Material Girl

Just the other day I was chatting simultaneously with B and P, B  was discussing where to get cheaper Coach bags and P was telling me about her 4-pairs-of-shoes-purchase last Saturday. P lamented that even with her family debts and the fact that she's supporting the family fully at the age of 23 she tries to 'reward' herself once in a while with a good meal or a shopping spree. You can't help but think that we are a bunch of Material Girls who put much value on what we own, or wanting to own SOMETHING. But is that really a bad thing? Do we all not crave to possess something we like, a car, a handbag, a luxury trip, a WHATEVER? Does it not motivate us at the end of the day to achieve more so that we can BUY MORE? In that instance then are we not just being realistic that we do live in a Material World........ 

D’Cinnamons

Something light, refreshing and different, D'Cinnamons is an Indon band that hails from Bandung. Some good songs are "So Won't You Let Me Be..." and "Good Morning & "Loving You". Overall the Good Morning album is easy to listen to, and definitely for one of those days when you want something else to listen to besides Norah Jones. Try this.

Work????

I'm back in the KL office since the 24th and really I don't have anything much to do. Xmas eve was spent submitting my travel claims, and meebo-ing the rest of the day. Went out for lunch with Andrew and Herman all the way for Chan Sow Lin fish head before heading back to office. After a much restless hour, I went to San Fran for a cup of coffee then decided to leave office BEFORE the official 6pm. How many of u guys have skived just like me anyways? My sis don't believe in skiving, or ular-ing although i've always been doing that. Take it as pausing for a breather from work..or just to let some heat off at work. Nothing wrong with that. We all need a break sometimes.

AND i can expect this for the next few working days that i have in KL before going back to Jakarta. I should be at home smurfing as i see no logic in pretending to work while i'm not really doing any real work. Sigh,,,,...so in case anyone's bored or looking for snake kaki if u happen to be around klcc area, give me a call. 

All I Want For Xmas....

What I want for Xmas? I'm getting real close to being 30 right after xmas, and i guess what i really want for xmas is actually to celebrate the last few days of 2007 with Andrew, family and friends that matter. I was pretty insistent on not spending my Xmas in Indonesia..oh sure, I can do the usual shit partying with the new colleagues in Indonesia, but it's just not the same. Every other day dancing and partying is alright but on Xmas and New Year's Eve????? I'll rather be sitting at home doing nothing but mope around looking at my newborn nephew and just smurf around with Andrew and my family.

I wont be making wishes but just count my blessings...i've finally got a job that's paying me Ok for me to indulge a bit and not to worry so much (less anyways). And to be away from KL has it's bad and good. And I've got a new nephew this year. First boy in our family. Too bad Imn's not around to smurf with us. (ohyea Imn, i threw some of your old rotten shoes btw). I've semi-moved out of Taman Desa. Dont feel nostalgic at all except that Tmn Desa is the most strategic place to get to anywhere!

And Andrew's got me a new skirt. Yippee. Just a tip to all men, it's always safer to either hand the gf your money or take your gf out shopping for xmas, or else you can never go wrong with a diamond or two....Just kidding!

And this year, i've made some nice new friends, especially those I met in Jakarta.....you guys made my new experience there all the more better!

Where's everyone smurfing this Xmas??

Bandung......

I was there last Saturday for one day with some Indon friends & 1 Malaysian and 1 China Chinese. It’s an old town about 2 hours away from Jakarta. It was converted into some city with small bungalows converted into factory outlets, cafes, cake shops, yoghurt shops etc. It was a popular getaway for the Indons from Jakarta….sorta like how Genting is to some Malaysians. Except that Bandung doesn’t have the tackiness that Genting has. We went to some nice restaurants- Sapu Lidi- it’s like restaurant in the jungle with small lakes and great landscaping with food in little huts, Kampung Daun- also with the same concept but on a smaller scale, and the Village- a little romantic getaway with decently priced food and a scenic night view.

I went again on Monday till Tuesday for work, seeing another light of Bandung. It lacked the hustle bustle of Jakarta and people were more laidback when it came to work. We had a nice lunch with a supplier and he shared many great stories of Bandung and Indonesia in general. I put up a night at the Hotel Kedaton but was ‘bothered’ by ‘something’ that night. My Indon colleagues remarked that it was not uncommon as most of the buildings in Bandung is very old with most of the structures still maintained.

Ohwell, it didn’t changed what I thought of Bandung. I thought it was some place that I’d probably go again- Air Asia flies there anyways.

LIFE IS A TEST

Life is like a test. Everyday is a test. Every new experience is a test. So how you want to face this is really up to you. It’s just that there are just some people like me who are just hungry for a new experience. Not many people can say that they actually admit and succumb to it, some people just speak of it but in actual fact they were perfectly comfortable just the way things are. But staying put is not that easy some times. One at my age can’t really deny that of course there are certain responsibilities and commitment that I’ve left. Perhaps for reasons unknown or just to get away. Get away from all that and just to have a slice of something that everybody else is having. The way I see it is that if everyone else can have it, I don’t see why I can’t have a bite. Would you brand that as being selfish, or just plain wanting more? Is it wrong to want more? And yes, it’s a mind-battling if you’re gonna want to justify this. The thing is that there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t succumb to new heights and there are plenty of reasons why you should. At the end of the day, I think instinct surpasses sense. Isn’t there a time when you just want to be impulsive? Above all else, the voice that speaks the loudest is that I do not want to NOT do anything that I would regret much later. Take this as a test.

The Great Indonesians

It is Day 12 in Jakarta for me and here’s some observations I’ve made…

1) The Indonesians are fun people. Always ready to have fun and always scheming for fun.

2) They have no qualms when it comes to telling you off when you’re being stupid or irritating.

3) The ladies here really know how to enjoy their money. It’s only been like a week and they are already inviting me to karaokes, massages, dinners, shopping , you name it.

4) There are Malaysian guys and Indonesians guys and China guys here but here’s the deal, the Indonesian guys take the cake when it comes to being a gentleman and charmers.

5) Indonesian ladies are not SHY!

Let's Not Whine Now......

Day 11- Currently I am residing in Grand Tropics Suite Hotel where I have cable tv, free breakfast, a double bed, kitchen facilities, free mineral water and coffee daily. Most of the time at work I am doing simple tasks but more on contributing as a team player in procurement. There is transport provided from hotel to work and we have to take a taxi back to hotel after work, but claimable. SIM card is also claimable. Sounds great ya?

And yet, even so, the Malaysians here still complain. They complain about how boring it is here. Or how much work they have to do. Or the fact that they have to travel all over Asia Pacific to play supporting roles. Or that they have to deal with the disorganized and somewhat fickle-minded Chinese management. The truth is that bad management exist anywhere. Whether it’s Chinaman Malaysian management, or China Management, or Japanese management, or American management , bad management. You get paid and so you either deal with it the smart way, or work it to your advantage.

