Dark Road- Annie Lennox

A really really SEMANGAT song! what a way to start my morning today! woke me up while i was blindly sweeping the curves of KL! I just love Annie Lennox....

It's a dark road
And a dark way that leads to my house
And the word says
You're never gonna find me there oh no
I've got an open door
It didn't get there by itself
It didn't get there by itself
There's a feelin
But you're not feelin' it at all
There's a meaning
But you're not listening any more
I look at that open road
I'm gonna walk there by myself

Awkward

Do you feel awkward with your neighbours? Well, I am. I think it's the fact that my mom used to bug me when i was small to call people auntie or uncle, so when i see my neighbours, knowing very well that i HAVE to holler and call them, i just am so reluctant to do it! It's not like i hate them, i just feel awkward.......

Do you feel awkward with your boss? well, it really depends. My ex-boss was great, and stern but funny. You can't use the polite approach, so it's never awkward with him. My current boss though, even though a female and only 2 years older than me..well, things have been soooooo awkward since the fight i had with her. Aiya, everyone fights, kan? but she seems to be more 'civil' with me now, she's even paiseh to ask me to do any tasks nowadays.....

Do you feel awkward with your friends? You know, there are some friends that you just hang out in a group...and sometimes when there's only you and this other friend waiting for the rest of them to come, it's usually an awkward situation because you find that you have nothing to say to that fella! Or you're counting the time when THE REST of them are gonna arrive. And there are some friends who are just better as chat friends, meaning friends you chat with online, in person, well, you find that you have nothing to tell that person!

Do you feel awkward with your own parents??? Well, it's always easier if your mom or dad are chatty, it usually kills the awkwardness. Sometimes it's awkward because you're afraid of them! Especially dads!

Do you feel awkward with your brothers/sisters-in-law. hey, i have wonderful brother-in-laws....but it's still kinda awkward especially if we have no common topic. sometimes talking about their kids helps to kill off the awkwardness.

So, see, that's the best things about sisters and especially twin sisters and boyfriends/girlfriends. (if you're awkward with your bf/gf, time to tukar partner ok). I can almost be my bengis self and not feel awkward at all. Andrew's the most kesian since he knows the most ugly side of me :) . Imn's had it worse since she GREW UP WITH ME. hahahaha....

People say that you grow out of the awkwardness when you're older.....I THINK NOT.

When the going gets tough.....

...the tough gets going....! (wasn't there a billy ocean song?).Corny, but true. We sometimes wish that the worst has gone away, but what's a life without problems? in truth, we would always have problems, and hopefully over the years with our 'wisdom' (if any), we'll be able to face it just a little bit better.

sometimes it doesnt just take a word of encouragement, if anything it has to do with your own courage and will.

...my bro-in-law is back but doing great now.

erkk...niece has hand foot and mouth disease! but recovering and going back to school today!

and yikes, i kena tax audit ! efff....(and i thought it'll never happen to me)

Bryan Adams-Broken Wings

You always say the things i can believe in

always say the things i wanna hear

i believe them all

- the stories short and tall

i believe you, ya i believe you

you give me love

when love is all i need to live

you gave your word,

when words were just superlative

when I was blind, you came and opened up my eyes

now i feel i can believe in anything

you taught me how to fly on broken wings

The Bald Truth

Are you like me coming to terms with a possibility of going bald in the near future? i can't help but look at old pics of me and realize how much hair volume and qty! i've lost!!! it's a nightmare. yes it not onli happens to men but also women, much to my dismay.

I've tried cutting my hair short. If you're like me and W who need to have the long locks to twirl and play with when we're thinking or when we're nervous, so THIS DIDNT WORK.

then i tried keeping a fringe. so totally not used to it and it always make me feel like "Lam Ah Chan" just without the silly black specs. but still, a total frump!

So, i got this RM100++ hair shampoo and conditioner from Redken, and it worked! it stopped the scalp itchiness and my hair on the top grew back a bit...I gave away the conditioner to a 25 year old cousin who is ALREADY BALDING. ARGHHH.....

The ugly truth about balding is that, IT"S GONNA HAPPEN. what's ur remedy.

We all need a Napoleon in Us

Remember http://tihtahpah.blogspot.com/search?q=napoleon+dynamite ??? Napoleon Dynamite's motto : he's out there to prove he's got nothing to prove. Very deep coming from a geek like him, kaka.

Why's everyone wanting to prove themselves to other people anyways? For e.g, in a simple conversation, no one wants to know how much money you make (unless someone asked you about it!). And you don't have to lose weight because you're afraid of people laughing at you. And you don't always have to prove to others that you're right, coz even if you are, just take it that the others probably are just too ignorant and why waste your breath anyways to explain to people who might not even understand anyways. So, yar, i've learned to ignore. people make funny english mistakes like "the ball is under your leg", just laugh along, and ignore.

Maybe it's our constant need to be accepted; whether at work, or with friends or at home. Our need to be better than everyone else. Our need to always constantly stand out and be fabulous or glamorous; you know those that "just wanna be seen", didnt matter if they were actually having a good time or not.

If only we were a tad like Napoleon, boh chap and tihtahpah, maybe we'll be a lot happier.

Kenapa.....

I dont know why people like to say how hard they work or how busy they are or how they have to OT everyday.

