新时代西游记 ~ 笑笑没烦恼

唐僧师徒经历了九九八十一难，终于见到了如来佛祖求真经
如来问：你们带hard disc来吗？
唐僧师徒 ：....................
如来又问 ：有带pen drive吗？
唐僧师徒 ：.......................
如来 :那我要怎样copy经文给你们？
如来叹了口气说：你们回去吧，我email给你们好了～...
悟空 ：鱼虾你的螃蟹^%$&#*(&#@%^&$@，早知道老子大闹天宫时直接把msn给你算了！害老子走那么远！
唐僧：悟空你真是的，把蜘蛛精打死了～你看！！现在上不了网了吧？
如来问 ：你们有带ipod吗？
唐僧师徒 ：......
如来：psp呢？
唐僧师徒 ：........
如来 ：那你们路上怎么娱乐的？不就闷死？
唐僧师徒 ：打妖怪up level咯...

Vietnamese Food - nice!

It has been 2 years I miss this food, couldn't find it from Pearl Island (not I am aware of). The very first time I tasted Vietnamese food was during my US trip in 2001. I love it so much especially when I've taken the western food for days in US. The vietnamese food was really help to solve my "sickness" of Penang food during the trip.

Last week, I visited the Vietnamese restaurant in Bandar Utama (One Utama, KL), the food was nice and up to my expectation. Importantly, it is worth for the money ~ nice and portion are big!

If you wish to try it, you could visit Vietnam Kitchen at One Utama, (Lot S312, 2nd Floor Hightstreet)

Vietnamese beef noddle set - RM16.90 (with fried spring roll) ~I like the soup so much!

Vietnamese Prawn Roll - RM6.90 ~wrapped with fresh vege, Ho CHiak!

Vietnamese dessert - Red Mug Bean - RM6.50 ~It is like our chendol but it's not chendol..

教育孩子

收到朋友所发出的电邮article,觉得很值得一读和与你们分享的一篇文章。

在教育孩子的问题上，美国父母有很多值得中国父母学习的地方

儿子去美国留学，毕业后定居美国。还给我找了个洋媳妇苏珊。 如今，小孙子托比已经3岁了。今年夏天，儿子为我申请 了探亲签证。在美国待了三个月，洋媳妇苏珊教育孩子的方法， 令我这个中国婆婆大开眼界。

不吃饭就饿着

每天早上，托比醒来后，苏珊把早餐往餐桌上一放，就自顾 自 地忙去了。托比会自己爬上凳子，喝牛奶，吃面包片。吃饱 后，他回自己的房间，在衣柜里找衣服、鞋子，再自己穿上。 毕竟托比只有3岁，还搞不清楚子的正反面，分不清鞋子 的左右脚。有一次托比又把裤子穿反了，我赶紧上前想帮他 换，却被苏珊制止了。她说，如果他觉得不舒服，会自己脱 下来，重新穿好；如果他没觉得有什么不舒服，那就随他的 便。那一整天，托比反穿着裤子跑来跑去，苏姗像没看见一样。

又一次，托比出去和邻居家的小朋友玩，没多大会就气喘吁 吁 地跑回家，对苏珊说：“妈妈，露西说我的裤子穿反了，真 的吗？”露西是邻居家的小姑娘，今年5岁。苏姗笑着说： “是的，你要不要换回来？”托比点点头，自己脱下裤子， 仔细看了看，重新穿上了。从那以后，托比再也没穿反过裤子。

我不禁想起，我的外孙女五六岁时不会用筷子，上小学时不 会 系鞋带。如今在上寄宿制初中的她，每个周末都要带回家一大堆 脏衣服呢。

一天中午，托比闹情绪，不肯吃饭。苏珊说了他几句，愤怒 地 小托比一把将盘子推到了地上，盘子里的食物洒了一地。苏 姗看着托比，认真地说：“看来你确实不想吃饭！记住，从 现在到明天早上，你什么都不能吃。”托比点点头，坚定地 回答：“Yes!”我在心里暗笑，这母子俩，还都挺倔！

下午，苏珊和我商量，晚上由我做中国菜。我心领神会，托 比 告别爱吃中国菜，一定是苏珊觉得托比中午没好好吃饭，想让他 晚上多吃点儿。

那天晚上我施展厨艺，做了托比最爱吃的糖醋里脊、油闷大 虾， 还用意大利面做了中国式的凉面。托比最喜欢吃那种凉面，小小 的人可以吃满满一大盘。

开始吃晚饭了，托比欢天喜地地爬上凳子。苏珊却走过来， 拿 走了他的盘子和刀叉，说：“我们已经约好了，今天你不能 吃饭，你自己也答应了的。”托比看着面容严肃的妈妈，“哇” 地一声在哭起来，边哭边说：“妈妈，我饿，我要吃饭。”“不 行，说过的话要算数。”苏珊毫不心软。