The fact is that despite everything, the complainers are still around. Why stick around if it stinks so much then? Or is it just that Malaysians just feel that there is a compelling need to complain constantly??? I feel so free now that I’m no longer in the previous company, these people have no idea what luck they’ve had to be with a company who is WILLING TO PAY. What more can you ask?

Jakarta- The Friendly Land

The name speaks for itself i guess. It's been about 1 week plus now that i'm in Jakarta. The food is fantastic, am seriously hooked to the Nasi Padang available at the houses converted into little joints for lunch and the IDR3000 juices!

The people is friendly and hilariously happy. And best is that they dont whine and fret all the time. And unlike many misconceptions, Indonesians are not lazy at all. In any case, perhaps i'm more lazy hahaha..

More updates in days to come.

Life in the New "Middle Earth" Zealand

Ever thought of living in New Zealand? Well, I have an uncle there who has lived in New Zealand for the past 20 years. He has a property there that is snugly located near University of Auckland. This is especially good as it is convenient for my cousins to commute from home to university daily. Most people would assume that any properties located near the university and in the city of Auckland itself would be expensive but on the contrary, it is actually reasonably priced and affordable.

New Zealand is favorable to investors because of high depreciation rates, no land tax and no property purchase tax either. New Zealand also has no wealth or death duty taxes which is a load off the citizens.

To have a bigger overview and what New Zealand can offer you, browse through new zealand property. The website offers a lot of information, not only for investors, or citizens but also for people interested to migrate there. There are property buying guides and property developments information to facilitate you. Some locations are also scenically situated overlooking mountains and lakes. For investors, there are information on million dollar properties along the 300K City Apartments.

Besides that the website also offers information and advise on how to finance your investments. This will be especially useful for those wanting to build a family there but is on a tight budget. There are also extra information on finding work and schooling too. This website could be your one-stop solution in starting a new life in New Zealand!

This is a sponsored post by PropertyNewZealand through PayPerPost.

TO The FLAMER OF JEM & KYELS

I read about the flamer. The nerve of her. Even with the friend disclaiming her, she’s still persistently disturbing the both of you. But well, these kind of people do exist unfortunately. They are what I refer as the ‘small people’. And I have come up to a few conclusions why such people exists. Scroll below.

1) The fella is a no-lifer. The whole issue is unrelated to her. She obviously leads a real boring life and so decided to place her butt into this whole thing. Must be muka tembok also as she wasn’t even invited to butt in.

2)They don’t have anything better to do. Unfortunately the no-lifer has no goals, or ambitions, or a direction which is why she’s finding the whole thing intriguing and fun for her. Geez, get a life.

3) She has no friends. Or else she’ll put her energy on friends that matter.

4)She is a coward. If other people’s private life affects her SOOOOO much then she ought to just talk to Jem & Kyels face to face. Why hide behind the name “Friend of Jo” and post ridiculous comments.

People has gone so tacky nowadays. I still prefer the one-to-one showdown face to face, instead of the low-down method of flaming others on their blogs. The same thing happened to endroog when one fella flamed him for being honest. If you have guts (which I doubt), call me. Let’s meet up.

Mean Girls

I’m just at my 3rd week with the new company that is highly-infested with women. My 2 direct superiors are females and my colleagues are mostly females. Well the company is good, in that it allocates a secretary to every department to help with the dept needs. Well, the secretaries are really one-leg-kick, where they do the donkey-est work , binding, visa application, stationeries, faxing, arranging transport for the staff, handling of departmental assets, distributing memos, arranging accommodations for the china bosses and spouses etc, liaising with the HR and IT dept for batteries and laptop repair.

So wouldn’t you agree that the dept secretary is equally if not more, important as any of the dept staff, be it the engineers or the managers or the directors. They serve an important purpose, to help us work better. I really appreciate her as I used to do those donkey works as well even though I was also doing operational work, so I have experience enough to know that it’s a HASSLE! She puts a load off many of the manager’s burden.

So I don’t know if the girls in my dept are mean or what, but they tend to ignore her sometimes. When she’s telling them things like not to throw food in the wastebasket during the raya time since the makcik is not around- it may seem simple but imagine coming back to office after raya with the office stinking or with maggots. The girls in my dept don’t even bother to acknowledge that they heard her.

You know when one of your colleague’s going away on holiday- so just for the sake of small talks u sometimes ask where she’s going or whether she’s going by tour or what. She asked one of my asst manager and she totally snubbed her and ignored her. Does it hurt to just answer the poor girl? I mean c’mon, it wasn’t even time to start work yet.

Which is really such a shame because she’s a bubbly girl and I enjoy talking with her…unless those girls here who put on an air like it’s such a big deal working at where we are. It’s just work. No one deserves to be treated that way.

A Taste Of The Apple

I don’t really have big ambitions. All I want sometimes if just to get a bite of everything, a pinch here and there. Had a taste of the Big Apple years back and I left NYC with a lot of memories, of good and bad. In all it did give me a sting of maturity I needed that time. Everyone said it was dangerous but I just had to have a go at it! And I came back with no regrets and plenty of dough.

Coming back in Malaysia, I had a preview of the working life here. Mostly it’s frustrating and yet funny sometimes especially my last job. Sometimes it’s funny when you hear people complaining about how tough their work is, how bad their boss is, or how they work so late, or they had to stay overnight in the office. I say, I never take someone’s word for it, you won’t know till YOU ACTUALLY experience it. I think people think it’s glorious to be slaves to their company. I think if you don’t get overtime wages then what’s the point? What are u trying to prove? Else, it’s just bad time management!

Before I started work here at this place, some said that it’s a chinaman company, or that the expense claims are late, or that the work is horrid, how they’ll work u to death…etc. But I went ahead and tried it anyway. Just to have a taste of the apple I guess. It was a job for Asia Pacific, and I thought well I’ve never experience that before, so why not?

And well now I know. Maybe it’s just the Malaysian trait sometimes to be overly negative or to tokok-tambah about something they don’t really know about. It scares me sometimes when people claim that they know so much about something they don’t! Not only does it mar your decision but it also confuses you. So I say, LISTEN and VERIFY THE TRUTH. SEEK THE TRUTH. GET A TASTE OF THE APPLE!

At least you can say u’ve tried!

Garage Heater

Ever came back to an icy cool garage? Or wake up to get your car that the engine has froze over the night? Or having the window screen frozen with snow because of the cool air that seeped through your garage?

Well I no longer have to suffer because I now have a heater in my garage. If you're like me who like to do my handiwork and play with my tools in the garage, or sometimes do a bit of carpentry, a garage heater is the best thing you can get. I don't have to shiver and suffer in the cold anymore. I may have had to pay a certain amount of money for the extra electricity that i've used but it's a money well spent.

