As The World Turns

Prologue to Prologue:
Blogger's been acting damn weird after 2 days now I finally get to post again.

Prologue:

Whilst in the midst of researching the subject of getting well (ok ok we were talking about the benefits of Cockroach entrails on curing Acne), through further aimless Googling and talking Cock (no reference to that Rooster ). The lucious Dr. Chen and maddeningly Dr. Fly By Night (ahem, Moi) discovered the secrets of cures for common ailments through eating laviously and lustily with local South East Asian foods. More specifically, food commonly found in the region known as Malaysia and Singapore.

During the research, done through millions of seconds Go-Ogling at foods, it was concluded that curing yourslef and gaining weight is a far more enjoyable activity compared to endless hours of aerobic exercise, wearing out your joints, eating less than a mouse and paying your other doctors (present authors exempted) millions of dollars to fix all of the above side effects through plastic surgery (For example, Lost of Boobs, Sagging Love Handles and Sagging Arm Bottoms symptoms as opposed to Voluptous figures, DD Cups and Full Hips). We discovered through this research that paying this pair of doktors millions of Dollars/billions of Ringgit is far more preferable as we provide the latest and greatest in food and oh yes the cure too, we think. (Email us for our bank account numbers.)

This publication is by no means comprehensive and new chapters are added all the time, whenever a new succulent dish is discovered and a use of a cure found for it. In that order.

We now present:

"How to cure yourself and gain weight by eating fats" by Chen M.D. (Medical Doktor, real wan) and Flyboy aka Fly By Night M.D. (Mad Doctored).

SORETHROAT
It is known that drinking Vinegar may help cure Sore Throats. But we'd rather eat true and original Teochew Fishball Mee which is loaded with Vinegar. Ask your local favourite hawker for additional dollops of Vinegar like the whole bottle. You get to enjoy your noodles and crunchy Fish Balls while curing your sore throat. You may also opt for Extra Extra Extra hot chilli. If the Vinegar doesnt work, burning off the lining of your throat most certainly will. After one mouthful of this mixture, your tongue should be sufficiently anesthetised so you should not feel a thing but taste all its glory.

THE COMMON COLD
Try this combination of Curry Extra Spicy Vindaloo with additional servings of Japanese Wasabe. It is guaranteed that your Sinus will be unclogged in no time. Please allow for extra boxes of Kleenexes or as we prefer, as it is more absorbent, Huggies Kitchen Towels. It is alleged that this one stays intact when wet. A very desirable quality.

THE COMMON COUGH
Since sweet things makes your cough worse. We now recommend the opposite end of the spectrum and go salty. One specialty is Fried Rice with Salted Fish. Lots of Salted Fish. Preferrably the whole damn Pacific Tuna sized fish. As an appetiser, Kiam Chai Soup may be served before the entree to sufficiently adapt your tongue for the upcoming feast. Should you be living out somewhere in the west like Canada, Chicken Soup may be substituted for the Kiam Chai Teng. Just remember to use the whole bottle of Ajinomoto when seasoning.

THE COMMON HEARTPAIN (Lover Breakupitus)
There is only one solution and that is Chocolates. We prefer Dark Chocolate, preferably Swiss. However should the attack be an Acute one, any thing by Cadbury is sufficient. Its Purple wrapping is somewhat Royal (Feels like you are above others) and Gay (Makes you stop hating the opposite sex and perhaps temporarily or perhaps permenantly gain an appreciation for the same sex). Looking at it makes you feel better. We do not recommend KitKat as its red colour may otherwise incite you to perform acts of derring do you may regret. You only burn his or her house down AFTER you have removed all your precious items like The Ex-Significant Other's credit cards, bank cards, checkbooks etc.

THE COMMON HEADACHE
There is a bit of a argument of the benefits of Garlic on healing headaches with one camp for and one camp against (mainly the air freshener nice smell lovers) but we believe Garlic does help. The best way to consume Garlic and lots of it is with Bak Kut Teh soup. Triple, Quadruple or Millionuple the amount of Garlic you usually use.

