the *Lush & the *Lushettes...

Look at the two *lushes*.. Sharon & Michele as we all prepare ourselves for the "*lushiest* count down to 2005!!

...nEw yEar 2005...

There's about less than 20 minutes till its New Year 2005 back in Penang... a very HAPPY new YEAR wish to everyone back home... what are my plans tonight? Michele, Sharon and I are heading over to Peter's this year for a party at their place among friends and neighbors!~ My resolutions for the coming year.... take things a little easier than 2004 and I hope that all goes well to all my dear friends and that we may meet up again in the near future!~!~
Happy New Year!~!

Back to normal...

The peaceful scene at Jalan Tanjung Tokong on Tuesday.

Gaylord's back.. with the rest of the Fockers!

Last night... Mathew, Peter, Michele, Sharon and I went to Regal to see Meet the Fockers... we forgot that school is still out for the holidays and it was packed. Anyways... the movie was hillarious!~! Never been much of a Ben Stiller fan.. but I just had to see Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand... a very two-thumbs up for the sequel!~!~

viva la Italy!~

an Italian-Christmas-picture lineup... get it?! Green, White & Red stripes = Italian flag...

oh Christmas tree.. oh Christnas tree...

look at the tree... tooo packed with gifts!~!~

everybody say SOLID colors!~!~

and now... all the ladies on Christmas day over at 49 Branchbrook... from left, Jennifer, Kimmy, Sherene, Grandma Gauger, Kozy, Catherine, Michele, Nancy, Sharon and Clarissa.

UB vs. MHC

the girls from UB vs. Mt. Holyoke... representing UB - Sherene, Kozy (in yellow) and Michele; and the women of MHC - Catherine (in pink), Sharon and Clarissa.

artist extroadinaire...

The soon-to-be-world-famous-artist... *Drum roll please... Mathew Milizia with all the recipients of his masterpiece... thanks for the awesome portraits from all of us girls... Sharon, Michele and I have ours up in our place already.. you have got to come and see it!~ *muaks..

Christmas cuddle...

Merry Christmas my dear love!~!~

hurray for Christmas 2004!!

Christmas 2004 - yet another kodak moment going up on the fridge!~!~

just the ladies...

We all met once again... for Christmas over at the Milizias'.... caroling and merry making...from left.. Michele, Sharon, Clarissa and me... Sherene!~

More pictures from home

Two fishing boats washed ashore at the Jalan Tanjung Tokong by a tidal waves which hit coastal areas of Penang.--STARpic

Tsunami aftershocks - Tsunami in South East Asia

DANGER ZONE: Tidal waves seen surging towards the shore in Tanjung Tokong in Penang.

News from Home - Penang, Malaysia

Picture taken by Paul S. Russell, shows a tidal wave approaching the Batu Ferringhi coast at about 1.15pm. The Star Newspaper

At least 53 Malaysians killed by tidal waves

KUALA LUMPUR: At least 53 people were killed, scores injured and 34 reported missing in several parts of Malaysia when tidal waves of up to five metres high hit the coastal regions as a result an earthquake in Sumatra.

Officials have described it as the worst natural disaster in Malaysia’s history. Penang was the worst hit, with 38 reported dead and 30 missing at press time.

In Kedah, 12 more were reported dead and three missing, in Perak two dead and one missing and Selangor one dead. A Malaysian husband and wife were also reported killed while diving in the Emerald Cave off Thailand’s southern coast after a huge tsunami struck.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he felt sad about the lives that were lost in the disaster and extended his condolences to the bereaved families. He has asked Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop to give financial help to the victims.

According to the Meteorological Services Department Seismology division, preliminary information showed the location of the earthquake's epicentre at Latitude 3.1° North and Longitude 95.5° East, some 680km from Kuala Lumpur and 590km from Penang.

The first of the tidal waves, which hit the coastal areas at different times, was reported at about noon, about three hours after the tremors were felt in Malaysia. However, a Penang Meteorological Services spokesman said the waves could have hit Penang shores earlier, before 11am.

Waves reaching 3m was reported at Batu Maung and between 2.4m and 3m at Batu Ferringhi.
The spokesman said the waves could have gone above 4.6m, particularly at enclosed bay areas.
Unconfirmed reports from the public said the waves at Langkawi had hit as high as 8m. The seawaters swept more than 150m inland, drowning boatmen, holidaymakers and other people in its path.

Boats were capsized or tossed up onto the roads, and houses and other property destroyed.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the National Disaster Relief and Management committee chairman, has ordered the evacuation of residents in the coastal areas of Penang and Kedah due to concern that tidal waves might recur.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting has directed Fire and Rescue Department officers to go all out to help in the rescue work and to be ready if the waves were to hit again.

Earlier, between 9am and 9.30am, tremors lasting about one and two minutes were reported in all states except Malacca, Johor and Pahang. The tremors sent occupants of many high-rise buildings scurrying out in fear, while in other premises the people were told to leave. There was no report of any injury.

Reports from Home - Penang, Malaysia

DISASTER ZONE: Cars and motorcycles parked along Gurney Drive in Penang were swept by waves and strewn accross the street haphazadly.

Hear ye.. hear ye....