So get a garage heater at this website. You won't regret it!
This is a sponsored post by PayPerPost.

Off To Indonesia

Will be away for two months to Jakarta Indonesia....... will try to blog in the mean time as often as possible.

Anyone has good suggestions what to see and where to go?

And Jem, hope you're doing OK.

And gallivanter, please take endroog for a g or two.

First Week on New Job

I've survived the first week at my new workplace in Jln Pinang. I must say it is an adjustment from my comfort in my previous job. I have to find new places to eat, new people to lunch with, from a designated parking space to a paid one (RM6 per day), but best of all, i'm starting work at 9am now instead of 8am.

But well, i miss my colleagues. Even though my new colleagues are younger or of the same age group as me, it seems to me that they lack the spunk and laughter i used to share with my ex colleagues. If anything, the office is horribly quiet on most days and everyone's working hard on whatever it is that they are doing.

No doubt the new office is more efficient and everything's systematic but then maybe what it lacks is a sign of LIFE. Everyone's going about their own business and trying to catchup with the ever-revolutinizing telco industry. No one has time to stop for a chat or two.

Just as "Pah" used to tell me, we are the types who would just adjust to a new environment but not necessarily conforming to other people's way of working. I would still continue to be my old self i guess, with the right balance of work and play. Oh no, I'm not gonna be a slave to the company that I don't have a share in :).

The Right Click

I've concluded that my friends fall into these following categories...

1) humble people- I have to say i just love humble people. People who are not snobbish or put on airs because they are rich or hold great careers.

2) People who talk- And i mean really talk. Not ignore strangers in the group or only talk to their own clique. I think women tend to do that. It's always girl friends of my gal/guy friends who tend to ignore or whisper good-for-nothings amongst themselves. I wonder if they know what RUDE is.

3) NON-UPTIGHT people- means they are just looking for a good time. Or a chillout time. Or basically people looking to relax.

4) Friends who are there for each other- so far, I think my friends have always been there for me when i need them. I dont look for a shoulder to cry on, but usually friends to help me go through bad phases in many ways-coffee sessions, yumcha sessions, eating and eating.

Life As It Is

I got a very intriguing advice from endroog's dad that is stuck in my mind. He says the secret in youth and happiness is not through the facial cream you buy or those anti-aging treatment we indulge in. The secret lies in how you approach life. Don't take life so seriously.

In this I don't mean that you ought to quit your job and rot at home. Or not do anything productive in life. In this i mean to be not so petty over small things or fret and worry over things you can't control.

You tend to see the world a whole lot better. You feel better even.

If you are one of those who spends maybe 80-100% of your life at work, it's time to take a step back. If you can't finish the work, do it tomorrow. Working hours weren't meant to extended indefinitely. It doesn't make you a GREAT or a HARDWORKING person just because you work late.

If you are one of those who gets angry at home all the time because the house is in a mess, or that you can't pay your bills, or someone at home annoys you, or just things simply get in your way, well, let it go. Just don't fret over it. Just work on those one by one lightheartedly.

Money is never enough. That's something we've all gotta accept. And we will never make enough to be satisfied because human nature is just that they are insatiable! So to your utmost affordable level, travel and have fun. If you are those who are misers because you think you wanna save ur money for a rainy day, well, life's too short for that.

LIVE A LITTLE.

Your Money is Mine and My Money is Mine

I got some financial advise from some colleagues today and to my dismay there are even today working women who hands in their hard-earned money to their husbands. Why, well, here's what I've gathered......

1) Because the wives think it's much better to have a pool money (husband's income + wife's income) and let the husbands do the manipulation, the investment, the expenditure and the billing, insurance, car loans, house loans etc and all that headache.

2) Because the wives are big spenders. The more money they have, the more likely everything goes into shopping -but, isn't that woman's prerogative anyways?

3) Because to facilitate income tax declaration, easier for the husband to keep track of the accounting bit of the marriage.

Well, all this work IF you trust your husband that well. It's not about fidelity or a question of a married couple should be MORE TRUSTING of each other, but it is a question of WHAT IF.... What if the husband decides to leave the wife and the wife is left in a rut, penniless? What if the husbands suddenly decides to spend it all at the casino for what he thought would be the biggest win in his life? What if the husband decide that he's gonna get another younger trophy wife?

Is it wrong to be just extra cautious? Is it so difficult to just manage ur own finance SEPARATELY? Seriously, all that loans, insurance, credit cards and car loans etc are EASY nowadays with internet banking. At least you're in control of your financial status.

Somehow i dont see myself transferring my wages (even via e-banking) to my future husband, and then taking cash/handouts from him when i want to. Even if the husband is fair and equal and let's me charge it on the credit card for all that i purchase, IT"S JUST NOT THE SAME.

And only one occasion that i've heard of one of my guyfriends who gives HIS WAGES to his wife because he doesn't trust himself. ONLY ONCE.

A Confrontation

Initially i thought my mom and aunt from Singapore were back here to bid farewell to my sis and also for an eating trip, but then, i found out they had another agenda. A confrontation regarding the house in Teluk Anson.

And so, my uncle wrote the chronological event of the house. Right from who were the first owners( my grandma), and then the distribution of rent, and the fact that the geran tanah was now under my dad's name because he took out a RM40K govt loan for renovations, etc. The house initially belonged to my mom's side, and not my dad!

But the confrontation is not with my dad. My dad couldnt care less about the house. It was with my first uncle's (who passed away) wife. The wife wants to sell off the house but the money to be shared out within the Tan family ONLY TO THOSE WITH THE SURNAME TAN. Which includes her kids and grandchildren EXCLUDING me and my sisters and the children of my aunt.

I think the aunt missed out the fact that the house is in my dad's name afterall. hehehe. If my dad was half as evil as she is, he probably would have sold off the house quitely and passed on the money to my little niece. But then my dad's too much of a gentleman. hehe.

And so, my mom and aunt and uncle headed off to her house in Taman Desa for a confrontation. A rather 'friendly' wan. The other party was saying she doesn't want my mom to fret over the house. bla bla bla. My mom (ever the no-nonsense garang woman) only told her that the house can be sold, but then the money to be distributed to only the remaining siblings of my first uncle.

Mission accomplished and quite satisfied they left and shared the news with the rest of us. We asked my dad how much is the house worth anyway.....barely RM100K, it's freaking Teluk Anson anyways!

Shopping

Anyone who knows me well would probably know that i don't like to shop, and well, i didn't have a reason to last time. Now however, perhaps like a bad karma, i have to shop for my new job soon.