我心疼了，想替托比求情，说点好话，却见儿子对我使眼色 。 想起我刚到美国时，儿子就跟我说，在美国，父母教育孩子 时，别人千万不要插手，即使是长辈也不例外。无奈，我只好保 持沉默。

那顿饭，从始至终，可怜的小托比一直坐在玩具车里，眼巴 巴 地看着我们三个大人狼吞虎咽。我这才明白苏珊让我做中餐 的真正用意。我相信，下一次，托比想发脾气扔饭碗时，一 定会想起自己饿着肚子看爸爸妈妈和奶奶享用美食的经历。 饿着肚子的滋味不好受，况且还是面对自己最喜爱的食物。

临睡前，我和苏珊一起去向托比道晚安。托比小心翼翼地问 ： “妈妈，我很饿，现在我能吃中国面吗？”苏珊微笑着摇摇 头，坚决地说：“不！”托比叹了口气，又问：“那等我睡 完觉睁开眼睛时，可以吃吗？”“当然可以。”苏珊温柔地回 答。托比甜甜地笑了。

大部分情况下，托比吃饭都很积极，他不想因为“罢吃”而 错 过食物，再受饿肚子的苦。每当看到托比埋头大口大口地吃 饭，嘴上脸上粘的都是食物时，我就想起外孙女。她像托比 这么大时，为了哄她吃饭，几个大人端着饭碗跟在她屁股后 面跑，她还不买账，还要谈条件：吃完这碗买一个玩具，再吃一 碗买一个玩具……

以其人之道，还治其人这身

有一天，我们带托比去公园玩。很快，托比就和两个女孩儿 玩 起了厨房游戏。塑料小锅、小铲子、小盘子、小碗摆了一地。 忽然，淘气的托比拿起小锅，使劲在一个女孩儿头上敲了 一下，女孩儿愣了一下，放声大哭。另一个女孩儿年纪更小 一些，见些情形，也被吓得大哭起来。大概托比没想到会有这么 严重的后果，站在一旁，愣住了。

苏珊走上前，开清了事情的来龙去脉后，她一声不吭，拿起 小 锅，使劲敲到托比的头上，托比没防备，一下子跌坐在草地 上，哇哇大哭起来。苏珊问托比：“疼吗？下次还这样吗？” 托比一边哭，一边拼命摇头。我相信他以后再也不会这么做了。

托比的舅舅送了他一辆浅蓝色的小自行车，托比非常喜欢， 当 成宝贝，不许别人碰。邻居小姑娘露西是托比的好朋友，央求托 比好几次，要骑他的小车，托比都没答应。

一次，几个孩子一起玩时，露西趁托比不注意，偷偷骑上小 车， 扬长而去。托比发现后，气愤地跑来向苏珊告状。苏珊正 和几个孩子的母亲一起聊天喝咖啡，便微笑着说：“你们的事情 自己解决，妈妈可管不了。”托比无奈地走了。

过了一小会儿，露西骑着小车回来了。托比看到露西，一把 将 她推倒在地，抢过了小车。露西坐在地上大哭起来。苏珊抱 起露西，安抚了她一会儿。很快，露西就和别的小朋友兴高采烈 地玩了起来。

托比自己骑了会车，觉得有些无聊，看到那几个孩子玩得那 么 高兴，他想加入，又觉得有些不好意思。他蹭到苏珊身边， 嘟囔道：“妈妈，我想跟露西他们一起玩。”苏珊不动声色 地说：“那你自己去找他们啦！”“妈妈，你陪我一起去。” 托比恳求道。“那可不行，刚才是你把露西弄哭的，现在你又想 和大家玩，就得自己去解决问题。”

托比骑着小车慢慢靠近露西，快到她身边时，又掉头回来。 来 回好几次，不知道从什么时候开始，托比和露西又笑逐颜开，闹 成了一团。

管教孩子是父母的事

苏珊的父母住在加利福尼亚州，听说我来了，两人开车来探 望 我们。家里来了客人，托比很兴奋，跑上跑下地乱窜。他把 玩沙子用的小桶装满了水，提着小桶在屋里四处转悠。苏珊 警告了她好几次，不要把水洒到地板上，托比置若罔闻。最 后，托比还是把水桶弄倒了，水洒了一地。兴奋的小托比不 觉得自己做错了事，还得意地光着脚丫踩水玩，把裤子全弄 湿了。我连忙找出拖把准备拖地。苏珊从我手中抢过拖把交 给托比，对他说：“把地拖干，把湿衣服脱下来，自己洗干 净。”托比不愿意，又哭又闹。苏珊二话不说，直接把他拉 到贮藏室，关了禁闭。听到托比在里面发出惊天动地的哭喊， 我心疼坏了，想进去把他抱出来。托比的外婆却拦住我，说： “这是苏珊的事。”

