Fish Avenue

Went to watch Valkyrie last Sunday. I admire Tom Cruise, even when people said he looked like a monkey and behaved totally inappropriately in Oprah Winfrey's show, I don't care. I admire him of his looks, of course, and his talent. Some said he couldn't act. Well, I'd say that depends. He did great in Rain Man and The Last Samurai. Rain Man is still my all-time favorite.

When I know Tom Cruise is starring in Valkyrie, I know I must watch it. It's a great movie with great history. It was a tragedi. A well-planned plot that went wrong.

From Wikipedia:
Operation Valkyrie (Operation Walküre) was an operational plan developed for the Reserve Army of the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer). The plan was approved by German dictator Adolf Hitler, who intended it to be used in the event that a disruption caused by the Allied bombing of German cities resulted in a breakdown in law and order, or a rising by the millions of forced laborers from occupied countries working in German factories.

In an ironic twist of fate, however, the German Resistance—led by members of the Reserve Army and including members of the Kreisau Circle—modified the plan with the intention of using it to take control of German cities, disarm the SS, and arrest the Nazi leadership once Hitler had been assassinated in the July 20 Plot. Hitler's death was required to free German soldiers from their oath of loyalty to him (Reichswehreid). After lengthy preparation, the plot was carried out in 1944.

Apart from Hitler, only General Friedrich Fromm, commander of the Reserve Army, could put Operation Valkyrie into effect, so he had to be either won over to the conspiracy or in some way neutralized if the plan were to succeed. Fromm, like many senior officers, knew in general about the military conspiracies against Hitler but neither supported them nor reported them to the Gestapo.

The key role was played by German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) officer Claus von Stauffenberg, who was in charge of German Reserve Army's Walküre, a role which allowed him access to Hitler for reports, and required his presence in the coup—which ruled out another suicide attack as planned earlier by other officers. After the first attempt had to be canceled and declared an "exercise", Stauffenberg placed the bomb on July 20 and hurried back to Berlin to assume his pivotal role.

Fromm ordered the executions of General Olbricht, his chief of staff Colonel Albrecht Ritter Mertz von Quirnheim, Colonel von Stauffenberg, and his adjutant Lieutenant Werner von Haeften. Shortly after midnight, the condemned men were led to a mound of earth back lit by idle vehicles where each was executed by firing squad in the courtyard of Bendlerstrasse headquarters.

I used to leave the comment function on in my blog posts. I thought it would be fine for people to leave me comments or feedback. Someone told me why would I need others to comment on my blog? He told me, "Ashley, that's your blog, your thoughts, your life, why would you want someone to comment on your life, on what happened to you?" Me being me, stubborn, I did not bother him.

Few months back, I received some disturbing comments. I had the idea to turn the comment function off. I did not do that. I was thinking, well, that wasn't something which happened everyday. I could still bear with it. So, I continued to let readers to post their comments as they wish.

Perhaps now it is time to turn it off. That friend of mine was right. I didn't see it coming. Now I can totally see it. People leaving disturbing comments/feedback in my blog posts. That isn't something fancy or nice to read. I suddenly realised, why would I want someone to tell me, "Ashley, you shouldn't do that...... Ashley, you should be...... Ashley, why didn't you...... Ashley, how could you......" Encouraging comments are rare.

Enough is enough. This blog is just going to be all about me and my life. You get to read all about it, but sorry to say that you ain't gonna get to comment on my life anymore.

You want to leave an encouraging comment or feedback? Email me. You can find my email on the About Me section.

In the future, I may want to follow Elaine's footstep, to have some of the posts protected with passwords.

I should now start taking care of my online "life" now. Sharing is one thing, sharing and getting slapped at is another thing.

It has been on my mind since some time ago. Friends told me I'd better not tell this to those people afraid that they would misunderstand. But it happened over and over again and I feel very tired to explain again and again. Friends told me I do not have to explain, just let it be. But those people just wouldn't let me go. They keep asking me for a reason!!!

