0 What's in a popcorn

I love going to the movies and having my popcorn. Not just any popcorn but GSC Midvalley's popcorn.

I love turning up at 10am on a Saturday and being one of those who'll be first. Aaahh..the first show of the day is always the best. Peaceful and quiet, I take a leisurely walk in with a box of popcorn in hand.

I wasn't always a big cinema fan. In the past, I used to sit in front of a small TV recording copies for video rental. Those were my childhood days, watching every wrestling videotape that my dad ordered. I was only 7 or 8 then but I knew every wrestler like I was born into it.

When Gremlins arrived, it was one of the greatest moments of my childhood. I watched it 8 times in just a couple of days. I lied to my parents about homework and studying. God knows why I was obssessed with the movie. And who could forget Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

My dad insisted on doing business the right way. Every tape was licensed. One day, competition arrived in the form of piracy. Who'd want to rent at my dad's when they could easily buy a pirated copy from the shop downstairs. The CD era was upon us. It was downhill from there save for some lovely souls who felt supporting piracy was wrong. They were my dad's loyal customers.

After my dad closed shop, I rarely watched movies because I wasn't comfortable paying so much for an original or buying pirated copies. Until today, my dad just refuses to watch any pirated movie.

It was only when I came to KL that I started enjoying the cinema experience. Well, my partner started it. He loves going to the movies. I tagged along and soon I was hooked. If you were to ask me to watch a movie on a 21 inch TV these days, I'd rather skip. Nothing beats surround sound, a huge screen and good popcorn.

0 Sports and Me

A sports fan? Hahahahaha ! :D That's a laugh. I've never been into sports in a big way but after being left out by my partner a few times, I decided to take a 'little' interest by reading the sports pages daily and listening to what my partner had to say.

Gradually, I was able to have a fairly decent conversation with the guys in the office about sports. I soon started doing what I'd never thought I'd do..... sit through a football match, watch our squash queen play, curse our badminton players, drool over Roger Federer. I actually survived without falling asleep on the chair. That's good enough for me.

When the World Cup Finals were on last year, my partner and I painted our faces before we stepped out to book the best seat at the mamak (sigh..no astro). We didn't have face paint but we were adamant about doing it so we used my eyeliner and lipstick to do the job...seriously.

We painted one side of our cheek with France's flag and the other, Italy. Deep inside, we were both rooting for France...hehehe....they didn't win.

When the match ended, those who saw the side of our cheeks with the Italian flag cheered us and those who saw the other side, offered their sympathies. We bonded with everyone. Awwww...don't you just love sports?

0 The Reunion Dinner

We decided to start a tradition in our home this Lunar New Year. For the past 5 years or so, the eve was spent waiting until midnight for the fireworks and firecrackers to go off.

This year, we decided to prepare the reunion dinner in remembrance of our childhood and to keep tradition going. Of course, we didn't know how to start. Daevid and I had to call our mums to hand down the recipes. I even called my aunt and she decided that she will write a cookbook just for us young ones (at 30-something, I'm glad I'm still her little girl).

We settled on mixed vege with fatt choy (the fatt choy being a must), roast chicken and pork leg soup. Well, of course the pic is too small for anyone to see anything but I can tell you that it was delicious...hahahaha..self praise !

We realised the importance of keeping traditions alive because we felt that should we have kids, we'd want them to have what we had...the reunion dinner, the cheesy songs and decorations, firecrackers, lion dance and the works.

We played some small hand wielding fireworks that night..God knows what it's called. The next few days were spent visiting friends and collecting ang pows ....phew..it's tough being at this age. You get fired for not accepting ang pows.

We made sure the radio was tuned into a Chinese channel too. It's been our tradition from the first CNY we've been together.

2 The Fuji Xerox Printer

It was pure Chinese New Year luck.

My partner and I went to Cineleisure Damansara on the second day. I've always disliked the movie atmosphere there. I complain constantly about the state of their popcorn, the dangerous gap between the seats, the booking system and even the fact that it was the talk of the town that this was supposed to be the place to go for movies. GSC would have a competitor to match or so I thought. I was never a fan.

Perhaps God thought that I needed to be bribed a little. ..we walked into the cinema to watch Ghost Rider and I wondered silently to myself , "why here?". Before the start of the movie, there was the usual show of advertisements. Suddenly, a congratulatory message popped up going something like this, "Congratulations to the winner of the day". I was like duh..now what's this.

The lights turned on and a verbal announcement was made, "Congratulations to the winner sitting in seat no. J5!"..my heart dropped. I turned around to check my seat number twice..it was me!! Gosh, I need to hide!..I snuggled myself lower where no one would see me. With the lights on, it seemed futile.

The show started after that but I was too excited by then. My cheeks were glowing with joy. My partner was as excited. The minute the show ended, we went straight to collect the prize. Service was slow and disappointing but the organisers were courteous. I hate to admit it but I allowed myself to be totally bribed into forgetting all their shortcomings..how weak was that ! All of a sudden, I was a fan..pathetic..I know.

They took a photo of me with the prize..some smart aleck in the background said, "The cost of the ink cartridge will kill you". It probably will but who cares :)