pelf-ism is contagious

I could not help but laughed a couple of times when I was reading Moz’s recent post. And I thought maybe it would be fun to respond to that post

For one, there are only 2 Pelfs. Unless you know a third, please let me know about it OK? We never had problems having the same given name when we were younger but as we grew up, our friends started calling us “Pelf” and that was when the confusion began. I remember there was one funny incident that took place not too long ago. This guy called our house and I answered the call and the caller requested to speak to Pelf. I was like, “Speaking.” Then he went on talking about things that I did not really understand. Then I asked him who he was. He told me he was Choon Hoong. OK, fine. So we continued “chatting.” But I didn’t really understand him because we weren’t talking about the same topics at all. Then I asked him who he wanted to speak to, and he said “Pelf.” I had a feeling I didn’t know him and that the phone call was for my sister, so I asked further, “Which Pelf?” to which he replied, “Pelf Yeen.” I was like, “AARRGGH..”

The funny thing is that J’s chinese name is also pronounced as “Choon Hoong.”

So to answer your question, Moz, you may call me Pelf, and my sister, Mei Mei, just like how I call her, OK? *smiles* No more confusion, OK? *more smiles*

Now, before I started blogging, I didn’t really have free time (like you). I mean, I spent ALL my time on work, so I did not really have a life apart from that at work. Sad, I know. But now I have separated a little time from my busy schedule for myself. To blog. And yes, I used to collect stamps but have not been paying much attention to that lately because (a) I have run out of photo albums and (b) I have transferred my attention to my blog instead. Short attention span, I hear you say? Yea, blame the horror-scope

Ouh yea, in the interview, there were three questions in Question (2) because you said you ran out of ideas on what to blog about. I was trying to guide you, so you should be thankful and NOT complain about the long response you had to type, OK?! Kkakaka, I know, I sounded like a stepmother *bluek*

OK, so let’s get straight-to-the-point.. You gave MY Beijing Panda Bear to Angel JUST because I FFK-ed you the other day?! NOT FAIR! I want MY Beijing Panda Bear!

And where’s MY birthday present?!

There are a couple of things that I would like to get down to writing but I just do not have the time to type them out post by post.

The bites

I was bitten by a kind of insect called “tungau” (in Malay) the last time I stayed overnight at the river terrapin project site at Pasir Kumpal, Dungun. The areas that were badly affected were my belly and the areas behind both my knees.

The bite marks were very itchy unless I take a shower and apply some cream thereafter. A couple of hours later, I would start to itch, and sometimes it was so itchy that I had to scratch at places I’d rather not tell. The marks worried my Mum and to an extent, myself. I got scared a couple of times when I looked at the scratch marks (NOT stretchmarks).

I went to 3 different doctors in Terengganu but none of them knew what to do to me. None of them knew what a “tungau” was. In fact, none of them really paid attention to what I told them when I saw them. The only advice all three of them gave was to bring along some kind of insect repellent the next time I went into the forest. Like I didn’t bring any during my first few trips *bluek*

The Medical Officer on campus gave me a bottle of calamine lotion though I repeatedly told him it wasn’t chicken pox. The second doctor was even naughtier. He injected me. In the butt *bluek* The third doctor was a dermatologist - at least the sign outside his clinic said so. He said he didn’t know what to do with me, but he would give me some cream nonetheless. When I asked him what I should do after I finished the cream, he said, “Up to you. You may come back to me. Or you may see another doctor.” *bluek*

When I went back to Melaka before my trip to Kuching, I went to see MY own doctor. Not only did he adviced me not to be afraid of the forest, he ensured me that the bites would heal and that the itchiness would do me no harm. What good news to hear. He prescribed me a months’ worth of medicines and cream, and I am already seeing signs of healing.

The bite marks have stopped itching, and the marks are also beginning to dry and heal. I am a happy girl now *smiles* Special thanks goes to Moz for helping me look up the medical dictionary as I described to him the signs and symptoms of the bites

The eye-infection

And then all of a sudden I had this eye-infection. I admit I sometimes pop my contacts longer than the recommended hours because the nature of my “job” requires me to be out for the most of the day. So now, like it or not, I have to wear my glasses instead. Hmmph!

Oh by the way, I just got my new pair of glasses today. J said it looked the same as my previous pair, and wondered why I bothered making a new pair. That got me thinking. Maybe I am too much a coward to try new things. I still think I look better without them.

The release of terrapins

I have been pretty busy lately preparing for the release of hatchlings event to be held tomorrow at Pasir Kumpal. My colleague and I attended a meeting with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks on June 7th concerning the release ceremony. We were put in charge of the exhibition and the others will be taken care of by them. We selected and prepared specimens of dead hatchlings and unfertilized eggs as well as mini posters.