Anyway, after calm down for a while, I do not wish to explain it now. Like they said, "Ashley, just let it be. We do not have to explain every damn thing we do". Yep, that's what I'm going to do. Come ask me for anything, I'm not gonna reply to those questions. Keep it cool. I can't control what they think, it's up to them to think whatever they like.

Moments ago, someone said something to me which again messed up my thoughts. I am now sad and hurt. She is telling me I hurt her too. Guess we're all equally hurt, no one is more hurt than the other! I feel sad someone could just misunderstand and then pushing the responsibility back to me. Looks like the responsibility is all on me for asking friends out, inviting all the friends out, gathering...... I am now officially the "organiser" for friends gathering. I do NOT want that. I am not the organiser everytime among friends.

I call friends out and if they're available, they would say yes. If they're not, they will tell me very frankly they're not free to meet. No offend taken. Obviously someone out there think I HAVE to be the one inviting just because she is tired of inviting. Well, won't I get tired too? I am tired too. I used to be calling other friends out and they didn't even make the effort to come meet me. What could I do then? I moved on! Now I have new friends, I make the move to call them out again. But I am not the organiser. They will make the effort to meet me. That's what it takes. The effort. We can't expect return in everything we do, Andrew said. Now I hold on to that belief tightly.

I don't expect friends to treat me nicer. I just hope they would not hurt me as bad. Well, guess it's something that is difficult to get. I still get hurt once in a while. I bet now I can take it very well after all I've been through. I gotta be a stronger person to move on instead of dwelling on the past and what happened which made me sad.

See, after blogging, I am happy again. I am a stronger person again. One lesson learned, no offend taken.

Now I'm gonna take a shower, dress up, go for a movie with Andrew, to cheer up and make myself happy. Soon, the day will be over and tomorrow is always a better day to look forward to.

Ashley is always a person who knows how to treat herself right and be happy again. Happy go lucky that is. Cheer up Ashley. The shopping mall is awaiting you! Hahaha.

It was my idea to go Seremban to visit Melissa. Thought of going with Andrew since he is off. Who knows the girls told me that they would love to go as well and it was so sweet of them to make themselves available to make this trip possible. Vivian who is still sick finally managed to come with us, made us so happy.

We waited for each other at KL Sentral around 11am. Wan Yi was the last to come, perhaps her hubby just wouldn't want to let her venture into some unfamiliar place before we all got there. Hehehe. It was her first time taking the KTM commuter (Komuter). She was all excited about it. Nicole brought her banana muffins as promised. She baked them last night, a dozen of them! Wan Yi and I got too hungry in the train and we decided to have one of those muffins, ignoring the "no eating no drinking" sign! The muffin was just so deliciously. I can now still taste the yummy-ness. Hahaha.

It took us 1 and a half hours to reach Seremban. Mel was waiting for us at the other side of the road, we had to cross the bustling road!!! Gosh...... It was scary, and also funny to see Vivian running! Hahaha......

Our first destination would be filling up our stomach first. We went to the Pasar Besar Seremban (wet market) for the famous Hakka noodles. We were too late, they were calling it a day! But luckily, the shop which owned by the brother was still open! We walked across the streets to the shop. We finally get to have some super yummy Hakka noodles.

The weather was hot, hot, hot! When we got back to the market, Mel asked if we would like to have some “cendol”. Of course I want to have some cendol, it’s been quite a while I didn’t have cendol. Before we went for cendol, we stopped for some mini ice-cream. Mel and Nicole bought one each. The rest of us were keeping our stomach for the cendol. Ha! The cendol was delicious too! Cold dessert for a super hot day. We went back to that ice-cream uncle since Wan Yi wanted to have ice-cream too. She is absolutely an eater! Hehehe. Wan Yi was so cute while she talked to the ice-cream uncle. We were giggling beside her.

Mel invited us to her house, her home. Can’t believe that she has 3 dogs! 2 poodles and 1 I-don’t-know-what-kind-of dog. That 2 poodles were jumping and running around inside the house when they saw us. Vivian is scared of dogs! The white poodle is named Kimi, and the other brown one is Wang Wang. The names are just so cute!!!