I dunno about you, i hate having sales people to tailgate me while i browse through the clothes and repeatedly asking me if i like this or not, or if i want this or not. If i think it suits me, i'll try it on and MAYBE buy. IF i do have any questions, i'll ask.

And then there are those really shitty salespeople who once really cissed me off. Me and my sisters were on a spree to look for a wedding gown for her and we went to one in Sri Hartamas. When we came in, she immediately asked who was the bride, and looking at my sis who's a plus size, she quickly took 5 dresses and said THOSE were the only ones for her. And they all look drabby. IMagine if u were the bride-to-be!

And well, let's face it, none of us are supermodel-like, and finding the right clothes can be a challenge sometimes. My tubby-like body and 'shortness' makes it difficult for me to find cheap, nice stuff off the shelves.

So finally, it was crunch time and i knew i had to get something. So i bought regular stuff at the assumed places, Topshop, MNG, Dorothy Perkins. But truly, the best finds were at the boutiques in Bangsar. They never seems to fail me. Who cares if they are brandless coz they are freaking cheap! As long as it FITS. Namely, PurpleDotz, Baci, etc, there are too many to remember. Caters for women of all shapes. None for men unfortunately. Strictly for females only.

And so, i have a renewed taste for shopping now. Especially when i can pick and go now. :)

Pregnant-ability

The HR of my new company request that i do the medical checkup before i join the company in Oct 1st. I didn't think much of it as i thought it was a norm. My uncle exclaimed in horror how come i have already got the offer letter before the medical checkup, while my sis says that normally the medical checkup is done during the 1st week of work.

So, now i'm confused...which is the correct protocol?

Anyway, off i went and the letter detailed the test i have to take- Urine Test, Hepatitis B screening, Blood Count, Chest X-Ray, Medical Examination, Pregnancy Test..... "Pregnancy Test???" my uncle went WTF. I said that the HR even asked me specifically during my interview whether I have plans to get married in these coming 2 years. Or if was planning a baby etc.

My uncle explained that to even imply that women is being discriminated due to their pregnant-ability, is a basic violation of human rights that could cause an uproar. I suppose we could refuse to answer, or lightly remind the interviewer that these are pregnant-ability does not make one unfit to work.

Sex discrimination happens in every form that sometimes we do not see because we take it as a norm. Like the notion that women are ONLY SUITABLE for office work. Or that women most likely end up in the ACCOUNTS/ADMIN/HR dept. Or that women can't be good leaders. Or that women do not have to have a career for they are destined to make babies and be a homemaker at the end of the day. It's worse when women themselves feel that way too- no questions asked!

I respect women who are career-goers and homemakers. Both are tough acts to follow and neither one is easier than the other. If we women ourselves don't respect that, how can you expect men to do so.

Have u encountered any before?

Carpe Diem!

You know the saying Seize The Day. I think since Dead Poets' Society (Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, etc), the quote was left embedded in my mind. And so, a lot of people seize the day differently.

To some, to seize the day is to use every ounce of your energy to build on a great career and strive hard to be a somebody. Never to lose a moment or waste any time at all.

To some, to seize the day is on the contrary, to not waste ALL your time on your work, but to allocate time to do what you most desire.

To some, to seize the day is to grab every opportunity that comes across you. It sometimes takes the sensibility out of you, but who cares? Some opportunities you've yet to determine if it's good or bad, but TAKE IT ANYWAY and take the chances and see what happens.

Well, for most of us, maybe our day to day life is getting by a 9 to 5 job, then rush home to make/have dinner, rush to meet friends or get home to rest. Seize the day?? What's left of the rest of the day anyways once you've done all that? Maybe 2-3 hours, in which you find yourself more often than not infront of the IDIOT BOX! HAHAHA.

So, maybe in a week, take 2-3 days to really SEIZE THE DAY. Go out and do something out of ordinary, call up and old friend or go on a short road trip. I mean, do you even remember the last craziest thing you did???? I mean a really crazy one??? Perhaps for me was the one night with the gays in Bangkok. OK, do share!

My Workplace-A Kindergarden

I've always likened my workplace to a kindergarden. A place where a bunch of kids are running around and messing around. If the headmaster and the teachers are strict, then the bunch of kids are disciplined and do great in school. Otherwise, the bunch of kids continue to run around and mess everything up.

Just then, I was explaining to a colleague about a really straightforward report and how he's supposed to JUST FILL IN THE BLANKS accordingly to furnish a database. It got me really geram because i have to explain to him EVERY MONTH the same shit over and over again. I had to take the kindergarden approach and explain to him like he's one of those kids running around.

And you know how kids are sometimes really nosy? They like to gossip and nose around other kid's business? Well, that's what people here at work do. They like to nose around in my dept's stuff and neglect their own work. Why, u ask....because they wanna find fault in my dept so that if anything happens they got the bullets to fire at us. Stupid right? Afterall, we just makan gaji only wat. Why get so hung up laaaaa.

Hopefully my new workplace would suit me better. A less-geram one.

Farewell

I did a post last year when a colleague of mine left Farewells . I don't believe in it. I think farewells are like full-stops and it seems to cut off all ties. Unless you plan not to see that person ever again. Or you may NEVER see that person again. A simple 'KEEP IN TOUCH" ought to do. NO?

But if you do plan not ot see that person ever again, then why even have a pretentious little party to say your goodbyes to him/her? Out of courtesy? Because it's a tradition?

I'm sending my farewell memos to counterparts overseas now because I really do think that we probably won't meet again. And also out of courtesy to inform them of my resignation. But also to note to them to NOT TO REQUEST ANY REPORTS FROM ME ANYMORE. Yoohoo. Sort of a nicer way to say GO-BOTHER-SOMEONE-ELSE-NOW. And well, also to say my thanks to people at work who matters.

But to close friends at work- I'm lucky to have made some great friends here. 4 years do mean a lot to me, especially my 'older colleagues' who've all been great mentors to me in life. People who were always there to share/nag/advise/gossip. So DO I HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE?

I refused a farewell dinner/lunch. They insist that they have to- IT"S A TRADITION. I'm like "aiyoh, now modern age la. Just email/sms/call/instant message IM etc whenever la." unfortunately some of my older colleagues don't know what IM is. argh......Even if they do, they probably type really slow.

If we really do gotta say farewells, I think I'll say farewell to the work, the big taukes (so as to notify them you're leaving the farking place). And to customers and suppliers - ALSO to say GO-BOTHER-SOMEONE-ELSE-NOW.

And that'll do i think. What do you think.

Where's My Uniform?

My 1st sis asked me today if i've got proper clothes already for my new job. That's because for the past 4 years I've been wearing uniform to work! Bless me, free lagi! My family and sis' bf (Jason) says it makes me look like a janitor....heheh..blue, and drabby. I match it with my sports shoes lagi. hehe.

