Betcha didn't know some of these

HEhehe, didn't realise that i was walking into traps every week. This is too good not to share. Beware the next time when you push the shopping trolley, muahaha.

Here are some of the traditional (as well as a few more unexpected) ploys used by supermarkets to encourage you to spend more than you might have planned to (taken from www.choice.com.au) :

• In your face: More expensive items tend to be right in the line of sight of the target consumer. Cheaper or supermarket own-brands tend to be located on the higher or lower shelves.
  
• Sensory delights: It’s very common to position attractive fresh produce or a bakery at the entry. Does the deli section with its medley of colours and tasty offerings then follow? The aim is that the sights and smells grab your interest and put you into shopping mood as you’re led through the labyrinth to the less interesting packaged dry goods and the strategically placed impulse-buy items.
  
• Where are the eggs? Probably nowhere near the milk or bread. Separation of popular staples is a common element of supermarket design. Why? So you’ll spend more time in the store negotiating your way past all those flashy and tempting impulse-buy items.
  
• Sacrificial lambs: Supermarkets, particularly those with strong local competition, offer ‘loss leaders’ — heavily discounted and advertised goods that are designed to get you into the store. The idea is that you’ll pick up a few more items while you’re there. And don’t be surprised if you find them near high-cost ‘glamour’ products.
  
• This goes with that: Positioning ‘natural’ combinations like chips with dips or biscuits near tea and coffee may seem logical, but is it any wonder that it increases the sales of both?
  
• The trouble with trolleys is that it’s very easy to fill them up. If this is you, consider carrying one or even two baskets instead — you’ll find the weight of all those impulse buys good for discipline.
  
• Super specials? Appearances can be deceptive. Are those cosmetics in the ‘bargain bin’ at the end of the aisle really discounted? And not mention out of date??
  
• Checkout tempters: Magazines and confectionery live here. How many times have you succumbed to the temptation or been nagged into buying by your kids?
  
• Research also suggests that grocery shoppers are heavily influenced by instore displays, particularly at the end of the aisles and at the checkout. Keep this in mind when navigating through the store. Don’t assume they’re automatically a special offer — compare their price with the same items that aren’t being promoted.
  
• At the Food and Brand Lab, University of Illinois, researchers found that promotions using multi-unit pricing (for example, three for $3), purchase suggestions (‘stock up for Easter’) or with purchase limits (‘limit three per customer’) increased the amount consumers purchased. “All three types of promotion increase purchase amounts by 30% to 105% over what consumers would normally plan on buying,” it said.
  
• Other research showed that more than 50% of shoppers couldn’t resist a ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ promotion. But did you even need one in the first place, never mind two?
  

Yaw cha guai

My parents went out of town yesterday, so nobody was at home the whole day. Mum said that when they arrived home, she found pieces of 'yaw cha guai' (fried dough stick) on the floor. Someone from outside threw it into the house compound. Another attempt to kill the dog??

My goodness, that is so evil!!! Whoever that did that, deserves to have the yaw cha guai shoved down their throat, get a taste of their own medicine (i am the evil one now).

It is so easy to poison a dog, coz most of them are gluttons and would eat anything. Especially Loyal, he is greedy, even experiments with small pebbles. Thank goodness he couldn't reach the yaw cha kuai (was tied to the pillar). Otherwise probably end up with another dead pooch.

Is it possible to train a dog to only eat food that is placed in their food bowl????????

Itchy hands produces artwork

doggy heaven!!!??

Mum and dad came home to be welcomed by one less dog, Loyal was there, but Blessing was nowhere to be seen. That is not a good sign, coz as all dogs do, the two pooches would always be ready at the front gate, wagging their tails when their owners arrive home (that is unless they did something really naughty,tsk tsk). Unfortunately, Blessing wasn't in hiding because he did something wrong. Mum found him dead on the floor, :( apparently he had been vomitting blood.

Suspicion was that he was poisoned, as he was fine and healthy when they left the house in the morning, it can't possibly be due to illness. GRRRRRRRRRRR.... which ever bastard that did this deserves to be RIPPED to pieces !!!!!! It is beyond comprehension as to how humans can be so cruel. This is not the first time that this has happened in our housing estate. One of our neighbours had their Rotties poisoned to death before.

Almost all the houses in our area owns a dog or two. Mind you, these pooches are guard dogs, so nobody goes putting their hands past the gates to pet the dogs, unless if you wanna risk your hands being chomped off. Everytime when i make a trip back home, i always get growled at by my own dogs when i first arrive.