After spending some time there, we went to buy some famous Seremban “siew pao” (baked bun) and egg tarts. Off we went to Port Dickson then, photo-shooting time! We took quite a lot of photos there, funny ones, silly ones, pretty ones…… I must really thank to the 4 of them for being my free models of the day. Hahaha. They had to sit and stand under the hot sun, listening to the commands of this amateur photographer. Wuahahahaha……

Around 7pm, Mel brought us to this famous Restaurant Sin Yit Sing for dinner. We ordered 6 dishes which includes a coconut chicken soup, fish-head noodles, some vegetables, fried sotong, pork ribs and the fried crab. We were so happy shovelling the food down our stomach. Hahaha. We didn’t manage to finish some of the food though. The dinner was so cheap! Five of us, RM22 each. Now I realised we’ve paid RM2 less to Nicole. No wonder the money that she got in hand didn’t tally with the amount shown in my handphone! Gotta pay her the next time we see her.

Finally, it was time to say goodbye. Mel dropped us at the train station, and we took the 8.45pm train back to KL. We were all tired but happy. Though we were tired, still we talked non-stop in the train for 1 and a half hours! Hahaha. When we reached the KL Sentral, Wan Yi and I were running towards the toilet! LOL.

Guess the next time we visit Mel in Seremban again would be on her wedding day, and that would be this coming September! Hooray!

I am so happy to have such a wonderful trip with the girls. Guess I’ll be smiling to sleep and wake up smiling too. Mel was saying I’d better not wake up laughing again, else Andrew is going to send me to hospital. Hahaha. Yeah, you bet, I once woke up laughing and Andrew heard it. LOL.

I used to live in a house of 5 rooms, with 13 family members. Nope, it wasn't a spacious bungalow. It was a small one-storey terrace house which grandma did an extension at the back of the house and made it to 2-storey at the back. Daddy said that grandpa bought that house for RM8000 40 years ago. Hahaha.

I squeezed in a small room with my 3 other sisters, 2 double-decker beds with only 1 wardrobe and 1 drawers cabinet to share. The house always seemed so small for 13 of us. When all of us were at home, the living room was more like a mini cinema. The elderly occupied the sofas as always, the young and small ones were always on the floor. We didn't have a proper study desk. The big round dining table after dinner, was our study desk. I used to do my homework on the floor and on my bed a lot. Exams time, the TV volume was still blasting as usual, I had to hide in my room with the Hi-fi on and made myself focused. It was always noisy at home. The only quiet time was 8pm, when daddy was watching the news on TV, no one (not even the mosquito) shall make a sound! Quarrels always happened between 2 families. Still, we remain as family.

With only 1 toilet and 1 bathroom, bathing time was crazy. Bathroom was never free from 5pm to 8pm. We often kept our biscuits in the bedroom, for fear that cousins would finish our precious supplies. Haha. We had 2 dinner time, 6.30pm was our family dinner time; 7.30pm or when we finished, whichever earlier, was my uncle's family dinner time. Grandma had the freedom to choose whom to dine with. It was occasionally that we would all eat together, such as birthdays, someone won the lottery, festive seasons...... The table would then be expanded(yes, it could be opened up to fit for more persons). That table is still with us now, almost 30 years.

My eldest sister got married when I was 13. Uncle moved out with his family when I was 18. But 3 of us sisters still squeezed in the same room, none of us wanted to move upstairs. The rooms upstairs became store rooms! Ha! I went to college at age of 19. It was then daddy decided to revamp half of the house. Main reason, the structure of the house was slanting towards the back, when you were upstairs, put a ball on the floor, it rolled on itself towards the back. During the renovation period, pity mom the most. She had to cook outside at the car porch, which daddy always scolded her for causing oil stains on his car. Sigh...... Mom had to clean the house everyday after work. The renovation went on for 3 months. She suffered for 3 months. And during that period, mom's daddy passed away.

