Pregnancy Yoga in Ipoh

I have no idea how I got to know about pregnancy yoga. Must be my habit of Googling pregnancy related stuff and found out about it. And so, my search began for a prenatal yoga classes in Ipoh. Alas, I couldn't find any and almost thought it didn't exist in Malaysia. But then, I found out there were a bunch of classes offered in KL.

I finally decided to ask in the Reddit forum and someone mentioned to check out Namu Yoga in Ipoh. Next stop--> Namu Yoga Facebook page. Since the page existed, I contacted the person via messenger. At that moment, no classes were running but scheduled to start in November.

So, I joined my first class in November. I got so excited about it and was hoping it wouldn't be the boring stuff.

The class was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! Period.
I continued going for yoga until the first week of March. The teacher, Jia Ern (just call her J) is such a lovely teacher. She makes the class fun, at the same time providing really good info about yoga and what's happening to your pregnant body. She does have quite a good sense of humour too!

It so happen that the classes run on Monday, after working hours, which gave me all the more reason to go. I mean, after the busy weekend and Monday blues, going for yoga while I was pregnant kind of helped me to 'reset' or rather, calm down and relax to begin another awesome week of being pregnant. I just think it's really a good time to just drop everything and focus on myself. The class also gave me the chance to expand my circle of friends as moms-to-be connect and share their experiences.

It's amazing that while pregnant, the body could still be pretty flexible to do all those improvised yoga positions. Pregnancy yoga is safe when done right and J is a certified yoga teacher. She knows what she's doing.

So, if you or someone you know is pregnant, I'd advice you to start soon (provided the you don't have serious complications. You can always check with your doctor first). At this point of writing, I know that J is the only one offering pregnancy yoga in Ipoh.

If you're interested, here's the contact details:
Website: www.namuyogastudio.com
Facebook: Namu Yoga Studio
Instagram: jiaernyoga
Phone: 012 308 4381

Namu Yoga info brochure (click image to enlarge):

Check out the article in Ipoh Echo newspaper: https://www.ipohecho.com.my/v4/article/2018/12/16/when-pregnancy-meets-yoga


*Note: this post is not a paid/sponsored post and is solely based on my own voluntary sharing & experience. External links are true at the time of writing.

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Induced Labour & Hypnobirthing

First of all, I'd like to thank all those bloggers and YouTubers who shared their own hypnobirthing experiences. Please know that your effort of sharing your experiences helped me during my pregnancy and birthing process, too. And so, I'd like to share mine and hope it helps others as well.

7 March 2019, Thursday (after Ash Wednesday)
Warded to maternity ward in Ipoh GH, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun around 2pm-ish in 2nd class ward (4-bedded room, no air cond)
Can't exactly remember time of following events but changed into pink ward clothes and started with a CTG scan for 20 minutes. Later, doctor came (probably after dinner time) to check cervix opening (obviously it was still tightly shut) and insert a branula on right hand. Was slightly anxious but managed to relax, breathe and do affirmations.

Every now and then nurse came to do BP check. All normal. Later that night (probably after midnight), nurse informed that I will be induced at 6am. I set my alarm for 5.30am and slept with whatever time I could as I was not sure what's going to happen the next day.

8 March 2019, Friday
I woke up at 5.30am as my alarm rang and I freshen up while waiting anxiously. Shortly, a nurse came to take my BP and told me to get ready to go soon. I packed only the necessary things in my tote bag (maternity pad, panties, baby's cloths pampers, some packed cupcakes) and left the rest of the things at my bedside cabinet. I waited and waited but unfortunately, I think they kinda messed up the schedule. The nurse was kind enough to bring me Milo and nasi lemak for breakfast before I got to the Prostin room (though I did munch of some of my packed food already).
The nurse told me to go straight to the Prostin room after breakfast. By the time i got there, it was roughly about 8am.

8am - Prostin room
2 beds in the room. There was already an Indian lady next to me. The nurse came later to explain all the procedure. Her name was Kumathi, she was very nice. She also mentioned no handphones, only for emergency to call husband. I was quite disappointed as I wanted to listen to some relaxing music. But since I was practicing hypnobirthing, I just did my relaxation breathing instead.
Shortly (probably about 8.15am), a doctor came to check my opening and then inserted the pill to induce labour. My cervix was quite high, so, she had trouble locating it. But she was the nicest and most gentle doctor. Of course, I was slightly scared a first, but I remembered and told myself that my entire body has to relax, otherwise, I will definitely feel the pain. So, I did relax and consciously breathe the way I have been practicing and there wasn't much pain. After she had inserted it, she left and the nurse explained that I can't go anywhere for 1 hour (no walking, no toilet breaks). So, I just lay down there on the bed.

9.15am - CTG Scan
9.40am - After that 1 hour and CTG scan, the nurse allowed (and encouraged) me to walk out of the room. Apparently, walking can help to fasten the opening. So, I walked out of the room towards the waiting area where dear husband was waiting. Just seeing him and talking to him made me relaxed and calm. Didn't feel much contractions yet at this time. Could only stay out for an hour before I had to get back in the Prostin room.

