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Speaking at World Vision Volunteers’ Circle of Friends Meetup July 2018

I have a confession to make. I just recently realized that I haven’t stayed with any organization longer than I have with World Vision Malaysia! Even though it is far from being a full-time engagement and I have taken breaks in between, I have been volunteering with World Vision Malaysia at my convenience for the 7th year now!

Through the years, I have attempted a whole range of roles and I have definitely grown from these experiences.

4th Colonoscopy for Colon Cancer Surveillance at 27 Years Old

It’s been a year since my last colonoscopy and I think I’m becoming an expert! Spoiler alert: I thought my bowel prep was better this round and I completed another unsedated colonoscopy like a champ! Continue reading 4th Colonoscopy for Colon Cancer Surveillance at 27 Years Old

Weekend Staycation at Sekeping Kong Heng, Ipoh – June 2018

Two weeks after my weekend trip to Ipoh with my high school band girl friends, our stay at Sekeping Kong Heng remained the top highlight of the trip. We were in awe. We were in the moment.

This impromptu weekend trip started when one of us announced a job move to Singapore. It happened exactly a year back too but it took us months to organize that trip. This one took us just two weeks! #progress

But to be fair, we didn’t have much time to contemplate and ended up going in a smaller group.

Anyway, the free-and-easy trip incidentally started with discovery of Sekeping Kong Heng. “Incidentally” because we decided to eat lunch at House of Mirrors. But when we arrived, we realized our hotel was nearby. We later discovered our hotel was next door of House of Mirror 😅.

Sekeping Kong Heng in Ipoh is located at the upper floors of old shoplots of Kong Heng Square. I’d say it’s kinda secluded because there’s no big signage or whatnot to mark the entrance. We only managed to find the reception counter after reading blogs and referring to photos.

Imagine this. GPS kept telling us we have arrived when we reached a kopitiam. Little did we notice that the kopitiam was named Kong Heng too.

But fret not. It’s the right location. The reception counter of Sekeping Kong Heng is located in the midst of Kong Heng Square Artisan Market; you’d have to walk through the alley between Kong Heng Kopitiam and Kong Heng Square. Then if you’re not distracted by all the pretty artisan stalls, you’d notice a counter behind a wall, opposite a few stalls next to the entrance of Plan B.

They checked us in very seamlessly. Then the receptionist walked us to the entrance to our room at another alley. Honestly, I didn’t expect the entrance to our room block to be some random black caged staircase in an alley 😅.

But behold. The staircase led us to a sanctuary. The quiet lush architecture of Sekeping Kong Heng immediately presented a stark difference to the busy artisan market on the streets below us. Seriously, who would have thought you can have a totally secluded staycation above one of the top attractions in Ipoh?

We were absolutely thrilled to take photos at every corner of the room and complex.

For the record, we also ate around and shopped around. My new favorites in Ipoh would be having tau fu fah with toppings at Big Mom Beancurd and tearing off salted chicken with gloves in the room for supper.

All in all, it was a good weekend stay with friends. It was relaxing. We fed ourselves with yummy food within easy reach. We enjoyed having real conversations and silly chats. The accommodation was refreshing. And we kept the entire trip at about RM200 per pax. That’s great bargain for a good trip I’d say!

How I Spent 6 Hours in Hospital for a 10-Min Oncologist Consultation

Today’s post is gonna be kind of a rant post to try to explain why I need a full day MC for my quarterly oncologist visit (everytime) even when there’s nothing for us to discuss, really.

You see. I just met my oncologist 7 weeks ago for an unscheduled visit due to my CT scan false alarm. Even though I wasn’t expecting to be walking in and out of the hospital within an hour (because blood test needs two hours to process anyway), I didn’t think I’d spend 6 hours in the hospital last Friday.

Continue reading How I Spent 6 Hours in Hospital for a 10-Min Oncologist Consultation

How I Started A Reading Habit

When I went for a job interview, the interviewer asked me what kind of book I read. I answered, “I’m not a book person. If anything, I’m more of a magazine person.” I have a different answer now.

Actually, my pile of books are still nicely wrapped in dust (geddit?) after redeeming them using my student book voucher at least 6 years ago but I’ve completed 5 books in the past 1 year! I know it’s probably little compared to many people but it’s a lot when you compare that to 1 book in 6 years. FYI, I miraculously completed The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini but don’t know what I read 😅.

And before you think I don’t make sense finishing 5 books without touching my books, let me spill the beans: I completed the 5 books electronically.

Fun fact: I have the physical copy of 3 out of the 5 books I read but I never made it past the quarter mark.

My ebook journey started 2nd half of last year when I realized that RK downloaded an ebook to read in flight. I thought it’s so brilliant because my feedly feeds are not available offline.

So I wanted to buy him an ebook as a gift after I realized he reads ebooks (disclaimer: once in a blue moon). But he didn’t want it so I ended up reading the ebook myself… 😒 That first ebook was Elon Musk’s autobiography, Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance.

I took many months to finish the book and even dropped it for a while in between. I thought I’d never find the motivation to pick it up half way again as usual but I somehow finished it.

I thought, “Wow, autobiography book is interesting! Maybe that’s my kind of book!”

