We asked the IC department's officers if we could settle our National Service issues in Putrajaya itself. They directed us to the Jabatan Perdana Menteri(The Prime Minister's Ministry or however they call it). And mannn..that place is big ass. BIG ASS. The little pondok to ask for information?? There was a friggin security check thingie going on. You know like the conveyor belt that you put your bags on in the airport? They have that there as well. And the officers were sitting in this glass case. I bet it's bullet proof.

Weng Lum and I got bored so we stood by the gates(which was about many hundreds of meters away from the main building) and shouted, "Badawi! Yooohoo! Badawi!!! Hey Badawi!! We're your biggest fans!! Badawi!! WOOHOo!"

Then we quickly drove away. Wahhahaha.

Oh! We camwhored with Jabatan Big Ass too.


You have to be there to feel the hugeness of it all.

After getting directions to go to Alamanda to while away the time, we went back to the national registration department to *hopefully* collect my MyKad.


It's always the scene. It's always filled with people and procrastinators alike.


See?


And Weng Lum accidentally stepped on my flip flops and I tripped forward and the straps snapped. I rummaged in my handbag for a live saver of any kind..and AHA, my scrunchy can be used for other things too!


Showing you how bored we were.


And finally. FINALLY.

I got lost again finding my way out of Putrajaya. Then I got lost again heading to KL. But we did manage to go to Menara TH Selborn to kau tim our national service stuff. But it was in vain.

They said there was no such thing as an exemption for cases like ours'. We were questioning the rationality of making us repeat THREE whole months again as exemption is only given to those who leave AFTER Sept 11 2005.

We left on the 30th and 31st of August 2005. Does that make sense to you?
Just a little bit more than a week and they can't let us go just like that?

I mean we've already done TWO months. That's better than nothing right?

The officers there told us that no matter what we'll have to defer. We must have sounded pretty defensive because the conversation carried on for a while more. Then this stupid lowly officer who looked like he was heading towards his kap chai started to talk cocky with us.

"Ah, itu pengecualian tak ada. You mau complain kat MCA you complain itu pun tak boleh buat apa-apa punya."

We were like, WTF? Name dropping MCA *just because* we're chinese and are able to speak our mind? (though Weng Lum may beg to differ because he was there, first hand, to listen to my horrible stuttering BM)

But bottom line is, don't make us sound like we're pissed when we were STILL talking to you decently.

They kept saying that the National Service Act stated 'clearly'. Oh, whatever. Put us through to your big guy if you can't give us what we want. Let us explain our situation. We did hand a letter to the officer to explain our situation.

But I've got a couple of insiders to assist me in my quest.
My camp commandant is currently based with the national service head quarters. I called him and he said that those who had to go for matriculation and form6 were given an early exemption and they only completed one month's worth of national service training and they were given their allowance accordingly. So he said I should raise my issue with the National Service chairman and to the director as well.

Then my dad's got a friend who knows a guy who's in the National Service committee. That day, we attended the chinese new year lunch just so we could have a little chat with him. He asked me to hand him my letters explaining my situation.

That's three letters to the national service department via three different routes.

Hope one gets me what I want!:)


Yes, National service was fun. But it's not fun when you have to join 18 year olds when you're a wrinkly old 20s-something.


This was one angry boy..

We got lost again looking for Weng Lum's dad's office. Then I got lost looking for the highway. But it's the whole getting lost in KL thing that one should do to get used to the roads. Try it! It's fun!


Ah.. a beautiful sunset after the NPE toll.

Diet starts today. I WILL PERSEVERE!! I only ate ONE plate at my dad's friend's buffet cny lunch!

Here's a farewell message to one of my bestest best friends.....

AMANDA HON PEI LIN @ NUMB BOOB( "PEI" "LiN". Get it? Haha.)
I will miss you so much dear....:( I am really really really sorry that I was still stuck in KL at about 7..;( and I was lost...so sorry Manda..:( Have fun in Australia okay??

If you're fresh out of college and undecided to do, you'll be bombarded with the "So what's next?" questions. It is so frustrating to repeat yourselves.
If they think you're single then comes all the "Got boyfriend already ar?" questions.

But this year, I've promoted to the next level of questions.

Round 2:

"Oh! So when bringing him home ar?"
"So where are you studying again ar?"
"How is dentistry? Fun ar?"
"How was national service?"
"How many years ar your studies?"

