So...for those who wants to check out my new blog, please go to

www.steveandcherry.com/blogs

I'm still trying on how to change it to just ../blog. Oh heck..maybe i'll just delete the old blog (this one) and transfer all the entries to the new one (../blogs).

Thanks for checking it out.

I always wonder why is there Halloween, what's the history behind it...so I did some googling and here's what I found from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

Halloween has origins in the ancient festival known as Samhain (pronounced sow-in or sau-an), which is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". This was a Gaelic festival celebrated mainly in Ireland and Scotland.

The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes[6] regarded as the "Celtic New Year".

The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.

Now..ever heard of Jack-O-Lantern? All I know that's what people used referring to the carved pumpkin with candle lit inside it. Here's what I found from the same article.

The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger- making them easier to carve than turnips.

Sooo.....that's why now on every Halloween season, people carve the pumpkin instead of Turnip, all thanks to the American for not having Turnip

Now you ask...why in the present time there's more Halloween decoration here in North America aside from the old Jack-O'-Lantern? All thanks to the Hollywood that now people in North America associates Halloween with horror creatures from the films such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Vampires, Zombies, Skeleton, Bats, Crows, Ghost, the Mummy, Grim Reaper, and many more.

As for trick-or-treat tradition is quoted here:
Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" The word "trick" refers to a (mostly idle) threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. In some parts of Ireland and Scotland children still go guising. In this custom the child performs some sort of show, i.e. sings a song or tells a ghost story, in order to earn their treats.

SO..there you go...a brief and quick history of Halloween, just in case you are wondering.

As for me...I shall be celebrating this Halloween with a bunch of our friends' children by 'guiding' them to do some Trick-or-Treat at people' house. Hey..maybe we can help them eat some of the candies and chocolate too, eh?!

So what have I been doing on my 1st 4 days in Sydney?

Day 1
- Slept for 2hours at bro's home.
- Woke up, get ready. Out to nearby cafe for coffee and lunch
- Had delicious coffee and very full lunch (penne)
- Walked myself to Darling Harbour, had a walk around, took pictures like tourist, shopped at Cotton On ;p (realized it's cheaper in SG than Syd)
- Had Japanese dinner with bro and vanessa (my soon-to-be Tua Soh)

Day 2
- Had OZ hearty breakfast with bro and vanessa at nearby cafe overlooking dock
- Met up with Laura at her apartment, took bus to Paddington Market (had hotdog there), walked down from up the hill slowly and visit each boutique. She shopped.
- Had Ramen for dinner at City. Took bus home and rest.

Day 3
- Had dim sum with bro's and vanessa's friends
- Did some grocery, planning to cook but still haven't thou
- All of us work out at gym and swim at the indoor pool.
- Vanessa cook dinner and invited her friends over. yummm

Day 4
- Took bus to city and UNSW. Re-visit old uni.
- Had crappy coffee but super delicious wedges with sour cream and sweet chili sauce at uni
- Took lots pic like tourist and ignored those students who stare at me like I'm alien!
- Took bus back to City, alight at Opera House thinking it's nearer. How wrong was I.
- Took wrong turn...finding my way back home. Walked for 2hours then finally reach home.
- Back home, leg super aching.
- Lucky vanessa cooked dinner, yet again.

After re-visiting UNSW, I realized it's not so great the place
It's not that big and there are so many students, asian and young people. Noticed those students are so carefree, just lounging around, chit-chat, and sun-tanning on the little patch of park there.

After 4 days here, I also realized I've not been walking that much ever since I left Singapore. Gosh...my leg got tired easily now...but I still got that hidden muscle somewhere in my thick calves

I almost forgot how much I enjoyed walking around. It's free. I could enjoy the breeze from the wind, smell the air, really watch the surrounding, memorizing roads better. In fact, I couldn't remember my way whenever I'm in the car. I could memorize better when I'm walking or in the bus. Silly or not!

Besides, it's a really good exercise. No wonder I'm slimmer in Singapore than when I was in LA. Coz hubby always drive me around in LA and you can't go anywhere without car in LA. Sydney and Singapore are the same ....you can get around without car. You can just walk, take bus, train or taxi. Metropolitan city. Unlike LA, it's a very laid back country.....IF..you don't live in downtown.hehehehehhe

Watching the video made me wants to get married all over again...get to wear that beautiful wedding gown again...get being make-up so nicely and professionally, but of coz with my hubby, the same hubby

I realised on my wedding day...I had so much facial expression, I didn't realized it was being captured so well in the video coz I didn't see much from the photos.