THE COMMON BAD BREATH (Garlicoitis)
After consuming Garlic laded Bak Kut Teh, you may notice people tending to avoid you. Garlic is known for its mother of all bad breath side effect. So we recommend as dessert after BKTgladen, the King of fruit aka Durain. Please note, this only works for those born in the region which actually has Durain. Persons from other regions, notably the west may disagree.

Disclaimer:
The above recommendation have not be subjected to double blind studies as during our attempts at such, the control group often secretly snuck out to hang out with the medicated group, rendering all results meaningless other than a siginificantly increased number of happy faces in both groups.


Next book. Weight and You. Soon at a blog near you.

There is a great deal of unmapped country within us which would have to be taken into account in an explanation of our gusts and storms. - George Eliot

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow. - Aesop

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.- Emerson

The heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. - Thomas S. Monson

So I just got me a brand new CD today and I must admit I'm a Carpenters fan. Listening to its tracks, it also struck me how apt one of the songs was for a chat I had last night. Make believe it's your first time, leave your sadness behind. Its truly the best way to go.

Make Believe It's Your First Time
The Carpenters

We've tried our hand at love before.
We've been around the game enough to know the score.
But then is then, and now is now.
And now is all that matters anyhow.

Make believe it's your first time, leave your sadness behind.
Make believe it's your first time, and I'll make believe it's mine.

The door is closed, it's you and me.
We'll take our time with love, the way it ought to be.
This moment's ours, tonight's the night.
And if we fall in love, that's all right.

Make believe it's your first time, leave your sadness behind.
Make believe it's your first time, and I'll make believe it's mine.

So close your eyes and hold me close.
Let our hearts pretend that love is ours to share tonight, and it might
never end.

Make believe it's your first time, leave your sadness behind.
Make believe it's your first time, and I'll make believe it's mine.
Make believe it's your first time, and I'll make believe it's mine.

Not quite as inspiring as I thought...... good dance moves though.

More insightful stuff....

Egads!
A weee bit too early in the season for this. Damn!!!
Its Snowing!!!
It snowed the last couple days. Wake up in the morning and everything is turning white!
Drat. Noooooooooo...... its too early for this!!!! This is madness! This is .... hmmm... Calgary...




ON THE PLUS SIDE.
Today is my off day. So I went Jalan Jalan and found a place where I can go shoot the snow maker.


Yes these are bullets. Found a indoor shooting range, had fun shooting the M16 again (I never knew I missed the damn things but I do, why dont they have a machine gun here?). Somethings you never forget and then tried my luck with a handgun.



I hate to boast, ahem, but I think I'm a pretty good shot. All my rounds landed within my aiming points. I got some nice groupings too. Including the hits off the silhouette cos I aimed there and this is the FIRST time I've ever shot a handgun. Rather addicitive, this is bringing out the competitive nature in me. Lets now see if I can make the groupings even tighter.

I'm going back again soon, this was so much fun! But next time I'm bringing my camera with me!!

When I was a kid, I used to build a lot of plastic model kits, then commonly known as Airfix, because the main brand then is what else? The Airfix Brand. There were also lots of other brands such as Tamiya, Hasegawa, Matchbox, AMT to name a few. But the challenge of putting a kit together to make it look as real as possible was rather fun. I built loads of them.



I used to build a lot of aircraft such as this Supermarine Spitfire. I was pretty nifty with glues, putty and paints and brushes. I specialized in WW2 aircraft, ships and tanks. Jets somehow just didn’t appeal me to me. I found the old warbirds had a element of grace and old world charm about them.

Coming over here its been like being in a candy store. I’ve had the opportunity to visit lots of museums and see the actual aircraft and parts up close, touch them and just plain ogle. Things that I used to build and imagine what they might have been like are now standing in front of me. It’s like a dream come true.


A Supermarine Seafire



A top turret from a B17 and the Rear Turret of a Lancaster. Gawd, the real thing, how I spent countless hours trying to get the details right then. If only I could see then what I see now.

Earth Wind and Fire was rather hot then too.

As I gaze, wonder and marvel at beauty around me. It never fails to amaze me what I can learn.

