February 29, 2008!!!!!!

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Hi everyone,

Today is 29 February 2008! Time flies so fast!

How's your 2008 been this far? Any significant changes from the previous year? Any achievement? My life - I mean my working life - has been a bit hectic the past one and half month. But I am not complaining! So many things to do and to achieve in my new job. Once things are in place, my life should be back to 'normal' .... IF I can define what normal means.

I am also hoping that my new condo to be ready by April! Another aspect in my life that needs planning! Arghhhhh! Isn't this one of the excuse why you need man in your life? . Anyway, I think I'll just move in when the condo is ready and will plan of the interior decoration later .... Too many things to think, it hurts my brain! But then the expert says we only use 10% of our brain!!!

Anyway, have a wonderful day/night my friends!

I'll be thinking of weekend which is just around the corner!

Love - Larra

February 27, 2008

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Another loooooong day for me today!

3 meetings in a row!

That's the disadvantage when you're in a position to overseeing academic

and operations divisions!

You ended up having to attend both divisions' meeting.

Feeling too tired now.

Not sure if I can sleep ... but will give it a try.

Maybe I'll just reading my slide presentation that I've printed

- I have presentation to all Heads of Department tomorrow morning -

Wish me luck for tomorrow!

"Good night people!"

love - larra

February 25, 2008: emptiness

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February 24, 2008: What do you see?

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what do you see?

February 22, 2008: TGIF!

Hoooray! It's Friday!

It has been a long week for me!

BUT I am feeling like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulder after the draft of Quality Assurance strategy planning that I've been working on the last few weeks was given a green light by the President yesterday! I went home feeling happy yesterday ..... smiling at everyone on the train .... AND fall asleep on the sofa from 9.30 pm till 5.30 am! ..... with all the lights on, the fan on! (luckily I've locked the front door )

So, this weekend I shall treat myself ..... not sure of what yet.... Any suggestions?

Hope you have wonderful day/night!

Love - Larra

February 20, 2008: Eat Your Berries!

Berries Good for the Heart

Eating Moderate Amounts of Berries Every Day May Lower Blood Pressure and Raise Good Cholesterol, Study Shows

So says a study backing up berries' status as a super food. The small Finnish study suggests that eating a moderate amount of berries may increase HDL (good) cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.

For the study, researchers recruited 72 middle-aged men and women with some risk factors for heart disease -- including mild hypertension (high blood pressure), elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and low HDL cholestrol.

Half of the volunteers ate two portions, totaling about 150 grams, of berries every day for eight weeks. The volunteers ate an assortment of berries either whole, pureed, or in juice form, including bilberries, lingonberries, black currants, strawberries, chokeberries, and raspberries.

After eight weeks, HDL cholesterol levels of the berry eaters increased an average of 5.2%. Systolic blood pressure (the top number on a blood pressure reading) decreased by an average of 1.5 points, but the greatest decrease was seen in those with the highest blood pressures initially. There was no change in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number). It did not affect body weight.

Berries: Packed With Polyphenols

Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants, but berries contain particularly high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols. The researchers estimate that the berry eaters in the study consumed about three times the amount of polyphenols as the nonberry eaters and had higher levels of polyphenols in their blood.

Other polyphenol-rich foods include chocolate, tea, and red wine (ops, I know someone who will love to read this fact! ), which also have been linked to lower heart disease risk.

[By Elisabeth Bergman, WebMD Medical News]

[The findings appear in the February issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.]

February 18, 2008

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good night people .....

February 16, 2008: Not just one, but two!

Hi everyone,

Today, Saturday at my end ..... a relaxing day ....

And I was reminded not to go out until 12 noon ... or until someone knocking my door!

So while waiting, I was cleaning the mess in the second bedroom ... trying to figure out, what to keep and what to throw away ... how many boxes do I need ...

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True enough at around 11.45 I heard knocking on my door!

The first words came out from the delivery guy the minute I opened the door: "It's very heavy!" .

And my automatic responses: "Oh, it looks heavy! I am sorry!" (not sure why was I appologising! ).

He replied: "It's OK (with a smile on his face). Here, hold the bottom of the vase! Be careful, it's heavy!"

And the vase exchange hand ... "Holy cow! It is heavy!" and that was my remark! while holding the vase close to me ..... and placed it on the dining table.

It is indeed heavy! It come with a glass vase that full of water .... and 8 red roses, 9 yellow daisies, 7 red daisies, 6 peach daisies .. and other little flowers and leaves.

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I proudly told the delivery guy: "It's from my friend in the UK"!

"Oh really?" ... it seems he didn't read the delivery note! Hehehee

THANK YOU Hon! It's beautiful and you made my Saturday even more beautiful! ILY!

After taking few photos of the bouquet ( errrr, a lot actually! ), I went out for lunch at the nearby Mall. I have not been feeling very well the last few days ... and today I feel like eating pumpkin soup .....

While eating, I checked my phone because I was waiting for the handyman to fix the ceiling at my apartment (he only did it half way few weeks ago) - he promised to call me before he arrives. I saw one missed call, but not the handyman's number .... I decided to returned call ........ to find out who could that be

"Oh, I am from the flower shop! I went to your house to deliver the flowers but nobody at home. So, I left the flowers with your neighbour at house no. 502!" a Chinese man replied at the other end!

Another delivery? Hmmmmm ...... Another secret admirer?

After collecting my new glasses at the optical shop and bought some groceries, I rushed home and to find a bouquet of flower and 2 vases at my neighbour:

Then I transfered it into the vase:

2 dozen of red roses with berries, statice and park leaf.

THANK YOU Herb Master! I love both bouquets. I love both you and the flowers too! . (Errrr, I hope you like the valentine present that I bought for you too! )

I will not question why I got 2 deliveries, but if you ever wonder ... you have to ask HerbMaster!

February 15, 2008: a field of cotton

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a field of cotton

as if the moon

had flowered

-- matsuo basho

February 14, 2008

To love a person is to learn the song
That is in their heart,
And to sing it to them
When they have forgotten.
~ by Anonymous ~

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But then I can't sing

do YOU still love me?

February 11, 2008: Have you lost it?

No matter how grouchy you're feeling,
You'll find the smile more or less healing.
It grows in a wreath
All around the front teeth -
Thus preserving the face from congealing.
~Anthony Euwer
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so, I decided that I'll keep on smiling

even though I feel like killing somebody today

February 10, 2008: HOME!

Home! a little tired but couldn't sleep!

The above picture was taken at my house in Kulim,

me and my little fans - nephews and nieces

Hmmm, I better go back to bed ...

I have visitors from University of Reading tomorrow

and I don't want to be caught

Good night everyone!

love-larra

p.s more photos on flickr...