过了一会儿，托比不哭了，他在贮藏室里大声喊：“妈妈， 我 错了。”苏珊站在门外，问：“那你知道该怎么做了吗？” “我知道。”苏珊打开门，托比从贮藏室走出来，脸上还挂 着两行泪珠。他拿起有他两个高的拖把吃力地把地上的水拖 干净。然后，他脱下裤子，拎在手上，光着屁股走进洗手间，稀 里哗啦地洗起衣服来。

托比的外公外婆看着表情惊异的我，意味深长地笑了。这件 事 让我感触颇深。在很多中国家庭，父母管教孩子时，常常会 引起“世界大战”，往往是外婆外公护，爷爷奶奶拦，夫妻吵 架，鸡飞狗跳。

后来，我和托比的外公外婆聊天时，提到这件事，托比的外 公 说了一段话，让我印象深刻。他说，孩子是父母的孩子，首 先要尊重父母对孩子的教育方式。孩子虽然小，却是天生的 外交家，当他看到家庭成员之间出现分歧时，他会很聪明地 钻空子。这不仅对改善他的行为毫无益处，反而会导致问题 越来越严重，甚至带来更多别的问题。而且，家庭成员之间 发生冲突，不和谐的家庭氛围会带给孩子更多的不安全感， 对孩子的心理发展产生不利影响。所以，无论是父辈与祖辈 在教育孩子的问题上发生分歧，还是夫妻两人的教育观念有差 异，都不能在孩子面前发生冲突。

托比的外公外婆在家里住了一周，准备回加利福尼亚了。临 走 前两天，托比的外公郑重地问女儿：“托比想要一辆玩具挖 掘机，我可以买给他吗？”苏珊想了想，说：“你们这次来， 已经送给他一双旱冰鞋作为礼物了，到圣诞节时，再买玩具挖掘 机当礼物送给他吧！”

我不知道托比的外公是怎么告诉小家伙的，后来我带托比去 超 市，他指着玩具挖掘机说：“外公说，圣诞节时，给我买这个当 礼物。”语气里满是欣喜和期待。

虽然苏珊对托比如此严格，托比去却对妈妈爱得不得了。他 在 外面玩时，会采集一些好看的小花或者他认为漂亮的叶子， 郑重其事地送给妈妈；别人送给他礼物，他会叫妈妈和他一起拆 开；有什么好吃的，也总要留一半给妈妈。

想到很多中国孩子对父母的漠视与冷淡，我不得不佩服我的 洋 媳妇。在我看来，在教育孩子的问题上，美国妈妈有很多值得中 国妈妈学习的地方。

美味的肉粽 ~ tasty Bak Zhang

昨天突然很想吃肉粽，就在家附近的早市巴刹买了两粒肉粽带回家与家人一起大快朵颐。其实之前已有向这位婆婆购买过，她所包裹的粽子不但美味，而且价廉物美！一粒才三块半，超大粒的(比普通所售卖的大两倍), 而且馅料也很多 ~ 有咸蛋黄，两个香菇，瘦肉和三层肉, 都是婆婆自己亲手包裹~home made) ~ 很超值。不知为何，今天又很想再吃(上瘾了)，所以又向她光顾了。

Nice home made "Bak Zhang" (glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves), bought it from the pasar pagi (morning market) near my house.. it is just RM3.50 per piece ~ big size, nice and very tasty! Importantly, it is home made by an old auntie, there are a lot of ingredients ~ egg yolk, mushroom and pork. I've addicted to it. :)

I am so frusted now (Part 3) - Final conversation

As what I expected, they tried to "tai chee" (push) and mentioned that is beyond their control.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: JXXX
Cc: BXX Reservation;
Subject: RE: RESERVATION STATUS

Dear JXXX,
Thank you so much for your response with detailed explaination and clarification.

One thing I would like to understand from you, may I know BXX Singapore Studio rooms are fully booked or it is not open/not available for BXX members during peak seasons? If it is not open/not available for booking during peak seasons, I would suggest BXX add a comment to the surcharge list (as attached file, page 3), by putting a remark ~ only Deluxe/Suite rooms are available during peak seasons, members need to top up SGD180++ per room per night on top of RM130.00 payable to BXX (this may apply to other affiliated hotels which I may not aware of).

By adding the neccessary information, this will help your members to clearly understand in the begining, rather than advices us to change the vacation destination (or pay more) at the end, which has mess up our travel plan.

One thing to clarify, I have been made a successful booking around the same period in 2009 (not a numbers of bookings), it is for local destination home resort.

I really hope I could spend my family year end holiday in Singapore this year. But I believe I got to find an alternative hotels somewhere else, instead of relying solely on BXX (it just like I have to use public phone, even though I owned a personal cellphone, what a big joke!).