Your Dominant Intelligence is Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence

You are naturally athletic and coordinated, good at making your mind and body work together. Sports are fun and easy for you, especially those requiring good hand - eye coordination. There's also a good chance you're a great dancer, or good at expressing yourself through body language. You learn best by doing, and you feel like you've always got to be moving (even if it's just your hands). You would make a good athlete, physical education teaches, dancer, actor, firefighter, or artisan.

One day, actually it was today, while deciding what was the best way to shoot myself in the head (a 5-inch Gun might do nicely), which itself was the result of trying to decipher the vagarities of my apparently inconsistent behaviour. A eureka moment then occurred whilst browsing another website that there might be a logical answer for everything.



So backside itching, I decided to explore the concept more and find out what have I gotten myself into. So I headed into the not-quite-occasionally accessed place called Astrology. Where else better to find out eh?

Were You Born on a Cusp? If you are born on a Cusp, you will incorporate the energies of both Signs. Meaning you were born on a date that is on the edge of in-between two star signs.

Libra/Scorpio

Libra is the seventh sign of the zodiac; Scorpio is the eighth. After Libra's intellectual exploration of other people, Scorpio's interest is in discovering other people's emotions and how they respond to the world around them. Scorpio is the sign of sex and death, the beginning and ending, and they explore these ideas from an emotional standpoint. Libra/Scorpios strive to create balance and harmony between self and other through investigation and probing. They are often strongly intuitive and penetrating. They have a need to be liked.

The astrological symbol of Libra is the Scales. Like the scales of justice, Librans are objective and just. They abhor unfairness and conflict, striving above all for peace; but at times they are easily deterred from their beliefs. Librans are able to see all sides of an argument, but as their mental scales sway back and forth, they may never find balance. The astrological symbol of Scorpio is the Scorpion. Like the mythical scorpion, those born under this sign tend to be strong-willed and wary of being controlled by others. In keeping with Libra's cardinal quality, Libra/Scorpios are diplomatic and cooperative; they are skilled at initiating group projects. They can be stubborn, refusing to give up when others have long since become bored and abandoned a project. Libra/Scorpios get things done when no one else thought it possible. In this way, the fixed quality of Scorpio is expressed. When Libra/Scorpios set goals for themselves, they are determined to succeed. They have their own agenda and work to achieve their desires.

Libra is ruled by the planet Venus. In ancient Roman mythology, Venus (and her Greek equivalent, Aphrodite) was the goddess of love, beauty and pleasure. She represented joy, happiness and appreciation of beautiful things. Scorpio is ruled by the planets Mars and Pluto. In ancient Roman mythology, Mars (and his Greek equivalent, Ares) was the god of war, and ancient astrologers assigned both Aries and Scorpio to this planet. Pluto (and his Greek equivalent, Hades) was the god of the underworld, and when the planet Pluto was discovered early in the 20th century, astrologers assigned Scorpio to it.

Libra/Scorpios are seductive and attractive, commanding and intense. Cultural awareness and a talkative nature help them shine in the social situations they so enjoy. The element associated with Libra is Air. The element associated with Scorpio is Water. Libra/Scorpios are skilled at communication and abstract reasoning, and their intelligence combines with their interest in others to become an intellectual exploration of those around them. They may repress their emotions, but underneath they are lusty and perceptive. Libra/Scorpios are motivated and loyal, but they are often misunderstood and may be seen as dictatorial or sarcastic. If they have an ulterior motive, they can be overbearing, but in a subtle, sly or manipulative way.

Libra/Scorpios are both mystical and scientific, a combination that makes them very aware of what is happening around them; they are a sign of great depth. If they aren't careful, though, their passionate nature may lead them into self-indulgence or compulsion. In their leisure time, Libra/Scorpios tend to have a definite lazy streak. However, this is barely perceptible because they also enjoy difficult pursuits that challenge them to excel, and they refuse to settle for being anything less than the best. They may have a particular affinity for activities that let them get out in nature.

