Thursday, June 28, 2007

"Supper RO Water" -To Beyond and Infinity

Heard of RO water…sound familiar…holly water perhaps…No its wonder water! All clean and ready to drink.

RO stands for Reverse Osmosis, separation process that uses pressure to force a solvent through a membrane that retains the solute on one side and allows the pure solvent to pass to the other side. In other word, its proses of water prurification (log on to http://www.en.wikipedia.com/, type RO water for further information).

Despite our dear Uncle Sam assuring that our water is clean, almost everyone knows that its lie. Pa tried fixing up a filter once, but it couldn’t be fixed. Hence, gave it to my uncle. We didn’t bother fixing up another one till Pa’s friend came to the house last weekend to introduce RO water.


He popped out the first golden question, “How clean is your water” and I confidently replied, “Its dirty”. He smiled. To show that our water was indeed dirty, he did some experiment. Yippy. I sure loved chemistry during high school, so waited eagerly for him to start.

First he asked us to fill up 3 glasses with water, tab, boiling and mineral water. He arranged it neatly on the table along with another glass filled with RO water. He then dipped the ph reader in each glass. The results:

Tab - 4
Boiling water - 8 (yah, double!)
Mineral water - 14 (phew!)
RO water - 0


He then pulled out 4 little rods, fixed it up in an electric conductor devise and dipped it in all four glasses, two at a time. As the current was flowing into the water, the water heated up and voila, in split second a thick layer substance emerged on the surface of the water. The results:

Tab water - Rustic and indescribable color
Boiling water - Less rustic but had green substance
Mineral - No dirt but all green, looked little like moss
RO water - Crystal clear


He then popped out the next golden question, “Do you tend to drink boiled water in future?” It sounded like god popping out these intelligent questions. Need not say more, Pa quickly asked Akka to fill up the form and handed the credit card. Water is not free, but clean water cost even more!



Yesterday, the agent came to install the water dispenser. We are now officially the RO water members. We only drink, eat and think nothing but RO water. Hopefully, we don’t get too infatuated with RO water and carry it along when we are out of the house…..like I did today to work. Sigh! However, water is water. It’s colorless and tasteless, yet good for our body. So drink good water, make sure it’s filtered and make sure its RO..to beyond and infinity… ;)

New kid on the Block-Rusty's Rivalry

Rusty was center of attraction to all for more then five years.
Now there is a new kid on the block......
Name: Doggie D a.ka. DD
Location: Puchong
Breed: Shitzu:
Age: 5 months
Size: 10/11 inch long
Body: 10 inch
Leg: 2/3 inch
Colour: Mix of brown,black & white
Language: English ...may be Chinese (high tendency to go to kitchen balcony to listen to neighbour talking in Chinese)

Thursday, June 21, 2007

From Brickfield to Small Town Balakong


Some one commented on my small town Balakong. It brought back memories. It got me thinking about the time when I actually hated Balakong. The year I was born was they year my grandfather retired. Upon retirement, he bought a house in SS5, where I spend my first phase of childhood. The next 17 years of my life was in Brickfield; a row of little houses that was built during the British colonization. Known as the 100 quarters by all but, heaven for just the four of us. The house not only gave major impact in our life but to anyone that had known us in that period of time. Despite being known as the “it” place by the police, never a day in our 17 years have we encountered bizarre incident happening there. It was so safe were able to go 7-11 or other eateries at 12 midnight without any trouble.

We always knew Brickfield house would never be our permanent resident. The movement appa says god bye to his job, its good bye to the house as well. But we choose to live in denial, till one day the Government of Malaysia gave us the notice to move out of the quarters, for future development of Bickfield along with KL Sentral. Hence, appa quickly searched for a house far, far away from the city, friends and relatives. This place was known as Balakong. But to akka, ma and me, it was twilight zone. But lucky us, when the 1997 financial crisis hit, the project were cancelled and we ended up spending another couples of years in Brickfield. That gave us time to adapt to our so call “vacation house”. However, when our house got robbed twice, appa was very determined to move. Moreover, Brickfield was changing and was getting too crowded specially with occupants from India. The persona that Brickfield once had when we first arrived was no longer there. The moment we all had that funny feeling, the decision was made to move, for good.

Nevertheless, Balakong was never our cup of tea. Akka and I hated that place- the long stretchy forever road with holes, useless 7-8 traffic lights, a river and bridge to cross just to get to our taman. Sigh! It worst then the old klang road strech. We had mines but most of the time ended up going to dirty supermarket (so used to calling by that name I actually forgotten the real name) to buy stuff, as we have to rely on pa to drive us around. The rule was, if the car stops at Cheras Jaya, then it remain there till we depart. It was never soin Brickfield. Since neither akka nor me was capable of driving then, we hardly know how the town was and hated it more. The only good thing about the house was convenience for pa to fetch akka from upm every Friday night.