10.40am - Back in Prostin room and nurse did CTG scan again. I was consciously, calmly breathing, just like how I've practiced at home using the hypnobirthing technique.

11.10am - Could walk out of the Prostin room again but this time I was not out too long as lunch would be served soon (around 11.30am). Still not much contractions. Contractions was quite far apart and not intense.

11.45am - Back in Prostin room and had lunch. Can't remember what was served. Hmm.... But it wasn't that bad though.

1.30pm - CTG scan again. CTG scans are done at the 1st, 3rd and 5th hour after insertion of the pill.

3pm - doctor came to check opening but opening was just 0.5cm, cervix dilation 1cm. Long way to go. Second pill inserted and this time the doctor was pretty rough down there. Hated her.. Jeez.... The pill insertion seems to be more painful that the contractions I was having. Again, my cervix was still pretty high up there. But I still remained calm and relaxed because I couldn't afford to tense up my muscles. Tensing up my muscles and pelvic floor would just make the pain worse. So, I just chill and breathe and let them do their job.

So, from 3pm, the same process takes place for another 6 hours. First hour, just lying in bed, CTG scan at 1st, 3rd and 5th hour, and whenever I could, i'd just go out and see my husband who was patiently waiting for me. But after the second pill insertion, i felt the contractions kicking in within the first 10 minutes. But still bearable. All I did was breathe the way I had practiced all this while. It helped me focus on my breathing than the contractions. Whenever I could go out, I'd do squats to help open up my pelvic area.
Everytime I "appeared" in the waiting area, people waiting seems to look at me one kind... Haha... They might probably be wondering how the heck I'm still out and about walking. As I was walking out one time, a nurse asked, "Tak beranak lagi?" Haha... Around tea time, husband and MIL (mother-in-law) brought coconut water (supposed to help with the dilation or contractions, I think). Husband left for dinner after that and came back later around 7.30pm. I asked him to bring me McChicken & Fries!!! Haha.... Yeah, because the nurses keep telling me to eat as long as I can since I can't bring in food into the labour room later on.

Anyway, somewhere in between, the Indian lady next to me was pushed to the OT for C-section. Her induction wasn't working apparently. A Malay lady took her place shortly.

By 9pm (the 6th hour), a specialist came to see me to check my opening. First question she asked the houseman that was there, what's my contraction like. At that time, it was 4 contractions in 10 minutes, 45 seconds each. Upon hearing that, the specialist turned to me and said, "That's quite strong but you look very calm." I was perplexed for awhile and then, I smiled at her and shrugged my shoulders. I just didn't know how to respond to her comment. But in my head I was like "Duh!!! You are so textbook!" Honestly, this is where hypnobirthing really helps. Anyway, my opening was still 0.5cm, dilation 1.5cm. I was like, "WHAT????!!!!" Anyway, she said she will come and see me again at 1am to check my progress.

In the meantime, I ate my McChicken and fries that my loving husband bought for me. A nurse came in while I was eating and smiled at me. I smiled back. It was quite an awkward moment. A woman in labour, eating McDonald's.. haha.. they probably rarely see this case in government hospitals.

Somewhere in between (can't remember now whether it was before or after 9pm, probably before), the Malay lady next to me painfully informed the nurse "Nurse, air dah tumpah". The nurse was in a rush to get the doctors, the MO rushed in with a bunch of houseman doctors. It was pretty intense for awhile as the Malay lady delivered right beside me. After some time, a doctor peeped over to my side and asked, "You takut tak?" and of course, I said no because I was just chillin'. But I did feel a little weird. They just didn't have time to push her to the labour room. Everything was done in the Prostin room and she delivered quite fast and well.

9 March 2019, Saturday
1am - MO came to check but I said I was waiting for the specialist instead. So, she didn't check me. Oh, good... I didn't want too many doctors checking my down there too many times. Like I said, checking down there was more painful than the contractions. By then, I was already bleeding (but apparently it's normal because they keep checking).

3am - I wondered what happened to the specialist but apparently I think she was in the OT and so, an MO came to check me and I allowed it because I wanted to sleep. She checked and I still wasn't progressing. They said they'll check back in the morning but not going to insert another pill because I'm already having contractions. Contraction pain was starting to kick in but still bearable when I consciously breathe. But for the sake of having energy to push my baby out the next day, I thought I better get some good rest and so, I asked for a painkiller and slept soundly for about 3 hours. FYI, the room was pretty cold that I asked for a second blanket!