And in truth i don't really dress very well. No fashion or dress sense. I just dress comfortably and so it appears weird sometimes. Ah Sou sometimes, Selekeh sometimes...

So now i have to don a proper handbag , i recently bought a MNG one that endroo thinks it's a carry-able bag to be seen in KL. Bah! Probably needs to get some proper jackets and shirts, pants and skirts. I guess no choice but to join the crowd.

But then, I guess stingy me would probably get some hand-me-downs from 1st sis for now. :) Thank gawd for sisters-with-almost-same-size.

The Soya Shop

Everyday i scratch my head trying to improvise endroog's liquid diet. And we found this! The Soya Shop in Ikano Power Center. Taufoofah for only RM2 which MUST be soft or else it wouldn't have seeped through endroog's teeth with his jaws shut tight! Just found out that it's also in Sri Hartamas Shopping Center and 1 Utama, Endah Parade and Low Yat.

And btw, anyone has any good ideas for a great menu for people on liquid diet? So far, taufoofah and telur setengah masak is as good as it gets.

Nag Nag Nag

I've turned into a nag! Seriously, the past few weeks I'm taking care of endroog made me realize the awful truth that i've become a NAG! The whole awakening made me more aware that I do nag a lot.

Even at work. I sometimes nag at my staff, trying to drill into their head some points i wanna make and reasons why they should do things in a certain way. Worse now that i'm leaving, i tend to nag more at them, so that they will remember.

I even nag on my blog! Sometimes i make too much emphasis on a particular topic and it becomes a 'nag material'!

Maybe it's to do with aging. Some people say that people like to nag out of frustration that people can't see eye to eye with them. Some people nag because they like listening to their own voice. Haha. Some people nag because they feel that they GOTTA put the message across. and to MAKE SURE it gets across.

Is naggy same as long-winded???? Is naggy same as being repetitive?? You talk about the same thing over and over again but maybe in a different manner everytime???

When You Resign....

1) Whenever someone asks u where you're going, just say it's somewhere better with better salary. And leave it as that.

2) Try not to leave any 'shit' for people to 'sweep' after u go.

3) Don't expect a grand farewell. I hope i can just leave in silence to save all the big hoo-hah.

4) If someone's been pissing or bullying u at work, now's your chance to say your mind.

5) Take all that's necessary. Including the perks that comes with the work. Make full use of the benefits you are entitled to.

6) Relax. Chances are, in one month's time before ur last day, you probably won't be required to do much work. More in the matter of completing your unfinished work.

7) Get a nice gift for your boss. If he was good to you, that is. If not, fark it.

Check Your Law

Happily, i applied for leave to clear them since i'm gonna be leaving this company. After my boss requested that i reduced the no. of leave, my HR then told me something really strange.

He can't release my last salary unless i've had clearance from the IRB. WTF? I asked him why? He said that in case i owe IRB for income tax, that the company is liable if that should happen.

Income tax is between me and the govt wat. What's it gotta do with the company. He was very determined that he was right. I didn't say anything even though i thought it was really ridiculous. That i will get my last salary by cheque and it could be longer as they need to get clearance.

i then called my twin sis. She, like me, resigned as well, and her HR did not advise so, and that she'll receive her EA form as usual NEXT YEAR. Then i called my other sis, who's a lawyer, and told me the same thing.

I told my HR then. Of course, statements from 2 sisters won't be enough for a conviction. So i insist that he shows me the Income Tax Act under the Employer-Employee in Private Sectors. I said that who knows maybe you guys have been doing it all wrong all this while! Scary aye. Finally I FOUND IT. after maybe an hour. It says that in the case when someone resigns, the new employer has to notify IRB. You only need to declare or clear your income tax only if you are on retirement, or that you were leaving the country for more than 3 months.

He was semi-convinced now. Made a call to his own reliable source and confirmed it.

Lastly i asked him, "so, you're gonna bank in my salary as usual right?" He grinned in embarrassment and said OK.

Drift Away

Day after day I'm more confused

Yet I look for the light

Through the pourin' rain

You know that's a game that I hate to lose

And I'm feeling the strain

Ain't it a shame - Rolling Stones

Say what you want but their songs still rock like no others can. Anyone likes As Tears Go By and Paint It Black? If you've seen that series "NAM: Tour of Duty", you'd know Paint It Black.

The Road TO Merdeka

Does anyone know the road to Merdeka that Malaysia had to endure? I wonder if every Malaysian knew what it took to get to where we are. 50 years is a big deal. Even if we are still to many quite 'kampung' or backward, well, at least we have the freedom to be so. At least back then, people cared about the country. Called it patriotism, well, it was significant then. Maybe now, what we Malaysians often like to do is just sit and complain.

Sure the CPM is what people call terrorists these days. But at least they did something to help the country to reach independence. If not for CPM, would we have had a shot at MERDEKA?

And yeah, sure we can always argue about how bad this PM was and how good that PM was, but in fact, if not for them, we wouldn't have the freedom of speech that we enjoy now.

At least we didn't had to go through what Cambodians had to during the Pol Pot regime. Or what Vietnam had to go through.

Anyone know of a good documentary of our struggle to independence?

Lisa Lisa

Very old but still nice to listen to, especially on a gloomy day. Probably the only song you'd be familiar with is Lost In Emotion. The song is not a sappy one as the title suggests. She sounds like the vocals from The Jets. (the old one). Happy Merdeka guys!

NO Merdeka for Endroo

Looks like there wont be a nasi lemak celebration for www.endroog.com. The wires are here to stay and so is the liquid diet. :) Merdeka anyways!

I've Resigned!

The 2nd time with the same company. But this time, i'm leaving for good. For a better opportunity. A more exciting job and better prospects in a totally new industry. I'm just glad that i still have a chance to jump onto another wagon and re-learn again. Why take the risk to embark on a totally new industry now at 29, you might ask, but i thought if not now then when? Automotive is going down the drain anyways.

I've even resorted to a demotion. No longer in a managerial position but the salary is way better. Different industries do pay differently so people who are not yet working, choose the industry u wanna be in carefully. Who cares if you're a manager but you're paid like an operator?

But as much as i want to leave the company, i really feel berat hati to leave such wonderful 'family' we've built. Is it weird to feel that way? I'll miss the laughter, especially the laughter and all the heart-to-heart talks with the aunties and uncles and friends that i've made at work. The PANTRY POLITICS and the Friday long lunches we have. As crazy as it seems, i seem to hook well with the older crowd here. Maybe coz i'm naggy (like what andrew says). I would also miss my boss. A wonderful and quiet man who's been a mentor to me.

Here's saying adios to my wonderful colleagues. My last day is on 28th, Sept, 2007. We'll have a karaoke session for sure.

