Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Going last-minute Shopping before GST kicks in tomorrow?

Oh dear, Barbie and Ken are also affected by GST. From the last list of MSN's Top 17 things to buy before GST implementation, MSN has added four more, Barbie and Ken included.



The other three items are:

Umbrellas


Ointments and Most Medicines, and yes, Mopiko too..

and Instant noodles - That go-to staple food for convenience and/or difficult times has not been spared from GST.


GST implementation in Malaysia kicks in tomorrow, April 1st. At 6%, it has been reported it is the lowest GST rate in the region, others being 7% and above.

I was told this morning that petrol price will go up tomorrow too, by another 10sen or so.


Image source: MSN

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Farewell Mr Lee Kuan Yew

Even the skies in Singapore are shedding tears for Mr Lee Kuan Yew's farewell. Mr Lee Kuan Yew aged 91, passed away on March 23 at 3.18am.
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Mr Lee's coffin will leave Parliament House, where he has been lying in state since March 25, at 12.30pm today.
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A gun carriage will convey it to University Cultural Centre at the National University of Singapore by 1.40pm, where the funeral service will take place from 2pm till 5.15pm.
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His body will then be taken to Mandai Crematorium for a private cremation.
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From the LIVE BLOG..
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11:32

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11:06 Live update from Jonathan Wong @ the Padang

Starting to rain very heavily.
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11:04 View of people already gathering in front of the National Gallery
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10:46 Four howitzers set up at Padang for 21-gun salute

A 21-gun salute will be fired from four ceremonial howitzers on the Padang in honour of Mr Lee Kuan Yew when the Funeral Procession starts.
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10:10 Weather report
Koh Xinghui @ Parliament House: Crowd opens umbrellas as a drizzle starts outside Parliament House.
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08:15 Today is the last day of National Mourning for the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew
. . For updates follow the Live Blog.
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Friday, March 27, 2015

Friday Frolics - How Weird Are You?

This week's quiz says I am 60% Weird - and you better believe it! Woot!

Take the quiz for its interesting and a little thought-provoking questionnaire, if nothing else.

Happy weird (in a good way) Friday, Everyone!
Beautiful weather here in KL, that is if you like sunshine..




You Are 60% Weird

You're so weird, you think you're *totally* normal. Right?

But you wig out even the biggest of circus freaks!

Last Week's Quiz: What Pasta Dish Are You?


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Inspiration: Guest Rooms with 2 Twin Beds

Planning a guest room or looking out for ideas to redecorate your guest room? Below are some great options.

Inspiration: Guest Rooms with 2 Twin Beds
By Jane Blanchard

A guest room can be a great opportunity to let your creativity shine through. In thinking about what might be most comfortable for your future guests, allow us to suggest using twin beds. Twin beds are a versatile choice: couples can push them together if they wish, but single guests will be relieved not to have to share. Best of all, designing with them is just plain fun. See what we mean below.

Create an Oasis

via Zillow Digs

Even if you don't live at the beach, you can still create a vacationland feel in a guest bedroom. We love the sky-and-ocean color scheme here, and the natural materials in the headboards, blinds and ceiling fan recreate the feel of a rustic, seaside resort.


Keep It Simple

via Houzz

Create a restful space with easy blocks of color. This style doesn't require a major paint job or fancy furniture; instead, the effect is all in the textiles. This is a great opportunity to experiment with color combinations you might not normally consider!


Awash in Color

via Houzz

If you're really in love with a strong color, forget the fabric accents and go for the walls. This tutti-frutti combination of raspberry and orange sorbet shades somehow manages to be completely sophisticated. We love the patterns on the beds and just can't help feeling like this room was designed by a grown-up Marcia Brady.


Traditional Bed Frames

via Houzz

Nothing says guest bedroom like a metal bed frame. We don't know why that is, but we love the look. Paired with some gorgeous pillows, luggage stands, and a luxe, shallow dresser, guests will feel as if they've stepped into a posh B&B.


Awkward Spaces Solved

via Zillow

Chance are good that your spare bedroom is the one that no one wanted to take on permanently because of its size or some difficult-to-furnish feature. Twin beds can be creatively tucked into little nooks, and you can also spread them apart to maximize floorspace for other activities when guests aren't visiting.


Ingenious Murphy Beds

via Houzz

Speaking of awkward spaces, what if you don't have a spare bedroom at all? The solution just might be a pair of Murphy beds built into your home office. We love that these are part of a larger storage system so that your books and treasures need not be moved every time you have overnight visitors.


Comfortably Close

via Houzz

You know, there's no rule that says you have to put a nightstand or rug between those twin beds. If you're tight on space, you can place the beds close to each other, but not touching. Your single guests will appreciate this small separation just as much as a room's width. We love how the ultra-plush bed linens make this arrangement feel like a luxurious design choice instead of a small-space necessity.


For more home inspiration go to Modernize.com.

Monday, March 23, 2015

R.I.P Mr Lee Kuan Yew - 1923 to 2015

Mr Lee Kuan Yew was the longest-serving Prime Minister in the world. He made Singapore prosperous, modern, efficient and practically corruption-free - and overseas investors flocked in.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew aged 91, passed away this morning at 3.18am.


PM Lee Hsien Loong 'grieved beyond words' at Mr Lee Kuan Yew's death

PM Lee declares 7-day period of national mourning to mark Mr Lee Kuan Yew's death

Video: How Mr Lee Kuan Yew led Singapore to independence

Live Blog
The body of the late Mr Lee will lie in state at Parliament House from 25 March 2015 to 28 March 2015, for the public to pay their respects.




