From the Sky, unto my Ever-so-willing Lap!

It really is a mystery. I haven't been on the magnet hunt for a while. Really. I haven't.

New house to make homey, new office to get used to, new schedules to fulfill, new jam-riddled routes to take, new shows on TV to watch.....

BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!

I really haven't had the time, nay, the opportunity to buy new magnets at all!

Honest!

HRC London

 HRC Las Vegas

 HRC Memphis

 HRC Uyeno-Eki Tokyo

 HRC Singapore

HRC Paris

As marvelous as them magnets are, i have a confession to make.

I have "no idea" how these got in my collection.

Honest Ma! I didn't go looking for them!

I swear!

:-p

Beautiful Borneo

I am a Malaysian citizen. In our small country, we have 14 glorious states. 2 of these glorious states are on the island of Borneo. I am ashamed to say that my first visit to beautiful Sabah only took place a few months ago. 

The beaches were wonderfully delicious and inviting

The ever so famous Mount Kinabalu was magnificent....



The fabulous Rafflesia was blooming....

But of course, the most tempting of all were the selection of magnets!

 The map of Sabah - I remember memorising it as the doghead-shaped state in Geography as a kid...

Mount Kinabalu

The Enggang bird, and the Rafflesia - the biggest flower in the world. This magnet confused me though - i thought Enggang is the mascot of Sarawak, not Sabah? Owell!!! Still a nice magnet i say!

Hall of Fame

We recently had to move offices. We were transferred back to our old office, right smack in the middle of the city. After 5 years in that dingy building, that small, cowboy town that we once hated.

When we were first sent there, we hated it. All of us. The buildings were old and had been left empty and unoccupied for at least 10 years. They renovated it, of course, but we hated it still. The bitterness of being sent away from the old office stuck with us for quite some time. In our eyes, the new coat of paint did not exist. Nor did the brand new air conditioning that occupied every single room in the campus. Neither did the brand new furnitures. All we saw was the dilapidated buildings they used to be, and the "fact" that we were not wanted in the old office and sent there to "rot". In a ghost town. Where there were no grown trees, proper parking lot, fences, or shopping malls.

Then we started working there. The coat of fresh paint began to peel off, the air conditioning began to fail, the furnitures began to crack, the toilets failed countless times.... we had countless break ins, ghostly encounters, near snatchings, near accidents.......

But we also had great fun eating at the many eateries that filled our surroundings, we had fun shopping for groceries at the hypermarket without the long queues, we spent almost all of our time in the general office, where everybody knows our name......

And we were called back to the old office. The dingy buildings are closing down. And the unthinkable happened.

We were all devastated. We didn't want to leave. We love that place. Everyone who was "cast" there felt the same way. Suddenly that dingy, dilapidated place was all shiny and brand-spanking-new to our eyes again.

To remind us of the good times we had there, we had this sweet momento made - a small magnet piece that represents how happy, and how special we all were in that "Cowboy Town", regardless of our feelings when we first laid our eyes on the place 5 years ago.

Good Bye Nilai. Thank you for the memories. We shall miss you!!!

Hands Off!!!!!

I love children. I do. I don't have any, but i do love them. My house is generally child-friendly. I don't have sharp edges, i keep the door to the balcony closed, and i don't put out breakables within their reach.

My magnets? I put them high up on the wall. Some are on the fridge, but i normally remove those when i am expecting children in the house. Better safe than sorry.

What gets me is after all my efforts to keep my magnets safe (hanging them up high, putting them away in boxes), there are always children who are tempted to redecorate my magnet boards, or worse, to make my magnets their own. Often, when they express these demands, i smile quietly inside - the magnets are out of reach guys.... good luck to ya!!!!

But to my horror, some parents would lift the kids up, and help redecorate my magnet boards, or take the magnets off for them to play with!!!!!!

WTF????????

Do i go to your houses and play with your China????

Some people don't get it. Some of the magnets are extremely fragile. Some are incredibly expensive, and definitely irreplacable.

So please...... both children and parents alike....

HANDS OFF ya!!!!

Home Sweet Home

After months of being in boxes, my magnets finally saw some sunlight again a few weeks ago. Though i have to say, the shape they were in made me a bit sad. I mean, the rubber ones were sticking to each other, some of the magnets came off, some bent, some got dirtied by the colours of their neighbours, and one broke.

So much for my careful packing system. SIGH............

Nonetheless... they are all ok now. They're out to see the world again.

I promised my babies i'd get them new boards, and i delivered!

Welcome home my loves!!!

Bow to the Samurai

My cousin's friend went to Japan about a month before the disaster... and brought these back for me.

My heart goes out to the victims of the Earthquake and Tsunami... but the Japanese have the Samurai blood in them - they will perservere.... I salute them. A humble bow from one who grew up with the Look East Policy...