My parents have never been keen on keeping pets, it was for security reasons that we started rearing dogs. These dogs are great deterrant for trespassers especially when our area is bordered by illegal squatter houses (In my hometown, the illegal immigrants can almost outnumber the locals thanks to the inefficient just- bribe- me- with- coffee -money -and -i -will -close- one -eye police force).

There is a mystery that is still unsolved - all the dogs that we had never lives past 2, 3 years. It is almost as if there is a curse. Blessing is the fifth dog that we have lost within the span of 7, 8 years.

First there was Lok Lok and Brown (Doberman mixed), they died from skin disease (parasites i supposed). The vet was of no help at all, they couldn't provide any concrete diagnoses when we brought the sick dogs to them, just as clueless as we were (vets in my hometown are hopeless when it comes to pets, they only know how to treat large animals of agricultural purposes). It was then we decided that the next dog that we are getting will be a mongrel which is more hardy and much easier to keep than the expensive breeds. The second dog, Tiger died from illness too. The third dog, Jabez was given away to my parent's friend, and apparently was neglected by the owner (Grrrrr!!!! This person deserves a whack on the head too, but shall not say much coz it is my parent's friend). The Fourth dog, Fei Chai had been vommitting consecutively days before he passed away (suspicion was he was poisoned).

Goodness, we really have no idea why they dogs lives are so short lived. They are all so well taken care by my Dad, who feeds them, bathes them, talks to them (even prays for them). And they in return loves my dad very much. He gets upset everytime one of the dogs passes away. I can't imagine how heavy his heart must be when he buries them to rest.

I hope that Loyal is gonna live to be an old grandpa. Poor thing, he must miss his brother very much. The day that Blessing died, he refused to eat, probably waiting for Blessing to eat dinner together with him.

Happier moments: Fei Chai when he still a pup, soooo adorable!!!

Lil' pup, Blessing up to no good, chewing my mum's plants

Blessing and Fei Chai huddled together for an afternoon nap

Do or die

I have submitted it, after much dilly dallying :p

Lesson learnt today: never ever go to the post office during lunch time (when you see the queue almost reach the sliding door, RUN!!!)

Now, cross fingers and pray

Results will be out december/january.

Goshhhh, i hope i get through.

Poetry 101

Read "An Orange Slice of Life" today, and Teacher marianne was teaching how to write poetry.
Ahahah, i had one on top of my head, here it is goes (excuse my Manglish) :

Hi my name is Joey,
Dun anyhow call me Poey,
Unless i say you can,
Do you understand??
Miss Au says my eyes are doey,
I turned around and asked her "why you say they are doughy?"

How?? Teacher, do i get full marks for this??

For extra points, I submit another one :)

My brains are scattered,
Coz it is tired,
Mark Harmon is on telly
Waiting for me!!!!

Toodles, me gonna catch NCIS :)

Closeeee, tooo close for comfort

This was what i posted last Friday, but i took it off after a few hours, didn't want to upset the fans. Heheheheh, after reading it don't be too sad kay, it is only blogging about how I felt.
...................................................

WARNING: IF YOU ARE AN EAGLE'S FAN, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. OTHERWISE SKIP THIS ENTRY!!!! I'VE WARNED YOU :p

With the storm brewing in the afternoon, i thought that it would be a wet sloshy game. Somehow they were spared of the rainstorm. However this did not spare me of any agony.

Mrs Kerr wannabe chose to go for dinner. She was in denial (currently drowning in her sorrows). "I can't stand the pain of watching the game" she said. She taped it, whether she is gonna watch it would depend on whether the Eagles soared or not.

Obviously i am not a die hard supporter of footy, unlike some Eagle maniac friends of mine that religiously follow the game and even more unlike some die hard fans that lined up at 2am at Challenge Stadium to buy tickets. I am merely a bystander, a newbie that is still trying to grasp the footy lingo, a nosey parker that usually only watches the 4th quarter of the game (most of the time i fall asleep during the other quarters, and wake up in time for the 4th quarter).

While waiting for the kettle to boil in the kitchen, i switched on the tv to check out the scores. Wrong move i tell you. What followed next was excruciating!!!!!

The game had already proceeded to the 4th quarter. The scores were really toooo close for comfort. John Worsfold's face was so intense, my guess is that even winning the lotto jackpot won't make him break into a smile. Chris Judd was in a suit and watching from one of the box (didn't play due to injury). His usual calm cool face was in a frown, his forehead was so creased that it almost touched his receding hairline. It was reallyyyy INTENSE !!!! (i think you get my point).

This is not the time to have butter fingers, dun miss the ball ok!!!!!!! Arghhhhhh, come on, come on, catch it ler!!!!! Wahhhhh raooooo, catch larrr!!Luckily Mrs Kerr wannabe wasn't watching it there and then, otherwise i fear that there would be murder in the house. Don't be too sad babe, next year ok!!!