In love relationships, Libra is playful, romantic and devoted. The great strength of the Libra/Scorpio-born is in their drive for peace and harmony and their determination to see things through to the end. Their skill at seeing all sides of a situation with great passion and strength makes them one of the most powerful characters of the zodiac.

Hmmm fascinating.... little pieces of the puzzle falling into place.....there is light at the end of the tunnel!


Addedum:
I'm not sure why this is in here, but what the heck.

You Have A Type A Personality

You are hyper, energetic, and always on the mood You tend to succeed at everything you attempt And if you don't succeed at first, you quickly climb your way to the top! You could be called a workaholic, but you also make time for fun As long as it's high energy and competitive, you're interested You have the perfect personality for business and atheltic success

Sailing anyone?


Play spot the furries

Rewind a bit, arriving at calgary airport, I saw the space shuttle and thought waaahhhhh thats my ride. reaching the waiting area, my balloon burst when I saw the propellor plane, damn, so THATS the ride. But thankfully it was really a bombardier crj700 but I really wanted to be the cowboy buzz lightyear jetsetter....



There is an old part of vancouver called Gastown, old buildings, rustic, charging dinos and the world's first steam-powered clock.



One of the more interesting bits is the small community of Steveston. Its like a fisherman's wharf, can buy fish, open a heated beach bar... ogle at swans



or eat the best fish and chips in the world on the water..



whilst watching the sun set...so deliciously nice



Vanc at nite is tricky since there isn't really a place to stand out and take night pics. Calgary is better for that.



See mother kat, I told you got Skunks here..... lol

So last stop was a brief 1 hr flight to Vancouver. I'm gonna skip Banff and Lake Louise cos its all over my blog elsewhere. Don't be lazy go look.

Vancouver's changed quite a bit since I last stayed there 2 years ago. It's cleaner (prob cos of the olympics, new buildings have sprung up, mainly condos and most noticeably, its more crowded and damn more expensive! I think the Chinese have taken over it. Not so nice.

Anyways one must stop place is Granville Island with its shops and famous public market.



Lots of food, pies and pies and holy cow, Curry Puffs! but it's called Chicken Curry Pockets, there are also Dino Bones for the those who like to gnaw...damn big bones...



All over the downtown area there are bears, reminiscent of cows that once dotted Singapore's landscape, but these are way cooler...



But the best bit was in the evening, we went to this place, it the middle of somewhere quiet area of downtown. The only place in the world with 218 flavours of Gelato....I had a chocolatey pistachio yummm.



Couldn't take pics inside so you will have to be happy with this postcard. :P

SA asked me if I wanna do this meme, so never one to turn down a challenge to find out what I'm like, yes after 41 years I still haven't figured out what I'm like, but what the hey, every little bit you find out helps right? But we delve into that realm, here is a mental break, then read on. Please, note that Brevity is my middle name.

The Athabasca Falls along the Icefields Parkway.