Memories...

When i was actually there, i thought i would never want to go back. After all, what person in their right minds would want to go back to the place where they make you sit for hours at a time listening to lectures you don't understand and take exams you are never prepared for, right??????????

But now that i have left, i found that there is a soft spot in my heart for it.

So here's to my Alma Mater.

:)

Come Fly With Me

On my way to Mecca for my memorable Umrah trip, my cousin Gee showed me the In-Flight Shopping catalogue that MAS provided, of one particular item - henceforth shall be called 'the cutenesses'. Being on the way to the Baitullah, i resisted, and put it off from my mind. I am on my way to worship. Not to go shopping.

On my way back though, the catalogue waved at me. Literally. In my bleary, jet-lagged haze, i called upon the stewardess to purchase the item. When she put the cutenesses in my hands, i cannot help but smile. My Ma was scowling the entire time. She was tired, sleepy and cranky. But then her face softened as she held the cutenesses... and when my Abang came to pick me up, i took them out to show him, but one of the cutenesses was gone. My Ma looked suspiciously guilty about it. Hmmmmm.........

I don't blame her though.

Cuteness!!!! Right?????????

Beary Harrods!

I have always wanted to stop by the Harrods in KLIA. I don't know why i have never done that ever. Well, this time i did, leaving my tired, disgruntled, jet-lagged Ma and baby sis Wokanna to hang on to my luggage while i ran into the famous green and gold signed door.

Look what i found!!!Policeman Bear

Piper Bear

Guardsman Bear

Beefeater Bear

When i finally came out, my Ma and Wokanna's jetlags disappeared when they saw these bears! Being so tired, my Ma sent Wokanna in to get her some!!! :)

T'was indeed a very productive stop. Don't you think???

Bonjour from Paris!!!

I had originally switched on my laptop on a hot, Sunday afternoon to do some work, but then my flashy new HRC magnet decided that i should blog about it instead.

Who am i to resit???

So introducing my new HRC Magnet from Paris.....

Isn't she lovely????

So-Called-Hiatus

I have been on a magnet hiatus. Or so i thought. Somehow i still cannot refrain from purchasing magnets. Indeed, buying them in secret and then hiding them in a corner (if you don't see it, it doesn't exist - therefore i didn't buy them, right?????) have proven to be a habit of mine. But i can't help it!!!!!!!!

So here are my new HRC babies!!

I have 2 new ones from Penang, to make up for them not being in stock when i was in Penang...

I have 1 new one from Hollywood....

I have 1 new one from Manchester.......

And 5 (i repeat, FIVE!!) new ones from Tokyo. (Did i mention i have F.I.V.E of them???)

My pocket is indeed very dry. I'm definitely gonna have to skimp on certain basic necessities - such as food and electricity.......

Who the hell cares??? I have NINE -

that's right....

N.I.N.E brand-spanking-new HRC magnets!!!!!

From Mama With Love

My Dear Babies,

I am so sorry that it's been so long since i've seen you. I can only imagine how you are surviving - all wrapped up and cramped up in your boxes. I do hope that the special box i bought for you is comfy enough, and that the big bad sun doesn't get to you.

Mommy misses you all so much!!! I wish i can take you out and give you a bath and a rub down with your favourite brushes, take pictures of you, write stories about you...... I miss you telling me stories about how you came to be in my family....

I have good news for you guys!!!! Although Daddy made Mommy promise that i will no longer buy new brothers and sisters for you all until the big move, Mommy snuck around and got you guys 30 new brothers and sisters!!!!!!!! They are all so beautiful, and they can't wait to meet ya!!

Please be patient my babies. Mommy will take you out soon, and Mommy has arranged for some nice new boards for y'all to rest on!!! Promise me that you will behave and not fight each other ok. I'd hate to see any of the rubbers get bendy, the porcelains get broken or the metals get dented. Take good care of yourselves ok.

Til then, be good to each other, and remember, Mommy loves you all so much, and can't wait to see you again!!!!

Loves,

Mommy.
xoxo

Hiatus = Torture

Ok, ok, i know.... been silent for a long time. I have been on a so-called hiatus from the magnet world - i am moving soon, and i have packed up my magnets. They are currently warm and cozy, all wrapped up in bubble wrap and packed up in their boxes......

Before i packed them up, i took some pictures for blogging purposes - but then, it seems, everytime i try to blog about them, i find that i miss them - and i can't exactly unpack the boxes just to look at them now, can i?????

Seriously. Magnets Hiatus is murder. Everywhere you look, you see magnets. I mean, when i log onto facebook, all i see are my friends updating their magnet collections, or selling new, gorgeous, shiny magnets! Since moving takes up a lot of room in your pockets, i made a deal with my Abang that i would refrain from buying magnets until the move is over. It's only been 3 months, and i am literally in pain!

