Malaysian Culture Lesson 1 - The Chinese New Year Ang Pow / Red Packet

How many people out there teach you about the do's and don'ts of ang pow (red packet aka hong bao)

Well, none. You learn it by growing up with these festivals that come with the red packet.

I've even searched online for red packet etiquette and do's and don'ts. Found nothing really.

So let me tell you some don'ts regarding the red packet (especially during Chinese New Year)

1. You DO NOT open the packet in front of the giver. It is said to be bad luck and actually it is downright rude. I learnt this while at primary tuition and my teacher ran away when she saw me opening it :P My friend then told me it was bad luck.

2. You don't put in any amount of money where the numbers are bad in chinese. Example 4.

So RM4 or $4 is not good.

3. You don't go around asking for red packets from people you don't know very well, e.g strangers, friend's friends, unfamiliar faces. It's rude. It should be given to you. However it's alright to bug your close relatives or friends for ang pow ;)

This are what I recommend to be Do's

1. Do keep your ang pow nicely (like a bag or pocket) There's money inside you know

2. Try to remember who gave which ang pow. Express gratitude to those who give you big amounts (when you know they are not rich etc) when it comes to their wedding/birthday, possibly by giving back an ang pow with a big amount as well.

3. Give ang pow to people (relatives) whom you know are unmarried. I've heard of people who don't give ang pow to working adults because 'they have income' Now that's bad in my opinion. Ang pow is supposed to be for good luck.

4. As a guide to amount, relatives should get most (the closer relative gets more) followed by friends, then not-so-familiar people

5. The not-so-familiar people whom you can give ang pow to are; rubbish collectors, postman, gardener, maid etc. This is regardless of whether they are married or not, it's just a token. Unless of course you hate their service. If so, you can close all the doors and windows, keep really quiet and pretend nobody's home when they come around during CNY

Happy CNY!

Don't Be Cheated At Watson's (or Guardian, or any pharmacy/drugstore for that matter)

Before you say anything, Watson's pharmacy is not a place that deliberately goes out to cheat people. It's just the wrong kind of staff.

Inside Jusco Wangsa Maju there's a smallish Watson's that I frequent (because it's near my place and has erm, decent amount of stuff) Not sure if you know it but now all Watson's are having sales. Cosmetics are at 10 - 15%off.

Maybelline's new Color Sensational lipsticks caught my eye, and there was a purple-ish type of colour that I thought was really cool (F31 Iced Orchid, I may review it later) The display said RM21.51 after discount, yellow tag.

So after hanging around quite some time I decide to take that to the cashier. It went through the scanner *teeet* RM24.80. This always happens and I wait a few more seconds for them to key in the discount. Nothing happened.

I asked "takde discount ke?" (Isn't there a discount?) The cashier asked a friend, who said that's the price. I told the friend that the display was RM21.50. She said

"Display itu 21 tapi scan 24" (Display says 21 but when scanned it's 24)

I was thinking "What?? I could sue you for misadvertising"

Then I told her there was supposed to be a discount. Then she asked another staff, and then told me that the original price was 28. (Watson's has displays all over with them numbers 10% and 15%, indicating discount)

Hesitantly I purchased, because it was the last lipstick in that colour. Feeling a (small) fire of anger I walked down to Guardian (just downstairs) and checked out the Maybelline lipsticks.

Gosh! There was a huge selection! Several lipsticks in several colours, without the need to worry of any of them finishing. There was no sales at Guardian, no discount for cosmetics. The price? RM24.90

Argh. That's almost the same that I paid. Remember the 10% and 15% discount signs I mentioned??

I walked up to Watsons, asked one of the staff if the manager was around. The guy said "Kat cashier"

So went to person at cashier, she said "kat belakang, tunggu ye" (at the back, please wait) Person next to her asked me with a smiling face "Kenapa ye?" I made a gesture with my hand telling her to wait.

After waiting for like 5 minutes for the manager to come out from the back, I asked her (polietly!), "Maybelline ada discount tak?" (do maybelline products have discount?) She said that some got, and some don't. I showed her my receipt and the display price tag at the lipsticks. And she said that those have discounts.

So off to the cashier I went and she returned me RM3.30. (enough to buy me lunch lol)

I walked off feeling satisfied.

However the whole time before, I was thinking that if they still wanted to argue with me, I would have $crew*d them! Like calling Watson's HQ and getting them all fired.

Muahahahahhahahahaaa...

I can be so evil if you provoke me :P

How To Prevent Hair From Getting Oily (Dry Shampoo)

Since I got myself a fringe (bangs) I had a problem of oily hair. I have an oily face and it's gross when halfway through the day my fringe makes me look like I'm some greasy character from a horror movie.

After so many months of figuring out how to solve this problem, (including using blotting papers and washing my fringe in the ladies room-last bit not recommended!) I've found a better, easier way.

I'm sure lots of people do this already, but the idea only came to me after I was attacked by my friends with a talcum powder bottle. (Birthday celebrations huh?) My hair was white, but not oily.

I'm not saying that you need to be attacked like that to get the non-oily result, what I use is a face powder, dusted on my hair to absorb oil.

Actually any talc powder will do, but since my skin is acne prone, I want to avoid anything that may clog my pores. You don't need expensive powder, I use the Silkygirl Silky White Magic face powder. The one that got Orked from the movie Mukhsin to advertise some years ago (Yes I still miss you Yasmin Ahmad. RIP)

Mine is in Pretty Pink (yay) and it's good enough to absorb the oil from my fringe and prevent it from looking too gross after sweeping across my oily forehead. Johnson's baby powder works fine too, whatever you prefer. I just stick to face powder to be safe. After dusting a bit here and there I comb through to even it out.

Hope that helps