I would smile for the photographer, then I would talk, or made funny faces coz my face was cramped from all the smile from morning, and danng..it was captured so well by the videographer. Didn't realized on that!

No wonder, every bride told me "your face will be cramp from smiling non stop". I didn't feel much of that cramp on that day coz I made lots of stretching on my cheek (blowing my cheek from inside to relax the muscle like blow fish); hence I looked so ridiculous! hahahaha

Luckily not many people will watch my wedding video. I get to just show them the photos instead of the video and I do indeed have very nice-decent-pretty faces in the photo. hahahhaah

Looking back at the video..I felt so happy that so many of my family and friends gathered together and attended my wedding. So happy. Regretted I didn't have much time to spend with each one of them.

I told hubby few months ago "lets do another wedding ceremony... I really like and enjoy wearing the wedding gown"

Few times in LA whenever we passed by Bridal Shop, I'd told hubby "lets go in and try on the gown...lets pretend we're getting married"...hahahah...of coz hubby refused to go along with my wicked plan.

If one day we do get to have another ceremony, I won't be making it too big. I'd only invite a really close family and friends only. Not who's who, but those we know well. An intimate wedding.....wonder when that could happen. Hmm...maybe 10 or 25 yrs anniversary, eh?!

I better make sure my body still in shape then...coz every bride must look absolutely gorgeous mah!

Oh yeah....after watched the video again, I really realized hubs and I danced so badly! hahahahahha
We should have taken a proper Waltz Dance class before even performed it on our wedding banquet. We looked quite silly, but hubs refused to admit it. He said "no..it's our wedding...it's our dance....I don't care what people think, all I know we enjoyed ourselves that night!"

He was right thou.....but still...we look funny.
Sometimes he'd admit to me "after watching Dancing with the Stars, I reliazed I danced so badly on our wedding day".....of coz hubs watched that show coz of me. hahaha

Time flies so fast....it has been 9 months already since our wedding banquet and 1yr and 4months since our ROM. Can't wait...

All along, I always have the mindset that everything in LA is sooooooo expensive. From food, clothes, shoe, bag, travel, services, etc. And everything from JKT is so cheap.

However, on this trip I've realised how wrong was I. No..not everything in JKT is cheap. Not everything in LA is expensive. Lets see....

Clothes
Everyone always said buy clothes in JKT, so cheap! Buy at ITC, so cheap! So yeah, this round I came to JKT with the mission "I wanna buy lots of clothes". But after went to one mall after another, I can't find cheap clothes. All the clothes start at Rp250,000 (that's about USD25).

I could only find cheap one at ITC (at mom's regular shop) at only Rp70,000 ($7), that's just a regular shirt nothing fancy.

However, while I was in LA, hub and I could find a really cheap clothes, that's even cheaper than in JKT. I've bought shirt that is only at $4, $6, $7 and $10. I hardly buy clothes that's over $20. In fact, I once bought a sweater and PJ at SwapMeet (Flea market) at only $1. How cheap is that?!!!!

Legging is another comparison. People said buy legging in Indo, so there I went to ITC and stunned. When I asked "How much is this legging?" all said "Rp98,000-Rp110,000". Days before I came to JKT, hub and I were doing some window shopping and there I saw legging that's only $5-6 (that's Rp50,000-60,000).

So...who said clothes are cheaper in JKT?
I think clothes are cheaper in LA, IF you know where to look and IF you don't look for branded stuff.
Anyway, if you are buying at ITC it already means you are not looking for branded stuff.

Besides, my type of body could only fit into American clothes due to my broad shoulder, chest, and long torso; and especially my hips. In LA, I'm considered regular-petite size, but in JKT I'm considered LARGE or EXTRA LARGE. bad bad bad....

Food
As for food, I've to say some foods in JKT are cheaper than LA. I think it's only applicable for traditional local food, not those franchised food like McDonald, Pizza, Italian, Japanese, etc.

Last year, I brought Hub to this Japanese restaurant in Singapore, Sushi Tei. I quite like this resto coz it's inexpensive. But when Hub ate it, he said to me "wow..so expensive!". I was stunned and refused to believe him. He said "I'll bring you eat a way better Jap resto in LA and cheaper".

So...few months later on my b'day, Hub brought me to this Jap resto in LA. How true was he. The price is slightly cheaper than at Sushi Tei in Singapore and the salmon was soooo huge and thick! The one in Singapore was as thin as tissue paper. That time, I ate my salmon with a wide grin on my face and like small kid who just got their candy

So...who said food are more expensive in LA? But of coz if you eat other fancy food, it is expensive. But it doesn't really matter to me anyway coz I usually cook at home.