6am - nurse woke me up to check my BP. Later doctor came to check my opening again and somehow I progressed a little bit. Opening 1 cm, dilation 2 or 3cm (not sure what they wrote in the report, but from their conversation, it's like they couldn't really decide exactly). Anyway, they decided to push me to the labour room. Before that, i packed my things and a nurse served me breakfast to eat before I entered the labour room. But she didn't really give me a peaceful time to eat. She was like "quickly eat." I did and grateful that they were kind enough to serve me breakfast first. They also informed me that the doctors will have to do an artificial rupture of the membrane (ARM - water bag) before calling my hubby into the labour room. They also injected antibiotic as I was GBS positive.

8am - Labour room
Some houseman doctors was there. They started the procedure of the ARM. A junior houseman (I believe so) tried and couldn't get it. She was taking forever to get it done but still couldn't. She let a senior MO/houseman to do it and finally she managed. It took some time to get it though, probably because my cervix was still high. Was it painful? Not really. I just made sure I remained calm and relaxed and breathe so that my muscles around the area don't tense up to cause pain. After that, she also drained out my urine (about 20ml) because I was restricted from going to the toilet.

Shortly after that, my hubby came into the room. A nurse put on the drip for me (syntocinon) and was doing a CTG scan. Soon, i started feeling more intense contractions. I asked my hubby to help me with counter-pressure exercise. That helped but later the contractions got worse so, I asked for another dose of painkiller. Painkillers can only be taken 6 hours apart. While waiting for the painkiller, I started grunting in pain but hubby was there to remind me to breathe. I kept hearing my yoga teacher's advice "Always come back home (your breath)" and my another guru, T. Harv Eker "Dont lose your center". More about my pregnancy yoga here. Had no idea what time it was but hubby said painkiller arrived around 11-ish. I was quite sleepy (probably from the painkiller and lack of sleep) and started to fall asleep. I was thinking that I can just sleep until the next "big" contraction. But the nurse saw me and she said, "Jangan tido. Nanti you nak teran." I was like "OK."

<Lost track of time>
My eyes was closed most of the time now but not sleeping. Suddenly I felt quite a "big" contraction and I started pushing. I told the nurse and she said don't push yet. It's not yet time. I listened to my body and then, listened to her and did not push any further. The next big contraction, I knew it was time to push. The blogs and YouTube videos I've watched said that you will feel like a strong urge like you're gonna pass a "big" motion and that's when you should push. Didn't really know how that felt until now. So, I told the nurse I'm going to push and she quickly checked my opening and I was already 10cm. That was my first push and then the doctor said she was going to cut down there. I briefly told them not to, didn't have time to explain (my baby's head is only 8cm and if you allow the tissues down there to slowly warm up, I wouldn't tear. Even if I did, I would probably tear a 1st degree tear. That's what I train my mind and body to do). Later, my hubby told them not to do so too. He said they hesitated for awhile but perform episiotomy anyway. Damn, those doctors. Again, they seem to be very textbook.

Had my second contraction and I pushed again. By then, they already performed the episiotomy. The nurse asked me to continue pushing all the way but I was already out of air. So, I took a quick gasp of air to continue my J-breathing to push my baby out and I did it!!!! I did it with just 2 and a half push. The nurse said I knew how to push. Yup, thanks to hypnobirthing, all the bloggers and YouTubers out there who shared their experience. Also, thanks to my yoga teacher. Yoga helped me focus on my breathing as well. Done and dusted at 12.17pm. I decided that I wanted to be in the labour room for only 4 hours. I was slightly over, but pretty close.

I asked whether it was a girl or boy and they showed the baby to me instead to identify. It's girl!! She was so tiny and cute and they put her on my chest. Shortly, I delivered the placenta and stitching of the wound was going on. I just relaxed and laid there. Haha... It must have been the painkiller that made me super sleepy!

All in all, I was grateful I had quite a smooth delivery with good experience. The rest is history. It's all in my head.

Here's the takeaway:
1) Hypnobirthing works and can give you the most natural birth experience (with lesser  medical interventions).

2) Decide (months earlier) how long you want to be in the labour room (what the mind decides, it can be achieved).

3) I'll share you my mantra/affirmations that I used the last few weeks before my delivery. Continued to use these until the labour room:

"I am calm and relaxed at all stages of labour."

"Always come back home."

"Don't lose your center."

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My Bucket List

I had this bucket list in my head for a very long time. And I never really wrote it down. I didn't want to write it down on paper because once I scribble things off the list it's gonna get messy. So, I thought, let's use technology, mobile apps but I haven't really found an app that fits my liking.

Instead of procrastinating, I thought I'll just write it down here for the time being. Will keep this page updated from time to time.

Let's start!

