Achieving milestones

Happy Birthday to myself today on Feb 18th! Today is also my 100th posting! No big deal considering that when Zewt wrote his 100th posts, he had 30,000 visits already. I only have a fraction of that, let me see, 883 visits? What the heck - drinks on me! Free flow susu kacang to all of you! Freshly made and still warm. Thanks for visiting my humble blog all this while.



This blog started in September 2007. At that time, I had no idea what a blog was at all. Then I found out that blog is actually short for web log or an internet form of personal diary. The difference I see from a regular website and a blog is that a blog has more dynamic entries, updated regularly. To make your blog noticeable by the internet community, you have to post daily.



When I started, I had no idea what I was going to write about. I think the most important reason that I started this was to force myself to learn as much and as quickly as possible about making money online. I bought this best-selling book (Secrets of Internet Millionaires) from Stuart Tan to find out how to go about doing this. Then when he left a comment on one of my posts, I took it as a sign - like the star of Bethlehem is beckoning upon me.



There are blogs with specific topics like 5xmom's Make Money Online blog and there are blogs on personal life such as Kenny Sia's blog. There are part-time bloggers and there are full-time bloggers. Then there is a also the problogger, as defined by 5xmom in her post here. In a nutshell, these guys do everything from writing to the more technical aspect of coding, and they are supposed to be very willing to share their knowledge. Sounds like Jedi master thing to me, but I guess I haven't met one yet.



For a start, I decided then it was easier to just write anything that comes to mind and captures my attention. Maybe just allow the blog to take shape freely. And allow me the freedom to explore different areas before I choose a niche topic.

It is a lot of tough work. In the beginning I had to deal with the blogging platforms, editing and publishing tools. I had to learn a little of HTML and CSS coding. Thankfully, the internet is vast with useful information and Google search is so good at sifting through the tons of websites to supply you with the relevant ones (downloading scripts etc.)



So I set some goals. I wanted to experiment with the different methods to improve your site ranking and traffic. My strategy was to double the number of posts each month as I built towards the habit of one post per day. It seems this is especially important for new websites wanting to be indexed quickly.

I think this paid off as my traffic had a modest increase and if you type "susu kacang", you will see my blog in the first page of the Google search results.

Since I was able to write around 20-30 posts that month, my next goal would logically be to maintain my performance. In addition, I would like to write some articles for submission to websites like eZine.



To be honest, it is very tough to keep up like that. Firstly, writing is not my forte. Secondly, I can only work on this at night when I am "off from work".

Still, when I see people like Zewt or Ladan appearing on my mybloglog widget, I am slightly more encouraged to push on.

There are two things I am experimenting with now. Number one is joining social networks like Facebook, MyBlogLog, Imeem etc. to reach out to interested readers. Number two is employing SEO tactics such as using "hot" keywords. Both of these techniques have brought me more readers. My traffic almost doubled when I used terms like pubic hair and pussies. There was a spike in my traffic when I mentioned the names of Hong Kong actors and actresses involved in the recent sex scandal. These are all very interesting and actually I won't have noticed this if Amy had not brought this up.

I would like to begin niche themes as soon as possible. It would be interesting to see how different the results would be compared to this blog.

Window dressing also plays a role in attracting readers. I have changed the look of my blog a few times already. I am quite pleased with the current design which I optimized with Mozilla Firefox. I spent some time tweaking the design to accommodate other browsers like the Internet Explorer. It seems however Internet Explorer does not support certain features. So it is best to view this blog (and other blogs) using Mozilla Firefox.

In the process of running my blog, I had to learn other softwares such as Adobe photoshop, dreamweaver, flash etc. So, overall, I believe this is a value-added experience.



