Traumatised!

I went for a haircut last Saturday. This is something I absolutely hate to do in the US because they can't do asian hair!

Anyway, I was due for a colour since I haven't coloured my hair for almost a year. So she did the colour first and after 2.5 hours, when she washed it off, my hair was black! I was annoyed and I told her that if I wanted my hair to be black, I would have just let it grow out instead of colouring it. She said she will fix it and she did the colour again. Meanwhile I was starving because this was taking longer than expected and I didn't have lunch. Luckily the colour came out the second time around and she started on the cut.

O-M-G. She was a butcher. She cut and cut and cut. I told her it looked like a boy cut and she said she will fix it and cut even more! I told her that one side was longer and she immediately cut some more of the shorter side! How stupid could she be? I was already getting super irritated when she accidentally snipped my EAR! What the hell!?? From the picture, I guess you can't really see it. It was just a small nick but it wouldn't stop bleeding. I had to rush to the bathroom and wash it off and put a plaster on it. Urgh!

Totally traumatised by then.

Anyway, as per Monty Python, "always look on the bright side of life!". I had a free hair cut and colour as well as a free shampoo and conditioner to take back.

Sigh... I miss getting my hair done in Malaysia....

Where am I? - June update

Since people seem to be wondering where I am now, I thought I better update this blog. I am now on a short project in Monroe, North Carolina. I am supposed to be here for 3 months but it might be until October. Not sure yet. I am flying every week between Chicago and Charlotte. Hate waking up at 4 am in the morning on Monday so I might start flying in on Sunday nights. Here's where I am now:

Macaroni Casserole

When I was in secondary school, Joyce used to make her "mac and cheese" and all of us fell in love with it. That was the first time I have ever eaten macaroni and cheese and I thought it was delicious. Then I found out that the usual mac and cheese would just be pasta in cheese sauce. YUCK. Luckily, Joyce shared her recipe and Winnie and I decided to try making it.

Sauce:

Stirfry onions and then put in the minced meat (chicken or turkey). Stir until cooked. Put in the mushrooms and tomato paste. Stir it all and throw in some salt, oregano, black pepper and sugar.

Pasta:

Boil the elbow shaped pasta until al dente.

Method:

1. Make a first layer of pasta in the baking bowl

2. Lace the sauce over the pasta.

3. Do another layer of pasta on top of it.

4. Pour Campbell cream of mushroom over it to make another layer.

5. Another layer of pasta.

6. Final layer of sauce.

7. Cheese and more cheese.

8. Liberally pour parmesan over it.

9. Bake in the oven. If the cheese don't turn brown, broil it until it does.

Ta-dah!

Slice it up and serve it with a side of salad.
Delicious!!

Where am I?

My earlier plans/expectations didn't turn out the way it was supposed to. I left Dallas around mid-March but spent some time in Chicago and New York and then Chicago again. Looks like I will be going back to Dallas again for a month. Not sure where I'll be after that.

Ta ta!

Moving on...

Looks like this is my first post for 2009. There was just too much going on at work with working through Christmas, working long hours, working night shifts, working working working. Anyway, looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. After almost spending 2 years here in Dallas, I am rolling off this project and will be moving. I always have mixed feelings when I finish a project. I will miss the people that I have connected with and would kinda dread starting all over again. However, there is also a sense of accomplishment and new and exciting challenges ahead.

So, this is where I have lived in US and where I will be moving to:

1. Stayed in Connecticut for 1 year.

2. Moved to Dallas and stayed here for 2 years.

3. Will be moving to Columbus, Ohio for 18 weeks.

I don't think I will be getting an apartment in Columbus since it is just a short project so I will be flying in on weekdays and flying to Chicago on weekends.

Wish me luck!

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009...

It is rather scary how time never stays still... In a blink of an eye, it is the end of the year. It is never beneficial to regret decisions or to be held back by the past. I would like to think that 2008 was a coming-of-age year for me. So many decisions made, so many sleepless nights, so much laughter, so much tears, so much heartache. But it is all part of being me and it is the best part of me. 

In my mind, Malaysia is always my home. I have accepted a post in the US and I guess I have to start thinking of the US as my home now. Many people think that it is an easy decision, since I have been here for 3 years. But I know it took me a long time to even consider the possibility of living here. A lot of my close friends think I am mad to even do this after listening to me gripe over and over again about how I hated it here. I am not at a point where I can say I love it here, but it is acceptable for now. 

The key is to live in the now and be present to life. Be happy.