The Athabasca Falls Canyon



Cuddler? Meme

ARE YOU:
1. A Cuddler? Hmmmm just me and my bear
2. A morning person? was not, still is not
3. Are you a perfectionist? Yes, big problem, too picky
4. An only child? Nope, one brother
5. Catholic? I went to a catholic school, that count?
6. In your pajamas? Nope, don’t have any, birthday suit better
7. Currently suffering from a broken heart? What heart? Sank into the sea long ago
8. Okay styling other people’s hair? Only if you want to look like a army recruit
9. Left handed? nope
10. Addicted to MySpace? Whats that?
11. Shy around the opposite gender? Not at all, need me to buy lingerie for you?
12. Loud? Soft
12-and-a-half. Bite your nails? Yucks
13. Get paranoid at times? Eh?
14. Currently regret something that you have said/done? Too many to list..
15. Curse frequently when you get mad? When I get REALLY mad, which is rare
16. Enjoy country music? Yucks
17. Enjoy jazz music? Yes!
18. Enjoy smoothies? Nope, prefer ice cream
19. Enjoy talking on the phone? Not as much as before
20. Have a lot to learn? Plenty! The world is my oyster
21. Have a pet? Yup halfway across the world, one rabbit
22. Have a tendency to fall for the “wrong” person? If I was so lucky to fall for ANY person
23. Have all your grandparents died? Sadly yes
24. Have at least one sibling? Err see # 4 duh
25. Have been told that you are smart? Is that flattery?
26. Have had a broken bone? Yup, arms, ankles
27. Have Caller I.D. on your phone? Yes,then I know who to siam or call back
HAVE YOU:
28. Changed a diaper? Never had the chance
29. Changed a lot over the past year? I’m already 41, lots of changes
30. Had friends who have never seen your natural hair color? Never changed the colour, all natural, turning white tho...
31. Had surgery? Only Lasek for my eyes
32. Killed anyone? I wished on occasion
33. Had your haircut within the last week? nope
LAST PERSON WHO:
1. Slept in the bed beside you? What? Am I that lucky?
2. Saw you cry? See above
3. Went to the movies with you? See above
4. You went to the mall with? My mom and brother, read my earlier posts
5. You went to dinner with? See above
6. You talked to on the phone? My customer
7. Said ‘I love you’ to you and meant it? See #1
8. Broke your heart? See #1
9. Made you laugh? See #1
1. Pierce your nose or tongue? Yucks
2. Be serious or be funny? Funny is better, but I look meaner when serious :P
3. Drink whole or skim milk? Whole! The more butterfats the better!
4. Die in a fire or drown? Eeeeek
5. Spend time with your parents or enemies? See above
1. What time is it? 10.00pm
2. Name? Fantasyflier
3. Nickname(s)? Flyboy
4. Where were you born? Singapore somewhere,
5. What is your birthdate? Sssshhhh state secret
6. What do you want? Too many to list, but the best is winning Toto
7. Where do you want to live? Here lah, if not come here for what? Here is Calgary Canada
8. How many kids do you want? Not sure, can buy or not?

Leaving the heaven of shopping (and ogling) havens, it was time to drive the scenic Highway 16 to Jasper. Along the way, pit stopped at a typical out-west layby complete with saloon and truckers. The view was simply breathtaking. We had chosen to drive during the Summer to Fall change over. Soon the trees will be bare, but for now it gives us pleasure. The colours of the leaves changing from a dark green to a bright yellow. The landscape as far as the eye can see, dotted with colour. Another heaven.



Arriving at our first resort in the rockies, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.



Took a bit of time to arrive, having taken a slow drive, we arrived to a sky that was clearing of storm clouds. With a stunning effect on Beauvert Lake. Our fears of a wet week had just cleared.




Jasper town is picturesque. Jasper National Park is named after it.



The morning after. Gentle mist floats across Beauvert Lake. It feels so surreal, like heaven, literally. Sitting on the lake shore, you quietly contemplate and reflect. Literal and philosophically.

The mirror surface of the lake is such reflection.



A little slice of heaven.

So day one:

Was in Edmonton, its a nice little city, didn't take any pics of the skyline as I was too busy driving and also because we had just pretty much spent the whole day at West Edmonton Mall. The world's biggest mall. How it big? It has its own Water Park, Underwater World, Sea World, Ice Skating Rink, it's own Pirate Galleon and so many shops it'll take you 2 days to cover them all.



Update: Ok bigger pics ah?






Then somewhere around Jasper, lots of animals, including one smelling her own butt lol




Pssst, my fav show on tv (other than The Amazing Race) is right now Dancing With The Stars. Oooooohh can already feels my toes tapping, shoulders jiggling and waist gyrating...

I'm back! I survived without the PC for over a week, wahhh...

I've had a really nice week. It would have been nicer if the timetable wasn't so tight. But I got to take lots of pics, eat loads (but don't hang on for pics cos Canadian food is ho hum.

I got to see Edmonton, Jasper, the whole Columbia Icefield Parkway, Vancouver AND it occured to me that my cam has a movie function! So enjoy these.

The Rockies at the Icefield Parkway.


The view of Vancouver mainland from atop Mt Seymour.


Got other pics will take me awhile to get them up.
Thanks everyone who dropped by whilst I was on the road. :)