I am sure that if you look it up in medical journals, you will find this illness to be real. I've got all the classic symptoms - i'm all jittery, restless, i've got sweaty palms, and for some reason the right palm keeps itching (in the Malay culture, that's a classic sign that you need to spend money), i've got green eyes everytime i see my friends' new collection, i salivate when new items are put up for sale.........

Really!! This is serious!!!!!

I've got Magnetia Addictivatitis!!!!!!!!!

I Dream A Dream

I love animals. I do. I cried when Bambi's mother died, i even cry watching an elephant get separated from his caregiver after 20 years on the Discovery channel. I sobbed like a little girl when a little antelope adopted by a lioness got killed by a mean lion (bad lion!!!) on Animal Planet. I cried for days when my dear Tabby died, and i still get teared up when i see her beautiful photos.

Ok, maybe all we've established is the fact that i am a cry-baby. But surely that's normal, right???

So i always dream of a few things you know, hugging Orang Utans, swimming with dolphins, riding elephants... and if i ever had the chance to go to Aussie, i would definitely love to hug one of these cute Koala Bears...

But i definitely DON'T want to meet one of these.... EVER!!!!

I mean, do you know how long it took me to get back into the water after JAWS????

A Splattery Memory

This magnet actually reminded me of a good friend of mine, Galoh and her hubby Mat Nin.

NO..... they are not aborigines.... It's just that they went on a trip to Sarawak or something when we were in college, and came back carrying these Dijeridoos (did i spell that right??) around. I tried playing it a few times, but all i managed was splutterings and a very regretable spraying of the saliva. Ewwww.......

Aussie Flip Flops

So among the magnets i received from Aussie, 2 were that of flip flops.

But this one is rather unique, wouldn't you say??? So cute!!!!!

Trademarked

Here are more of the magnets Zai brought back from Brisbane for me.

Hmmm..... i wonder what the trandemark animal for Australia is. Any guesses?

Hug Me!

I once received this email from a friend, telling me to follow these simple instructions:

1. raise your right hand, put in on your left shoulder.

2. raise your left hand, put it on your right shoulder.

3. give yourself a little squeeze, and pretend it's me!!!!

So when Zai came back from Brisbane with this (among the many she bought for me) i was immediately reminded of that! Cute huh??

Aussie Presents......

My friends went on a trip to Aussie for a presentation. As usual, i gave them some money and told them that i couldn't live without a magnet from HRC Surfer's Paradise, Gold Coast. I also said that should them fine magnets be unavailable, just spend ALL the money on magnets.

They came back, and sure enough, HRC was out of stock (no worries - another good friend lives there!! Will make sure to let him know before he comes back next year!).

This is like, half of the loot they brought back for me. My Ma went through the package and wanted some.

*YAWN*...

Sleepy, and hungry. I'll go through these magnets from Aussie one by one next time k!!!

'tis Grand, 'tis.

A few months ago, my good friend Nana who lives in Dublin offered to buy magnets for me. And of course, i was powerless to resist. She then asked me what kind of magnets i like, and i told her - cute, metal, and preferably with an Irish landmark or symbol that makes it uniquely Irish, and none other. A month later, these arrived.

Knowing my obsession with HRC magnets, she bought me this wonderful one from HRC Dublin. It's so Irish. I swear to God, i've never seen it before, but i've always imagined them to be green - like those of the famous Irish Shamrock Leaves.

And then, she included these 3.

Super cute right????? And, all with Shamrocks!!!!!! I swear to God Nana, you know just what i like! Tq babe!

I'm BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And thus, the mystery of the camera charger has been solved. The blessed charger was in one of the junk drawers - where i stuff things when in a hurry (you know, so that nobody can see it laying around??). So many magnets to photograph, so many anecdotes bursting out of my head to be typed up. Still..... my Ma always say - never rush..... always stretch, walk and powerwalk before you sprint....... and that's exactly what i'll do.....

I've recently purchased something that would require a lot of $$$$$ in the near future. Since i would need all the cash i can scour, i vouched to stop buying magnets for a while - at least until this thing i bought is settled with. The PA at my office, Azie, is aware of this new vow - and since all parcels go through her, there's no use sneaking purchases around her.

But then, 2 parcels arrive for me - just a few days ago - both from a beloved, and much cherished friend, Kak Sham. We had just met for the first time just a few days earlier, and she gave me these magnets from Bahrain.

Then, a week later, these arrive via courier - as belated birthday presents.

There's this cute medal for the greatest teacher award (aww.... *blush*)

These uber-cute flip flops from Qatar.

Just when i thought the Qatar package was gonna be the last one i would receive in a few months, this arrived the very next day.

Thank You Kak Sham!!! I love you so much!!!!