But from what I gather, it seems it's not expensive coz the serving size/portion in LA is 2-3times than those in JKT. So, at almost at the same price, you got double the size. So, I'd say it's cheaper than in LA.

Services
This I've to admit it's way cheaper in JKT. A body massage for 2 hours cost me only Rp65,000 ($6.5), but in LA 1hour massage already cost me at $50 (Rp500,000). With that price, I can go to very fancy Spa in JKT.

Pedicure and manicure in JKT is so cheap, only like rp60,000 ($6). I dunno the price in LA thou for those services, but I bet it's very expensive maybe $20.

Hair mask, hair treatment, hair wash, hair cut in JKT cost at around Rp30,000 - 100,000 ($3-10). But in LA, the cheapest salon hubby can find is at Chinatown at only $5 for MEN, that's just cut with no wash and blow.

Housing
Housing in JKT are actually cheaper, way cheaper, than those in LA.

A nice big decent house in JKT cost Rp1,000,000,000 ($100,000). But a nice decent house in LA already cost $300,000 (Rp3,000,000,000). So expensive!

So yeah....could only think of those to compare at the moment. But I'd say....food variety wise in LA is better, thou not much of Indon food, but there are others.

However, I still prefer home cook meal coz there's no MSG.
I realised all the food in JKT are fried, oily, coconut milk and full of MSG. Hiks..everytime came back to JKT, I'd fall sick. Lousy body.

I still have no idea what to write this time. Hmm.....haven't gone to Vihara to pray, haven't listen to any Dhammadesana from any monk, haven't read any useful book. So....really no idea what to write about Buddhism.

As for my vacation...as usual. I'm dividing my week in between 2 parents, hub's and mine. It's ain't easy thing to do coz I practically living on suitcase. To make things easier, I actually left some clothes and stuff at both houses and in the end I always forgot about it.

Yesterday at mom's house....I was digging out my old winter clothes for my parents and aunt-uncle to wear for this Sydney trip. Then only I realised I have quite a few winter clothes that I haven't been using. Hmm...why did I left that behind? All I could remember I must have left them for mom to use if she goes to any cold country.

Then I found more summer clothes that I've left behind too. No wonder I kept on thinking "where are all my clothes?". Looking at those clothes I realised I have bad taste at clothes! hahahahhaa...

They are all shirts and pants. I could count how many skirts and dress I have and how many nice-decent-girl-feminine-woman-grown up shirt/dress/blouse I had with just 1 hand. I prefer casual clothing, no wonder Hub kept on asking me to buy more blouse that's not casual looking

Hub always said "why you never wear skirt or dress? Why you always wear jeans? Why you always wear flats?"...hahahhaa.....

I think I'm getting sore throat too. Thanks to all the fried foods and MSG that I've been eating in here. Aiyah...I hate sore throat.

Been playing with my beautiful niece too, Vania. She's just so cute. She likes to eat (lots) and standing up.
I can't wait to meet my bro's son too, Daren. I bet he is as cute and wonderful as Vania. Heard from mom, Daren has grown 5 teeth and everytime his mama 'brush' his teeth, he'd bite her finger. Poor her. I wonder if every kids are the same. I better prepare myself to get bitten too when I have kids

Hub's sis always got bitten by her children too when their teeth were growing. Her hands and legs got so many bruises. I told her "if you tell people you get abuse by your husband, people will believe it". The moment I finish said that sentence, she suddenly screamed so loud and there I saw her daughter bit her thigh in a BIG GIANT BITE. ouch! must be painful.
She screamed "Abel, stop it"...then she looked at her mama...then continue bite. woaaahhh...her mama must taste so yummy eh.... hehehehe

A year after, when I met them again few days back, she grew shy when meet new people. So she hug her mama so tight, buried her face on her mama's chest. Then I told hub's sis "woah...I wonder how she breath?" coz I dont see any gap between her face and her mama's chest.

Then hub's sis said "yeah....I wonder too. Silly girl....I'm sweating now and yet she still stick to me like that. Maybe the more sweat I get, the more she wants".HAHAHAH.....
I told her "yah..the smell is great for her"...children..how cute.

Alrighty....nothing else to write. I wanna shower and go for traditional massage just across mom's house. Only Rp65,000 for 2hours massage. How great is that! Only need 2mins walk from home.

Burn the joystick, swing the joystick up and down 3x and stick it to the bowl of ashes/sand, and I'm done.