Anyway, thanks for your response.

------------------------------------ REPLY FROM BXX CLUB (Final) --------------------------------
Dear,

Thank you for your suggestion.

As far as I understand there is no period restriction at BXX Singapore. It is open all season but subject to the hotel availability. The hotel is to inform us in advance whenever there is any close-up period (i.e close for all our guests) but we have not receive any such notice for this December from Singapore.

The other bookings were in Kuching and KLP, probably it has slipped your mind since it has been some years back.

We have always advise members to shop around for affiliated resorts booking as there could be some promotional offer via internet or campaign which we are not aware of and not included in our affiliation contracts.

Please contact our Members Services Department if you decide to try other locations.

Thanks you
JXXX

I am so frustrated now (Part 2) ~ response from BXX Club

Subject: RE: RESERVATION STATUS

Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 12:25:08 +0800
From: j__@bxx.com.my

We would like to clarify that BXX Singapore Hotels is an affiliated hotel and not a Home Resort (ie property put into the share scheme). Unlike Home Resorts, we do not have fixed number of rooms allocated for xxshare members for affiliated hotels/resorts. Hence, confirmation of booking to affiliated hotels/resorts is subject to the respective hotel’s own availability at the point of booking request.

As you have mentioned in your letter, the dates (26 Dec – 30 Dec) which you have requested is indeed a super peak period and according to the hotel’s response, only Deluxe/Suite rooms are available during that period. As our normal surcharge is for studio rooms, a top up is required for the higher category of room. That was the reason our Member Services Department has sent you the mail informing you that studio room is not available and offered you a suite room. Our Member Services Department has in fact made another attempt to BXX Singapore Hotel for your booking but received the same response.

We would like to clarify that BXX Vacation Club do not profit from such exercise as the upgrade is between the members and the respective hotels/resorts i.e. members is to pay the upgraded rooms at the hotels/resorts. Our Member Services Department is only trying their best to fulfill members booking and where unavailable, offer alternatives. It is your prerogative whether to take up the rooms offered or not.

From your booking record, there have been a number of successful bookings around the same period in previous years to other locations. We do understand your wish to continue such year end family vacation trend and will try our very best to fulfill your request but it is beyond our control when it comes to affiliated hotels/resorts and during such season.

If you do not wish to pay for the upgraded rooms in Singapore, let us know your alternative destinations and we will try our best to assist.

Your kind understanding on the above is much appreciated.


Thank you
Jxxxx

Complaint letter.. I am so frustrated now!

ATTENTION TO: BXX Vacation Club Management

Dear Sir,
RE: XXX Hotel room reservation (Duration of stay - 4 nights [26th -30th Dec 2010])

With reference to the above, I would like to express my dissatisfaction and disappointment over the services rendered by BXX VACATION CLUB.

In order to make sure I am able to get the room with my EARLY travel plan, I placed a call and sent a mail to BXX Reservation on 25th February 2010, for the hotel room reservation,

However, Ms Dxxx replied that Advance reservation is open on a daily basis up to a maximum period of 180 days before the intended check-in dates. While I called back and understand the reservation policy, I fully understand the rules and thereby I decided to set a reminder to my PDA and proceed to place my booking on 1st July 2010 (the VERY FIRST DAY of the booking that open for max period of 180 days).

On 1st July 2010 (last Thursday), I submitted the reservation request again but my request was rejected. I understand the situation of the reservation period which is fall on peak season, however, I’ve sent in my reservation on the VERY FIRST day, and how come it is fully booked?! May I know there is only one hotel room in XXXX Singapore open for BXX members?

```

In addition, I was informed by Ms AXX that BXX only able to offer Suite room instead of studio room and there will be additional top up of SGD180++ per room per night on top of RM130.00 payable to BXX. As paying members, I am entitled to the service and I am very dissatisfied with the way I was informed, why shall I pay more in order to get the room??

I joined BXX club since 2003 and so far I have been experienced with a number of issue regarding hotel room reservation, it has been fully booked even though I’ve made and planned the reservation 6 months ahead. I felt disappointed once again with this problem. As a member, I am very frustrated on the holiday booking procedures and do not know exactly when to place any bookings and how to obtain information on rooms availability. We, the members of BXX have paid the membership fee and made' payment for maintenance fee yearly and hope that we can get full benefit from BXX's program.

As what BXX club quoted - “Plan your holiday ahead and wisely”, with the bad experience that I faced for several times, what do we gain from the membership??

I hope the Management will reply this letter explaining to me on this matter and get my reservation done on XXXX Singapore.

P/S: I do not want to disappoint my family and kids on their year-end vacation plan and I would be highly appreciated if you could take the necessary action on this matter.

Thank You.