The house still looks very much the same on the outside. Only with new kitchen, bigger dining room, wider stairs, 5 rooms, 2 toilets, bigger and nicer bathroom. The house looks so spacious and comfortable right away. 2nd elder sister gets to have the room to herself and her daughter. Younger sister and I sharing 1 room upstairs, with 2 big wardrobes! A spare room used to be occupied by the maid, now empty.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about my "crowded" childhood. In fact, I kind of miss it. Without going through that type of life, I wouldn't be myself today. I can now listen to music and study. I can multi-task very well. I know how to clean and tidy my own room and stuff. And there's a strong bond between 2 families eventhough there were some unhappy times.

After the passing of grandma 2 and a half years ago, my uncle, my daddy's younger brother, is the only closest family we have now. He was not well for quite some time, I am so happy to see that he is all healthy again.

Family is still the most valuable thing we have in this world. Unhappy time is nothing compared to the happy time spent together.

I thought I could avoid the fate of being tagged...... I could have chosen to ignore this. But I chose to go with the flow. Since I have some free time.

1. I am married, just in case you do not know. And I am married to my first love. Some said I missed out a lot of fun being with other men. Well, guess I know what's best for myself.

2. I like reading books/novel, thriller/mystery especially. As the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover. It is indeed very true. Soaking myself in the bookstores have definitely taught me not to judge a book by its cover. Holding tight to that saying, I managed to find some good reads which others could have tossed away by looking at the covers.

3. I studied Business Management and chartered company secretarial, but I ended up with a HR job.

4. I love my job, but I am desperately hoping for a change.

5. I don't cry easily in front of public. When I do, it must be something that is hurting/happy enough to make me teary. But I do cry a lot when I watch movies!!! Hahaha. Contradict huh...... In Standard 4, I cried when my best buddy in primary school got angry with me for something, she said "you think I'd be scared when you cry?!" That's the moment I woke up and told myself "never ever cry again in front of someone".

6. I love travelling, be it locally or over-the-seas. I've decided I should see more of Malaysia before I could proudly go to other countries and tell them how lovely Malaysia is (excluding all those political dramas). It is to sad to know that some people don't even want to take the chance to travel here in Malaysia yet they're dreaming to travel the world. How sad......

7. I used to be a very shy person in front of strangers. Now now now...... My new-found friends said I am crazy and talkative. Over the years, I've become more and more open to making new friends. I used to be very contented with having 1 or 2 close friends. Something happened and I realised I had too few friends to turn to and I couldn't breathe anymore. I changed, from a person who did not like to be around with lots of people, to someone who initiates talks and loves meeting new friends. I am happier than ever.

8. I am stubborn, very. I always fight till the end and sometimes I got myself hurt badly. I'm still learning how not to be so stubborn. It's hard. I just hope that those around me would forgive me when I hurt them. Asking for forgiveness is never easy for me.

9. I love blogging if you don't already know. Hahaha.

10. My blog's name is called Fish Avenue. Lots of people have been scratching their heads. I don't really like fishes that much. It's all because of my husband! Saw his Streamyx ID as Fish Avenue while I was registering for a blog account. I was lazy to think of the name and so I copied his ID. Hahaha. Fish Avenue, it just simply rhymes with the Fifth Avenue in NYC. That's all.

11. Photography has always been in my blood. I finally have the chance to make it as my hobby, bought a DSLR last year. Daddy was happy that I could finally inherit some of his lenses. Too bad, they don't fit the diameter of my camera!!! Both of us were equally disappointed back then. Hahaha.

12. I wanted to be a teacher. In fact, I still want to be a teacher. It's not the children that I love, it's the teaching part. I love to teach. I feel so proud when the person gets to learn something. Guess teaching is in my blood too. Grandpa was an art teacher, grandma was a primary school teacher and mom used to teach for a short period of time. And now my younger sis is a full-time teacher. Ha!

13. I was born in April Fool's day! Yes yes yes...... Go on and laugh. The nurse in the hospital told my daddy confidently that this must be a boy! There I was, a girl! My daddy thought the nurse was joking with him until he saw me and confirmed... *ahem* Out of disappointment, he gave me a name that was supposed to be used "IF" I were a boy. Hahaha. Yep, my chinese name is a bit boyish. I ain't gonna tell you about it here.