Well done to Dean Cox and Chick, i reckoned they did really well. The other players, i have yet to learn all their names (Selwood, Le Cras, Rosa, Lynch). Too bad the three major players (Judd, Cousins and Kerr) were all not playing due to injury. Next year kay, there will always be next year!!

Looks are deceiving

Tonight i learnt that Chris Judd is two years younger than me (08-09-1983?????? Would someone tell me that this is a typo error). Somehow i had the impression that he was in his thirties, and hairline is receding (fans of his, pls dun kill me).

And Dean Cox who i thought was in his mid thirties is the same age as me (01-08- 1981??? This is also typo error right?).

Ahahahahah, looks are really deceiving. Well, at least i was deceived ....

Dimples :)))))

Dimples on a golf ball

Do you have dimples when you smile????

Yay!!!!!!!!

As the afternoon approached,sunshine had disappeared and storm clouds began to build. By the time we finished with last patient at 2pm, it was raining hippos and elephants outside. Not good, not good :(

Drats, i really don't wanna be caught in the jam (which is a almost a guarantee when the weather is bad). Luckily i always bring a book with me to work. Probably pop in at a cafe nearby to kill some time and wait till the going home crowd subsides.

My boss was about to go off to attend a conference (hence the reason we finished early) and said to the rest of us that we can go home early, no need to stay back till the usual time. Yes yes yesssssshhhhhhhhhhhh, heheheh, i almost did a lil' jiggle (almost, coz cannot appear tooooo happy in front of boss lar). Gimme a high five!!!!! We were all out of there by 3:30pm :)

Yay!!!!!! Managed to avoid the subi oval crowd as well. Trust me, you do not want to be stuck there when there is a home game. As i was driving past rockeby road, there were already small crowds of eagle fans trickling down the streets.

These ppl mean serious business as tonight's game is a "do or die" round. Fingers crosed, may the Eagle fly high tonight. Otherwise, i do not know how to console the die hard "eagle maniac" friends of mine.

Wooo hooo... i think the game has just started!!!!


Chutney Mary's rising to the occasion. Look at the colored paper strips. Yellow and Blue for the Eagles, White and Black for Collingwood.

Simple yet profound 2

Having another writer's block.... laziness more like it :p


However there is a great song i gotta share (scroll downnnnnn) ..... heard it during the weekend, and took me 3 days to find out the name of this song.... bugged the hell out of me......... now i can sleep in peace (Ahaha, i know, i am mad sometimes) .... enjoy it and remember of god's grace :)


As the speaker had shared, " GRACE - Easy to hear, hard to apply, makes the most changes". How true is that.


Sidetrack: Another wise thing that he said " You can plan a wedding, but you can't plan a marriage".


Rush Of Fools - Undo

I've been here before, now here I am again
Standing at the door, praying You'll let me back in
To label me a prodigal would be
Only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be


[Chorus]
Turn me around pick me up
Undo what I've become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, need Your help
I can't do this myself
You're the only one who can undo
What I've become


I focused on the score, but I could never win
Trying to ignore, a life of hiding my sin
To label me a hypocrite would be
Only scratching the surface of who I've been known to be


[Chorus]
Turn me around pick me up
Undo what I've become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, need Your help
I can't do this myself
You're the only one who can undo
What I've become


Make every step lead me back to
The sovereign way that You


[Chorus]
Turn me around pick me up
Undo what I've become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, need Your help
I can't do this myself
You're the only one who can undo
What I've become

http://www.esnips.com/doc/b02ccf2b-c425-43f3-a566-dba4fd632d64/Rush-Of-Fools---Undo

ARA de luennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Spring time is officially here!!!!!!!! Prepare your hay fever meds and plenty of tissues. And of course how can we forget the flower festivals :) At least two of my fellow bloggers have featured entries about ARa de luen. How can i not jump on the bandwagon?? HAhaah, but pls pardon my pictures. It does not capture fully what you can see with your own eyes. And as usual, i will let the pictures tell the story :)

My advice is to go early to beat the crowd, and ...... just in case if you get lost :p

Petite white flowers at the entrance.

An arum lilly that is not fully formed. Unlike roses, tulips, which has to be given great care, these lillies grow wild in fields, road sides. Unbelievable that these beauties are considered as weeds by the farmers (according to a friend). Keep your eyes peeled on your way to Araluen or margaret river (drivers, pls concentrate kay), and you should be able to spot a meadow filled with arum lillies or on the road side.

The multi facets of Araluen

Reminds me of the sunshine :) The happy colorss

The girlish pastel colors.

