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Everything goes up up up June 5, 2008

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Thoughts & Scribblings , 9comments

 

On the day before the petrol price increased to a high of RM2.70 per liter, I had sup kambing with steamed rice for dinner.  The irony of it…a rather economical meal in view of tough times ahead.  But truth be told, it was a rather tasty one at that too.  Would I be eating this more often from now on, or (shudder) will I be instead eating instant noodles and plain white bread?

On the day before the petrol price increased to a high of RM2.70 per liter, my hubby returned home from his game of futsal a whole hour later than normal.  His game had started a half hour later yesterday evening because everyone was stuck in the jam caused by motorists queuing up to fill up their petrol tanks, right outside the futsal venue.  And because our car was also running on empty, my hubby too had to join the crowd when his game was over.  Typically, hubbs and I will not be one of those queuing up when rumors of petrol price hikes are announced, because we don’t think it is worth it.  But we had to this time round.

As an aside, I wonder if the price of Shell V-Power is relatively more than RM2.70 per liter.  We use that in our car and if it is, it will mean even MORE tough times ahead.

Actually, do you think the amount of petrol used by the idling and waiting cars last night while queuing up for the RM1.92 per liter petrol was offset by the ringgit savings they had made?  Point to ponder….

So anyways, there’s a rebate of this petrol increase, I hear.  RM625 per year for all private vehicles with an engine capacity of 2000cc and below.  Unfortunately though, the RM200 reduction in road tax is only applicable to private petrol and diesel vehicles with engine capacity above 2000cc, so I can kiss this reduction goodbye. Bah.

Beggars can’t be choosers, so I’m gonna make full use of the RM625 per year rebate.  Is it true that our gahmen will pay us this rebate after we renew our road tax?  Mine is due soon, so I will be looking forward to that.

Today, my SIL forwarded me an excel spreadsheet with the computation of the rebate (you guys are VERY efficient!!!), and I keyed in a simulated figure of RM200 worth of petrol pumped per month:

Rebate/year                         RM625
Rebate/month RM52.08
Average monthly usage in the past  RM200
Average monthly usage (new price)   RM281.26
1-month difference RM81.26
1-month rebate RM52.08
Extra monthly expenditure RM29.18
1-year difference RM975.12
1-year rebate RM625
Extra yearly expenditure RM350.12

 Can you imagine the things I could do with RM350.12?!!!

Sigh…. I sure hope DAP’s calls for the price hike withdrawal will be approved.  If not…..SIGH.

I’m bracing myself for the impending electricity tariff restructure soon.  Sigh Sigh Sigh….

The modelly model in me June 3, 2008

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : The Fairer Sex, Thoughts & Scribblings , 16comments

What do you get when you put a vainpot, RM300 and two hours together?

Heh. Last weekend, I succumbed to my inner girly dream to become a model and signed up for an Estee Lauder Model Search makeover PLUS a photoshoot. In addition to being treated like a model, this package entitled me to a RM250 voucher to redeem Estee Lauder products and an additional door gift comprising an Estee Lauder eyeshadow and mascara worth RM80 (there was also a RM150 Sony voucher which I don’t see any need for). Anyway, all this happened at Queensbay Mall. I can tell you that honestly, it felt very diva-ish, just because I was able to tell the hairdresser how I’d like my hair done, and the professional stylist what kind of look I wanna achieve. All simply for the taste of that modelly million bucks feeling. Felt exactly like a scene out of America’s Next Top Model.

But it’s a female thingy I suppose.

My hubby cannot for the life of him, fathom how or why I would wanna sign up for the makeover and contest. And again, I have to say it’s a female thing. I saw girls and women of all shapes and sizes patiently sitting there, waiting to be made up by the professional makeup artists and then sportingly posing for their photo shoots. And (dare I say) aunties too were not spared the temptation.

And in the end, after all was said and done, my hubby was also SWEET enough to pay an additional RM100 for the entire set of my 21 digital photos from my shoot PLUS a framed A4 size copy of one of the photos. I enjoyed myself thoroughly throughout the session (except for the fact that I forgot to bring along a bottle of water, so I was rather thirsty - in reality, models would be provided with water, no?).  As a move to fulfill my modelling fantasy, I even asked for a blower to be used during the last part of my shoot :) … you know, the ones that make long hair fly all over the place.  I’ve always wanted to do that.  Haha.  I know I will probably never do this ever again, so it was a fantastic experience.

I wonder if the turnout would be that great if there was a similar model search event for guys?

Hundred-year lane lunch June 2, 2008

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Drooling & Cooking, Relax & Celebrate, Thoughts & Scribblings , 7comments

We almost always tend to ignore the simplicity of life. Meals almost always have to cost a lot to taste good. But in reality, all you need is good company, a decent parking spot near the kopitiam and hope that the shop is open. Haha….my hubby and I have had a 50% success rate with the Xin He kopitiam on Lorong Seratus Tahun. We’ve only attempted to eat there four times, and out of that, only twice have we succeeded. And now we know they close on Thursdays.

Anyway, today, since I am nursing a cough and a slightly sore throat, I will be all goody-goody and eat koay-teow th’ng. I even had ampula-sui-boey for its supposedly good and curative effects on the throat…..

…..and then I will fight fire with fire and have a bowl of insatiable assam laksa. Good?

Ohhhh…sweet bag o’mine June 2, 2008

Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Relax & Celebrate , 5comments

I simply love receiving mails. Even better if they are parcels or packages. And last week, I got one all the way from UK. And even though I already knew what it contained, it still didn’t take away the novelty feeling of receiving something in the mail (bills excluded, of course!). I opened the parcel right away, and was immediately stunned at how pretty the Jane Norman bag looked.

Very bling bling, very floral and very girly. Exactly what it looked like in the picture on Zoop’s Life when I entered the contest. It even has a mini detachable pouch included. I immediately went into mental scanning mode and kept in mind which outfit I had that would go well with it. Such was the eagerness which overwhelmed me when I held the bag in my hands. Okay la, I exaggerated a little bit there.

Got this bag simply by entering one of the many contests Zoop’s Life runs. This one required participants to guess the price of a Calvin Klein belt, and no, contrary to what you might be thinking that I googled the price of the belt or somethin’, I actually just *tembaked* the price based on what I remembered a belt like that cost in US when I last saw it. Then I converted it to sterling pounds, and that was it :) I didn’t get the price on the dot though, but my guess of £15.5 was the closest to the answer which was £15. And now I have a new shopping bag! Woohooooo……!!!!! Thank you, Sue! Looking forward to more contests to come!