TRAVEL

Asia
1. Revisit the Philippines
2. Holiday in Maldives
3. Visit Singapore & Universal Studios Singapore
4. A trip to Cambodia to see the old monuments (Angkor Wat, etc)
5. Visit Abu Dhabi & Dubai

Australia
1. A trip to Melbourne
2. A trip to Sydney
3. A trip to Gold Coast
4. Revisit Perth

Europe
1. Euro trip - Hell, yes! (Amsterdam, Belgium, Paris, Berlin, Madrid)
2. Visit Vatican City & Colosseum, Rome
3. Visit Budapest, Hungary
4. Visit Dublin, Ireland
5. Visit Edinburgh, Scotland
6. Visit Helsinki, Finland
7. Visit Iceland

Africa
1. Visit the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
2. Visit Ghana

North America
1. A trip to New York
2. A trip to Nashville, Tennessee
3. Visit Vancouver, Canada
4. Holiday at the Bahamas
5. Visit Mexico
6. Visit Las Vegas
7. Visit Los Angeles
8. Visit Disneyland, California
9. Visit Niagara Falls

South America
Visit Rio, Brazil
Visit Amazon River, Brazil
Visit Barcelona & Caracas, Venezuela


Other Travel Related Goals
1. Pilgrimage to Holy Land
2. Go for World Youth Day
3. Visit every continent at least once
4. Go on a cruise
5. Visit a country during winter


MUSIC
1. Be a recording artist
2. Win the Grammy's
3. Release a full album with 10 original songs
4. Release a Christmas Album
5. Meet & talk to Adam Levine
6. Go to a Westlife concert (Completed 7 October 2010)


OTHER GOALS
1. Win a reality TV show
2. Join a beauty pageant contest
3. Drive a Ferrari
4. Drive a Lamborghini
5. Re-learn to drive a manual car
6. Take dance lessons for Argentine Tango
7. Write a book
8.

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It's Been A While Now.. (Again!)

Well, well.... We always meet up like this. After a long while... Well, I'll tell you a little what's been going on since my last post here.

Since my last post, I was busy with my wedding preparations. Yes, I've gotten married! In June this year. Then, went for my honeymoon and then settle down in my new house, unpacking and stuffs like that. So, yeah... It's been pretty busy for me.

Now that I actually got time to write, hopefully I'll be writing more often now (aside than the fact that I'm also writing lyrics).

So, anyway, my next post is coming up right after this. Go check it out!

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YOUR PERSONAL DATA MAY BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE!

Hell, yes! The title says it all. And by this I don't mean that you purposely put your information online for everyone to see. Sometimes, you just have to, like on Jobstreet.com.

So, today... I found out something. Occasionally, I would simply Google my name to see where my name shows up on Google search. Usually, I would see in on a newspaper website (oh, yes, I've appeared on National newspaper before) or some other sites I know I should have.

But today, I was shocked to see my name appearing on an unfamiliar website. And I was shocked to see how it had everything. Like literally everything about me. My name, phone number, house address, national exam results, university results (proud of my results, but still these should be private & confidential!),  working experience and even my election district! All of these are private information that shouldn't be online. It maybe be possible that all my university qualifications can be found online (as I have them registered on Jobstreet.com) but it sure as hell not possible to get my election district online! My election district should only be known at the government office.

The website is known as Infowys.com. Apparently they have people & company databases in quite a number of countries and these databases are actually sold on their website!!! How creepy can this be when you think about it?? Literally your data or someone you know can have your data available online and worst still, impersonate you. The website does have a privacy policy saying that it's a data-aggregator website with bots running around all the world wide web to search and compile the data on their website but it think that is just to save their ass.

Anyway, I'll make a report to SKMM but in the mean time, I did manage to see who the website belongs to. That is if the registrant information is right.

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Malaysia - Happy Independence Day

So, the Prime Minister of Malaysia commented on the Bersih 4.0 rally saying kita nak sambut Hari Merdeka, ada pula orang nak tunjuk perasaan. Well, in my opinion, the Bersih 4.0 rally is done at just the right time, 2 days prior to Malaysia’s Independence Day. To me, the Bersih 4.0 rally coincides just nice with this year’s National Day theme “Sehati Sejiwa” (One Heart, One Soul). You can see many people, regardless of race and religion, even those in Switzerland and other parts of the world are fighting for justice and to end corruption in the country.

I don’t know about the rest of the Malaysian citizenS, but sometimes when I listen to those patriotic songs, tears fill my eyes – simple because I know many people have fought to achieve independence for Malaysia and it’s just a beautiful country. But then, as of today, it’s sad to see too much corruption, too much discrepancy.

Everyone knows that the government is not just. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be thousands of people participating in the so-called illegal Bersih rally. Well, when things get tough, we have to do the right thing to ensure that Malaysia, being our promise land is back to being a peaceful country, ruled justly and really unite as One Heart, One Soul.

May we, the citizens of Malaysia fight for a just and clean government that is not selfish or that works for self-benefit.

This is Malaysia, a beautiful and peaceful country, rich with cultures with a diversity of race and religion. May we fight to keep Malaysia as such.

#AKUANAKMALAYSIA

#SEHATISEJIWA

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, MALAYSIA

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Hotel Review: The Guest Hotel & Spa, Port Dickson

The Guest Hotel & Spa is located 15-20 minutes from PD Waterfront in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.

