Sweet Valley Confidential - 10 years later.

Let's take a trip down memory lane! 1980s babies. The era of Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls. Haha those were the days. My favorite Spice Girl then was Mel C. Cos she's sporty and tomboyish - just like me back then.

And books. Enid Blyton. Too many to mention: Enchanted Wood, Faraway Tree, Wishing Chair, boarding schools at St. Clare and Mallory Towers etc etc. Francine Pascal. Sweet Valley Junior and Senior High. R.L. Stine. Fear Street. Roald Dahl! Matilda! Twits! James and the Giant Peach. So much more. I can go on gushing about this for ages. I still read these books sometimes. I can re-read books forever!

But I digressed. I want to talk about Francine Pascal's most recent book - Sweet Valley Confidential. 10 years later.



Those who read would know that Francine Pascal's more popular books were the Sweet Valley high/senior series. I loved them. Loved the idea of twin sisters, and knew just about every member of the Sweet Valley town.

So, when I saw that Francine Pascal came up with Sweet Valley Confidential: 10 years later, of course I had to read them! This book tells us what Elizabeth and Jessica as well as what the entire Sweet Valley crew has been up to.

Its like a high school reunion. What happened to them 10 years later. Have you attended your 10 year high school reunion to find out what has happened to your old school mates? Who ended up with who, what they are working as now, which one is married, and who has kids now?

Well, that is exactly what Sweet Valley Confidential is about.

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

SPOILERS ALERT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Have to give warning because I hate reading spoilers before I finish the book myself. Heh.

A few pages in, I seriously doubted what I was reading. Are my eyes deceiving me? I actually went to Google it again, to make sure, very sure that what I was reading was actually written by Francine Pascal herself and not some wannabe.

OMG!! Unfortunately it was written by Francine Pascal. I had difficulty believing that the author of soo many books that I loved actually wrote this!

The whole book reads like a bad romance novel. Its so bad that its disbelieving. I don't believe what I'm reading.

Allow me to explain. The beginning of the book shows us that Elizabeth is now in New York, struggling to be a writer. And she is upset, very upset (ok lah furious) at Jessica. Not on speaking terms, refusing to pick up her phone.

Apparently the evil, selfish twin did the unspeakable. She slept with Todd. As in Todd Wilkins. Elizabeth's high school sweetheart. In the whole of her Junior High series, she had us all thinking that Todd and Elizabeth were practically joined at the hips, loyal bf, so in love with each other etc. And Jessica thought Todd was boring.

(I always knew Jessica was a selfish bitch. But to sleep with your twin sister's fiancee?? Hello?! BITCH!)

So, I don't know why she (author) had to bring them together 10 years later. Maybe people do change. But sisters. Twins. How could you do that?!



Jessica and Todd are still in Sweet Valley. Todd is writing a sports column, and Jessica is in PR. Cosmetics and apparently doing very well.

Throughout the book, other characters parade in and out. The author is trying to tell us what happened to the characters 10 years later. To be honest, I expected more. There is so much drama.

For example, Winston Egbert because fabulously wealthy through some dotcom venture with Bruce Patman. He died in the book. Alot of people are married and divorced already.

Steven Wakefield, remember him? He is now gay! What the hell right? She gives absolutely no hint to this. Throughout all the series, Steven is in love with Trisha, then heartbroken when she dies, then tries to get together with another girl (Andrea I think) who looks like his dead love. Then there is Cara. And Billie when he was at University.

So what the hell? Gay? Did she (author) throw in this fact just for fun?! If someone has to be gay, it should be Winston.

Bruce Patman is now a good guy yadda yadda and is best friends with Liz. They ended up together in the end. Yea, you read right. No typo. Bruce Patman ended up with Elizabeth Wakefield.

In Sweet Valley Confidential, they (the characters) are now 27. They drink alcohol like the rest of us now, and have sex. A bit weird reading about Liz and orgasms. But don't get too excited. Its really not very interesting. Nothing like Sex and the City.

Mostly its about someone sleeping with another person. Such as Jessica and Todd ripping off each others clothes. Lila is now slut wannabe sleeping with various people, Enid (now Doctor) sleeping with a shoes salesman (if I'm not mistaken ???), and so on and so forth.

Don't let me spoil it for you (I'm sure I already did though). But yea. It is quite hilarious to say the least. It is very badly written with the characters flitting in and out of the book.