I know some of you guys out there are just as goyang kaki as me. Dont lie. And yar, i'm one of those who goes home ON THE DOT. I dont work more than I should. I've paid my dues when i first started out in the working world and am not gonna sit around in the office AFTER working hours pretending to be busy.

What's wrong with admitting that you're so free your 'part time' job at work is surfing the net? Don't lie coz i see most of u guys online anyways!

haha. Happy labor day :)

A Different Feel

There are a few movies, that I could watch a few times over and over again, and feel differently about it everytime. Like "When Harry Met Sally", or "Forest Gump" , even Star Wars......

Maybe it's coz of our experiences, some moments and scenes are so similar to your own life instances.

A PJ Affair....

It's been a long time since i met Daniel, Mel, Chelva, Wan Shen, and got them round to meet at DU for nasi lemak. Chelva got an emergency call and off he went; his dad had a seizure and apparently was hospitalized for 3 weeks already. Sadly, his dad passed away yesterday morning.

And so me and Andrew head off to PJ to his house without knowing his address, roamed a bit at Paramount Garden, till we got a call from Daniel to head on to the PJ Crematorium. And so we were there. I didnt know there was a chinese one and a christian one, but the cremation was done at the chinese one. The whole thing was done rather fast. We went on to Chelva's house.

What is it with PJ that it is so hard to find any house? Truly, if u know Chelva, there's no way of giving directions to his house. Even CHelva admitted he'd attempted and failed. ahhahah.

The thing about going for wakes, I always don't know what to say or what to feel. Chelva was in a rather good mood and we were kinda laughing a bit. Reminded me when my grandma died and me n the relatives were laughing out loud, neighbours were wondering what kind of a wake was that.

And I guess just having friends around helps, not just for the 'white gold' hehehe, but more for company during a fragile moment.

Edu-Protest

When my sis went back to school last year, there were a lot of negative remarks, like "aiyoh, so old study for wat?", "better save my time and go work and make money (what they meant was that studying is a waste of time)", or that "when you gonna get marry then? why not u get married?". i'm more comfortable if people just admit that they can't study anymore like me. I opted to do an easier course in TESOL, but..

Ultimately, what's wrong with studying? Since when education is a bad investment. it didnt matter that it was totally FREE.

Andrew got the same treatment from his colleagues recently. I encouraged him to take up a course that is completed FREE as well, and at the end of the 1 year course, the company immediately up your salary by RM500. So, what has he got to lose? i think it beats wasting your time sitting in the cinema anyway. he's getting education wat.....how wrong can that be...

Well, i dunno why all these people are so negative, but i suspect that most of these people from my sis and his peer group, well, i think they just wanted them to stay in the same mode and league, because they feel more comfortable, and seeing them surpassing them in terms of qualification just bugs them. Maybe even with a tinge of jealousy and envy.

And even if you don't feel that way, well, it's still not right to discourage people lah....I mean, dont u want the best for your friends? and hey, no one is too old for education. it is a brave move and take a lot of commitment, we should be 'tabik-ing' them and not stepping them down.

Serba Salah...

Well, I didn't have a title for that, but what I meant was recommending friends to your boss for a position in your company. Well, recently I've got a buddy whom I've been recommending endlessly to my boss. Few reasons..

1) my buddy's being racially discriminated in his current workplace and needs to get out FAST.

2) he was an ex-colleague, and a great colleague coz we used to skive all the time (hi 5!)

3) it ain't great here, but well, at least he's gonna get more than where he's at. and there's no price for racial discrimination. even if he gets the same salary, he'll be happy to leave anyways.

Somehow it got me a bit serba-salah too. it's his choice of course. But i dont want him to have a false impression and want him to really know what's he getting into. Hence, a series of prepping..and really explaining to every grit about the job so he'll know what to expect. You guys ever feel that way.

I know my friend J who introduced me to my previous job was serba salah as well coz it didnt pay well and the workload was crazy, but hey J, i did learn a lot, i think way lot more than where i'm at, so you can't put a price tag on education, so, hey no worries, kay. (if you're reading this, J...)

Indiana Me!

Didn't we all grew up with Indiana movies...I think I really had a crush on Indiana Jones, witty and smart and rugged. They did a series called The Chronicles of Indiana Jones that just didn't do it for me because it just didn't have Harrison Ford! Must the be influence of Star Wars added to that. All through Raiders of Lost Ark, TEmple of Doom, and THe Last Crusade....and the next one that i'm waiting for is the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

I did see a documentary last month about the Crystal Skull. Apparently it has some psychic power, and that when all the 8 (or 5, i can't remember) skulls are brought together, there is suppose to be some supernatural power. BUt make no mistake, the Crystal Skulls are real. And it didn't have any tool marks, which means...well, go figure.

Heart Forever

I hear the ticking of the clock

I'm lying here the room's pitch dark

I wonder where you are tonight

No answer on the telephone

And the night goes by so very slow

Oh I hope that it won't end though

Alone

Some songs are just better left as it is..... I heard Celine Dion's version of the Heart's "Alone" and although it was cool that the song was accompanied by the symphony, I still liked Heart's version better. The rock version. Celine's version lacked the emotion and passion that Heart poured into their version. It felt like Celine just did it for the sake of doing it. But Alone was one of the biggest hit ever, you really can't be nonchalant about that and sing it the way Celine did it, you're bound to be criticized because everyone remembers how Heart did it! Listen to Heart's original version and tell me what you think.