Of course, there is a price to pay for. After hours and hours of blogging daily and insufficient rest, I think I am developing repetitive strain injury (RSI) on my right elbow (feels like a tennis elbow). This is not a good sign as it shows that I am overworked. And sleepy now. I have less exercise and that is not good. So I try to squeeze in some time doing rope skipping and a bit of body stretching.

~~~~~

My 39th birthday was a simple and quiet affair. Amy bought a cake to celebrate the occasion. The same cake that I bought for her birthday last month and our good neighbors gave us for Christmas last year - Philippines style yam cake. How come nobody got me any presents? :( Maybe Zoey will get me one next time, hahahaha (waiting).

Well, I guess that's all for today.

Happy Birthday, Ma!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to birthday girl
Happy Birthday to you

Ma and Minnie

Let's see....what shall I talk about?

Hmmm...I remember a story once, no, more than once actually, told by my mother about a woman who was very, very poor. She had a child, a boy, whom she was determined to give a better life. So she worked very, very hard and made a lot of sacrifices, and made sure that he got proper education.

Years passed and the boy had now grown into a fine, young man. He did excellent in his pursuits and was a popular person in the town. Seeing how successful her son had become, the mother felt very happy and glad that the sacrifices she made was worth it all. The mother continued to work very hard because they were still very poor.

One day, the son was offered a position as a high-ranking officer on a ship, with a lot of money to go with the job. The mother decided that it was best for her son to take up the offer and explore the limitless opportunities waiting for him to discover. Her son felt sad but dutifully took her advice. After a last meal together, she bade him farewell at the port and saw him leave with the ship.

Years went on and the mother was now alone. Everyday she waited by the port for her precious son to return. She kept herself busy by working and working. It seemed that she never stopped working. She would only spend a little of the money she earned on her basic needs, and kept the rest safe for her son's keeping.

She did received a few letters from him in the beginning. But now she had no news about him. She grew worried that something bad might have befallen him. She went around asking everybody, anybody for her son's whereabouts but nobody could tell her.
She continued to wait at the port, her heart aching more with each passing day as hopes of her son's return faded away.

And then, the ship appeared. The same ship the woman's son boarded years ago. As the ship docked itself, the crowd waved and cheered noisily like welcoming a hero's return. The woman tried to see if she could find her son in the group of people disembarking from the ship.

She had never felt so excited and happy before. Finally, she saw her son. She could recognize him although he looked older with the beard and all. She thought he looked very successful from the way he was dressed. She called to him but he did not seem to hear her. Pushing her way through the crowd, she finally got to him. As she pulled on his coat, he turned around and gave her a short glance. It was as if the son did not recognized her mother. He turned back and continued his way.

The woman tried to keep up with her son. She kept calling his name and each time she was within touching distance, she pulled on his coat. The man turned around and scolded her and declared that he did not know her. Sensing that he was ashamed to be associated with her and trying to get rid of her, she became grief-stricken. Her heart broke into a million pieces as the shocking situation replayed in her mind.

In a loud, ear-piercing voice, she laid a curse on her son that he will turn into a pillar of stone for his unfilial behavior. Suddenly, the man froze in his tracks, and became paralyzed like a stone. Seeing what she had done to her son, the woman also met her tragic end by throwing herself into the sea.

~~~~~

Well, the moral of the story is to remember your mother. She brought you into this world and for this reason, it is sinful to disown your own mother. I wish there were a better ending to this story, like a happily after kind of thing, but maybe it goes to show that the world we live in can be very cold and heartless.

All of us were born into this world on our respective birthdays. Some of us were born under better circumstances and some were not. Jesus was born in a stable. In my mother's case, she was born in a hut in the middle of a rubber plantation. My grandmother gave birth to her while working on that day, I think. Soon after birth, the next day, that is, my grandmother went to work again.

My mother also used to tell me the story when everyone in the village was fleeing from the Japanese soldiers during the WWII invasion. Because she was still a baby then, she was left hidden in the ditch or drain. Fortunately, for her (and me as well), she did not make a noise and the Japanese did not notice her. An angel must be watching over her. I don't know if she is aware that an angel is still watching over her till this day, hahahaha. As they say, God is mysterious in His ways.

So what is so happy about a birthday anyway? Most babies cry when they are delivered. Some get slapped on their butts as soon as they arrive into this world. And that is the least humiliating treatment for a normal birth baby. Others would be put into some sort of chamber for life sustenance.