I really loved all her books before this one. Maybe the characters were not meant to grow up. They turned out so different. Why. But maybe its because the book is badly written. The twins are fighting with each other over a guy? It doesn't have to be like that right? Does being adults mean that that's all there is to life? Sex, getting married, sleep around, divorce.

Its just not for me. Has anyone else read it already? Let me know!

Btw, I read the free online version on epub. Awesome stuff! :)

P/S: That said, I still want to watch the movie when it comes out though. Hehe. Just to put a face to the names I have been reading for so long.

The Good and the Bad

Start with the bad first. I woke up this morning with a raging headache and really bad stomachache. Actually, my stomach has been hurting on and off this past week already.

Something is trying to come out haha that sounds wrong. Aih don't want to talk about the bad. Health issues and its boring bah nobody wants to read it, and I don't even want to talk about it.

********

So on the good part of today! I keep thinking of what you said just now. In light of our upcoming wedding, the two of us have been cutting costs in almost everything. I hardly shop for clothes, accessories, shoes anything. No shopping. Boo.

Both our phones are in really bad shape. His camera cannot be used, it is now glued shut. Once he accidentally slides open his camera, the whole phone goes into lock down mode, and hangs there. Nothing he can do to fix it. Tried already.

Plus he can't talk too long on the phone, the battery heats up very fast, and it gets so hot he can't hold it for long.



Ehh actually this sounds very serious. I keep persuading him to change it, but he doesn't want.

My phone, is filled with scratches - but nvm that. *cough* Moving on. It shuts down by itself many times a day haih thanks a lot phone. Its a good thing that no one calls/msg me much. And what else? That's it so far, but its bad enough. I take out my phone to check for messages and realize that my phone is off again. Grr..

So since we are both cutting costs, we decided not to change our phones. A luxury we can live without for now. As long as the phone is still functioning, then that is enough for NOW.

The best way to save money is to put majority of our pay into another hard-to-reach account immediately. And leave a tiny amount in your current account. Very effective! Hahahah.


At Hun Chuen's wedding a few weeks back.

Anyway. Today, we were talking about what we would do after our wedding. And honeymoon. Finally we can spend our salaries! Finally we can buy something we want! Finally we can afford to splurge a little!

And the first thing he intends to buy, is a phone for me first. :) Awwww..specifically, the iphone I've been lusting over.

Got peer pressure ok everyone is using them. Haha no lah. I really, really want a phone to go online anytime, anywhere. Plus its so pretty..

I loved the matter-of-fact way he said it. He stated it like he has already decided long ago that he would do this for me.

So selfless, so sweet, and I can't stop thinking about it. Again and again, you prove that you love me. I'm so lucky to have you. :)

Btw, second thing was a tv for our bedroom. Men.

Oh well. Its still early. Can't hurt to fantasize now. Heh.



I realize this is a boring and lovey-dovey entry about me and cs. Its about the only thing I blog about these days. And food. Sounds boring, but this is my life nowadays. Boring. I don't go out much nowadays.

But I am still jotting down stuff every few days because it is nice to look back. I read entries from last year, to remember what I have been doing. The little things that happened. My blog is my journal. Only public. But maybe I should make it private. Hmm..

Headache. Gotta go lah bye.

Testing, testing..

Hello. It is a public holiday today. Wesak holiday. Technically, I am Buddhist and I should have gone to the temple but I am lazy. So dad represented the whole Simon family. Thanks daddy! :)

Speaking of this, I have to go to church this Sunday. Yikes! I haven't been to church since...I don't remember when. Err..was it during Christmas eve many, many, many years ago, or was it when my grandpa passed away. So, I am nervous. Especially since I will be with cs' family. Yikes again!

Either way, this Sunday is not a good idea.

This Sunday (22nd May) also happens to be my husband-to-be's birthday! Heh. So three guesses what we would be doing on his birthday eve.

Actually, we have a party planned at home already on Saturday night..

Which is why I have been trying to make Jello shots last night! Haha. They are not widely available in Malaysia. In Kuching, I have only come across Ta-Kiong selling these at the Spring.



I have no shot glasses, so have to make do with these. Wait till I go search for more smaller plastic cups lah, if not these will just have to do..

So. I used orange Jell-O with Raspberry vodka. I tried to Google the recipes beforehand, but then in the end, I just made do with what I had to try it out.

I added in some hot water to dissolve the mixture first, then added in some cold water and my vodka. Then poured it into little cups like shown above, and popped them in the refrigerator.