I mean it's all very well meaning that they engage me in conversation. But every  now and then I'd like to hear more about the family gossips more than sounding like a broken tape recorder. It is most frustrating when I tell them where I go to study. By the time I'm done saying the name of my university, they've looked elsewhere and have lost interest. "Asian Institute Of Medicine Sci-erm, koo cheh, you're still listening?"

But I do suppose that chinese new year is the time for the aunties to stock up on their gossips to be shared during mah jong sessions.

Maybe next year I should print out all the answers on a card and hand it out. :)

I've started to disturb the younger kids and asked them, "Got boyfriend already ar?" And then they'd tell me they have three or four. Kids.

At least I still have 4 and a half years more worth of education to complete to be used as an excuse before I have to face the "SOOOoooOOo...when's your turn ar girl?" questions. That's round 3.

So when I DO get married, then time for Round 4. "SOOOooOOoo..when's the first one coming??"

Very predictable.

At least I've graduated out of the preliminary rounds of "Wahhhhh so tall already.....". This time around my Aunty Audrey was poking at my boobs and she was like, "Wah! All real!!?" *kembang*. And I flashed her my silicon bra and told her where she could get some.

Like my newly wed uncle and aunty, they were being bombarded with questions about 'new additions'. My grandaunty is really itchy for a grandchild to carry. It got so serious that she was ACTUALLY cradling my youngest cousin's babydoll like a real baby and was actually lost in her own world canoodling the babydoll. LOL. Such a strong hint. Hahahaha.

-

However, going back to Malacca only means meeting the immediate family members so no need for questions.

But there are strange things to do like comparing leg hair..


Clockwise from the bottom centre feet: me, Aunty Ping, Uncle Terry, Cousin Hong Fei, Mum, Dad the Pak Cham Kai(steamed chicken), My brother, My cousin Hong Weng, Uncle Yew Hee.

And other strange things like literally flying kites.....


Dad's got a new hobby.


Aunty Judy and Uncle Terry helping dad with the kite.


A middle east tourist found us interesting and decided to join us.


And up it goes..!

Dad insisted that it was a good work out for the lot of us as we had to run after his fallen kite and throw it up in the air again for him. He's so into it that he even booked a hotel in Port Dickson for my aunt, uncle, mum and himself on Thursday. Just so that he can go kite flying. -_-;. I'd rather stay home and see my friends. I'm quite torn actually. I want to go to the beaches there and have a shot of me lying down on the sand. Was thinking of using it as a blog header. Oh well. I've got another idea coming up though.


We drove towards the beach in Malacca and we saw other kites up in the air. Intrigued, we went for a closer look.


Oooh..! Pretty reflection!


One of the kites.


Can you see the sun rays?


Ahhhhh..~!


The rays are more distinct here.


This little boy flies a kite better than my dad.


After kite flying we went up St. John's hill for fun.

Making use of the canons at the fort.


The view from the fort atop St. John's hill. Can you see the sea?


So nice.:)


My cousin Hong Fei's wedding invitation card. So nice right? Since he's in graphics, he could design his own wedding invitation card with his own touch. :)


Catching some wind by the balcony..:D


The adults chilled with wine at the 1st floor's balcony...


..while the cousins, my brother and I went for mamak at 1am.
top l-r: Derek, Me
bottom l-r: Mervyn, Ted(Jacq's bf), Jacq.

They kept telling me not to turn the flash off and just take a normal one without the flash. But without the flash cannot see anything at all laa. And so when we finished, they were all so embarassed what with 3 out of 4 of them being Malaccans and Malacca is so small. Because, whoever takes photos at a mamak stall?

Only Jolene, only Jolene.


Saw loads of Ah Kuas behind the Jalan Hang Tuah(Malacca's one) but could not take any clear shots. As Ted said, "Later they throw their high heels at you then you know!"


When I got back to Subang, I went to pick up my luggage and my printer from Cze Yin's house(since she drove back from kedah) and brought Lishen along to pai lin.


Ooooo..white chocolate with chopped almonds.


Cze Yin and I


I was perpetually having a mandarin orange in my hand.

Today we headed over to Dennis' place to pai lin and for a mahjong session!

l-r: Yuen Fatt, Joshua

l-r: Hsin, Ben Shyen


Mel, Liss, Myself and Manda posing with the oh so famous Dennis Chan who changed his name as a child(inside joke).


Me insisting that I've had one too many cornflake cookie and Dennis was being a gracious host. Pai Seh.