Apart from the fact that commercial retailers stand to profit from the birthday merchandises and the opportunities to party, what happiness do birthday celebrations bring?

I think the answer lies in this.

If, for the moment, we can forget about all the details that come with arranging a party for the birthday boy or girl (because we can get lost in details), let us ask ourselves why we appreciate their being in this world, our world. In what special ways have they filled our lives? Did they bring us companionship in an otherwise lonely world? Did they bring us joy in world that has begun to seem mundane and monotonous? Did they give us a sense of purpose when we were feeling the emptiness of life? Did they make us realize that we have inner strength which we can rely upon to summon the greatest challenges in our lives? Did they show us how little patience we have and ruinous we can become?

Therefore, we are the ones who should be happy. Happy that we become better persons too through our relationship with them. We are happy, year in, year out, because we know them, we know ourselves better. Whether they are six years old or sixty five years old, age is not the measure - it is the experience they bring, that have enrich our lives, that is relevant.

If you are happy because of them, then it is a truly happy occasion. It is a cause for celebration. It is the least we can do to show our appreciations for the blessings they have brought to us. Some of them may not have been born in this world under pleasant circumstances but we can change the fact for them. The best gifts you can give to them, can be a simple gesture of love and care. Something that will touch their hearts just as they have touch yours.

Well, I am happy and so I wish my mother a very Happy Birthday!

Come get the cake (order from PinkCakeBox)

Of course, I have no intention to turn into stone.

From Your Valentine

Did you get anything for your Valentine's day?

I got my Valentine rose today.....

The Pink Rose

....handmade by Zoey (and Amy).

With so much marketing hype around, it is easy to forget the true meaning of Valentine's day.

I did some reading on the internet for the origin of this occasion. One version of the story has it that Valentine was a priest who was in love with the jailer's daughter. During his final days, he professed his love to the girl with a letter signed 'From your Valentine'.

Another version says that Valentine was the priest who continued to secretly marry young couples despite the prohibition by the Roman emperor, who claimed that bachelors made better soldiers.

Still, another version depicts Valentine as a priest who chosed Christian love (agape) over passionate love (eros). He was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.

Pink Balloons

Fast forward many, many, many, many years later.

A certain pope Gelasius I did not really like the pagan festival where young Roman men celebrated fertility by bringing home young women they won from a lottery game. So he recast the day as a Christian feast day, declaring Feb 14 as St Valentine's Day.

It seems the first time St Valentine's Day was associated with romantic love was in a poem letter written by Geoffrey Caucher for a king and his bride-to-be, both around 14 years old of age.

Heart on Fire in the Sky - amazing picture from Harold Davis

Today, couples celebrate St Valentine's Day by going out for a nice dinner or exchange gifts, chocolate, cards and flowers. I remember when I was studying in Singapore, a stem rose which normally went for $2-5(?) suddenly was selling at $25!

I wouldn't have known that there is such a thing as White Day had I not read the wikipedia. In Japan, women are obliged to give chocolates to men on Valentine's day. In return, the men are supposed to give white chocolate or marshmallow on March 14, hence the name White Day.

So, the next time you are expecting special treatments in the form of expensive spending, do remember that at the end of the day, it is the retailers who are the happiest people after the purchase.

As they say, money cannot buy love and happiness. So, no need to buy expensive things. You can just go online and send a Valentine's Day greeting card on this website for free. Or maybe you can design your own gifts and cards. Homemade gifts are priceless for the love and creativity that goes into them. If you have no idea, just google for 'homemade gifts'.

Happy Valentine's Day

Wait....is the rose for me? I think Zoey was just showing me. Doesn't mean she is giving me, right?

Since you have been so nice and patient reading this utterly boring stuff, let me bore you with some more mushy-mushy songs....