Feeling motivated, I picked up another ebook. This time, a free ebook about genetic testing because of a genetic profiling talk I attended. I think I dropped it before the quarter mark because it was so scientific.

Fast forward to early this year, I decided to try again. I saw How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie for only RM9.48 on Google Play Book. I have this book on my shelf at home but I’ve never touched it after more than 6 years. Why not bet RM9.48 on myself to see if I’d finish the ebook version instead.

And I did 😲.

I picked my next book. And another. And another. Now I can’t wait to start reading all the other books I have on my shelf, electronically.

I don’t know how long this ebookworm Staci is gonna stay but through this 5-ebook journey, I realized a few things.

It’s not that I’m not a book person. I just never discovered the method that works for me, which is electronic book reading.

I think there are many many people out there who are in the same position as the old me, simply because you’ve never tried ebook thus my purpose of writing this post.

Ebook, particularly Google Play Book, has converted me because:

I’m so much better at holding my phone than a book. It’s true! I can’t decide if I want to open the book wide and wear it out or be delicate with the book to pretend lady-like 😂.
I don’t have to worry about misplacing my bookmark! I can stop at any page, especially when I’m abruptly distracted, but not risk losing the page. Google Play Book always pick it up where I stop.
I can highlight, make note, add bookmark, screenshot, copy, share, translate or find dictionary meaning seamlessly. I love it when I can share a clear and neatly highlighted screenshot instead of a blur awkward photo of a page in poor lighting.
I have the ebook with me all the time because it’s in my phone. I don’t have to worry forgetting to bring the book out or having to decide which book I want to pack before heading out. Don’t have to worry wrinkling, wetting or tearing the book too. #love
It’s so easy to make a purchase! I don’t have to go to a physical store or wait for a book delivery. I get my book instantly within a finger click, literally. #TypicalGenY
Certain books even have audiobook for when I don’t feel like reading. How cool is this? Total goal for lazy people like me, even though I’ve been reading 99% of the time. So far, I only use audiobook when I drive.
I get to read sample before paying for the book. Sample is good for me to decide if I’m interested to read further. Paying is good because I invest a stake as motivation for me to finish the book.

Some people say reading ebook is not good for eyes so I shouldn’t. But if I’m not reading ebook, I don’t think I’d read physical book either. I’d use the time for more screen time on my phone so there’s no difference. On the other hand, I would consider getting a Kindle if I’m certain that this habit is staying. But reason #4 (see above) would be compromised.

Anyway, I think many people are like the old me. Why not try ebook to see if we’re in the same boat when it comes to reading?

3 Malaysian Bloggers That Reflect My Ideal Self

It’s Malaysia’s 14th General Election polling day today. Thanks to #undirabu, we’re all off work at the middle of the week. And I got some time to catch up online, especially on updates from a few online personalities I like!

While the entire nation is talking about who won our votes, let me tell you who won mine too! But my candidates are the bloggers that I caught up with today. Nothing political. Haha.

It started with this confession.

Continue reading 3 Malaysian Bloggers That Reflect My Ideal Self

HIIT Boxing at LiquidCage with Young Survivors Group

I’ve seen Instagram posts of this pretty-looking boxing gym: LiquidCage Boutique Gym. I’ve never given much thought how the gym would work until I was briefed that it’s a HIIT session. I initially thought I could punch and fight my friends 😅. Even then, I was still quite clueless until the class started.

You know you’re in for an intense fitness class when you’re given Red Bull prior to class… I typically avoid carbonated drink but I knew I’d be working out hard so I cancelled the guilt and accepted the drink. Continue reading HIIT Boxing at LiquidCage with Young Survivors Group

Why I Started Iyengar Yoga

I did something I’ve never done in a long time over the weekend: qi gong. Because I’ve been doing something I’ve never done in the past before: yoga.

During my cancer treatment days, I used to do qi gong quite regularly as it helped me with my treatment side effects. Plus, qi gong made me feel better emotionally as well that it has become a comfort exercise. However, it’s just hard to keep up because the daily practice is at 5.45am at the stadium! And I find it hard to do it myself at later hours so I don’t think I ever did it in 2018 until recently.

In place of qi gong, I’ve been exploring yoga; iyengar yoga with Treyoga to be specific. Honestly, I haven’t studied yoga at all so I don’t know the different types of yoga. I just want to note down why I’ve started doing yoga. Continue reading Why I Started Iyengar Yoga

To Solo or Not to Solo – by First Time Solo Female Traveller

This time last year, I decided to be YOLO and attempted my first solo trip. Not a trip to the market. But a 6D5N trip to Taiwan alone. As a 26-year-old Malaysian female (in 2016), I was travelling overseas solo for the first time in my life. 😲😲😲

Continue reading To Solo or Not to Solo – by First Time Solo Female Traveller

My First Non-Routine Post-Cancer Oncologist Consultation

About 6 weeks ago, I got downgraded from seeing my oncologist every 12 weeks to seeing him in 6 weeks because of my less-than-perfect CT Scan result. So the 6 weeks came and here’s the update.

I went to the hospital early for my appointment for the first time since Nov 2016! That’s simply because my appointment time got pushed back from the usual. But yeah, I was still early. Continue reading My First Non-Routine Post-Cancer Oncologist Consultation