Being in the 3-star hotel category, it was quite a good experience when I stayed there. I booked a Twin Room (about RM 240/night – promo price) and it was quite comfortable. It was furnished with a working air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, kettle (with only 1 sachet of tea), and a cupboard. As far as my memory can remember, there were only 2 plug points (power source), which I think is sufficient.

Check out the room photos.

The Twin Bed room (ignore the folded blanket.. hehe)

The bathroom

The hotel also provided other facilities such as an indoor swimming pool (kids pool & 4.5ft pool), a steam bath, sauna and a (so-called) Jacuzzi. Oh, I forgot, a gym too. All these located at Level 1 of the hotel. It’s worth it if you could use all these facilities during your stay. For free. Cool way to de-stress.

The 4.5ft deep swimming pool

The swimming pool overlooks the main road

Sauna (the wooden door) & steam bath (glass door next to sauna)

The gym

There was also a spa, Thai Odyssey, which provided services like half & full body massage, aromatherapy massage, and of the like. Also located at Level 1, this doesn’t come for free though. You’ll have to pay base of the kind of massage you want. You can have a visit and check out the packages and prices they have to offer. You can make an appointment by just calling them from your hotel room. I didn’t try this out though.

The hotel is a little far from the city and from the beaches. So, you can’t actually see the beach from the hotel room. They do have a balcony room available, but I’m not sure if you can see any beaches even from there. The beaches are about 20 -30 minutes from the hotel. The nearest would be PD Waterfront. It’s quite a good place too.

By the way, the hotel did come with a free breakfast, 7.30am to 10.30am. Breakfast was not bad I would say. Note that the hotel is also next to Giant hypermarket. 

So, the next time if you’re heading to Port Dickson for a holiday, try to check out The Guest Hotel & Spa.

For more info, visit www.guesthotelspa.com

4704, Jalan DS 3/1,

Bandar Dataran Segar,

71010 Lukut, Port Dickson,

Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Check-in Time: 3pm (but you can call them if you need to check in earlier)

Check-out Time: 12pm

Telephone: +6 06 651 7799

Fax: +6 06 651 7886

E-mail: contact@guesthotelspa.com

Facebook: The Guest Hotel & Spa

*All information are correct at the time of this posting

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Pizza Hut's New Menu

So I went to Pizza Hut last night and was quite surprised to find that they actually had new menu (it's been awhile since I went to Pizza Hut).

I always liked Pizza Hut's baked rice. So, I decided to order that. Opened up the menu and found out that they have a new kind of baked rice.

Flaming Prawn Rice (RM 12.70) - Flavoured  rice in Arrabiatta sauce, topped with juicy prawns, crabsticks and mozzarella cheese. This is what I got:

Looked good with chili flakes. But guess what? Notice the oil on the spoon i scooped out? There was even more of it. Looking at that much of oil, I didn't feel like even eating it! The taste was so-so due to the oil.


I also ordered an appetizer. Mushroom Chicken Treasure (RM 4.90)- Crisp tortilla shells filled with chicken, mushrooms, onion, and tomato salsa!

Well, there were 3 pieces of it. I decided to eat one piece first before writing about it. This was really good! Forget the side salad because it wasn't fresh at all! But the tortilla was really good. Eat it immediately when served. Otherwise, you wouldn't feel the crisp. This was quite good. A good choice to snack on.

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The Dentist @ USJ 9, Subang Jaya

It was about time for me to go for scaling after about a year from my last dental check up. As I was quite new to the Subang area, I asked my colleague if when knew and would recommend any good dentist around the corner. She took out a card from her purse and passed it to me. It happened to be a dentist which she visited the last time.

It's called "The Dentist". I thought the clinic name itself sounded cool. My colleague did mention that the dentist she met previously, Dr. Siti Marini was a good dentist and was quite gentle too. Visiting the dentist always scares me. So, I always look for those gentle dentists.

I called up the clinic to make an appointment at 8.30pm. However, the receptionist said that Dr. Siti Marini was not in for the day and Dr. Bala was available. I was a little afraid since this wasn't the dentist my colleague recommended. But I set the appointment anyway.

After dinner, I headed over to The Dentist located at USJ 9. I had to wait awhile but it was ok. The receptionist even asked if I wanted something to drink (eg: green tea). Well, I just had plain water while I waited at the waiting area. They were playing Mind Your Language on the tv, so I had quite a good laugh as I waited.

Just so you know, the waiting area is so nice - it literally looks like you're in a 4 star hotel lobby (not that big though but good setting). It was all so purple-ish and relaxing. Good vibes. It was quite cold though after some time, so, you might want to bring a jacket the next time you visit The Dentist.

Anyway, after I was called in, I met Dr. Bala. He was such a nice dentist and was very much patient and gentle too. I had my wisdom tooth, which wasn't causing much of a problem other than some slight pain I used to feel occasionally. He easily explained to me the condition of my teeth. My scaling was done so nicely at the slightest feel of pain!