14. I love fastfood!!! Especially McDonald's. I like Nando's too, and KFC, Pizza Hut. I love that MOS burger too in Singapore! Gosh, I miss it so much.

15. Bak kut teh is also my favorite. I used to have it every week!

16. I am a shopaholic. It doesn't matter whether I buy or not, I just love shopping.

17. Jenny Sun is my idol. Hahaha. I so admire her works. Her photos are never boring.

18. I can't live without my concealer and mascara!!! I have serious dark under eye circles and I have short and thin eye lashes. In order not to scare people on the street, I have to put on at least my concealer. My husband once said I could join the pandas care center in China, not as a caretaker, but as a panda. Hahaha.

19. I love myself. Hehehe. I love myself a lot. I know I am not pretty, but I just love myself and love being myself.

20. I am totally spoiled by my husband. And I love that. Hahaha. Of course at times he would be mean to me, but guess that was when I really went overboard.

21. I am a nagging person. I nag a lot, I mean a lot. Ask any of my friends and they would tell you that it's true. Hahaha. I know I shouldn't be so naggy, but sometimes I just do it without knowing it. I've tried not to nag so much, I am trying very hard to control ok...... :p

22. I have bad temper. My temper comes and goes. I may get angry with you this very minute, but the next very minute I could have forgotten about it and all happy talking to you again. Hehehe. Good or bad? I don't know.

23. I can't swim. I love the sea, I'd love to swim, but I can't. I have the chance to learn, but I am just too lazy!!!

24. I have a superb mother- and father-in-law. They are very easy-going persons. Guess I sometimes take things for granted.

25. My parents are still a pair of love birds. They are still very much in love. Seeing them can sometimes let us believe that love truly never dies and true love does exist. I hope I have found mine.

I've finally finished this 25 thingy. So tired......

With this new template for my blog, I wonder why I can't see the fishes at the top left hand corner in this computer. Hmm...... Stupid Blogger.

Finally I got some photos from Vivian, shared in her Facebook.
Five of us went to Taman Megah last Friday to have dinner. Crazy isn't it? Hahaha. It was decided last minute on Friday afternoon. It was rare for Melissa to come KL on a weekday. So all of us made an effort to go and meet her and have dinner together. I was so happy that finally all of us could make it together. I couldn't believe that all of us really made such an effort to meet each other. With the distance in mind, some could definitely have said no.

After the dinner, Nicole's hubby sent me back home all the way to Setapak. It was Nicole's hospitality that I couldn't reject, she insisted to send me back home! Hahaha.

I was so tired last Friday, it was 11.15pm when I reached home, I companied Andrew to go for supper. He was waiting for me to go home to eat with him.

Really happy that we met and had fun together.

From left to right: Melissa, myself, Wan Yi, Vivian, Nicole.

Surprisingly all of us wore different colours!

Chicken Nanban Set It was during CNY that Andrew found out Sony Ericsson's theme display changes according to the calendar. It was a heart during Valentine's Day. It was a "prosperous" word during CNY. We tried forward the date to Halloween, it displays a pumpkin face! This is wonderful!

Another theme display a heart on V Day.
Posing posing!!!

Putrajaya Putrajaya lake Act cool......

I do not have a lot of "close" friends. It was worse before I met some new friends last year. Before that, I always went out with my best buddy, Phoebe, or I went out alone. Andrew is working shift, the timing is always wrong for us.

Last year met this new bunch of friends, I never thought that I would make new friends again. So happy to have found them.

Sometimes I wonder, if I have done enough for my friends. Some claimed that I kept wanting friends to understand me yet I did not understand them at all. I was sad when I got to know that. I considered myself as, if not always, will be there when friends need me. In fact, I did help friends. But when I am the one who is in need of help, I could hardly find one, except my best buddy. I know that whether I am helpful enough isn't for me to judge, it is how other people think and judge. Who knows some of them may think that I have never lend a helping hand.