Never know what is that until I'm quite big and finally know that what I was doing is praying the ancestor. Who are they? They are my grandfather's father, whom I called A-Co.

So it has became a ritual for me that everytime I came over to my yeye's house, I'd burn some joystick, swing it 3x, and stick the joystick. And also on certain date according to chinese calendar.

Only until when I'm in my mid 20s did I really know what all that means.

Praying to ancestor is not worshiping some kind of god nor evil/dark force. We are merely respecting our ancestors who have passed away. Even if they may not 'occupied' that tablet anymore, but we are respecting them. We respect them for giving birth to our grandparents, who have given birth to our parents, who have given birth to us.

Without them, we won't be in this world. They have also raised our grandparents, who have raised our parents, who have raised us. Especially since my A-Co originated from mainland China, who has ventured out for better life and fortune. Without them, we won't have such comfortable life like now.

According to my nai2 story, my A-Co (yeye's dad), he was from Xia Men. He then join the ship to became some kuli work on board. Slowly he became captain of the ship and navigate the ship from China, Medan, Malaysia and Singapore. He finally resides to some small little island near Medan and grew his family there. His tomb is still there. The family will go there every Cheng Beng season, normally falls in early April.

My kong2 (mom's dad) on the other hand, came from China, worked in rubber industry in Malaysia for many years. Then went to work in Medan at leather factory. Met my pho2, get married and have children. Then whole family moved to Jakarta and settled there. My kong2's extended family are still in China (forgot the name).
His tomb is now near Jakarta, 2hrs drive.

I could still remember when my kong2 told me the story of how he met my pho2. Someone told my kong2 he'd be match-make to her on certain date. 2 days before that, he ride a bicycle to secretly check out who is this woman at her work place. He then saw my pho2 was squatting down washing some plates, then he thought to himself "hmm...good hips. Can bear many children for me".
Then he rode more to see her face and thought "woah..pretty also...okay lah!".

So 2 days later when they met, my kong2 already like her. Of coz my pho2 has no idea about this UNTIL that time my kong2 told me that story. At that time, there were only me, my pho2 and ta-i-ma (my eldest aunt/their 1st child). We all laughed so loud and my pho2 felt so shy and gave a small light slap on my kong2's hand and said "you naughty".

How sweet and romantic is that?????....That time my kong2 was 89-90yrs old and my pho2 was 70s. So sweet indeed.

After heard that story, I was so eager to know about my nai2 love story. So after asked her....she gave almost the same story. She said, she was also being match-make to my yeye. But their match-making date is immediately get married.

Apparently my yeye told my nai2, he has checked on her before. That time yeye has came back from fishing with his bunch of guys, then saw nai2 was playing with her friends/siblings. So when someone told yeye he'll be match-make to her, my yeye felt so happy.

Then on wedding day, my yeye already know who is this woman, but my nai2 has no idea. My nai2 said "The first time I saw him was when he opened my veil". WOAH..really amazing!

So yeah..once again....what I'm trying to write is that....praying to ancestor is no wrong. We're respecting them like how we respect our parents.

In my family, we have tradition in praying. We normally pray the ancestor on New Year, Cheng Beng (praying season for the death one), their Death Anniversary and on the 7th month (some said the 'Ghost Festival Season') right before eating that mooncake thing.

Praying ritual doesn't have to be elaborate. We normally just put some fresh fruits, foods, tea, rice, money paper to burn (they said so our ancestor got money to use), and joystick to burn and do some praying.

I used to ask a lotttttt of things from ancestor when I pray. Asking for good grades and work. hahahahaha
but lately...I realised that's not the way. So mostly I asked for ancestor to take care of all of us and be happy, may they be born again in better life. I especially asked my grandfathers to take care of my grandmothers, I think they'd do it coz husband wants to take care of their wife mah

So....when you have time...go and ask your parents or grandparents about their story. Of how they met, how they grow up, their tough time, happy time. Anything.
I really loved listening to all their stories. You'll be amazed listening to your own history.

I've asked how my grandparents met from them.
I've asked how they struggle from my parents.
I've asked how my parents met (that's the funniest story).
How my papa asked permission from my pho2 to marry my mama. Also another funny story.
I've asked how my papa and mama struggle with money and work since they were young. Sad story, but memorable.
I've asked what my papa did and experienced when he first went to Jayapura. How he was being disrespect by own family or other people.
There are just so many sad, wonderful and amazing stories to hear. I'd ask again and again. I really like it coz often I'd imagine it happen in my head.