Miley Cyrus Vs Ashlee Simpson

They sound hauntingly almost the same, perhaps Miley winning by just a lil' bit with a better voice, but it really took me a while to figure out who sang that song 'See You Again". All this while I thought it was Ashlee Simpson's song since the radio deejays never make it a point to announce the name of song and singer like they used to. And then I heard Ashlee's "Pieces of Me" and gosh, they sound almost alike. But Miley is a bigger star - it's like Britney all over again, only I do think Miley/Ashlee/Stacci Oricco/Jojo well, they all sound the same to me.

The Pursuit of Happyness

There's no drama, and no over-the-top scenes, but heart-wrenching nevertheless. I think you just can feel the connection between man and son, and what the man was going through. And perhaps maybe one or two of us have felt the same way at some point in our lives. When you just wanna achieve so much, and even when you did, you're up against a series of disappointments and frustration. And you're just hinging on a sliver of hope. Now, haven't we all felt that before?

Will Smith gives a great protrayal in this movie. The movie felt real, and it wasn't decorated with a lot of shocking or dramatic scenes, but just real and raw feelings that would just bring you to tears. The chemistry between him and his son, Jaden in this movie only adds a genuine feel to the movie.

Love in The First Degree

This is a fun song. Back in the days when the lyrics didn't really matter and it was just good sounds and good fun. Bananarama was a favourite for me at that time anyways. The lyrics is kinda catchy but corny at the same time.

Last night, I was dreaming

I was locked in a prison cell

When I woke up,

I was screaming

Calling out your name (bridge 1)

And the judge and the jury

They all put the blame on me

They wouldn't go for my story

They wouldn't hear my plea (chorus)

Only you can set me free

'Cos I'm guilty (guilty)

Guilty as a girl can be

Come on baby can't you see

I stand accused of

love in the first degree

Guilty, of love in the first degree

Duffy- Mercy

When I first heard the song Mercy, I thought she was Amy Winehouse....but then, she sounded better than that nutcase. Then, I thought maybe it was an oldie, but then there were some modern rap thrown into the last bit of the song. So Duffy was a runner up for some British talent show, and wow, I think she has a unique voice, less whiny compared to Amy Winehouse and definitely sexier.

Definitely beats American Idol fellas I must say. Heard David Cook's version of Mariah's Always Be My Baby. It was cool but it just didnt really impress me. Reminded me of the time during Rockstar INXS when Marty Casey did Britney Spears Hit Me Baby One More Time. Now that's something to remember. Something to be wow-ed at.

Whatever happened to ROCKSTAR? American Idol's getting kinda boring really. The only one i'm rooting for is the bambi-eyed David Archuleta.

Being Selective.....

It sucks, but I'm slowly realizing that i'm becoming more and more selective in the conversations that i have with people these day...i think it has to do with age and that i'm finding it a waste of time and breath to converse with things and people that don't matter much to me. i know it's wrong...

i hardly talk to the china bosses in my office. 1) because i dont have to. 2) i can't speak proper mandarin and i can't understand mandarin fully plus they can't speak in english...so, i'm thinking, why even go there?

i dont chat with everyone like i used to. especially airheads and snots. there are just some people whom you just can't strike a conversation with. sometimes it's best to just listen, and comment when you want to.

i find myself listening a lot these days. sometimes commenting in my heart. i always used to be so opinionated and wanna have a say all the time. in time i realize that people dont always receive my comments well, it's either very blunt or unacceptable to their standards. i also realize that people don't really wanna hear any criticism, especially if it bruises their ego. and sometimes, all i have is criticism. and not everyone understands what i mean anyway, except for my twin who almost has the same kinda thinking as me.

there's just a vast difference in the way we think, and it's just more apparent with some people. even when we're talking about some topic, u could almost fill the empty void with a big elephant and they'll give u a look like which planet are u from? or the look that says that he/she thinks you're just plain weird. it has nothing to do with chinese ed kah, malay ed kah, or english ed. i think it has a lot to do with upbringing and the kinda environment that you're exposed to.

i dont really expect to have a long fruitful intellectually stimulating conversations... just having it being INTERESTING is good enough. it could be about nails, fashion, politics, economy etc....i don't really care. having an open mind really helps i think. so, i'm gonna have to get rid of this selectiveness disease!

Nepal vs Britain

read something interesting yesterday on Nepal vs Britain(The Star)...In a nutshell, the writer says that Britain is a coward and too chicken to do away with the royalty monarchy (the kings and queens and princesses and princes), unlike what Nepal is doing right now.

Good article there. I wonder if we can apply it here. Yar right...that will be the day! When's someone gonna do Nepal vs Malaysia????

Carbon Footprint

Eva was bugging me today about this. http://www.carbonfootprint.com/

Calculate how much CO2 u produce and then compensate it with the amount of trees u plant.

Latest hot fad by the London mayor.

Irritated

I'm irritated by smiley happy people. How can anyone be THAT happy all the time.

I'm irritated by people who don't wait for you to finish your sentence.

I'm irritated by the traffic jam especially when it's caused by the darn traffic police and kaypoh drivers who slowed down to watch the aftermath of any accidents.

I'm irritated by the fact that I'm smarter than my boss. So arrogant of me, but it's the farking truth. Or maybe i just have a problem with authority.