According to the Statement from the Prime Minister's (PMO),

The public can address their condolences and share their memories of the late Mr Lee at the official website: http://www.rememberingleekuanyew.sg

Source: The Straits Times


Mr Lee Kuan Yew's message to his children:

"For reasons of sentiment, I would like part of my ashes to be mixed up with Mama's, and both her ashes and mine put side by side in the columbarium. We were joined in life and I would like our ashes to be joined after this life."
- The Star

Sunday, March 22, 2015

When GST kicks in on April 1st..

Anyone of you gone over the list of things that may affect your life when GST kicks in in less than a month just as we speak? Yep, April 1st is fast approaching.

Stumbled upon MSN's Top 17 things to buy before GST implementation and was I shocked at the most unlikely items (at least I thought) that would go under the new Goods and Services Tax.

MSN says, According to the Customs Department, there is a list of items that would be taxed higher once GST kicks in on 1st April.


Let me give you a rundown..

1. Handphones top the list.

2. Ice-cream. You read right. Store them tubs!

3. Fishbals (? - beats me).

4. Canned sardines and tuna. (This I would have to stock up.)

5. Computer. (Buy one and save it as a Christmas/birthday present?)

6. Cheese.

7. Tablets and Ipad.

8. Motorcycle, 110CC.

9. Oats and cereal. (Looks like staying healthy will come with a higher price from April 1st.)

10. Lipsticks. (Psst, don't waste it on writing hate messages.)

11. Watches. (If you've been eyeing that watch, grab it now.)

12. Digital photo printing. (If you have been printing photos, you'd have to pay more from April.)

13. Drinking water (bottled).

14. Nail polish.

15. Photocopy machine. (Something for your employer to tackle.)

16. Chili sauce, Oyster sauce, etc. (Don't know why but Nando's comes to mind.)

17. Magazines. (Subscriptions to foreign mags are really affordable.)


And we are talking about an initial 6%.



Friday, March 20, 2015

Friday Frolics - What Pasta Dish Are You?

Hah! It's Friday again - makes me kind of guilty that I have been neglecting my blog and you, my dear readers. But hey, at least I get a post up on Fridays, right? Right?

This week's personality quiz is about food, glorious food. I picked today's quiz for the number of categories I saw at the end of it. You could be one of these:

You Are Spaghetti Bolognese
You Are Lasagna
You Are Pasta Primavera
You Are Spaghetti Marinara
You Are Fettuccine Alfredo
You Are Macaroni and Cheese
You Are Spaghetti with Pesto
You Are Cheese Ravioli
You are Spaghetti with Meatballs
You Are Pasta Puttanesca.

See? How fun we all are with such a mix of personalities. Well take the quiz to find out a wee bit more about yourself.

You have a lovely day and an equally lovely weekend ahead.

Kuala Lumpur is pretty hazy today and I hear thunder in the distance which is a good sign for some much-needed rainfall. Hope you are getting better weather conditions wherever you are.

And now, the quiz..



You Are Cheese Ravioli

Compared to most people, you are incredibly laid back and fun.

You love loud, crowded dinner tables and cooking with a crowd.

For you, a meal is more about the overall experience than the actual food.

You enjoy fun foods. You love theme dinners and funky appetizers.

Last quiz The Happy Pattern Test

Friday, March 13, 2015

Friday Frolics - The Happy Pattern Test

Happy Friday, everyone!

And if you are in Kuala Lumpur this weekend and would like to experience something different, head on over to the 7th Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2015.

Back to Friday frolicking..



Doing Your Own Thing Makes You Happy

You can't help but think outside the box. As far as you're concerned, you don't even know where the box is.

You have a delightful and colorful inner world. People would be stunned if they could see inside your head.



You get a lot of laughter out of life, and others are surprised by how easy it is to make you happy.

You have no desire to lead or follow. You prefer to not be a part of the crowd.

Last Week's Quiz: The House Test

Friday, March 6, 2015

Two Chinese New Year taboos

Well, Chinese New Year is over. Yesterday was the last of the 15-day celebration. You are still not back at work? Well, lucky you! Trust you had fun this year.

I don't know whether it's just the Chinese who are superstitious but I can think of two taboos that at least some of us pay attention to during the Chinese New Year period - the 15 days. We are not supposed to cut our hair until after the 15 days, and we don't buy footwear during this time too. You didn't know that? Now you do but of course some of us don't care.

I was contemplating on making a purchase of a shoe-rack but thought I should wait until after Chinese New Year. Yeah, best to steer clear of buying anything relating to footwear lest the year should turn out a little too bumpy for comfort.

By the way, if you are looking to remodel your home or make some changes, here's a site you may want to check out for some great stuff and lots of ideas. Bookmark ovisonline.com, who knows..

Hope today will start you off on a wonderful new lunar year ahead!

Friday Frolics - The House Test

Interesting personality quiz this one.



What the House Test Says About You

You are happy with who you are, and you don't have an inflated sense of self importance. You do your own thing quietly. You don't take up a lot of space.



You aren't against being community oriented, but it's not really your thing. You tend to prefer to focus on your family and not the neighborhood around you.



You are a social, friendly, and giving person. You like to bring people together and make them feel happy.



You take good care of your physical appearance. You dress well, stay in shape, and do your best to look great.



You are moved by the most simple of things. You can find pleasure from a small, perfect moment.



The last Friday Frolics personality quiz..The Modern Chair Test