Li Lian

  • Balding? I Understand How You Feel

    This is my luscious locks…..for now…..

    For the past 3 weeks, each time i wash my hair, clumps of it comes out. Strands after endless wet strands of my hair sticks on my palms, in between my fingers. I stare in horror and dismay, but there is not much I can do but rinse it off. And it clogs up my shower area.

    I seem to be shedding.

    This is worrying me.

    I never knew how a balding person felt, but I do know now. When I talk about my balding woes, nobody cares, and they don’t seem to think it is important, and no one pays any attention. They don’t think it is important. Nobody seems to think it is an issue. They think it is a joking matter. But I know now. And if you are balding, you have my heartfelt sympathies.

    Cause of balding? It’s hereditary (neither my mum nor dad is balding) so it must mean the other factors that is causing my hair thinning – nutrient deficiency, hormonal change, stress, age (women in their late 20’s to 40’s may experience hair thinning).

    I am quite sad.

  • Bali In A Nutshell

    Surprise! This post is almost on time!

    Bali Trip – 8 March to 10 March.

    Stayed in a 4 bedroom villa in Jimbaran. It’s called Pat Mase. See the photos. It is a very nice hotel – on macro level. Aren’t the pictures gorgeous? Given my half-assed photography abilities. I am not going to start grieving on a micro-level. The past shall remain, in the PAST!

    What else is there in Jimbaran? Beach side seafood restaurants. So many of them! All along the beach. So, you’re having dinner on the beach, by the sea. Type of food? Seafood of course. But it’s really pricey, for JUST barbecued seafood. Boring! Dinner for 6 – USD401.00! They didn’t even want to give discount on the USD1.00. I fainted, and collapsed on the sandy beach. Ah! That’s why they serve us on the beach. The sand will cushion the fall of every person that faints when they see the bill.

    It’s just barbecued seafood – served on plastic plates that were not cleaned properly! The service astrocious, and the food took an hour to be served!

    Restaurant I would recommend, Ma Joly in Kuta. Type of food? Very nice food. French. But they have Italian too. And very good service, excellent ambiance. See pictures below.

    Another restaurant I would recommend – Lotus Cafe in Ubud. Very good food too. The food is fresh, and healthy. Red rice, not much grease, lots of salads and vegetables. I don’t have any pictures. But we’re sitting around a man-made pond. I think they have a few outlets all over Bali.

    Ubud – Definitely a must visit! Monkey forest, lots of nice bistros, many shops selling souvenirs, costume jewellery. I got this for RM25.00

    Legian – we just drove past, but they were many nice shops selling home decorative items. They have higher-end shops as compared to Ubud and Kuta.

    Nusa Dua – all the high class hotels with sea front. You can have a massage on the beach, with the sound of the waves, facing the ocean – if that’s your kind of thing. The hotels are all really nice. I want to stay there the next time – when I go with my favourite sister. We can be the beach bum sisters of Bali-wonderworld.

    I am quite sure I went to Seminyak too – but I cannot remember what happened there.

    Like I said, it was a whirl-wind trip. Too fast and too furious! I feel I know what the Tasmanian Devil feels like when he pauses for 2 seconds.

  • RAGE

    I feel my mouth foaming, the pulse on my temple swelling to the point of rupture, and my hands white from gripping the steering wheel so hard.

    I am starting to have a nose bleed from the pressure build-up, and I can taste vomit at the back of my throat.

    Then, BOOM! My head explodes and my brains are splattered all over the dashboard.

    I have the worst luck in all eternity, spanning across the galaxy when it comes to getting from Point A to Point B. It is the force of the universe that is against me! More so, when I am already late. This must be my payback for being so anal about punctuality, and taking the mickey out of people who are late.

    And then I drive past the Petronas in Bangsar. And there are more than 20 taxis queing up for NGV. No wonder this 2 lane road, is now ONE lane. I wish I was a dinosaur, and with one swift, carefully aimed swish of my tail – I could flick all the taxis off the main road. But then again, if I were a dinosaur of that capacity – I’d also stomp, stomp, stomp on the cars that are in my way. I’d be a happy-smiley dinosaur, all my sharp teeth visible, once I am done stomping. All the cars in the way will be ingrained on the road. It may be peeled off the road for recycling. I am smiling from ear to ear from this thought.