From your Valentine
Susu Kacang

Interesting links:

Protest against Valentine's Day

Storm Worm on Valentine's Day

History Channel

Infoplease - another information site

Credits given to Harold Davis, D. Sharon Pruitt for pics

Lion Dance Sunday treat

How can a Chinese New Year celebration be complete without a lion dance troupe? Even if they hardly go house to house visit, they should still turn up somewhere to 'cari makan' (look for food), right? Back in KK, the lion dance group members are young recruits because I think the older ones are more sophisticated in thinking. While you get non-Chinese members like Kadazan and other ethnic (dan lain-lain kaum) there, here in San Diego, you see Angmohs/Gweilos (Westerners) performing the dance.

Some business owners would invite the lion dancers to perform at their premises to bring good luck and fortune to their businesses. They would tie a red envelope or angpow filled with money to a head of lettuce and hang it high above he front door. The lion will approach the lettuce like a curious cat, consume the lettuce and spit out the leaves but not the money.

Like last year, we were lucky to get to see this exciting event at a Chinese restaurant (Pearl restaurant) just around the neighborhood. The lion dancers didn't have to deal with firecrackers, to my dismay. It would have been more interesting, muahahaha.

A simple Chinese New Year day celebration

Relatively speaking, Chinese New Year celebration in San Diego is a pretty quiet affair. No fireworks, no firecrackers, no lion dance troupe and no Chinese New Year special movies. In fact, it is not even a public holiday. And like other Chinese, Amy dutifully reports to work. So it's not difficult to see that eventually the Chinese tradition will be forgotten by the people living here.

Well, it is a joyous occasion, so let's see how we spent the auspicious day.


Let's have some nian kou for breakfast. I think it is made of lotus paste glutinous rice flour and sugar. We bought it from our local Chinese supermarket, Ranch 99. You cut it into smaller pieces and dip in egg before frying. Remove from the pan when it is soft.

We play our Chinese New Year MTV DVD with those firecracker sound and lion dance drum beat to make the occasion more realistic. That's as close as you can get. Hmmm, not sure I remember to play it this time.

And so, Zoey gets her angpow. The only one to date this year. Maybe gonna be the only one this year.



Then we go off to meet Amy for lunch. I made some fried mee hoon; at least something special for the occasion just like how we do it back home.



As you can see, Zoey is dressed to kill. No, she is just going to sing out loud.



You hardly find multi-storey shopping complex here unlike in Malaysia. There is more walking and driving to do but the upside of it is that you get the outdoor sun and fresh air. There are lots of open space for you to run around. In Zoey's case, she can fly around.



One nice thing about here is that you get a lot of pretty flowers. Now, as spring begins (Chinese New Year is a celebration of the spring festival), flowers will bloom everywhere.



Ok, lunch time over already.

So to wrap up the day, I made some man tou for dinner.



Well, I guess as long as you get to spend quality time with your loved ones, everyday is a day to celebrate.

Having said that, I believe it is important for us to celebrate the Chinese New Year as a way to remember our roots. Even so in a place or country where it is mostly uneventful. I may be a little old-fashioned here but I think it would be a great pity for us Chinese (be it mainland or overseas) if we lose touch with our culture and values.

This is Chinaman speaking, over and 0ut.

Bye bye Babe

Say goodbye to 4705, the year of the pig. And bye bye to the debate on whether it is golden or earth pig, and whether it happens every 60 or 600 years. Human nature is just like that. When everybody says it is good, you also want to have a piece of it. So I hear there were a lot of couples trying to have babies born in the year of the pig.

In the Chinese zodiac, the pig is the last of the 12 animals to arrive for some divine meeting. Why? Did the pig oversleep? In some cultures, the pig is associated with unpopular human attributes such as stupid, fat, lazy and oversleep. Pigs are seen as dirty both in the physical and spiritual context in some religious beliefs. And since Babe sounded like 'babi' in the Malay language, it was subsequently renamed 'khinzir' in movie theatres in Malaysia. Yet, pig meat or pork, ham, bacon etc. is widely devoured by the human race.

According to the Chinese zodiac, the pig carries good qualities such as being honest, straightforward and patient. She is shy, modest, down-to-earth, warm-hearted and homely. She is not vengeful and when someone tries to take advantage of her, she tends to withdraw to reflect on the problem and protect herself. She just needs a little time to find a constructive way to respond. She is not weak and will fight and defend if the need arises.