When I married to Hubs, I asked my in law how they met. But apparently since none of the children asked before, they were shocked at it and dunno how to answer. HAHAHAHAHA.....
Hub's dad said "Your mom check out on me".
Then hub's mom said "NO..who said that! you were the one check out on me."
Then hub's dad said "but you were the one rode the motor and kept on cross over my shop to check me out"
Then hub's mom said "where got! you were the one doing that!..iiihh...OLD liao!"

hahahahahahaahah....no matter what...dunno who's right or wrong, I can tell they had memorable dating story too.
Seeing how they teased each other is really cute.

As for my parents.....my papa friend asked papa to accompany him to date this woman he likes (which is my mama). So bunch of them went to picnic. When the friend pick up my mama and her sister, my mama sat at passenger seat in front and papa sat behind. Papa saw a long hair woman and immediately went out of the car thinking "that's my annoying ex girlfriend". Once out the car, mama turned and looked, papa shocked "WOAH...so BEAUTIFUL...ok..go back inside".

Then at picnic, that friend so shy to approach mama, so papa end up courted mama and they finally date and became couple. Poor that fella!

Papa would ride bicycle with mama to cinema, park, etc. If bring mama home after 7pm, pho2 will stand outside the house holding feather duster and tapping her hand watching them. Papa would stop farrrrrrr faaarrr away from house, let mama down and said "okie....good night"....then mama walked to house and papa ran away. HAHAH....scared kena smack by pho2.

Oh well...so many stories la.......
All I remember so well happily.

So anyway...I need to get myself ready coz I'm going with in-law to pray respect to hub's grandma (from mother side).

I dare to say, people who lives in Indo (esp jakarta) really being pampered. They would have so many maids (at least 1 maid), they have so much foods to choose from, things are cheap (relatively) be it products or services, etc.

It's weird seeing how for some people, they just can't survive without a maid/nurse. Now the Lebaran season is coming and all my aunties got headache coz all their maids going back hometown. As result, my aunt can't go anywhere coz no maid. How weird is that?!

My another aunt said "oh no....I'll be so busy I've no maid".
My another aunt said "I cant attend ur bro's wedding coz I dont have maid". My mom said to me "why cant she jst bring her daughter along and lock the house then?".

But those who lives overseas CAN survive without any maid/nurse. So why can't they? I'd say, it's coz they're pampered. They are used to be served on everything and not to do any hard work. So, they see their lives as 'it's a must to a have maid' and 'it's a must to have babysitter for 1 child'. So if you have 2 children, you'd have 2 maids and 2 babysitters. I don't even dare to imagine what if the family have 5 children.

My aunt has 3 maids just for 3 people (parents + 1 child), but another aunt has only 1 maid to cater for 6 people in the house. So I believe that You actually don't really need maid/helper if your family member is only so little, unless you have big family member then you do need help. But it comes back to...if your husband and children willing to help you, I believe you don't really need any maid.

I noticed most of the husbands in Indon don't do any work. They'd just sit and wait to be served. They just open their mouth and said "I'm hungry...I'm thirsty....Where is the food?"

Then I noticed, their children followed the father. They'd do the same to their mom or the maid. So whenever I'm back in Indo, I'd pity my aunties so much coz they'd be ordered around by their husband and children like a maid. Their mindset is that "mom/wife/woman should be the one doing all the work".
now...no wonder they need maid! AHAHAHAHA

On the other hand, being in Indo too long really make me lazy coz I'd too being served by the maid. The room, house and kitchen will be cleaned. The plates will be washed. The clothes will be washed, hang and iron. No wonder if you live in Indo, you'll become a lazy bum!

So here's my 1st week in Indon like:

Day 1: Ate rujak and Bumbu Desa (Sundanese food). Stay over in-law's.
Day 2: Had traditional massage (2hours for only Rp65,000) and family dinner.
Day 3: At pho-pho's house and dinner at Sari Kuring. Stay over mom's.
Day 4: Gym in morning. At nai-nai's and san-suk's house for whole day and continue pho2's house. Dinner kwetiau a-kang (medan style).
Day 5: Gym in morning. Shopping with mom, aunt and niece for 1/2day and dinner seafood.
Day 6: Gym in morning. Had hair cut, hair mask, facial and body massage with mom. And shopping with mom. Stay over at pho2's house.
Day 7: Had relaxing morning. Gonna have praying service to commemorate the death of my kong2 and going back to in-law's.

There you go....it's all about eat, shop and eat. Gosh........
I hope by next month I could still fit into my dress that I'm gonna wear for my bro's wedding.

Shall update my blog again next time.