If I ever had to go back for whatever reason, I would definitely go back to The Dentist (considering if I'm still staying around the area... LOL!). I believe Dr. Siti Marini would be as good as well. Apparently, as of this writing, they only have these two dentists. I would very much likely recommend The Dentist to whoever who needs to see the dentist. On a normal price, scaling & polishing would only cost RM120 (as of 21 April 2015). But there was a promotion, so I actually got it for RM80 =)

For more info, visit www.thedentist.com.my

Klinik Pergigian The Dentist @ QHC (above Bank Simpanan Nasional)

1st Floor, No. 6-2,

Jalan USJ 9/5R

47620 UEP Subang Jaya

Opens Monday - Sunday, 8.30am - 9.30pm

Tel: 03 - 8021 7747 / 03 - 8022 1748

Fax: 03 - 8022 1749

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Valentine's Day @STG Tea House, Ipoh

 My fiancé took me out on Valentine’s Day to a nice fine dining place in Ipoh, known as STG Tea House. Located at Taman Kinta, the place looked so beautiful even from the outside. Looking at the English architecture,  I bet it was previously a house turned into a dining place. They had outdoor and indoor seating. We took the indoor seating at Level 1.

As it was Valentine’s Day, apparently they only served the Valentine’s Day set. Menu looked good!

We started with the Seared Scallop with Mango Salsa & Oyster Rockefeller with Beetroot Puree as an appetizer. The oyster is one of the best I've tasted so far. Nicely cooked and not yucky! Of course, they served us drinks before that.

Once we finished the appetizer, our plates were removed and we waited for the next food which came in about 10-15 minutes later. Cauliflower & Cheese Soup with Herb Garlic Croutons were next. The soup was thick and creamy. Was definitely filling! It took us some time to finish that.

Again, once finished, they removed the soup bowl but this time we had to wait for quite some time. The main course was only served after about 30 minutes or so. Probably a strategy since the soup was quite a heavy one. But we were anxiously waiting for the main course.

There you go – the main course; Mint-Crusted Lamb Rack, Pepper Duck-Breast (or should I say slices of pepper duck-breast because there were only 3 slices of it!) & King Prawn Spaghetti, all in one plate! The portion looked small (I expected bigger!) but turned out to be just nice! The lamb was tender and juicy! Loved it!

As we were about to finish, we were served with dessert, the Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis.

It was quite bland. I had to add a little brown sugar to it to give it some taste. LOL!

All in all, it was a good meal, good vibe and nice lighting, regardless of the price! Yup, as you can see on the menu, it’s written RM108/pax. Per pax can mean “per person” or “persons”. For a Valentine’s Day meal, per pax should mean per couple. Rarely does anyone go alone to a fine dining place on Valentine’s Day. Anyways, RM108 was actually per person. The “per pax” thingy shouldn’t have confused the customers. Plus tax, you could roughly guess how much the bill was. $$$$$

But once in awhile, it’s good to treat yourself to some fine dining places like this.

For more info, visit www.stgtea.com

STG Tea House Café

2, Jalan Taman Kinta,

Taman Chateau,

30250 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Opens daily, 11am – 11pm

Tel.: 05 – 2550188 (may call for reservation)

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Pulse Soundworks – The New Pulse in the Music Industry

Pulse Soundworks, founded in 2010 by Madan “Psytrus” Theertha Pathy made its first public appearance on January 22, 2015 at Heli Lounge Bar as a record label. Located in SS18, Subang Jaya, Pulse Soundworks also functions as a distribution label that looks forward to providing a user-friendly distribution service.

Personally working with Madan on my debut single, Me and My Guitar (and definitely more in the future), I strongly believe that the passionate music-makers behind the Pulse Soundworks label will be creating new and better experiences for artists in the music industry. I remember Madan mentioning to me that they provide management, artist development and marketing services to ensure that “artists do what they do best without worrying about all the other administrative tasks.” The team has good knowledge in what they are doing and they are always giving their best to produce high audio quality and services.

Pulse Soundworks currently has 5 artists who have collaborated with them namely Armon, Psytrus, Alex Chandran, HardCandy and Notyra.

The best is yet to come for Pulse Soundworks. Being the new pulse in the music industry, we wish them a successful journey ahead. #PulseIt

For more info, please visit:

Official website: http://www.pulsesoundworks.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pulsesoundworks

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How I Discovered Pulse Soundworks

I totally remember how I discovered Pulse Soundworks.

The moment I got a job in Subang, I gave myself a little time to settle down and on one hot, sunny Saturday afternoon in September 2014, I remember how I was looking for a recording studio in SS15 and at the same time discovering the new place. I walked almost the entire SS15, searching for a recording studio which my friend recommended – just to find out it closed down.

To not disappoint myself, I thought to myself, “You know what, let’s see if any of the music stores here could suggest any good recording studios nearby.” I did just that, walking almost from one end to another in SS15. And I had some people suggesting to me another 2 more recording studios in SS15, of which I found out to be closed down as well. One of the recording studio (somewhere opposite INTI College) looked empty even though the sign board was still there. Totally forgot the name of the studio but there was a contact number. So, I called the number to ask and the guy said they are temporarily closed down due to “kompressor kena curi” (translation: compressor was stolen). Not sure if it’s up and running now.

