Happy Feet

There was a pigeon in the office. Stuck in the wall behind Jeff. Sometimes it was in the ceiling. It had happy feet. I could hear it tap-tap-tapping away back and forth. So much so that dirt started falling onto my desk once.

There's no more tap-tap-tapping. There's a funny smell in the reception area.

A Prosperous New Year?

Every day when I finish my lunch, I add a little liquid from my drink to my plate. It's supposed to bring me properity, according to Malays. So when Hannu told me that MacDonald's has a Prosperity Burger out for Chinese New Year, I just had to try it! Even though Mackers almost never actually tastes good (McFlurries and Apple Pies are yum) and is definitely never healthy! Check out the range of 'prosperity' goodies available here

Update

Why am I in Malaysia? Taxi drivers usually ask if it's because:
-I'm studying here?
-My parents are working here?
-My husband is working here? (!)
-For 'Visit Malaysia Year'? (2007, in line with the 50th Anniversary of Independence)
For some reason, they rarely guess that I work here!

Australia:
My first ever 'holiday' in Australia was a great one, if short! Christmas is a great time to be back - everyone living in Melbs and the country was back and almost all of my cousins were in Adelaide too! And it was so nice just to visit - not to have left my life here in KL behind completely. That was always the hardest part about coming back to Adelaide before, being homesick for the place and people that I'd just left.

House:
Julie has left - sniff! But Stephen has joined us from The Netherlands - yes another Dutchie! My Christmas tree looks rather miserable, it's been on the balcony for a few days now, but I think it's maybe a little late for that. So sad! Never mind, we still have 2 healthy plants :)

Rain:
It seems that the rainy season is passing... there are quite a few days when I hear no thunder, and I don't bother to take my umbrella when I go out for lunch. It still rains most evenings, but sometimes just a little, and often later on. This is really, really great. It means that the chance of getting drenched on the way home from work are much, much less! :) ALTHOUGH Benny told me that Malaysia suffers from water shortages sometimes. I was shocked. I have seen more rainfall in the past couple of months than I have in the previous 5 years I think! And I mean serious, drenching, threatening-to-wash-your-shoes-away kind of rain!

Malaysians love a bargain:
If it's free, or comes with something free, or you can get a discount, then Malaysians just can't help themselves. And I think it might be contagious. I considered what I'd bought at the supermarket, only a few items. But this included 3 packets of pasta when 1 would have been plenty (buy 3 get a free bowl) and a jar of simmer sauce when I usually just use soy sauce and oyster sauce (buy 1 get 1 free). I just see those handwritten bonus signs, and I get so excited! :)

2007!!

Happy New Year! Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy and inspiring 2007 :)

At the beginning of 2006 I was sitting alone on a grey and very peaceful beach wondering where in the world the year would take me, finding it almost impossible to imagine what my life might be like one year later, but trying nonetheless to work out what I needed to do in order to get there. I can't say that this NY was as meditative, but I feel as though being here in KL I'm constantly questioning what I really want and how I might get it. I think it's a good frame of mind to be in. Even if I don't know exactly where I'm going, it's not the point.

I must admit, I'm not really sure about the concept of New Year being celebrated in Malaysia at the beginning of January. Chinese New Year is in February. Indians celebrate it at Deepavali in October. Malays celebrate it a month or so after Hari Raya, which this year makes it a November celebration. So, who is really celebrating New Year on Dec 31st/Jan 1st? Oh well, any excuse for a party I guess! :)

I tend to think that New Year parties are a bit over-rated, but New Years in KL is not an every-year occurence for me and I missed Christmas here, so I joined the party in the lobby at the Mandarin Oriental hotel. Someone knows someone so we got in for free - yay! The party bags were cool - tiara, neck lay, trumpet, clapping hands, and streamers. The drink prices were - well - its an expensive hotel and it was NYE! But it didn't matter, the finger food was great, the DJ was good, the staff were lovely, and the atmosphere wasn't bad at all. We went up to the 'balcony' (gorgeous terrace with pool, candles and flowers on all of the tables, grassed areas, palm trees with lights etc) to watch the fireworks over KLCC park - a perfect view- the hotel is next to the KLCC towers! It wasn't as crowded as I had expected based on what people had said about last year, probably because the Islamic holy day of Hari Raya Aidiladha meant that there weren't official countdown parties and most of the Malays (ethnic Malays as opposed to ethinic Chinese or Indians) were staying in rather than out partying. Afterwards a few of us went back to Irene's place for a quiet drink. Ahhh couches, beers, roti channai and friends in the early hours of the morning, gotta love it.

As for new year resolutions... it's a tough call, really. There is SO much I want to do in 2007!!! I guess the priorities are:

• Get fit again and lose my KL roundness (already signed up for the gym - yay!)
• Get more in touch with my 'artistic' side (anyone have ideas on how I can get myself into a play? a choir?)
• Get back into languages (Pimsleur Mandarin course CDs and Japanese websites and movies!)

PLUS I need to make some decisions about what I will do next... there's SO many options that are exciting for me, it's hard to choose! Lucky me :)