Over the years, I tried to learn to care less. However I failed. Everytime someone turned to me for help, eventhough I have promised myself not to get hurt for second time, I would still go all out to help. What did I get at the end? A broken heart of my own. Disappointment.

Andrew told me I shouldn't be expecting any return if I wanted to help someone. Yep, he is right. Guess I was too silly and naive to believe that if I helped, he/she would be a better friend. I forgot that friends are human too, they are not superhuman. I shall not look for any return.

I wish I could be like one of them, "don't care, don't bother, you think that way, that's none of my problem." Yes, someone said that to me.

We should cherish our friendship. Yes, you don't care, you can't care. But please at least do not hurt your friends. If you can't be there, be honest instead of promising now and breaking it later. Honesty is the most important factor in a friendship. You break it now, you may never earn it back.

I'll remember the good and sweet memories with my friends.

Ok, I just want to share this funny experience.

I called Saisaki Japanese Restaurant yesterday to enquire about the buffet price for this Saturday. The guy who answered the call, told me THIS Saturday buffet lunch is RM48++ and RM68++ for buffet dinner. I was fine with the buffet lunch and decided to ask Andrew first before I book. Last night Andrew said ok.

Called Saisaki again few moments ago, it sounded like it was the same guy yesterday. Anyway, I told him I'd like to book a table for 2. Here's the conversation:

Me: I would like to book a table for 2 for this coming Saturday.
Saisaki Guy: Lunch or dinner?
Me: Lunch.
Saisaki Guy: This Saturday we're charging RM68++ for buffet lunch too.
Me: I called yesterday and someone told me it's RM48++ for lunch.
Saisaki Guy: Yep, but this Saturday is a public holiday, we're charging RM68++ also.
Me: Public holiday? What public holiday is that?
Saisaki Guy: Oh, it's Valentine's Day. We're charging RM68++ on public holiday for buffet lunch and dinner.
Me: HA! I don't think Valentine's Day is a public holiday! It is not. (I was half laughing)
Saisaki Guy: .............................. Erm... Yep, it's RM68++ this Saturday.
Me: Ok, fine. Please cancel my booking then.

It was funny that he told me Valentine's day is a public holiday!!! I do not know which country he's from, but it is definitely absolutely not a public holiday in Malaysia.

I'm not booking the table to celebrate V day, it's just simply I miss the food there and Andrew never been there before and coincidentally he is off this Saturday. Guess we will have to go some other time.

Just called Andrew, crazy of him to suggest to go Penang this weekend! Hahaha......

Last Saturday, Melissa, Nicole, Vivian and I went for a 3-hour karaoke session. It was so much fun! Too bad Wan Yi couldn't join us as she was in Singapore.

We went to the Red Box in The Gardens. The place is still new, the room is quite comfy. The lunch was not that good. The fish and chips that I ordered was lousy to the max. We had fun singing funny songs, made funny noises, sang in funny tunes and tones...... Hahaha. Now we called Melissa as Jay Chou's sister, 'cause sometimes she sang but we couldn't really hear the words, just like Jay Chou. Hehehe. Laughing our lungs out. Hope Mel wouldn't mind about the joke.

From left: Nicole, Vivian, Melissa.

Toast to friendship!

After the karaoke, Nicole and Vivian left. Again, Mel and I were the last ones to leave. We wandering/window-shopping in Mid Valley Megamall till 6pm! Andrew came pick me up for dinner in Pavilion KL with his colleagues and ex-colleagues. We had our dinner in TGIF. The food was great. I was so hungry and I forgot to take any picture of the food! The serving was big and they all looked so lovely and delicious.

The decorations in Pavilion KL

Few days ago bought this pair of shoes, 50% discount.

Monday was meeting Winnie, Chris and Yee. Chris had something that needed to pass to us on behalf of Angie. It is so sweet of Angie to DIY the paper bag, with some chocolates inside and a cute koala bear! It was really a surprise. Another extra for me was the migraine stick. It really works wonders! Used it few times when I had headache. I don't have to take pain-killer anymore! Hooray! Thank you very much to you, Angie!

Special gift from Angie. She DIY-ed the paper bag.