I interrupt all holiday postings for some important updates and highlights on what is happening close to my home and our neigboring friends in South East Asia... if you would like to read more about it, please clcik on the link (the tiltle of the postings). Everyone back in Penang are safe and sound! Thank you for calling, emailing and your kind wishes and thoughts.

meRRy cHriStMas....

season's greetings to all... its Christmas morning and everyone lining up to use the bathroom... we're all getting ready for yet another wonderful day of season's eatings and opening presents of course... Clarissa arrived here safely... minus one of my presents which she left on the Amtrak... *wahhh.... she forgot me??!! NOT.. she loves me too much to forget about me.

Anyways.. after some shopping and major baking around the Milizia household... we all ATE a lot... Christmas eve was spent with Mario's side of the family... i got to see all of Peter's cousin-sisters once again...so that was fun just ganging up against the guys... today... we are joined by Kozy, Catherine and Nancy's side of the family.

Mathew and I were hoping for a very white Christmas... Matt's reason.. he's been in California for a while now and as for me... I missed out on a white Christmas last year.. since Peter and I were both back in Penang and on Christmas day, we were in Shangri-La Golden Sands Hotel basking under the sun listening to the ocean while spotting Michele Yeoh trying to check in with the rest of her family.

Okies... me gonna scurry downstairs now to get some Christmas breakfast... will have pictures posted soon!~!~ Merry Christmas everyone!

happy birthday Mummy!~!~

HaPPy hAppy BIG 50th biRthday Mummy!~!~ We love you lots... Sherene & Sharon

maSqUeRraDe... paper faces on parade...

Few months back... Michele and I were jumping in our seats during previews to one of the movies we went to see... why?!~ They are making a movie/musical/action version of the Phantom of the Opera.. imagine our excitement and glee as we wait for December 17th for it to open in the US. Alas... late November... there was some sort of pushed back of the movie opening to December 22nd... what?!~ More waiting... fine.. we will be patient!~! Why all this huff puff about another Phantom... see it once, you've seen them all right? NO!~!~ Even though we both saw the broadway version of Phantom, even though we both ushered at Shea's and saw it 4 times or more, and at different levels and angels from the theather house... and even though we have been singing to the soundtrack driving back and forth from Rochester... we MUST and we WILL be seeing it again!~!~ We both were rooting for Anne Hathaway from Princesc Diaries to be Christine.. but, me thinks Emmy Rossum will do well... so it's another day of waiting it shall be... until then... ALL I ASK OF YOU... is to think of me fondly!~!~ *wink..

wATerBoys

After dinner, the three of us girls joined by another friend Tomoka, who is staying over, plopped ourselves in front of the tele to watch this Japanese movie Sharon got hold of. It's called the Waterboys... 5 guys from high school... who somehow got themselves into forming an aLL-male synchronized-swim team!~ All four of us were cracking up... the soundtrack was upbeat and great and the storyline gave us a great laugh. If you enjoy those Stephen Chau's movies (eg. Shaolin Soccer, God of Cookery)... this one is a younger, hipper, teen version of that kind of comedy!~!~ I know that some of you guys upon seeing this show would comment some not so nice things.. but think of it as a slapstick to all things comedy!~!~ Girls... lotsa guys in speedos and tanned.. rather skinny... heck.. you getta see lotsa "beHInD" and male-booTie!~ Go out and get it!~!~ Suzuki's adorable!~!~

wrap away!

look at the mess that we have to clean up after trying to steal the Elves' job!~!~

presents galore...

I know that I am somewhat complaining here.. but you really gotta hear what I have been up to this week!! MORE SHOPPING... I was pretty much done shopping for most of the people on my list, minus the occasional what-else-can-I-get-these folks-items & the oh-I-so-gotta-get-that-for-you-know-who stuffs... you get what I'm talking about... but I have been dragged along by Michele and Lori to more shopping...

Why on earth did I put up with it... well.. first, I was lazy to cook... too cold to even bother do anything but snuggle under the covers and most importantly... WHEN I do go shopping with them.. they would FEED me!! Thanks to Scottie... I got fed well today.. we went to Zeb's for a late breakfast and lunch for me.. and throw in dinner to at 5pm.

Michele, Sharon and I are pretty much done wrapping... well.. at this moment in time, both of them are still wrapping and I am here blogging away.. we had to pile up all the presents behind the sofa since we have not much room around from all the mess of tissue, wrapping paper, tape and bags. This year... I think we came pretty close in beating Santa's sack of presents!~!~

BrRrr... it's Cold outside!

Weather today.... freezing COLD!! As I am posting this blog it is 1 Fahrenheit = (minus) -17 Celcius... bBbRrrr... here's a picture of me from this morning clearing our entry way... I shovelled and salted before more snow accumulated. *shiver....

MaTT is back for the hOLs!

Guess who finally arrived back safely to Rochester last night... well... flight delays and all... at 1am this morning.. who?!!~!~ Matt!~!~ Welcome back from to NY from the O.C.!~ We miss you!~!~ love, the girls...

biRtHdAy gReeTinGs!~!~!

It's December 17th... HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dad!~!~ Wishing you many happy returns of the day.. and my Mummy... an early birthday wish to you also for December 22nd!! lotsa love from your girls!~!~ *muaks...

Today was also one of my bosses' birthday... dearest Beth.. happy birthday cheers and greetings to you!~~