the Pen just Lost a Friend ... Nora Ephron

Just a note on Nora Ephron, the writer/director who passed away on Tuesday. It's not exactly a name that will pop out for younger audiences or the big budget movie fans, but her work has drawn an audience and she will be missed. 

Her filmography is pretty long and I haven't watched everything that she's been involved with but she did make Meg Ryan's career and I've got a copy of 'When Harry met Sally' which I bought even though I had already watched the movie. So in remembrance of the woman who wrote some really terrific stuff, here's a video of her most famous work :

Balotelli, the Misunderstood Genius

You just gotta love this guy, don't you ? He's a regular riot.

Mario Balotelli finds it hard work being a genius

Mario Balotelli : "It's said geniuses are misunderstood. So perhaps genius is so different that people don't understand it."

Six of One and Half A Dozen of The Other ...

With the girl about to have her first rather larger size birthday party celebrating her 6th birthday with her classmates, I guess seeing this strip today makes it all rather poignant.

She's been fairly bouncing off the walls with excitement since she found out two days ago. And since it's happening during kindy hours, it's surely going to be a short party - but it's fun watching her anticipation.

In chess, we have a saying : "The threat is stronger than the execution". Sometimes I let her know about treats that are in store for her - cos the anticipation of fun sometimes lasts longer than the fun itself.

Longchamp Le Pliage bag from Mydeal @ RM250

At more than 50% discount, this is consider a good deal if it is authentic. The price is cheaper than the retail in Paris. So after a long wait, the merchant is not very on schedule, just got the bag from merchant (Beautilicious) and here is the finding. Look like the authentic version.

The bag came in a plastic bag. 

The handle is wrapped with plastic and with thick paper Longchamp tag. 

The material is matt, smooth and light. 

The button is engraved with "original" wording.

Transparent white disc on the button inside.

The Longchamp logo engraved on the leather front and back. 

The bag as we knew is from China.

The green care card attached,

 The zipper is with YKK mark.

The zipper logo is detail and clear. 

The leather is tanned and with natural marking. 

The E are with accents for the model engraved.

For those interested, the deal is on going from another merchant on the same deal site.

Random Awesome !

On the play list this week...

Apart from being a pretty good song, it's got an awesome title !

They Say it's All Over ......Maybe it Is.

In the end, they just couldn't push through. After matching the Miami Heat for 6 games and 40 minutes of game 7, the Celtics just didn't have any more to give. The injuries took their toll and the aging Celtics couldn't defy Father Time this time around. It's been a glorious five years but this seems to mark the end of that era :



As good as the Celtics have been over the past 5 years, I have to admit that age has caught up and there is no way, KG, Pierce, Ray Allen and Rondo are going to win the NBA title in their current incarnation. Father Time remains unbeaten. So as much as I would like to see the Core Four return for one more title run against all odds, the reality is that KG and Ray Allen would have to take massive pay cuts to allow this to happen. I definitely can't see Danny Ainge making major concessions in that area. Not when the C's need to add at least one major piece to help the Core Four out. In any case, the past five years have been a blast. I've enjoyed the ride. Thanks for the memories, guys ! I hope you all come back, but I'll understand if you don't.

on Emmylou Harris and June Carter

If you're wondering what the blog title is all about, well, it's the two famous country personalities referenced in this song :



Sweden's famous for quite a number of things : ABBA, Volvo, Ikea.
What are the chances of Sweden being famous for First Aid Kit ? I'd say not very good. But the music pretty good, though.

Celtics pull it off once again ...

Following the Celtics this season has been a bittersweet experience. And that's when they win.

When they lose, or lose players to season ending injuries, or heart ailments (2 in the same season !) the Celtics evoke emotions of disappointment, frustration and sometimes futility.