Read more about pig.

And say hello to 4706, the year of the rat. Rats also are not a very respectable lot judging from the numerous phrases associated with them e.g. - You dirty rat! You smelly little rat! However, Western cartoonists are very fond of using mice and rats for their comic characters. Rats are also a popular delicacy in some parts of Asia. They are also used in laboratory experiments as guinea pigs (oops, pigs again) for trial drugs and others all in the name of saving the human race. How can human beings be so cruel to these lovable creatures?











In the Chinese zodiac, the rat is the first to arrive. Numero uno, ok? It beat the horse or even the dragon to the meeting. How did it do it?

According to the Chinese zodiac, the rat type is very sociable, very quick to react to situations and extremely hard-working. She is usually strong-willed and ambitious. She is very good at multitasking and hence a very organized person. Because she is a goal-oriented person, she may seem selfish or stubborn. Actually it is just that she believes in what she is doing and approaches it whole-heartedly. Also, she is the type of person who needs to be understood and do not like being pushed around. And she jealously guards her privacy.

Read more about rats here and here.

Here is an interesting version of the story of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. I am sure you will enjoy it.

Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner

Back in my hometown, a family reunion dinner on Chinese New Year eve typically consists of lots of dishes with all kinds of meat and vegetable. After dinner, we will probably sit around in the living room watching TV and waiting for the fireworks to start at midnight. Back in the old days, the laws regarding fireworks and firecrackers were not so strict yet. So we, as kids (and adults), get to play all kinds. Nowadays, kids don't get to enjoy so much fun, I guess.

Here in San Diego, it is even quieter. If I hadn't checked the calendar, I would even think that the new year began on the weekend.

And so, we quickly decided to make stuffed dumpling for this dinner occasion. We learned how to make these from Zoey's first nanny and her husband, manny, I guess. They both came from Tianjin, China. The manny used to cook in a restaurant before. The dumpling is originally a northern China dish, I think.

I am not very good at writing recipes yet. So allow me to explain with the photos.


1. Rinse the chives and green onions (one branch is enough).
2. Chop the chives and green onions finely
3. Put aside.


4. My seasoning buddies (salt, sugar, pepper, black vinegar, sesame oil, cooking wine, soya sauce)
5. Cooking wine is optional. As a rough guideline, the measurements for 1lb of meat: salt (4tsp), sugar(4Tbsp), pepper(3tsp), black vinegar(3tsp), sesame oil(3Tbsp),soya sauce(4Tbsp).


6. Mix the sauces well with the grounded pork meat


7. Add the chives and green onion and mix together with the meat
8. Put aside.


9. Mix flour with water a little bit at a time.
10. Knead in dough and shape into cylinder.
11. Break into smaller pieces (3cm diameter) and flatten into disc shape with a rolling pin.
12. This will form your dumpling wrap layers


13. Put filling to the wrap. Amount should be just nice to eat and easy to wrap.


14. Wrap around the filling nicely (takes some practice). Dip a bit of water or flour powder so that they stick.


15. Sprinkle some flour powder on the tray. Place the finished dumplings on the tray. Sprinkle some flour powder over them (if necessary) to prevent the dumplings from sticking to one another.
16. Put them in the freezer and allow them to dry before taking them out to store in plastic bags. Then leave the plastic bags in the freezer again.
17. Take the dumplings out to cook.


18. Put some oil in the wok and let it become hot first.
19. Put the dumplings in concentric fashion in the wok, starting outside and working your way to the middle where it is the hottest. This way, all the dumplings will have a more uniform cook time.
20. Check the color of bottom of the dumplings. When they are light brown, you can add some water. Add just enough to partially cover them.
21. Let it simmer until all the water is evaporated.
22. Take dumplings out of wok and serve hot. Serve with black vinegar on a small side bowl for taste.


Enjoy your Chinese New Year reunion dinner!