GWEN STEFANI CONCERT

SHE WAS FANTASTIC! Great awesome show. I mean, thank gawd PAS or any other lousy PARTIs got in the way of one the best concerts to date. We hardly got any international acts because of all these PARTIs. KUNO partis.

It's just entertainment, and I have no regrets spending tuesday night roaring after her songs. There were some songs i never heard of, The Real Thing or something like that. The crowd went wild. It was only an hour and a half and i really expected it to be longer, but great nevertheless.

And all that jazz about her clothings, well, that it 'menjatuhkan akhlak" of the rakyat. Well, WHATEVER! It's the music that counts. How u expect gwailos to visit our country anymore in our quest to 'menjayakan VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR" if we can't even handle a bit of skin..

Bad Hospital Customer Service

The whole ordeal that endroog went through was made worse with our bad hospital customer service. I kept thinking what would happen if he was to admit himself alone.

Upon arrival at the emergency ward in UH, they didn't do anything to help him spit out the blood. i mean the guy was practically spitting blood and was still holding on to the cardboard tray that we got from the Tmn Desa Hosp.

We had to spend the night at the emergency ward because there weren't any beds available. Then because of the excessive bleeding, he felt really cold and i went to the nurse counter and requested for the hospital clothings so he can change from his t-shirt already drenched with blood. The nurse didnt even look at me, and i asked the other nurse if she heard me. HAHAHA. That other nurse came back with the clothes and chuck in on the table and left, not a word from her.

The next day at the dental ward, the ladies at the registration counter were of no help. Everytime i asked them anything, even before i finished my question, they just said "tunggu, tunggu la" showing a lot of irritation.

Inside the dental operation room, another fucked up doctor asked me to stand at a corner so he can help andrew. Which i obliged. Then he asked andrew to open up his mouth and kept pushing his jaw, kept insisting he's fine and asked why andrew was screaming in pain when it shouldnt hurt at all. The BLOODY doctor can't read the x-ray i suppose because another doc came and said he made a wrong diagnosis, there's definitely a fracture. All that when andrew kept telling the doc that he can feel that his upper and lower jaw are not aligned anymore. Bah! Me and andrew combined probably made a better doctor than that idiot!

Right after a 2 hour surgery, he was to be sent to the observation ward, and that was another one and a half hour wait! I assumed it was lunch time, but that's not an excuse. He even dozed off, with the jaws shut tight and all. One and a half hour later, the nurse came and she left us to wheel andrew to the observation ward. She even asked us to hurry up, as if we are interrupting her time of the day.

Bad customer service only adds up to the patients' misery. Never ever admit yourself to the hospital alone if you can help it. And if any hospital staff is reading this, well, being nice doesnt hurt, so BE NICE.

New Kelabs & Parti

In celebration of the upcoming elections, here are some new Kelab and Parti that may be of interest. These are strictly recommendations only.

1) Parti Anti-Polis & Authority of Any Kind

2) Parti Get-Back-Our-Taxes

3) Kelab Anti-Tol Malaysia

4) Parti Blogger-For-The-People

5) Kelab Anti-Duit-Kopi

6) Parti Accountants-For-Politicians

7) Parti Pencegah Kotoran Malaysia

8) Parti Pemusnah Sampah Masyarakat Malaysia

:) Feel free to add on.

When You Have To

Was talking to the other tihtahpah and she was asking me about endroog . So i told her he has both his jaws shut tight and can't really speak properly and has upgraded from drinking from the syringe to straw. While i was explaining the mechanics of how he does the drinking from a straw (water seeps thru from the 'celah gigi'), she was amazed... but she did say, human can do a lot of amazing things when they have to.

And that's so true. Recently gallivanter also had a slight misfortune. They're both recuperating and have vowed to meet up again when all's well and strong again. This call for a celebration, guys. A celebration for surviving anything.

I guess determination and the willpower do play a part in steering to a speedy recovery. Of course with a little help from courage and loads of guts. How many people can get through a 2 hour plus dental surgery with the eyes wide awake and 20 trainee students looking at ya?

Anyone knows when was the last day of the chinese ghost month?

One Morning at Carcosa

My family's not a typical one. Imagine that my 2nd sis didn't even did her wedding album like what everyone else did. Well today, we had a little photoshoot that she arranged. All the family members gathered today at Carcosa Seri Negara for our shoot. Well, not after breakfast of course, food's very important to this lil family from Ipoh!

It was quite an impromptu thing considering that we didn't really get a proper attire and Peter, my bro-in-law's friend did this voluntarily to build up his portfolio. All we knew was to dress in red, black or white. My mom was informed late and dressed up in brown and orange...hahaha...but oh well, everything goes for us. Although my mom did wonder why we all chose to dress in black. Must be the slimming effect we were hoping for, hehe.

The family members are a little scattered now so this came just in time since more would be away from home from now on. And remember the 'lil addition' in the family???? She was a star of course, a real poser.

If you haven't done a family photoshoot, well, it's a good time to do it now. Peter says that photos look nicer after a slight rain where everyone is cool and more willing to pose for a good effect. And besides, it's a great way to make a momento of how the family was. And as Peter says (as he struggles to make the guys less stiff), "Feel the love." Hehe

Endroo's Fine

If you've read www.endroog.com latest post, you'll know why i haven't updated my blog for some time. On Tuesday night after the Gwen concert, and after a few drinks, he blacked out and fell on his face while on his way to get his car. Luckily he regained consciousness and called me, i was just 2 mins away. He was bleeding badly and luckily Karyee and Bernard (thanks guys) were there and we ushered him to the Tmn Desa Hospital and then later refered to University Hosp.

Then it was some stitches, a night at the emergency ward and some x-rays, before he had to go for a dental surgery due to 2 fractures on the jaw and one vertical fracture on the chin. It was a 2-hour ordeal, and he consented for the trainee docs to watch the operation. He was awake during the operation, i can't imagine how that must have been like, i get scared even by a minor tooth extraction.

He's discharged now and resting at home. His jaw is all wired up (upper and lower one) so he can't speak properly and will be on a liquid diet. I am his private nurse now hehehe, like a timeout time for me.

The news sure spread fast and i got a lot of concerned calls from fellow bloggers, colleagues, friends abroad, and friends here. Endroo's got a visit from his good friends last night and i think it cheered him up a bit. Babybandit also tried to cheer him up (checkout the blog).

Will update all soon, after his checkup on 30th. Thanks all.

The Right Concoction

Getting the right job is like getting the right concoction for a perfect cocktail. It has to be meticulous, sometimes you have to compromise with what you have available, and it has to be of the right timing and right mix. And great ingredients gives value-added taste.

