners are here to stay (permanently in my knickers drawer that is).

These are the designs that I opted for: Rings N Bars (left) and Cashew Flowers (right).

Despite it being a cloth panty liner, the size (they're about 17cm in length) is almost exactly the same as disposable panty liners, I previously assumed that it'd be bigger (and less efficient, being cloth after all).

On how to wear them; the colorful fabric is the outer fabric, that side of the fabric should rest onto your knickers and the plain minky fabric (in bright orange as in the photo above) will be saying hello to your va-jay-jay (in their website they did mention that the minky fabric does not stain, so that's definitely a plus point). As you can see there are snaps by the side of the panty liner, the snaps are fastened in a way that the panty liner encloses over your panties just like a regular disposable panty liner would.

Storing the panty liners is just as easy, just follow the instructions and once folded, they'll look like this. Washing is also as easy, you just soak them in cold water for 30 minutes then the panty liner can be hand washed or machine washed (washing instructions are also available on their website).

So how did my day fare as a first time cloth panty liner user? When I first put it on, I felt weird (well, that's due to my preconceived negative thoughts on cloth panty liners and I did have a wild thought on how I would react if I see my cloth panty liner fell to the ground while I was walking?), but the minky fabric felt incredibly soft to the skin. My main concern for panty liners is to keep the private parts dry and comfy (and let me tell you, being pregnant and having to go to the loo every hour or so does not make that easy) so after using BambooLite's panty liner for the day, I'd say that it absorbs moisture really well, keeping my va-jay-jay comfortable and dry during the day. The only con is that I do feel that compared to my disposable panty liners, they are slightly (not much though) bulky, it's like I can feel their presence but it's not that noticeable (maybe it's due to the fact that it's my first time so I'm a little bit self-conscious).

And this is my experience on using it for the night. As using it for the night meant that it would be the second time for me using the cloth panty liner, I find myself relaxing and not noticing that it was even there! I find the liner to be as good as disposable (if not better!) and felt comfortable using it throughout the night (despite the regular toilet visits that I have to endure now that I'm in the final week of my pregnancy).

The ultimate question is, would I convert to a cloth panty liner user? I certainly do think so. The pros definitely outweigh the cons; they're good for the environment, they last longer than disposable panty liners (that's for sure) and they help you save a pretty penny (so that you can go out and get yourself a pretty bauble as a treat!). Some even say that it's better for health as there are no harmful chemicals involved in manufacturing cloth panty liners (thus no harmful chemicals will be released to your va-jay-jay). And the part I like best about this product is how easy it is to wash them, just three steps, soak, rub with soapy water then rinse. Squeeze the water out and hang it to dry. Easy, right?

And the next question, would I try out cloth feminine pads or menstrual pads? I do think it is a possibility in the near future (I think it's like learning to ride a bicycle, initially you'll be learning how to ride on a tricycle, and once you've gotten the hang of it, riding a bike is as easy as ABC). Maybe I'll give the cloth pads a try for my lighter days (during menstruation) and when I feel comfortable (and confident) enough, I'll upgrade to using them all the time during my menses. But one thing for sure, I'll be getting more of these cloth panty liners and leave my disposable ones exclusively for traveling =).

Let's go green peeps! It's not only good for Mother Earth, it's also kind to the wallet.

xoxo Mrs Fashionista

Ps: Just in case you were wondering, the panty liner never did fall to the ground like I imagined. It stayed in its designated place minding it's own business, keeping me dry and comfortable *grin*.

2013-05-20, Reflection »»

This semester at Swinburne University of Technology, I undertook Project A which is essentially a unit which allows students to gain work experience in their field of interest or to start an independent project. As I took Project B last semester, I have a good understanding of what Project A entails as they have identical unit outlines. The only difference is that Project A is available in the first semester of the year, and Project B the second semester.

Since I pursued a collaboration for Project B, I decided to go for the second option of gaining work experience for Project A. I contacted Nuffnang Australia and expressed my interest in interning with them as I was hoping to be able to become more involved with Australia's blogging scene and also to experience a professional environment.