I'm irritated by the damn China women in my office who don't farking know how to take care of the toilets that we share! Geez. How can any female accomplish peeing all over the toilet, and leaving wet stains on the toilet seat AND the floor.

I'm irritated by shallow morons. Morons who think why the hell i wanna work, and that i'm at that marrying age. Hullo, leave me alone la.

I'm irritated by women who act pretty. If you are, you are. Declaring(shamelessly) to people you are a lenglui is so moronic.

Some Thoughts....

It's a fine line between narcissism and self-esteem or self-love. We should all love ourselves....but excessive vanity can be nauseating. Camwhoring for eg, is great....but when it's too much....erm, well, it really takes the beauty out of you.

self check...from www.dictionary.com, the meaning of narcissism...

Excessive love or admiration of oneself. See Synonyms at conceit.
1) A psychological condition characterized by self-preoccupation, lack of empathy, and unconscious deficits in self-esteem.
2) Erotic pleasure derived from contemplation or admiration of one's own body or self, especially as a fixation on or a regression to an infantile stage of development.
3) The attribute of the human psyche charactized by admiration of oneself but within normal limits

are u either of those?escessive camwhoring. self-admiration. ego-centric. checking yourself out on the mirror too often?

Tot-Crazy

A good friend of mine, L, is a proud father of ONE last month....he was so happy and called up everyone to let us know the good news! And another friend is expecting......she can't wait to show me her baby bump.....! And another friend, A is glad that he's gonna be a father soon, gone are his wild days.... And WHo just called me last week and said he's gonna be a dad soon too!

What a worldwind of babies and tots....My dad and I are constantly following up on the 'developments' of my niece and nephew.....especially the 'latest addition', BOOKLET. Even if he just flipped over...or chuckled...can bring in a lot of oohs and aahs.

It's sickening though when people compare babies....or grandchilds.....Once and for all, my niece has small eyes but she's cute anyways. hahaha. And Booklet has beady eyes..ar..so?? People should really stop comparing babies; who crawl faster, who's fatter, who's smarter, who's more talkative, who has big ears, who has small eyes......etc.etc. Gosh, people can find ANYTHING to compare about if they want to. Talk about premature psychological damage!

I have a twin. but even WE didn't get it as bad as kids these days.

Lighten Up!

You know how everyone always define themselves by what they do? If anyone asked HI, and what do u do?, people always answer and say they are engineers or doctors or etc or that and they're here and everywhere...blablabla. The truth is that your occupation shouldnt define who you are. Some people find a lot of passion in what they do..and it doesnt necessarily have to be your work.

And so this brings me to my boss. Geez, everything that revolves around her life is work-related. You can't even have a normal conversation with her, non-work related conversations that is. At work, most of the time the rest of us are joking and talking as we are doing the endless boring paperwork. I must say that i've spent a lot of time chatting in my previous company too.

1) i get a lot of info- work-related and non-work related info.

2) it's always great to 'connect' with your colleagues, let's face it, we see them more than we see our family sometimes.(8 hours at , 2 hours going and coming from work, 8 hours of sleep and that leaves 6 hours of family time for you).

3) i really hate being confined to my cubicle. I used to have 2 tables in 2 different locations in my previous company and it was great....

4) it kills time.

The thing is that we really should lighten up at work, not to the extent of compromising the quality of your work, or the pride you take in your work, just that everything should be taken in a stride and just lighten up a bit. It'll make things much easier for you....remember, there's more to life than work!

Ching Ming

Sometimes I like this more than CNY. It's a ritual to go back to Ipoh every year around Apr-4th to 5th. Then we proceed to Kampar to my dad's grandfather's tomb then to his grandma. Last year and this year was just (last year andrew went with me) and my parents. Thereafter we usually head back to Ipoh for some great bites. Ahhhhhhhh, Ipoh is the love of my life.

The next day is usually a drive to Teluk Intan to visit my grandma, granddad, granduncle and grandauntie, their tombs are just side by side. It's usually chaotic, because it's a reunion for us cousins and my mom and her cousins. Chaos. Laughter. And a feast of course. Usually we are sitting there eating eats from Kampar, Teluk Intan, Bidor.

Well this year's a bit different, I actually got to visit my mom's grandfather's grave. It's a Hainanese rule that women in our family are not allowed to visit his grave...somehow, my very open-minded late grandmother abolished that rule a long time ago.

And of course, usually this time, my mom's side loves to tell stories. It used to by my late uncle's job until he passed away few years back. Everyone took turns telling stories under the hot blazing sun. My cousin and I were fidgetting endlessly trying to avoid the sun. It was a good time for me to catch up with my little cousin who used to stay with me a long time ago.

Then after that, we usually head to Fun's place. Fun and family is a close family friend of ours. She and the brother used to stay with us in Ipoh. I swear when i was a kid, i thought they were my cousins....1st because they stayed with us, 2nd because no one bothered to explain to me and my twin sis anyway since we were only kids. She stayed with us when i was much older during her chambering stint. Only then did i know the truth. Hahahaha.

Well, it's chee cheong fun time at her place. Her family's the Anson Chee Cheong Fun fellas, so we usually book and feasted on 40 pieces yesterday. It used to be 100pcs, but there weren't many ppl left now (the young ones have gone overseas, and the old ones have left us).