The snatch thief

A friend of mine who had just graduated as a dentist from USM Kubang Kerian returned to Melaka about a fortnight ago and a couple of days ago, she became the first snatch thief victim whom I personally know. The buggers took snatched her handbag, which obviously consisted of her purse and other important cards, and her handphone. I have not contacted her since then, but I hope she is coping well. At least the st*pid boys didn’t push her to the side and hurt her.

The hairclip

I broke my favourite butterfly hairclip yesterday morning. I never had problems with the hairclip and there were times I thought I could have broken it by opening it too widely, but I didn’t. And it wasn’t that I exerted extra strength on it yesterday, but it decided to die on me break *sob*

The passing

J’s maternal grandmother passed away yesterday evening. And I just sent him to the jetty yesterday morning. His maternal grandmother had been a vegetable for 10 years following two falls. J’s mother had been selflessly taking care of her mother for a decade. She had never been on a vacation eversince, except for the 3D2N spent in Redang after attending J’s graduation in 2004. She had never failed to attend to her mother, day and night. In fact, it could very well be a decade ago since she had had a good night’s sleep, uninterupted by her mother’s coughing and wheezing. Talk about filial daughters.

The cat

I came back from campus yesterday and saw a black cat sitting in my car porch. The st*pid black cat did not budge an inch despite being probed with a broom. Hmmph! I wanted to chase it away because I hate cats. Black cats especially. And I didn’t want it to DIE in my house. And when I got home this evening, I could smell that st*pid cat’s urine. I knew it urinated in my car porch but I couldn’t pin-point exactly where. And I had no time to clean it. Will do it the day after tomorrow.

The phone

I went to a phone shop the other day because I was thinking of getting myself a new phone. My Nokia 8310 is still functioning, and this had been the sole reason why I am still keeping it with me. But then again, maybe it’s time to get a new one, I don’t know..

I am still considering whether or not to get a new phone, and if yes, which model. I have already shortlisted 3 phones:

• Samsung D600
• Samsung E730
• Samsung E760

Basically, D600 is in a class of its own. It has an expansion slot for a memory card and a 2 MP camera.

On the other hand, E730 has a built-in FM radio. BUT E760 has a 8-hour talk time compared to 3 hours in E730. And E760 has a 1.3 MP camera compared to 1.0 MP in E730.

Anybody has any ideas/comments/suggestions?

It is very funny how the opposition always liked to pick on somebody regarding minor matters. Take for example, the allegations made by Mr. Opposition that the Prime Minister had yet to pay his 11 traffic summonses.

PM: I didn’t know I had 11 unpaid summonses

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was unaware that he had 11 unpaid traffic summonses.

He said he did not know about them until he was informed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan yesterday and would pay them all tomorrow.

“I was just informed by Musa. I did not know about them. The last time I had summonses, I paid them all. Thank you for letting me know.

“I will find out who were driving the cars on those days,” he told reporters after launching the police family day celebration here yesterday.

The Prime Minister was asked to comment on an allegation by DAP that he had 11 unpaid traffic summonses.

On Thursday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng claimed that police had given Abdullah discounts worth 70% on his 11 summonses.

Lim said the police website www.rilek.com.my showed that three cars, with the registration plates WJB2800, WLP3142 and WCH13, under Abdullah’s name, accumulated a total of RM3,300 in fines from June 29, 2002 to Aug 3, 2005.

The amount was reduced to RM1,000 after the discount.

The 11 offences were traffic obstruction, parking at no parking areas, parking at the wrong side of the road and speeding.

Read the rest of the article here.

Now, it IS highly likely that the PM had forgotten about the summonses, no? Or is it also not possible that those cars were not driven by the PM at the time when the summonses were issued? Now Mr. Opposition, do you remember the last time you forgot to pay your bills? Do you ever pay your own bills anyway? I am sure you have a secretary or personal assistant who handles all these mundane stuff. Now, how would you feel if somebody criticises you because you forgot to pay your electricity bill?!

We do forget things, don’t we?

Or do you think that just because he is the Prime Minister, he is supposed to have super-duper memory and that he cannot allow his memory to fail him, not even once?

Or is it your job as the opposition to just criticise anything pro-government? Why did you NOT talk about the ordinary-man-on-the-road who probably has more than 20 unpaid traffic summonses?

Maybe it’s high time that our MPs, pro- or against-government debate about the more pressing issues concerning the growth of the country and the rakyat than to yell at each other over what to wear to Parliamentary meetings and who has the highest number of unpaid traffic summonses.