1) The right timing- working hours ideally should be 5 working days. And how many of you guys are getting up as early as 6am to beat the jam because your working hours starts 8am? Rather work at 9.30 and clockout at 6.30.

2) The right salary- Salary and bonus ought to be proportionate to your scope of work. OK, so maybe it's too much to hope for, but at least justifiable then it should be reasonable enough.

3) The right people- Hey, colleagues are very important. I don't think age matters, but i do think the level of professionalism is important. I mean, you can't expect your chinaman-primary-school-dropout boss to understand KPI, milestones and all those other work jargons.

4) The incentive- This is value-added, you give me peanuts, i give you monkeys! People to tend to work harder if they know they'll be rewarded at the end of the day.

5) The CLAIMS- I dunno how many of us actually have to fork out first for maybe 1 month or more because the company's policy is to do claims once per month, and that's excluding the 1 week wait for processing and approving the cheques.

Did i miss out any other IMPORTANT ingredients?

Fine Young Cannibals

Best known for "Good Thing" and "She Drives Me Crazy". Yet another British band that made it big briefly in 1980s. They had only a few albums out, namely, The Raw and The Cooked. (that's some strange album title). Great vocals though and good for easy listening.

Bad English

Sometimes I wonder

If I'd ever make it through

Through this world without having you

I just wouldn't have a clue
Cause sometimes it seems

Like this world's closing in on me

And there's no way of breaking free

And then I see you reach for me- WHEN I SEE YOU SMILE

One of my all time favourite song, was singing to it when Endroog asked who was it. Bad English was an American rock band, best remembered for this song, When I See You Smile. They remind me of Living In A Box who did the song Room In Your Heart. Wonderful rock ballads but not as big as the other rock bands. Good nonetheless.

When was the last time someone's smile made your day? All your troubles and worries washed away with another person's smile. In some cases, like my 1st sis, i guess my lil niece has that effect. And for me, maybe my other half, especially when everything seems to fall apart. It's not a wishful thinking anymore. A person's smile CAN make a difference.

When You Can't Have It

Last night, I got a call again from this guy who recently started calling me up regularly ever since he heard i was attached. Bf was pissed but I did tell him that it's just a natural reaction from some guys. They want what they can't have it. And when they have it, they don't give a damn about it.

Just like that JRR Tolkien book. Before LOTR, nobody paid attention to that great masterpiece. When it hit the cinemas, now everyone wanna read that book.

Some people do it just because they are competitive. Or they wanna be the WINNER. The one who has it all. Winning a sought-after girlfriend or a trophy wife is very important for their portfolio or status. Phonies and fakes to the core.

Have you reacted the same way before?

Turning 29

Can't believe i'm gonna be hitting 29 soon. It's been 5 years since my graduation. Can't help but assess and re-assessing what i've done and what i've achieved so far.

Unlike most people i don't really measure my achievement by my job. Ohno, that's just a vehicle to get what i wanna achieve. Instead i count my blessings by the friendships i've made, if i've done my best to nurture all friendships. Sadly there are some that i've lost touch with, most are no longer in KL. A friend from UK just called me today to say he's coming back. Just the thought that he even remembers me gives me great warmth in my heart.

It has also been about 3 years since my last 'real' relationship, and i'm blessed to have found my 'partner' in life early this year. It must sound somewhat crazy but i do look and stare at him and at times wonder of how the next 50 years gonna be like, but i'm assured with him beside me, nothing seems bleak anymore. At least i know i can always count on his love to get me through anything. perhaps this has been the best gift of the year.

Well, i await excitedly for my birthday to come. I am glad i would be surrounded by my bf and best friends (namely one of the tihtahpahs) and i can't think of a better way to celebrate and welcome my late 20s! and yeah, at the eve of my bday, i'm gonna be at gwen stefani's concert! That is if PAS dont get in the way. :)

First Lady Of Song

Ella Fitzgerald- one of my favourite jazz singer with what i think is the best and most unique vocals of all times. Vocals are effortlessly flawless. And this is very very old and yet endearing. You've probably heard her music in some hotel lounge and not recognize it was her. Listen to 'You Can't Take That Away From Me", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Bewitched, Bothered, & Bewildered". My favourite is "The Very Thought Of You" and "These Foolish Things".

A cigarette that bares a lipstick’s traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you.
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumblin’words that told you what my heart meant
A fairground’s painted swingsT
hese foolish things
Remind me of you.

Nat King Cole

If you ever plan to motor west,

Travel my way, take the highway that is best.

Get your kicks on route sixty-six.

It winds from chicago to la,

More than two thousand miles all the way.

Get your kicks on route sixty-six.- Route66

One is never too young for oldies. One of my personal favourite, Nat King Cole's jazzy sounds never fails to sooth and sets me on a relaxed mode. I dont think there is quite another Nat King Cole, unlike other artists where they all almost sound alike. If you know Nat u probably know Ella Fitzgerald. Listen to his "Orange Coloured Sky", his xmas songs are beautiful, "Paper Moon", "Mona Lisa", "Straighten Up And Fly Right", (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons.

The Phony Leaders

The Phony Leaders - The title struck me with a thought. Let's just not venture too far away to America or UK or South Africa, but let's look around us and spot for the phony leaders. Just look at your workplace. how to spot one.....

1) Phony Leaders are those who appear to be authoritative but in fact are actually Mr. Taichi in disguise.

2) Phony Leaders like to bark authority and appear to be loud and agressive, but in actual fact just barking nonsense. In a way, they make no sense.

3) Phony Leaders does not see the big picture, but keeps harping on small issues and petty things.

4) Phony Leaders works out the situation for it to be beneficial to himself and work around everyone else even his subordinates. Phony leaders put themselves first before anyone.

5) Phony Leaders rely fully on their subordinates for everything, but then blames the subordinate when things go wrong. How convenient.

6) The worst are the Phony Leaders who are afraid to sign anything! If you can't handle the responsibility that comes with being a leader, then you are worthless.

The Leftovers

We were dubbed the LEFTOVERS. During the 1997-1998 economy crash, 4 of us didn't make it to UK to continue our studies. Just recently, one of them, Allan's getting married and we had a small getogether. It's amazing that we are still friends after nearly 10 years but this is why.

Perhaps the 4 of us shared what no one else had. We were lost. We didn't know what to do from there on. And I must say, because of these other 3 people, it had made the transition and turmoil much more bearable.

Sure 4 of us were then stuck in some shitty job for at least 5-6 months. We hung on a hope that the currency would improve, but of course that proved to be frivolous. We were there for each other enduring what was probably the worst period of our lives (at that time anyways).

We did went on our own ways in the end. But the friendship and the bond is always there. Amazingly, the LEFTOVERS didn't do so bad afterall: one's getting married, one's going for Master's and one's a PhD now, and well, of course there's me :).