    Then I have to get on this road off Jalan Semantan, where the UOA building is. And there are all these cars parked illegally, making an already small road, only 5 feet wide. I have envisioned many times, stopping my car, getting out of it, and smashing the windows in, their side-view mirrors off with my very powerful unbreakable steel baseball bat (I am not sure one exists, but it looks like a baseball bat). D-oosh, doosh, doooosh, doosh….. Bash! Bash! Smash, smash, smash! Ha!Ha!Ha! My insane laughter overpowering the sounds of shattering glass and crunching metal. I feel so powerful – like the Master of the Universe!

    Clearly.I.Have.Gone.Insane.

  • VW Cars – The B#%tards!

    Yes, yes, yes. I know there is no need for name calling.

    This is the latest email I had to send to them. You can see why I may be frustrated!

    And I didn’t get a reply! Pfftttt!!!

    ~~~~~

    Dear Kelvin Khaw,

    I hope this email finds you well.

    It is also beyond my belief that I have to yet again write to you despite your assurance that – quote “we take pride in the products and services that we offer to our customers” and “we are confident that VW Cars, as a Volkswagen authorised dealer, will provide you with improved service for your future vehicle needs” unquote.

    I realised that the bottle opener had been removed from my car – about 5 days after I have got back my car. Perhaps this needed a service to for whatever reason you will then come up with to assure me.

    So it was early last week that Thomas the GM said he would be sending back the bottle opener.

    You must have guessed by now that I am writing in to inform you that no bottle opener has been returned.

    Not able to get hold of Thomas yesterday, and instead spoke to Robert who said the bottle opener will be returned yesterday – with a gift.

    Perhaps the delay was caused because he is picking out a gift. Such thoughtfulness. Please inform VW Cars that we do not need a gift. We just want the bottle opener returned.

    I think my entire experience with VW is focused on delay, procastination, and your inability to be time conscious. This must be the CORE of your service – that VW appears to be so confident about.

    I tremble in fear at the thought of my vehicle’s future needs.

    I am sure you appreciate my feedback and comments. Please do take time to look in to getting my bottle opener returned.

    As always, please be assured that I will be informing my family, friends and e-community of my VW experience.

    Have a nice day.

    Yours sincerely,
    Li Lian Kow.

  • “Are You Busy?” – Telephone Courtesy Lessons by Li Lian

    Pleaseeeeeeeee I beg of you, don’t ask me that question when you call me. Please don’t let that be the first thing you say, followed by ‘Hello’.

    Don’t put me on the edge or on the spot with that question.

    I suppose I am not a very nice person.

    Really?! Everyone is always BUSY doing SOMETHING. Even breathing is SOMETHING!

    So when someone calls me and after ‘hello’ asks ‘Are you busy?’ – I never know what to say! Because, if the person on the line just wants to chit chat, when clearly I am doing something, anything! more important than the need for idle chit chat, whatsit – just to catch up – then hell, yeah! I’m busy as a bee.

    Call me a lousy multi-tasker if you must, I cannot walk and chat on the phone at the same time. I cannot do anything! AND! chat on the phone at the same time.

    So, this catching up business – should be done over drinks, coffee or dinner – OR email, sms, an old-fashioned letter on fancy stationery, or messenger.

    However, if the person on the line requires something urgent or requires information, then I am never too busy! Everything else I can put on hold to give you my 100% undivided attention (since I cannot multi-task).

    And since you now have the urgent important information – go use it! No need to carry on talking to me on the phone with the sudden urge to ‘catch-up’. We can chit chat or catch up over – I repeat – over drinks, coffee or dinner – OR email, sms, an old-fashioned letter on fancy stationery, or messenger.

    I am just NOT! a chit chat on the phone person!

    If you want to call me to talk about your feelings – somebody had a baby, you’re getting married, you found THE ONE!, a break-up, a sudden sadness, a certain loss, a tragedy, just tell me up front – “I have news to share!”.

    I am all ears – you have my 200% undivided attention. But PLEASE! don’t start with ‘Are you busy?’.

    You would have had me at ‘Hello, I have happy/sad news to share’ or ‘Hello, I need this’.

    There you go! Telephone courtesy as defined by, yours truly, Li Lian Kow.