For the more mature ppl. This colour combo oozes elegance

My personal favourite. The combination of red and white tulips.

Quaint lil' tea house. A good place to rest, have a cuppa and warm yourself up

View from inside the tearoom.

Another beauty!!!! Noticed this while going up the stairs of the tearoom. This is the prettyyyy camelia. Scroll up to the tearoom pic and you will see a tree with white flowers. Would love to have one of these in the future.

Red camelia that has just opened up. Ohhhh lala la

And last but NOT LEast.....

Not least......

not the leaster...............................

not the leastestttttt...........

Hhahaha, the official monument of ARA de luennnnn..........

Weird, really weird. Only in australia

Thinking of probably taking another trip up here, not to the flower festival, but to the rose farm and have a drive along Brookton highway. Saw some fruit trees with blossoms. Are they apples?? oranges?? nectarines??? Will soon find out. Anyone interested??

Sidenote: Araluen flower festival is only opened from end of august till october.

Coolness to the max, hotness in full swing (heheh, if there is ever such an expression)

Dave ohhhhh dave.... hmmmm.... what shall i say?? We are totally besotted by you, you are Hot Hot HOT!!!!!!! Charming, bold, great showmanship (yes i learnt a new word) is how i would describe you.

Three girls headed down to Burswood for a night of fun. Hahah, we were all a bit of a nutcase (there is one who has always been insane, the other two just showed their true colors). The driver kinda"cuckoo" as well, got lost, didn't really know how to get there. Don't worry, we were not tipsy, we were just euphoric with excitement i guess.

Bus lane ..... cheapskate ...... chrysanthemum tea..... no drinking in theatre.... Bass language. These memories really made me laugh. Some too embarassing to divulge.

A night peppered with swing, big band, soft jazz and even rock & roll, hard not to tap your toes, clap or bob your head to the music. Some moments, you just want to melt in your seats when he starts crooning soft jazzy music. He is one hillarious guy too : )

Of course he wasn't the only one that shone. His 7 piece band and backup singer is fabulous too. I especially like the drummer (whose name is Joey!!!) and the double bass.

During the interval, we were amazed to see the amount of ppl who came to watch Dave. A high percentage of them are middle aged. We are the special rare species, muahahah. My oh my, they may be older than us, but when dave sings, the oldies come to life!!

Really nice song that i heard yesterday : )

Instructions: Press play at the bottom, and SCrollllllllllllllllll as fast as you can to the top of the page. Sing along if you like, ahahahhahahahahah, this song is too good not to share. I can already imagine someone swaying and singing to it already ^.^


Waters of March

A stick, a stone,
It's the end of the road,
It's the rest of a stump,
It's a little alone

It's a sliver of glass,
It is life, it's the sun,
It is night, it is death,
It's a trap, it's a gun

The oak when it blooms,
A fox in the brush,
A knot in the wood,
The song of a thrush

The wood of the wind,
A cliff, a fall,
A scratch, a lump,
It is nothing at all

It's the wind blowing free,
It's the end of the slope,
It's a beam, it's a void,
It's a hunch, it's a hope

And the river bank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the end of the strain,
The joy in your heart

The foot, the ground,
The flesh and the bone,
The beat of the road,
A slingshot's stone

A fish, a flash,
A silvery glow,
A fight, a bet,
The range of a bow

The bed of the well,
The end of the line,
The dismay in the face,
It's a loss, it's a find

A spear, a spike,
A point, a nail,
A drip, a drop,
The end of the tale

A truckload of bricks
in the soft morning light,
The shot of a gun
in the dead of the night

A mile, a must,
A thrust, a bump,
It's a girl, it's a rhyme,
It's a cold, it's the mumps

The plan of the house,
The body in bed,
And the car that got stuck,
It's the mud, it's the mud

Afloat, adrift,
A flight, a wing,
A hawk, a quail,
The promise of spring

And the riverbank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the promise of life
It's the joy in your heart

A stick, a stone,
It's the end of the road
It's the rest of a stump,
It's a little alone

A snake, a stick,
It is John, it is Joe,
It's a thorn in your hand
and a cut in your toe

A point, a grain,
A bee, a bite,
A blink, a buzzard,
A sudden stroke of night

A pin, a needle,
A sting, a pain,
A snail, a riddle,
A wasp, a stain

A pass in the mountains,
A horse and a mule,
In the distance the shelves
rode three shadows of blue

And the riverbank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the promise of life
in your heart, in your heart

A stick, a stone,
The end of the road,
The rest of a stump,
A lonesome road

A sliver of glass,
A life, the sun,
A knife, a death,
The end of the run

And the riverbank talks
of the waters of March,
It's the end of all strain,
It's the joy in your heart

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