So, I kinda almost gave up at this time. Seriously, it was freaking hot that day. But I still gave it a shot to visit some of the last music stores before leaving. And there I was, in one of the guitar stores (forgot the name – forgive me, my memory can be bad at times), and I just asked. Arnold was his name and he suggested, “There’s one in SS18, you can call the guy. He’s good.” So, I took the number, thanked him and later called the “guy”. Madan was his name.

I left SS15 right after that. I was tired. Though I only had one contact in 2 hours, I trusted Arnold’s words, “he’s good.” I called Madan and made an appointment that very night. Upon entering Pulse Soundworks studio that night, it was kinda creepy – a scribbled looking door, no sign board that it was actually Pulse Soundworks (until I entered the recording room). I was like, “Really? A recording studio?” Less did I know that Pulse Soundworks had big realistic dreams in the music industry.

But after meeting and talking to Madan in his studio, there was a very positive energy. I could just feel it. (Or was it the couch I was sitting on? The couch is to die for!!! It’s freaking comfy!) Madan was nice. He knew his stuff. And everything else, began from there. After about 2 weeks, we came to an agreement and things just fell into place until the final masterpiece of Me and My Guitar was produced.

Music Download:

iTunes: http://bit.ly/16jJlzp

Loudr: http://bit.ly/18GKB0n

Amazon: http://amzn.to/16jJ3IM (not available in Malaysia for download)

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1zdch6B (not available in Malaysia for download)


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Holy Thursday - Adoration Prayer

Adoration is a moment of silence to experience and be with God.

As of Holy Thursday this year, 17 March 2014, I was sitting in silence during adoration and a silent prayer spontaneously was said somewhere in my heart. I felt like it was a really good prayer and so, I thought that I might share it with the world. It was in Malay but it'll try my best to translate it to the English version.

Malay (original prayer):

Ya Tuhan, aku hambaMu yang sungguh berdosa. Kasihanilah aku dan bawalah aku mengikut jalan suciMu agar perjalanan suciku itu akan menempatkanku di dalam kerajaanMu di syurga.

English translation:

Oh, my God, I am your sinful servant. Have mercy on me and bring me to follow Your path of holiness so that by following Your holiness I will have a place in Your kingdom in heaven.

I think it's a great prayer and you can say it anytime, anywhere.
God bless you.

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Taking Off in Life

In my opinion, the best part of a flight is the take-off. So it is with your life. ~Cynthia Pinga, 2014~

I just love it when the plane takes off. I think it's so cool... And when I'm up in the air, it's like "Woo-hoo!!! I'm off the ground, finally!" But before being off the ground, it does not mean that it will be a smooth take-off. It could be a rough one. Some people even feel so scared due to the drastic acceleration for take-off. But once you're up in the air, you just feel so nice. It's like you entered a different  dimension.

Well. like it or not, this may be the case for your life as well. Many of us want to achieve success, we want our lives to take off, we want to be in the sky. But often, we are not ready for a drastic change, an increasing momentum. No one said being in the sky is easy. You'll have to be ready with what that comes with it.

So, if you want your life to be flying high, don't expect a smooth take-off. Once you take-off and reach your destination, that would be your best life ever. But remember, you must be ready with whatever that you have to face for you to take-off.

All the best!

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Free Courses Online

There are many free online courses. Over the internet it is largely known as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). Some provide certificate and some don’t. But what’s interesting is, with MOOC you not only get to learn these courses blindly. It is structured with a proper syllabus offered by the institute that is providing it. Courses usually have a duration of 6 to 12 weeks.

Moreover, these free online courses can not only add up on your resume/CV in your field but in fact, it is an opportunity for you to grab as it can actually provide you with other skills outside whatever field you majored in college. Perhaps you could do a course while waiting to get into college or when you’re on the hunt for jobs. There are many universities and colleges who have partnered with MOOCs websites including Harvard University, MIT, Berklee College of Music, Yale University, Brown University and many other major institutes. The courses offered are non-credit courses.

Some of the major MOOC websites are as follows:

• Coursera.org (my favorite one as of now)
• edX.org
• Open2Study.com (based in Australia)
• Udacity
• …and many more of which you can Google.

The Future of MOOC

In my opinion, MOOC might be something that almost everyone will do in the next few years especially in this digital world where every single thing seems to have its own place online. Taking a course in any of these MOOC websites might seem irrelevant to be shown on your CV now. People or employers might take it for granted, but in the future, this will probably be a trend as more people are competing for jobs. The more skills you have outside your field, (sometimes) the higher chance you can get employed.