An hour later, cs and I were eagerly trying our creation! Oh my, I just have to say this: it smelled so good. The combination of orange and raspberry hit our nostrils as soon as we opened the fridge! So fragrant!

Actually no lah. My whole fridge smells of raspberry!

After the first bite, it became quickly apparent that I had put in wayyy tooooo muchhhh vodkaaa!! Seriously this is some strong shit man! Haha.

Remember I said my fridge smelt of raspberry, this should have given me an indication of how strong my jello was. The alcohol taste completely dominated. I could taste no orange at all. Only raspberry.

Oh well, this is just the first try!

It would have been fine if we used smaller shot glasses, but as it was, we filled about half a cup. Haha..between the two of us, it took us more than a couple of minutes to finish that one cup. It was some strong tasting jelly that burned your throat going down!

It tastes good. I want to continue eating. But I could feel my cheeks flaming as I kept on eating. What the hell? Hahha if I had made these for the party on Saturday night, it would be one large drunken group!

But now I know. Cut down half the vodka, and give out smaller servings. And I still have half of those leftover in my fridge now. Thinking to leave those for games on Saturday night. Heh heh.

Can't wait! :)

Today

is Cherrie's 1st Birthday!!!

Well not exactly. But, we brought her home a year ago last year on 16 May 2010.



But we're still celebrating for her anyway. Haha.. Today, the spoilt princess turns ONE!



However, birthday girl is in a bitchy mood today. Makes sense, since she is er..a bitch? Haha.

Winnie brought her out to walks, gave her ice cubes (cos Cherrie loves it), lay down on the floor with her, gave her treats (but she don't want), and played around with her and her toys.

But I still hear Cherrie growling and barking at Eli. Poor Eli.


Cherrie and poor Eli. :) Don't feel that sorry for Eli lah. Eli loves Cherrie, and I sometimes don't blame Cherrie for biting Eli - the way Eli keeps taunting her. She keeps trying to mock smack her, and teasing her. No wonder lah.

And cute, bad little Cherrie.



This is how she looks like today. As Winnie took this photo, along with may others, Cherrie was growling at Winnie.


This is her bitchy face. :)

When will Cherrie grow out of it huh? By the time she's two? Three? Don't know if I can wait that long! Ohh gotta go. Bye.

Hypocrite

When Winnie told me to ask my friends if any one wants to exchange a Charcoal colored MCD coke glass, I was like..whaaaat?? Not you too! No way am I asking for you. There is enough hoo-ha in FB over the coke glasses. All that hype for what?! Its just a glass!

I think working in MCD turned me into this. I watch colleagues taking home the happy meal toys for themselves. Hell, I collected almost all of the dogs too when I worked there.

I mean to say that I was so sick and tired of customers asking me what toys was it, can they exchange, they don't want this, they want the other colour. Bah. So that's why I didn't want to collect them. Not interested!



I managed to bring these dogs back to Kuching, but it is now collecting dust somewhere in a plastic bag somewhere in the old house.

Anyway. On Saturday, Winnie wanted MCD for lunch, so said I would tapau lunch for the two of us. BIG MISTAKE!!!! Let me say again, BIG MISTAKE!!

The QUEUE!! OMG! I forgot that there are people who actually want the coke glasses!!

The queue was spilling out the main doors man! Fucking ridiculous. What was even more ridiculous was, I joined the queue! Hits head on the wall. What was I thinking? Ahh cos I was starving, and the smell of the fries, plus Winnie was late. What else could I do besides wait anyway?

After 20 minutes, it was my turn. And alas. I ordered a LARGE Doublecheese burger meal with a strawberry sundae, and walked away with a blue coke glass! HAHAHHAA. Idiot! FAIL. COMPLAIN FAIL. AMY FAIL!!



I am now the proud owner of a blue coke glass!

How? I queued up so long already what! And everyone, I mean EVERYONE else were ordering large and a sundae and getting the glasses. What was I to do?

And (small voice) the glass does look good what! Plus in this hot weather, what's one more ice cream sundae right?

At home, I was admiring my blue coke glass, when I was hit with an epiphany! I want to collect the others! So, who has the charcoal colored one? Haha wtf! No lah! Winnie wants the charcoal one.

I'm happy with just one more, in any other color. One for me, one for cs! Just for fun. :) Hu ha.

The next one is Pink btw, and it starts on 19 May; after that is Lime Green on 26 May; and Grass Green on 2 June. :) The other colors have passed already, so no need to mention. Check it out here.