David Krupp, the country manager, got in touch with me and scheduled an interview. As their office is in Prahran, I decided to go right after my class ended to scope out the area so I would not end up lost and late. Doing so allowed me to be confident I would be on time for the interview and minimize the pressures of going for the interview. Going in at 2pm was rather nerve wrecking as I have never been to an interview before and I was extremely conscious about making a good first impression. However, David was very easy going and chatted with me casually. I gave him my timetable and he said that he would be in touch.

Looking back on the interview, although I secured the internship, I think that I could have better prepared myself by going for the free interview practice sessions at Swinburne. It would have given me a better idea of what to expect from an interview. Furthermore, I was rather quiet as I did not know proper interview etiquette. I was afraid I might say or do something inappropriate, so I kept my answers short and limited my questions.

About a week after the interview, he emailed me and we worked out which days were best for me. We settled for Mondays and Fridays from 11am-5:30pm.

I was very excited about the prospect of working in an office and getting the opportunity to meet new people outside of my social circle. I was well looked after and everything I was asked to do were very task specific so I did not feel unsure or confused.

The environment Nuffnang provided was rather casual. While everyone was expected to contribute to the company in a professional manner, the importance of balance between work and pleasure was understood. Therefore, during my internship, I had the opportunity to get to know everyone over lunch and a few drinks.

Although I tried my best to complete all the tasks set out for me within the day itself, to treat my internship as a real job with real obligations and responsibilities (meaning no procrastination, getting to work on time, keeping superiors informed about situations - eg. unable to make it to work due to sickness or if I am going to be late with an acceptable reason), I felt that there must have been something I could have done to make the experience more worthwhile. But reflecting upon it now, perhaps the expectations I set for what I would get out of the internship was too unrealistic.

I suppose it is hard to limit one's expectations when there is no prior experience. All I had to build my expectations on were movies I have watched and friends who are already in the media industry workforce. Despite knowing that movies glamorize everything, my expectations still fell short. I had thought that big events and parties were part and parcel of any employment in the media circle. Project A and Nuffnang gave me the opportunity to experience office life and helped me better understand what I want from a job, which would aid me in finding a better suited career for me once I graduate. Although events and parties are definitely a plus to any job, I have decided that I would much rather have a non-office job as working in an office is not for me. I found that working in an office environment is rather dull. Although the people are all very pleasant to work with and I was able to distract myself by changing tasks every half an hour, I want to be able to experience something new frequently, if not every day. I do not like the stability that an office job entails, or the fixed routine. The experience reminded me that the reason I chose to study media and communications was because I wanted to escape having to get a 9 to 5 job "when I grew up".

2013-05-19, ??? »»

2013-05-19, You can vote for a fitter, healthier... »»

2013-05-19, Hat Yai, Thailand »»

Hat Yai - Krabi - Koh Samui: Episode 02

Ok... This is it, hari ini iolz start my journey using mostly free flight tickets. Ahaks! Tetapi kembara kali ini iolz takda mood sangat nak buat research. Iolz research sket-sket je. Maklumlah tempat-tempat ini adalah sangat common untuk pengembara budget seperti iolz nih.

Thailand Arrival Card

Flight iolz dari Kuching adalah sangat smooth dan tidak ada seberang delay berlaku. Maklumlah kan, AA flight kan terkenal dengan ke-delay-an nye. Tapi Alhamdulillah tak delay! yoshh. Flight iolz adalah seawal pagi hari. Flight pertama yang terbang ke KL iolz rasa. Selepas sembahyang suboh, ayah iolz hantarkan ke airport. Of course iolz dalam flight tempah makanan. Nasi Lemah Pak Nasser my fav. Kiranya opening food for this kembara la kan.... mati la, kata nak budget, makan dalam flight pulak....

Sesampai di KL, ada 2 jam for my next flight. Iolz tak takde luggage check-in pun. Cuma bertemankan bag deuter Iolz. For the check-in, Iolz tak risau sebab iolz dah check-in siap-siap kan rumah. Cuma nak tunggu flight my flight je. So, iolz terus masok departure hall, banyak sket tempat dudok.