But when they're focused on winning .... what joy they bring ! Sweetness ! And the bitterness part ? That comes from knowing this particular era could end at any time. Contract issues with KG and Ray Allen notwithstanding, injuries could bring the curtain down on the new Big Three at any time - especially when they are 36, 35 and 34 years old now. And what of the little big man, Rajon Rondo ? Well, the torch has been well and truly passed to him this season. As brilliant as he can be in most games, Rondo can also be disengaged in some games. Again bittersweet.

Now that they've pulled it together and are on the edge of confounding all expert opinions by beating the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, I'm left wishing and hoping for the Celtics to once again win it all. And if they did win it all, what will happen to a team where some half of them will be free agents ? Where KG and Ray Ray can walk away as champions as unappetizing as that prospect may appear ?

Like I said - bittersweet.

Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia

Some shots of Bintulu - yet another industrial town in Sarawak. Nothing particularly remarkable about this town for a tourist to check out, that's why you won't find many about.

There is one little nugget to process though. You can't find a single McDonald's here as "You make money back too slow. There are faster ways of making money in Bintulu." Fair enough.

Waterfront. Can't really stop people from trying to put a little beauty somewhere, somehow.

The following ones are from the wet market 

her First Trip ...

Catriona went on her first long distance trip without her parents yesterday. Coincidentally, it was also her first bus trip as she followed her Grandma back to Penang. Postmark event.

We thought that she might pine for her parents somewhat but we don't know how much that'll happen. What we didn't anticipate was her brother missing, and asking for his sister. The best laid plans of mice and men ...

The experience with coupon website

Lession learn so far:

1)      Always double check the actual retail price listed on the coupon site, some sites like to hide up the price in order to give a very attractive discount when in actual fact, and the price is similar or sometime even higher than the normal retail price.

2)      Normally the deal will last for few days, wait and hold to purchase if you can because sometime the similar deal will appear in another coupon site with even better discount.

3)      Always check the background of the merchant and learn from other customer’s experience.

So far I had make purchase from Groupon, Living Social, I love discount, Webuy, Mydeal  and Jackcow. 

Overall I will rate each one of them as below:

	Value for money	Quality of service/goods	Keep to promise	Customer service
Groupon	3	3	2 (refund policy is not uphold unless you insist)	3 (mix experience with good and bad)
Living social	4	4	4	4
I love discount	1 (found a website selling  at cheaper price)	4	2 (delay in sending the goods)	2 (no one pick up the phone)
Webuy	5	5	5	No experience
Mydeal	5			5 (called back as promised and really helpful)
Jackcow			5	3 (should have inform the customer if the merchant has close down)

As for merchant: 

Swarovski earring @ Sunliz Jewellery: 

Cool: the quality of swarovski zirconia earring is good, clean and shinning. Deliver on time. 

Warm: the description said 7mm in diameter when in actual fact I think it is only around 5mm. 

Coupon site: Groupon

Tart @ Justart: 

Cool: really nice tart fresh and tasty.   

sarm: For Webuy coupon strawberry tart is not allowed to redeem even tough the web ads says can 

Coupon site: Living social and Webuy*provide immediate redeem service rather than end of deal. Nice!!

Loop pendant @ Perfect Day Trading

Cool: the pendant is really shining and clear, the necklace is also shining. Deliver on time. 

Coupon site: Living social 

Full body message and facial @ Multi beauty

Cool: service ok, full treatment for minimal cost

Warm: basic SPA equipment, weekend is always full. 

Coupon site: Living social 

Inner bag organizer@ eunice fashion shop 

Cool: not sure what is cool. Late delivery.  

Warm: other website selling cheaper

Coupon : I love discount 

Strawberry shortcake lining@ winplus marketing

Cool: really nice printing and so far the quality of textile is ok 

Coupon site: Living social

For those who want to have a consolidate efford from all these website, check this http://deals.bigsale.com.my/. 

More to update later..... 

We cry with you

Football is a cruel game. One man to shoulder the dream of millions and break it into millions pieces in mere 2 seconds. 出来混的，迟早都的还。