Boobs for beads

With temperature like that, I ain't going out tonight. It's almost freezing point. Too bad because tonight is Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras day. In New Orleans, I heard that folks down there are pretty wild with the celebrations. Girls show their tits and boobs eagerly when you throw beads at them. Not sure how crazy folks are down in San Diego. The last time I went, I didn't see anything.

The closest thing I saw today was when I was driving along the Miramar Road. There was this blond girl by the roadside waving some advertisement banner over her head and showing off her sexy body. Judging from her shapely body, I suspect the ad is for the topless bar nearby. And when she smiled at me, I forgot that I was driving.

There is a cool website that shows real-time satellite pictures of this continent. I was waiting for it to show me how much area to our east is covered in snow. No wonder it is so cold tonight. I wonder if the girls still flash their boobies on a cold night like that. Oh, I should tell you that Mardi Gras is the day these folks celebrate the end of the Lent season - the partying way.

Tonight is Chinese New Year Eve on the other side of the globe. Following the Chinese tradition, folks return home to celebrate the family reunion with dinner. The occasion is very similar to thanksgiving day in the States. I will talk a little more on this later.

My mother went to see a fortune teller today. This is what the he said:

Rooster: Happy and successful year. There is plain sailing in one's endeavours and family relationship is also good.

Oh well, if it makes me happy.

A city that never sleeps

View outside hotel room


Taking monorail in the morning


The stratosphere


McDonald is everywhere


So happy to find breakfast


Winners eat at hotels, losers eat at McDonald


Zoey wants to see the camera LCD


Interesting design inside Forum Shopping Mall


Got Milk?


Eye-catching window


One of many art shops


Ladies' shoes


Balls in the air


Gucci


Louis Vutton


Zoey Zzzzz.....

I heard the most ridiculous warning in my life at the MGM Grand hotel casino food court. I had just finished eating Nathan's chili dog. While waiting for Amy and Zoey to return from the restroom, I rested my head on my hand and closed my eyes. Suddenly I was rudely awakened by somebody knocking on the table and reprimanding me for sleeping. The man talking to me wore a uniform of some kind and based on his subsequent remarks, I think he probably wasn't trained very well. Since we were getting ready to leave, I didn't feel like arguing with him. What's the point anyway?

So I think Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps. There are patrols to make sure that you don't in public places.

Are you sleep-deprived?

I think my sleeping hours are rather irregular nowadays. I think most active bloggers sleep pretty odd hours. I was told that 5xmom blogs till 3am.

Sometimes I sleep as late as 4am and on average, around 1-2am. Maybe that's luxurious by some people's standard. But if I get good music, it keeps me going through the night. Right now, I am listening to Anita Mui's songs. If you like, you can sign on at imeem and as a registered user, you will be able to search for many, many songs.

When I was young, I had some kind of sickness that made sleeping difficult for me. It sometimes took me 2 hours to get to sleep. And sometimes my sleep got interrupted and I had to fight the pain to get back to sleep.

I understand that some people are used to taking sleeping pills to sleep. My neighbour, for instance, takes those and sleeps like a log, even with his baby crying all night. His wife told me that he couldn't sleep well because of his work stress.

Now, I did not resort to any medicinal help. I tried a method where I basically slowed down my heart beat rate by keeping my breathing slow and long. I succeeded in sleeping but in the excitement, I was stirred up again. So I had to find a way to switch off that 'wake-up signal'. It took a while but eventually I managed to tell my subconscious mind to do it. Now, whenever I have sleeping problems, I just use this method to overcome them.

Talking about sleep, I came across some interesting facts about it while looking for material to write. You can find it here at Howstuffworks. For example, cows can sleep while standing up! Reptiles do not dream, birds dream a little and mammals all dream during sleep.

When I don't get enough sleep, I tend to become irritable easily and am unable to concentrate well. I think this is true for everyone. When children don't get enough sleep, it can affect their growth development. And you know, the usual advice for people who are ill is to take more rest. So, sleep also allows the body to heal and the brain a chance to figure out what to do with the information it gathered earlier.