But as time pass by, as I returned from Penang and akka finally got her car, we slowly moved to Balakong. Life was much more easier when I got job in Putrajaya. It was bye bye Brickfield and hello Balakong. By that time, the new road was completed; the other side of Balakong was seen. to my suprise, there are more banks in Balakong compare to Brickfield, more hypermarket and so on. Everything was just 5-10 minutes drive away. We soon realize that despite the horrible name, the town had everything a person need, a complete town in the district of Kajang.


However, this small town was lacking of one thing. To akka and me we endure our younger days with main 4 shop in Brickfield: Sri Pandi (Indian restaurant), Sri Kota (grocery shop), Bintang (a book shop that has been close down for sometime) and 7 -11. A trip to shop will never be complete without a trip to 7-11…strange but true. Finally last year, a 7-11 was opened in Balakong town and couple of months later was Jaya Jusco shopping complex. It has completed our little town of Balakong and we are happy to stay here. However, my retired pa sometimes has this funny idea of moving elsewhere. But me and akka, we fight for our house as we did for Brickfield, along time ago. Today we don’t called it as Balakong house but home.

Confession of one lunatic to another-Dear verbatim

Hmm…I realized talking about PTD was rather sensitive and has brought out irritation in some people. I was actually saying about government job per se not PTD but wow, Viva PTD.
I have now come to realization that saying something nice about people is wrong. Actually, come to think of it saying anything is wrong. Its like taboo. My comment was solely on praising a friend and criticizing myself, but if it was misunderstood, apologies to all who got offended. May be I delivered it wrongly. I will put it in my mind not to comment on anyone anytime in future in my blog..except for this. Just for the record, the small town balakong is just a metaphor. It’s actually near Mines, which is located in the district of Kajang, which happened to be in the state of Selangor.
Anyhow, people are different. That why life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you going to get. If eveyone is same, lets say just like you, then you wouldnt take a cheap shot insulting me in my own blog wont you.

Anyhow, verbatim commented on something that I really like. He/she said “All are entitled to be what they want to be and if you are not damn with that, JUST WALK AWAY!! Simple, yet again.".... Hmm….lets see...when a point comes where people are emotionless, lifeless, inexistence of bonding from family, friend and aquaintance and the end of relationship, I assure you everyone will walk away..till another adam and eve are born. Till then one will never stay blind, will ever stop hearing, will never stop feeling, never stop talking or simply walk away. One just have to simply live with that.

Verbatim I have seen Tanjung Rambutan and mocking people from there shows how low your mentality is. Just wondering which part of my article talked about helping? You said “when you help someone, you should do it sincerely. Just because you helped someone, that doesn’t mean the person should do things your way. A help is a help and don’t expect anything in return”, I say you have issues with me. If you have guts, as much as you write, dont be a pighead and mock me on other things, in disguise. Shame on you. Tell it on my face.
So my dear verbatim, If you need to mock me some more, by all means email me at shubasini79@yahoo.com Don’t spoil my blog. Thank you.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

"Half-day" syndrome

I guarantee that everyone at one point or another have taken or in urge of taking half day in our working life. Off course its different when you talk about private sector as their half days are counted as their holiday, but in government, it’s wonderful.

If I were to take half day intentionally, I will normally make sure I stay at least 6 hours in office, no lunch, clear my table (even so my boss will be reluctant to give me half day) and then do what ever I need to do. But to avoid it, I would normally just take leave. Hence, spent most of my leaves seeing my lecturer, going for exam, registering for new semester etc.

But sometimes in life, in needy situation or when disaster strikes, one has no choice but to take half days. It just happened to me several times this year, with the tyre punctures, repairing cars due to accident, send/fetch parents or simply going to the dentist.

The other day, while I was driving with amma to shop, I overheard an ad and burst of laughing. Amma who was shocked at the moment joined me when the ad was repeated. In that advertisement, an employee (who happen to be a girl) requested half day from her boss. Her request was so hilarious as even though the boss offered her the whole day she insisted on half day, just to go for the court mammoth had half-day sale! Amma quickly said that with all the mega sale going, the next time I apply for half day, my boss will give “are you going for shopping” look before he approves. Hmm, the ad is making life difficult. Must be very careful next time.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Trip To Cambodia-Angkor Wat

In two and half month time I would be up and away to Cambodia, more precisely Angkor Wat, a place that was never on my “must see place”. After thinking a lot, I mean a lot I finally had to give in for Angkor Wat, a place described by my pa as “unbelievable and must see by all”. It was rather unexpected to come out from his mouth as 2 of my favorite place he visited (Bali and Nepal) was “simple nothing” to him. It doesn’t sound so bad when you say in English, but in Tamil, hmm.. one can cry when one says Nepal has nothing. My heart sank when I had to choose Angkor Wat over Bali and climbing Mount Agong…. It still is but hopefully I won’t be disappointed. Mean while waiting for my upcoming event of this year I would like to share some of the pictures my parent took when they were there. It is simply amazing….