Besides employment, people of many ages take these courses. For example, perhaps a person at the age of 50 wanted to do something new in his life, MOOC will be one of the best way to kill some time. MOOC will continue to expand and later on, perhaps these courses might be a transferable credit course to the respective institutes.

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PAPA JOHN'S FREE PIZZA (Almost Free)

Get Papa John's Pizza (Hawaiian Papa) for RM 1 NOW before promotion ends!
Valid at all 26 outlets in Malaysia.

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Adventure Sports in Malaysia

Adventure sports often appeal to those who love the adrenaline rush. Some take it as a hobby for the love and pleasure of it while others take it as a career opportunity. There is no doubt that this kind of sport is dangerous. However, the degree of danger in adventure sports may vary depending on the difficulty of stunts, geographical factors and the sport itself. Despite the dangers of adventure sports, many championships have been held throughout the world.

In Malaysia:

• Paintball

Paintball has become one of the most popular adventure sports especially when it comes to hanging out with friends.

Photo Source: http://mstar.com.my

People of various ages tend to engage in this sport for leisure. Competitions have been held at national levels and state levels, usually organised by the Malaysian National Paintball League (MY- NPL). Paintball centres in Malaysia are usually open to public throughout the year. However, early bookings have to be made.

• Bungee Jump

Discover Sunway Lagoon’s Extreme Park (in Selangor) which offers Malaysia’s first bungee jump in the country. Feel the rush when you free fall from 22 meters above the water.

Photo source: TimeOutKL

• 4WD

For those who may love the jungle with some dirt, experience the 4WD off-road driving in the terrain of Malaysia at Endau Rompin National Park, Kenyir Lake, Taman Negara and Kuala Kubu Baru. Off-road driving is a year round activity but if you prefer a less muddy experience, the best time would be between the months of March to October.

• Whitewater Rafting

The difficulty of the Pedas and Slim Rivers is graded as Grade 3 (difficult) while the Selangor River is graded as Grade 4 (very difficult). The Kampar River which has 14 rapids, range between Grade 1 (easy) to Grade 3 (difficult).

Photo Source: Oxbold.com

• Kitesurfing

Tioman, Balok, Tanjung Resang, Gorek Bay and Cerating are perfect sites between the months of December to March with winds up to 20 knots.

Photo Source: http://www.explorer-asia.com

There are a lot more of adventure sports such as scuba diving, windsurfing, rock climbing and paragliding available in Malaysia. Oxbold, for instance, with its mission to “develop and make extreme sports available, affordable at anytime, anywhere in Malaysia” offers a variety of adventure sports ranging from rock climbing to a one-day pilot aircraft experience. Lessons such as car drifting, stand up paddling and windsurfing are also offered by Oxbold. The complete list of activities with their prices is available at Oxbold.com.

In conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014, events such as the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) Asian Paragliding Accuracy Championship, World Paintball Players League, Asian Circuit Wave Surfing and Pahang River Rafting Explorer will be held in Malaysia. Also, feel the spike of adrenaline at the KL Tower International Jump Malaysia 2014 which will be held towards the end of September 2014. For more information on where and when you can experience a great time of adventure sports during the Visit Malaysia Year 2014, please logon to http://www.vmy2014.com.

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Gospel Sermon: 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Today's sermon was a good one (Gospel Reading, Matt. 5:13-16). So, I decided to write a summary of it. It made me realize that a lot of us do not know what we are capable of in being a messenger of God. So, I'll basically summarize the sermon here.

Generally, salt has two functions - as flavour & to preserve. The Bible does not say that "you are like salt." Matt. 5:13 clearly says "You are the salt of the earth..." Hence, us being Christians, we are supposed to spread out and add the "flavour of Christ" to our community so that others may know Christ. Also, in the current world with all bad things happening here and there, we as "salt" should preserve the good things and the good news before it vanish with the worldly things. 

Matt. 5:14 says, "You are the light of the world." With technology advancing in our world today, we do not depend on sunlight that much. At night we have lights to bright up the place. But what if one day, there's no electricity? Then in darkness, light, the source of light becomes very important. There's a lot of people in this world who still live in darkness. As Christians, we have to be the source of light to people so that those who are in darkness may see their light at the end of the tunnel. We never know if even being the dimmest light, could help a person in need in many ways. Matt. 5:16, "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." 

So, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be salt of the earth and light of the world. Amen!

God bless you all.

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How to Create A Static Homepage on Blogger

I'm not from a computer science background, so, everytime I change my blog template and tweak here and there, play around with HTML and CSS, I always learn something new. Today, I'd like to share with you something I just learned.

Blogger does not have a built-in static homepage feature like how some other platforms have. However, it is not  impossible to create a static homepage on Blogger. So I did my research and found out, which to me is the simplest way to create a static page on Blogger.

So, find out how you can create a static homepage. Remember to disable the comments feature on your homepage (because you probably do not want any comments on your homepage, unless otherwise). To disable the comments, go to Pages and select Edit on your Homepage. (Click image to enlarge)

And you're good to go! Have fun!

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