This morning I saw Penang Bridge Marathon banners (~10-20 of them) along Jelutong Highway, the usual route to go to my office, and eagerly told my friends that PBM 2008 is not cancelled after all. Rumors had been circulating since last month that this event will be cancelled.

But, imagine my surprise when they told me the official news was actually just released yesterday that there is no bridge run this year. What's happening??? Another victim of political bickering?

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/12/nation/21210257&sec=nation
Monday May 12, 2008
No Bridge Run this year
PENANG: The Penang Bridge Run 2008 has been cancelled due to financial and manpower constraints.
The organisers will also not be able to ensure the safety of participants on the bridge, which is undergoing renovation work and is narrower now.

Malaysian Highway Authority director-general Datuk Mohamad Razali Othman said last year’s event had “drained all our financial sources to host the event this year.”
He said the highway authority would need more than RM500,000 to host the run and did not want to tax their sponsors to fund the event.
Last year’s run, to commemorate the country’s 50th anniversary and Visit Malaysia 2007, drew 21,399 runners including some 800 participants from 50 countries.
The event featured a 42.2km full marathon, a 22.3km half marathon, a 10km quarter marathon and a newly introduced 10km fun run which attracted more than 8,000 participants. There were 11 categories altogether.
Mohamad Razali said the highway authority might organise the marathon next year after the bridge-widening project had been completed and if they were enough funds.
He said highway authority decided to cancel the run at the end of March and had informed the Penang Tourism Action Council.

Trial #1 : Criss-cross the inner side/layer -> cut into 2x, 1y ratio -> blanch in boiling water -> stir fry.

Verdict: Flat as ever.

Trial #2 : Criss-cross the outer side/layer -> cut into 1x, 2y ratio -> blanch in boiling water -> stir fry.
Verdict: Flat as ever.

Did I cut wrongly? Were these species too thick? (I'm not sure if they're the same, one I bought from market, while the other from Tesco) Should I have to blanch longer?

Care to shed some light, anyone?

I had a weird dream last night. In my dream, I was having a reunion gathering with my primary school classmates; but with war as the backdrop. On the way back from the reunion, I was a refugee and was pursued by a soldier.

There is no question why my brain synthesized the dream. Two weeks ago, I read Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a boy soldier, last week I came across Poland's Anne Frank article in Time magazine, two days ago I watched The Kite Runner and yesterday I went for street walk which lasted until 1am. Wars, sufferings and homeless people...

All these are exactly the opposite of what my mum had been telling me to do - stare at cute baby photos and do nothing else other than that for the best interest of the baby. Little did she know that reading pregnancy and parenting books can be as horrible as the reading the former stuffs. Pregnancy books that described stuffs like prolepses, episiotomy, and varicose vein are equally as disturbing to read, because they are closer to the heart than wars that happen at the distant land.

I need to get a hold of some other genre to get rid of the nightmares. Maybe comedy or lovey dovey romance…. any recommendation?

Any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of living and thinking but a full-on metamorphosis. - Martha Beck

Bye bye juicy novels. Hello these:


Bye bye sexy heels. Hello this:


Bye bye Nike, Levi's, MNG, Forever 21. Hello this:

Dinner is back to these

after a week of these