When I was a kid, I usually slept by 9pm and had to get up by 6am to go to school. Gee, it was so difficult to get up. Sometimes my mother would send us - me and my younger sis to school and because I was slow to get up, she had to drive like I have never known her before. Other times, my best friend's parents would be patiently waiting in their Mazda 323 car outside our house gate for me. Anyway, I had about 9 hours of sleep, not including maybe a one hour afternoon nap.

I was still getting quite a lot of sleep in my late teen years. The only time when I wasn't getting enough sleep was during exam revision and that was due to last minute study. Now, it seems I am getting less sleep. On average, I get around 8 hours of sleep. My buddy from Seremban seem to think that I don't sleep enough. But, now with blogging and babysitting, I am really sleep-deprived.

Older people sleep even less, maybe around six to seven hours a day.

Anyway, I think you will know if you have slept enough when you feel your best.

Exercise also helps you to sleep well. After my rigorous badminton games last weekend, I was sleeping very well.

So, back to Las Vegas....

We took the monorail in the morning and stopped at the McDonald restaurant near Harrah's for breakfast. I don't "lovin' it" McDonald but in this situation, I was very happy to find one in town. What I needed was a simple, cheap breakfast. I wasn't expecting such a long waiting line though.

After that, we walked around outside and went to Forum shopping mall. There is not a great deal for me to do there apart from window shopping and taking photos. You can find all kinds of shops selling branded stuff. There is one shop that sells very expensive egg-shaped figurines and arty-farty items. It was showing a video recording of Michael Jackson shopping inside while everyone else was kept outside. VVVIP treatment.

If you are crazy about designer labels, you will be happy to know that Louis Vutton, Gucci, Emporio Armani and some more names that I cannot spell can be found here. Oh, it should be Louis Vuitton - the second 'i' is silent.

We walked through the maze of shops and arrived at the big fountain area where animatronic figures came alive in "Fall of Atlantic and Festival Fountain" shows. Around the fountain was a 50,000 gallon saltwater glass tank which was home to more than 1000 species of ocean life, including tropical puffers, flounders, sharks and stingrays.

We took our lunch late at Planet Hollywood. Oh, if you are looking for seats, don't count on hotels and casinos. They only want you to sit in the gambling or dining buffet area. Better to go to shopping malls as seats and benches are conveniently available. The Planet Hollywood was nicely decorated with props used during filming. They had the Terminator machine, Norman Bates' Psycho mom in the rocking chair, a naked Sylvester Stallone (Demolition Man) etc. Wait, I thought I saw a Britney Spears lookalike walking in and out of the cafe. This version seemed to have a bodybuilder's shoulder muscles though. Arrgh.

We gave a miss to other shopping malls this time. At Bellagio, you could find retailers like Tiffany & Co., Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Prada etc. Too bad we didn't go there as it was already past Zoey's bedtime. Bellagio has a wonderful musical fountain display, claimed to be the longest(not sure) in the world. Something like the one they have at Sentosa Island, Singapore. If you enjoy more shopping, situated not too far away are the factory outlets for your buying spree. You can get Nike etc. etc. etc.

We took the monorail to MGM Grand - Amy wanting to show the lions to Zoey there. It was way past dinner time, so we went to the food court but could only find burgers, pizzas or fried stuff everywhere. There was McDonald too but I was kinda tired of eating McDonald all the time. And Zoey didn't want any of those. Finally, Amy went to an adjacent chinese restaurant ($$$ rating) and bought a $13 vegetable fried rice meal for her.

Everything is expensive is Las Vegas. In the past, I would be looking forward to their famous cheap buffets. Now, I understand they have upped their prices.

Did I mention that Amy tried to ask for some hot, drinking water to be brought into the hotel room? It cost $(I forgot) and another $5 to be delivered. What a rip-off!

I was glad when we finally got back to our rooms. For the most part, it was a fun day. Now, everybody was tired and needed to go sleep.

In their hotel rooms, of course.

P.S. And now, I also gotta get some sleep.....good nite, bloggers.