Sometimes things go wrong for the right reasons. Optimism do get us somewhere somehow.

Nice Lil Addition

I grew up in a family of women. 3 sisters and my mom - enough to drown out my dad's voice. And we're a great little family even with my dad always going off to work in some godforsaken places sometimes. Even with my 2 elder sisters who are 7-8 years apart from me and my twin sister. It's hard work to keep the family together and my mom's probably the pillar who's been holding it together.

And as years gone by, we all grew up and you know how it is, we tend to move along our way, chasing after the $$$ and career and life experience, sometimes not being able to attend every family gathering.

And then, my little niece popped up in jan'06, a nice lil' addition. And a timely one too. What a difference a child can make! Sometimes it's funny seeing all the adults (myself included) just staring at lil' Kyra sleeping or drinking milk or just prancing around. Now all conversations start with "eh, did u see kyra's blog?", "eh how's the lil fella?". it's amazing that it even brings out the kid in us while we clown around kyra just to see her smile.

she must be thinking what a clowny smurfy family she's gotten herself into!

And so now, we patiently awaits another lil' addition from my 2nd sis. Babybooklet.....!Coming soon in Dec'07!

Award!

I received an award for outstanding performance from the mother plant in Japan from my MD yesterday. It was a great moment but that was shortlived. At the end of the ceremony, my Deputy MD congratulated everyone and then he told me (in front of everyone present in the meeting) "See, I told you not to leave the company, now you get an award. So don't think about leaving anymore."

WTF. Since i 'attempted" to resign in Oct'06 I would always be remembered as the-one-who-tried-to-leave-the-company. Takes the 'moment' out of the whole damn ceremony. Is it so wrong for me to want to leave for better opportunities? I'm sorry, but a silly little award (just a certificate really) with my name on it is not good enough incentive for me to stay on.

And yeah, the award is for the 100% securing of the Perodua VIVA business making my company a single source for the car. ANd so yeah, i have a hand in producing that lousy car :).

Hey There Delilah

Hey there Delilah

What's it like in New York City?

I'm a thousand miles away

But girl tonight you look so pretty

Yes you do

Time Square can't shine as bright as you

I swear it's true- Plain White T's

COURTESY

Is it just me or did we all just forget how to be courteous nowadays? Remember the karaoke post i did about feeling like an Indian??? If everyone had their turn to sing perhaps i wouldnt have felt like that. Just that there are people who forget to be courteous and kept hogging the mikes. I dont seem to have that kind of problem with my (much) older friends, perhaps because they somehow still have courtesy instilled in them.

People forget simple things like Thankyous and Sorrys, or 'You first', even greetings like 'good morning' and 'good night'. Part of being courteous is also to respect other people's wishes and rights. Part of being courteous is also to respect another person's likes and dislikes and not force people to follow your way. for e.g., i cannot condemn another person for liking chinese songs just because i dont, and so, the other party shouldnt condemn me for liking english songs.

But maybe that's just too much to ask from the rude malaysians.

Dabbawalas

I was waiting at the reception of an office waiting for my interview when i read something interesting about Dabbawalas. Dabbawalas means Tiffin-Man. You can find this in Mumbai. What they do is that they deliver lunches made by the wives of working men to the offices. About 4000 to 5000 Dabbawalas gather at a meeting point, where the tiffins are sorted accordingly to the destinations and the dabbawalas will then set on to deliver. Amazing. And they hardly made a mistake! ANd it got me thinking that sometimes we Malaysians can't even get the spelling on billboards correct sometimes. I guess the difference is that the tiffin-man takes pride in his work. Do you know how hard it is to find people who are passionate about their work? I guess some of us M'sians are just too tihtahpah at work. If we were like the Dabbawalas, maybe Proton won't have come to such end.

Langkawi-ed

Spent last weekend in Langkawi and it was surprisingly great. I really need to give more credit to local destinations. The food was great, the company was great, (endroog , chelva & langka), drove around the island in a Nissan Sentra (only RM90 per day). Stopped by practically most of the spots or just about whenever we felt like it. Sometimes it's great to be on a trip without a fixed itinerary...! It was truly a great getaway from the hustle & bustle of KL. My favourite places being....

1) Pebble Beach

2) Gunung Mat Cincang

3) Pulau Dayang Bunting

4) Pulau Beras Basah

And yeah, we found the Loaf (co-owned by Mahathir), but we lepak-ed at Tapaz just around the corner. Excellent tapas and coffee and cheap cheap booze.

Rockin' Girl Blogger

Didnt know there was such a thing until Belle awarded it to me. Silly me actually asked her what do i do with it. Post it and award it to someone else...Hmmm. I dont really frequent many and probably those that blogs that i frequent probably has it already. Eh, isn't there a Rockin' Guy Blogger award???? someone ought to look into that :)

Here's awarding it to Jem, Kyels and of coz lil' Babybandit!

Lisa Stansfield

An English singer who made it big with the song "All Around The World" in the 80s. Great vocals that i likened it with Annie Lennox + Taylor Dayne (remember her???). Some of her other great songs are "Someday(I'm Coming Back) and "You Can't Deny It".

Johnny Hates Jazz

Another English band from the 80s. Loved their soothing music and great vocals. Probably listened to them when i was barely 10, thanks to my elder sisters. Check out "Turn Back The Clock" and " Shatterred Dreams".

Spandau Ballet-True

An 80s English band. A 1983 song that is probably one of most overused soundtrack for many movies. I'm serious, you'd know if you've seen these movies.

1) The Wedding Singer

2) Charlie's Angels

3) 50 First Dates

4) Wedding Crashers

I wonder if Drew Barrymore picked this song since she was in the first 3 movies. Love the song, but then that's probably the only song i know from Spandau Ballet.

Self-Centered Shits

I dont mean to praise my boyfriend here but if there's one trait that i love about him is that he's not self-centered at all. You know why i say this, because i know of so many self-centered people. They are everywhere.

Say you're in a group, you're planning for an occasion, more often than not the not so self centered ones would compromise while the self centered ones want to have their way. Simple things like what gift to buy, where to have the party, what to do at the party. And i really hate women who take it for granted just because they're females so they can have a say in everything. That the men need to accomodate to her wishes. The lady gets her way not because she's powerful, but because other people are just more accomodative and less self-centered.

Then there are also those family members who leeches on u. The worst is when they think they deserve what they leeched of u, because as a family member, you're somewhat obligated to do so. Time to rid off these leeches. Don't let it ruin ur life. You have your own life to run.

I think all of us should step back and self-evaluate. Have we been self-centered sometimes? Do we always want things our way? Is it necessary? Are sometimes our wishes too 'melampau'? What is the impact to others? If u do think along those lines, chances are u're probably not self-centered...