I dunno, I love ching ming. I can't understand why some christians do not believe in ching ming, avoid the joss-sticks, and not feast on the food we used for prayers. I think it's great to attend anyway to pay your respects. we can believe in the whims of Santa Claus, and magic , why not this. :) Happy ching ming everyone.

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The Greed of Me

I think I've turned greedy. There's so many things that I want in life, whether material or emotional or monetary.. Is it wrong to feel like you constantly want MORE? It's rather motivating, I feel. I could always switch to zen-like mode and just stop wanting anything but then where's the spark in your life if you don't have any wants and cravings?

Love and happiness some might say - but don't you ever wanna be MORE HAPPY? or don't u wan't more LOVE? To be contented is such a large commitment really, to say you are contented means you are comfortable with NOW and u don't want more. How many can say that? If your boss gives you less increment than others while you've worked the hardest this year, would you be contented and just say NEVER MIND?

Greed. We all need that sometimes. :)

Angst

I can't stand...
1) people who act cutesy- guys or girls, i think those kinda antics should be left inside your own rooms n for your bf's/gf's eyes only. especially girls who call themselves baby, or bao bei. cmon, it's cool if it's just between u and ur other half, but it may appear somewhat gross for bywatchers. my niece is cute, you're not.

2) uptight lady bosses. something's seriously wrong with these women. lighten up please. they are some who are great, but some are just whackjobs. we are all just makan gaji only, life's not all about work. You wanna be able to get off work and still have fun and have a life out there besides your little life confined to that big cubicle. a cubicle is a cubicle.

3) self centered people. Yar those of you who wants the world to stop turning for you just because you dont like that restaurant your friends chose. Or just because you don't think it's hip to be seen in that kinda place. If you're looking to be in the 'just-want-to-be-seen-everywhere' scene, you can be a social butterfly all you want, but you're gonna have to respect others if you wanna be included in gatherings.

4) spoiled brats. u know, it's ok if you dont really know the value of money, or you get to spend all you want, but it's not cool if you criticize or discriminate someone because he/she is poor, that they dress poorly for dinners, that they have to scrimp and save for a little apartment, that they don't eat in fancy restaurants all the time, that they dont travel anywhere. Those who are fortunate should be grateful and humble towards those who have less than you. Why can't people just be more humble? Or is it just because you don't have anything interesting to say besides money-flaunting topics?

tell me, are u pissed off about anything right now?

Snow Come Down

Am a huge huge fan of Billy Crudup. You may have seen him in a few movies, like The Good Sheperd, Almost Famous,Sleepers and i think his best acting in Stage Beauty. Recently I caught a movie starring himself and Jennifer Connelly..they looked so young, it was a 2000 movie called Waking The Dead. The movie plot was so-so, but there's a particular song that caught my ears. Snow Come Down, by Lori Carson....

I think you feel, the way I feel
Though you don't want to say
I think you feel, the way I feel
Though it's not the easy way

Wouldn't you like to be with me
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow....

I don't want to cause you any pain
I just want to love you
I don't want to fuck up anything
I just want to love you
And, I know you think I'm kinda strange
I just want to love you
I just want to love you
I just want to love you
I just want to love you

Everytime I see your face
I can hardly breathe
Everytime I see your face
I feel stupid and happy

Wouldn't you like to be with me
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow come down
Watching the snow....

Craving for Bak Kut Teh

And it's not just any bak kut teh. Dying for the one near Kampung Subang.... also has the claypot assam stingray..!

Back

I'm back from Jakarta. It was great there honestly. I made some wonderful friends that I intend to keep in touch with, who knows for a round of partying in Jakarta. Life was great because of them. Coming back here was another story though. Even though, i'm really back to comfort, but i have to do housework and chores etc that I didn't really had to bother with in Indonesia. Think i was spoiled shit there and bringing me back here is just god's way of knocking some sense back into me.

I also came back and had a terrible viral food poisoning. The irony. Everyone keep saying how dirty Jakarta is but i only got the viral poisoning on the 2nd day i was back from Jakarta.................

And income tax...*groan*....double EA form since i left my company last oct ...* double groan*..anyone else is procrastinating it just like me?

But a day at the Cityspa with Endroo was great. It was a Valentine's gift that we have yet to use until last Thursday....

And a gathering in Singapore with family except for my 2nd sis who had prior engagements....and of course my little niece, kyra....

And yet a uni gathering last nite in a mamak somewhere in Taipan...

Yeah....being back here is not that great, but it ain't too bad. :)

Get Smorty!

Go to blog advertising for a better way to make money through blogging. How many of us get paid for blogging? We cannot really rely entirely on blog advertising such as Nuffnang, Advertlets and etc. It is best to diversify your options through writing posts for websites such as Smorty and Payperpost. Previously I was only using Payperpost. Then later I found Smorty. Smorty is also user friendly and also does payment through Paypal account just like Payperpost. Smorty uses a similar dashboard to help us manage our posts, submissions and tracking of our income generated. But Smorty has a much simpler dashboard and is easy to browse and use. Blog for money is made easier with Smorty. Smorty is not only beneficial to bloggers but also advertisers. People who visit to our blogs are linked back to the advertisers. It is a win-win situation for all. I've checked through other websites to help us get paid for blogging but this Smorty website is the most user-friendly.

IBooth!

I Signed Up for PPP!