Fuyooo, ramai jugak yang pegi Hat Yai nih. Anyway, iolz plan dari Hat Yai iolz terus shoot ke Krabi. Nanti jalan-jalan Hat Yai at my last day of journey la. So, iolz tak tempah pun for the first day nih. And stay for the last day nanti, iolz dah book through Agoda. Murah jugak. Dalam RM20 for the double private room. Cathay Guesthouse uolz, Memang terkenal untuk harga bilik yang murah nih. So iolz tempah awal-awal, malas nak last2 minute nanti takde bilik, binasa kan....

Sesampai di Hat Yai airport, disambut oleh patung tembaga duyung

Setibanya di airport Hat Yai tu,disambut oleh patung duyung. Mungkin ada sejarah dier kot. Lagenda duyung... boleh?

Alamak, sampai-sampai kat Hat Yai, 15 minit lagi nak jam 1.30petang, so kalau pakai Cathay Guesthouse Tour, van last diorang bertolak ke Krabi jam 1330. Iolz harap2 sempat ambik van tu. Iolz call jugak nak confirmkan ngan diorang, tapi iolz taknak book dulu, sebab takut tak sempat.

Kluar-kluar kat airport Hat Yai tu, iolz pakai shuttle van. Dalam 100baht ataupun lebey kurang RM10. Iolz bagitau je drop kat Cathay Guesthouse. Nak sebut Cathay tu biar betul ya.... So, perjalanan tak lah jauh pun, iolz rasa dalam 10 minit gitu sampai. Mula-mula dia drop sorang mamat kat Tune Hotel dulu. Pastu drop iolz. Iolz sampai-sampai depan Cathay tu dalam 1.45 petang, maksudnya van tak gerak dah. Iolz tak sempat nak ambik dari Cathay tu ke Krabi.

Shuttle Van dari airport to town, 100baht=RM10

For ur info la, kat Cathay Tour Agency nih (Atas dier Cathay Guesthouse) rasanya paling murah kot ke Krabi, around 250baht je. Sebab dah terlepas, iolz kene merayau-rayau cari kompeni yang provide van ke Krabi. Ade yang 350baht, tapi bertolak jam 5petang. Iolz tak nak lewat sangat.

Last-last aku amik van ke Krabi daripada M&R Tour Company, mahal sket dalam 400baht

So jalan-jalan lagi, ade satu company provide jam 3 ptg!. Yes. Tapi tiket mahal sket, 400baht. So iolz ambik je la malas nak fikir lagi. Yang penting kene sampai Krabi jugak hari ini. So iolz register and bayar everything, pastu iolz letak bag iolz kat counter company tu. Diorang pun friendly jugak. Ambik-ambik pamphlet yang perlu.

Jalan-jalan bandar kat Hat Yai

Pas letak bag tu, ada masa satu jam lagi, so iolz jalan-jalan kat area situ. Singgah kat salah satu shopping mall situ, nak carik stationary. Carik buku kecik sebagai nota sebab terlupa plak nak bawak. Nak catat perbelanjaan and everything lah.

Kat Hat Yai ini banyak jugak muslim. And most of them boleh cakap bahasa Melayu. So jangan terkejut lah. Iolz pegi lunch kat Restaurant Sulaiman. Pandai cakap melayu. Menu pun dalam Melayu. Harga pun boleh tahan jugak. Nasi Goreng dalam RM5... tapi makan jela. Eventhough iolz ade bawak bekalan maggi yang sangat banyak, tapi nak jugak rasa msakan kat Hat Yai ni kan....

Kat Restoran Sulaiman 2... aku makan nasi goreng ayam je ngan milo ais.... lapooo

Pas-pas makan tu, iolz balik ke company tour tu, van lewat dalam 15 minit. Pas van sampai, iolz lega jugak. Kat Krabi iolz dah tempah siap-siap bilik dorm kat Pak-Up hostel. So, iolz bagitau terus ngan driver aku. Dier tau Pak-UP hostel... So bermulalah perjalanan ke Krabi......