If you're a blogger you would have known about PayPerPost or PPP for short. Just write simple and short posts conforming to basic requirements such as image tracker, links and you get paid! It is simple and easy to follow, anyone can do it.

blog network- I have made about USD97, not bad as it requires little of my time. It takes only perhaps 10 minutes a day to write a post. The payment is prompt and easy through Paypal. It is considered as a side income and can be used to supplement my other expenses. For now, me and my boyfriend have spent the money on air-tickets and trips. This is great and we do not have to spend our monthly income on these extra value-added trips and save it for other expenses instead.

The setup is simple. All you have to do is set a payperpost account and a paypal account and you are on the go. Next just login to payperpost and find opportunities to write - choose wisely and write with utmost honesty and truth. Then just follow the instructions and post accordingly.

Get started on PPP today! Get your friends to do it too. Get your family members and colleagues too.

My Thoughts on Malaysia Decides...

The elections came and went. And now we are facing a new wave of change. A change that has been much awaited. And yet, there is an unsettled feeling in me that this political tsunami is not over yet. There is a great battle ahead. For our Mr. Lim Guan Eng, I salute him for his bravery and for his fight for us, how he has undertaken a task that perhaps no other would. Some could but everyone chose to take a step back. There is no right or wrong. Some of us take a step back out of fear. Everyone fears the unknown. What lies ahead, my friends is the unknown. And it grips me with fear thinking when we shall reach a stability…are we going to end up like Indonesia…are we going to be like the US with the Democrats and Republicans, are we going to have a better life under Anwar’s leadership…is the coalition opposition govt reliable, is anyone going to defect. We may all have left the country, but the heart has never left. I’m overwhelmed that most of the Malaysians in my company supporting in various countries have gone back to vote. One indeed could make a difference. This election is an inspiration and would continue to do so for our young Malaysians.

Safari pics!

Rare sight...and too near for comfort!

The animals trying to get shelter from the rain!

nearly got attacked!

Cafe Batavia

Found this interesting Cafe the last time Andrew was here, called Cafe Batavia - near the National Museum in Jakarta.......

Double Rompak!

I can't believe it, just last week the Taman Desa apartment and my sis' place in Ara Damansara were both kena rompak! And both places with guards. The guard hut is just next to the Ara Damansara house!

Since I'm over here, nothing i could really do. I just found out my dad, Andrew and my cousin is at the police station right now in Taman Desa to lodge a report. My sis is suing the Taman Desa management. It's just probably the 3rd time we've been robbed! My sis' car was stolen years ago right under the guard's nose who just opened the security bar and made wayfor the thieves!

Well, nothing of mine's been stolen but then just feel like it's such a violation, and despite security (that doesnt come free anyways!) and in such a congested vicinity, this can still happen.

Safari!

Last Friday was a holiday...called Hindu Saka day or Nyepi...the whole of Bali would off the electricity to make as if there is no one in the island to ward off evil spirits.

So that day me and some friends head off to Bogor to Puncak to see the tree plantations and the Safari Wildlife Recreational Park. You can just drive your car in directly inside the Safari. THe animals walked right up to u and you can feed them carrots etc. Most amazing for me was seeing the lions- all aligned together trying to get shelter from the rain.

Puncak was a beautiful sight, but Cameron Highlands is just as good. Probably won't recommend it but since you are at the Safari might as well make a trip up to see the tea plantations.

Will post the pics real soon.

Get The Right Training

We've all either been trained or have trained others. Ultimately we want to learn something or to share what we've learned. It is therefore essential that we know that the course has a proper course structure, good teacher and a course that is recognized by the government or better still, worldwide.

Go to Plumbing Courses and you will see what I mean. If you are interested in plumbing you can start training immediately online.

Go to Management if you want to start your course on Management.

This website provides a complete training course for all sorts of courses that you probably never dreamed of doing in the comfort of your own home and learn! Remember that education is an investment. And it is never too late and you should never be too busy to learn.

refer to http://disclosurepolicy.org/

Next Stop- Bangladesh

I just got news today that I'll be posted to Bangladesh end of this month. Will be at Dhaka for 1 month. Which is really great as opposed to what people might think, I really don't mind going because company's paying for places that i probably won't pay on my own to go. Besides, there might be new things to discover there. Indonesia was getting too comfy anyways. Time for a change. It'll be great to see more of their culture and I heard there are some pretty amzaing sights there. I guess the point is that we can't always be so negavtive about things that we ourselves have not experienced or seen. I'll be the judge on that. I won't believe it until I've seen it.

Anyway, here's looking forward to a new experience in Bangladesh...

Pay Per Post: Free Insurance Quotes PR2+

Commercial Insurance - In general, we all start of with the general insurance, life insurance. Then we may have health insurance- you know the ones that cover the 36 critical illnesses. Then maybe in years later, when we start our lives as working adults, we get auto insurance, especially in accident-prone countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, where auto insurance is inevitable.

The point is that we all need insurance. But where to get a good quote? Most of us are too dependent on our agents, and sometimes the best agent who convinces us the best wins! It makes us difficult to know what is the most beneficial and most fair to us, what insurance coverage is out there and what we need the most.Time to get educated, I say. Go to About Commercial Insurance for some overview. At least we would know what we are getting into and just what is out there.


It also helps us to get the best deals and at the most affordable plus appropriate to our financial status and earnings. We get to choose and determine what insurance is best for us, instead of the agent deciding for us , where sometimes it might not be so favourable to us, but more to the agent himself.


Get smart. Visit the website for some insights. You wont regret it.

UNB Reunion

The old ones....One thing great about reunions is that we practically see each other age year by year. Can be hilarious sometimes. Some are balding year by year, or getting rounder year by year, some men get younger-looking too.... We had our annual uni gathering just at The Curve. I was the only one in the CNY mood as u can see (hence the red garb). All of us are mostly not in KL anymore. Wonderful to just see a handful sometimes. Hope the UNB Smurfs would be reunited again next year. ciao

Mortgages

Mortgage lending has been a common practise by most people, people investing on properties whether for self-occupying purposes or for investment purpose. This is a norm and often people are not aware of the dos and donts and what to look out for.

Mortgage gives an insight to first timers who do not know much about mortgages. Go to Mortgages for First Timers about how we can profit from house price correction. The article touches on how first timers may be the ones who benefit the most and may not necessarily be at the losing end.

In my opinion,this is because most of the time, first timers are aiming at finding a place to live in, a shelter for themselves. People in positions of power recognize this. When market is down, or when properties prices are low, first timers would want to buy because they are looking for a place to stay and not for investments. Usually investments would be 2nd priority at that moment. First time buyers are more likely to buy properties and take up Mortgages during market fall, trying to grab every opportunity to save money.

In my opinion,with very little capital and savings, first time buyers who may likely be newly married couples or working adults in their 20s, they may find it difficult to find the right property at a suitable price according to their financial capability. First timers may be more wary when market is good but tend to let their guards down quickly when property prices go down.

This article is good and gives us an insight of first time buyers and Mortgages.

Sungkai

I'm glad i came here. It was on the way to Ipoh and i dragged Andrew to stop by here i thought just for the hot spring. But then, i found out that this place also hides the most hideous but hilariously funny and without a doubt the biggest man-made octopus in Malaysia. And it has water oozing out of it- we think that the people working there switched on the water works to impress us. Haha. Worth going for a laugh. Be amused.

Different Strokes

Life here is a lot different from the comfort i had in KL. In Jakarta, this time round I have housemates, one from Msia and another from China. On top of that, I even had some friends (with some misfortune with their keys) staying overnight here at the modest little apartment. Now I really have to learn how to live with strangers and reacquainted myself again with the facts of living on my own. I think Imn is going through the same thing as well. Gone were the comforts of living in the hotel previously.

My housemates are great though. We chat a great deal. As opposed to the silent 4 walls of a hotel room, now i get to chitter-chatter with my equally chatty housemate. I do believe sometimes that i chat my life away...haha

Meals have been interesting and so have night activities. I get to eat whatever I want, and if i dont feel like eating well i dont. It's hard to explain what this feels like but people who are constantly forced to have dinner whatnots which are somewhat compulsory sometimes or obligatory because of some relationships or friendships.........

As opposed to what people might think, the Indonesian culture is not very different from ours. Work or play. We are all the same.Having the same insecurities, wants and needs. THe same TAICHI culture and Char Kuay Teow culture also exist here!

Hope i'll be here a little longer though.

Credit Cards for Bad Credit

credit cards for bad credit - (link)


User's guide to bad credit? This may come as a surprise to you, but yes, this is a website that helps you to compare 10 of the top credit cards on the market for bad credit. See credit card and credit counselling. This website also has links to their online applications. There's too many of us who are too dependent on our credit cards to maintain our basic lifestyle. More often than not, we are left to struggle to pay off the interests and the neverending debts that we are all bogged down by. Got to visit credit cards for bad credit for some insights to turn our financial status around and start rebuilding our lives. This is truly an eye-opener.

King Of Wishful Thinking

I refuse to give in to my blues

That's not how it's going to be

And I deny the tears in my eyesI

don't want to let you see.. no

That you have made a hole in my heart

And now I've got to fool myself..I'll get over you..

I know I will

I'll pretend my ship's not sinking

And I'll tell myself I'm over you

'cause I'm the king of wishful thinking..I'll get over you..

I know I will I'll pretend my ship's not sinking

And I'll tell myself I'm over you

'cause I'm the king of wishful thinking- GO WEST

Wishful thinking or just fooling ourselves... Hey, we all need to fool ourselves sometimes to get past things, especially painful things. That is why i can understand why some people they need to do certain things that may be out of this world, or say the things that they do. We all need to find ways and avenues to get by. Sometimes time doesn't really heal wounds, sometimes we just need to do some wishful thinking.

At the Brink of Depression?

Got these people around me whom i've noticed to carry these symptons...

1) talking nonsensical things that is either very unimportant or that doesnt make sense..

2) he or she talks to u without expecting an answer from you

3) relates everything to his/her religion

4) very moody, could be nice and friendly with u one day and aloof the next day

5) very lonely and expects you to always be by his/her side

6) laughs loudly to themselves

7) has no desire to do anything or with anyone

8) no desire to meet anyone

9) basically no desire at all

Of Possessions and Such

My life can be pretty much summed up by the boxes of knick knacks and whatnots stacked and shoved is spaces beneath beds in Ipoh and KL. I have this ritual of opening and repacking the boxes every now and then, browsing through my possessions again and again.

Funny but my prized possessions are actually not worth anything at all....

My possessions date way back when i was in primary school, so u can just imagine, from fluorescent ugly shoelaces (used to be a fad!), button badges of NKOTB, even Duran Duran, old cassette tapes of 80s music to small gifts from friends.

You know those little notebooks u have when u were in school and u used them to write stuff and pass around to friends during classes , passing little notes when the teacher is not looking? well i kept all those, it has funny pictures for example a great sketch of my ex-dog, Snowy by weiyi and silly poems that we wrote during Science classes....and Sookching asking me where to go after school, like 'want to eat pizza bread in Ipoh Parade after class?'

and all those unfinished artwork during art class most of the time we were chatting more than doing the actual work. i kept all those, god knows why...

just last week i was at my Ipoh house and was looking through my mom's pics from her heydays, in short miniskirts and big sunglasses and Jackie O outfits...hahaha, i wasn't the only one who keeps my memories in boxes and such.

just found out that sweeks was a fan of the volkswagen beetle and thought i'd ask my 2nd sis if she wanted to sell her junk, that's been sitting in tmn desa and recently 'moved out' to subang. thought she didn't want it anymore, but no, even in the pathetic state the car is in, she didnt want to sell it. First cars are hard to forget but i doubt people keep them anymore.

Gift

It's that time of the year again when everyone's rushing off to get gifts for valentine's day and whatnots...what did you get your other half? in truth, i haven't been buying guys' stuff in a while and i finally got something that

1) i would like to see him wearing it..

2) something both of us can enjoy...

3) something to remind him of me....

but then the art of giving is unique isn't it? every gift tells a story and after years of keeping 'em in boxes, u can't help but feel a bit fluffy inside when u see those gifts again. And every gift small or big gives u a different feel..

recently i got a watch from Andrew...it's not anything fancy..but then he remembered that i can't wear watches coz it gives me a rash...so he found a leather strapped watch and a real simple one for me to wear for ANY occasion because he knows how chinchai i am ....see the thought he put into buying this simple yet great gift? been wearing it everyday and i haven't got a rash !

everyone says giving is better than receiving..but who doesnt love gifts?

i just found out a friend of mine actually sets the budget for gifts and discusses with the gf so that they both agree on it. how clever and necessary sometimes especially for couples who are planning a wedding or ultimately a life together, when u need to sometimes save money for other necessities....

The Kite Runner

A tale of Afghanistan, Taliban, America, brotherhood and love. Mostly the book made me think a lot about karma. And how things good or bad always goes round and hits you in the head. It made me think of values and the Islamic views, and what Afghans witnessed during the unrest in the 80s, from Russians to the Talibans...Watch the movie if you're lazy. An interesting line in the book made me think about tortured souls, about things we did or did not do that is so wrongful and sinful that you may just live to regret it for the rest of your life.

Happy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year folks... The new year began with some mixed feelings: glad that i'm back for a short while, bad that there's some company restructuring on travel allowance, glad again that i'm in singapore but bad again that there's been some bad news among the family members. Well, we all need to take things in  a stride, I guess. Things happen for a reason, and it is to me, just another phase we all need to walk through. I guess, THAT"S LIFE. Have a great one, guys!

Across The Universe

From the director who gave us The Lion King, this is a movie made from the many wonderful songs by the Beatles. Across The Universe is filled with cinematic scenes and with the familiar sounds of the very loved songs from the Beatles. If you love the Beatles like me and Andrew do, this is THE movie to watch! THe problem is, where to find the dvd? I might just go look it up in Singapore tomorrow.....

When will we learn?

People are so quick to assume that because I look Chinese, I am from China.

People are so quick to assume that because I look Chinese, I can speak Mandarin.

People are so quick to assume that because I am Asian, I can't speak English.

People are so quick to assume that because I am Asian, I can't write well in English.

So many assumptions. So little respect. aii..

I find it extremely presumptious and a little offended, even when people say, "Oh, you speak very good English". I got that comment after arguing with the accomodation officer.

Maaf, a lecturer here was quite nasty. I felt that his question was not clear enough. The question was as follows:- What happens with the marginal abatement cost (or permit price) if some polluters do not comply. Explain your answer. I felt that I should ask what he meant with comply, comply with what? And so I asked if he meant that those polluters who didn't comply were polluters who did not participate in the market. He told me that I can check in the dictionary for the meaning of comply.

People need to see the world more.

Montserrat

SPAIN..my experience

No.. this is not szelin.. it's one of the other 2 ducks who have not written in yonks. endroog asked of my experience in Barcelona, so here goes...

I'm sure all of you are sick to death of listening to touristy information, of how beautiful the structures are, how Gaudi is so great, how paella is so delicious, etc. So.. I'm gonna write about the people. I've read in books describing the Spanish as fiery and hot-blooded people. And they are! But, fiery in a passionate way and hot-blooded in a sense for justice. I'm taking Environmental Studies, so you can imagine the kind of discussions we have. And things get really interesting sometimes. They are so helpful, really. In my first week, I had to lug my damaged baggage back to my room. On the way, a man helped me lug it up the stairs, and when I got to the top of the stairs, a woman came with those supermarket trolley so that I could wheel it home. When I finally reached home, I couldn't lift up the bag from the trolley and 2 guys came to my rescue. If this had happened in Malaysia, I wonder how many people I would have had to ask before help was rendered. And here, I didn't even have to ask. And luckily I didn't have to coz I didn't speak a word of Spanish then. There are so many more examples but this striked me the most.

People are so warm and though I feel abit strange, I'm getting used to the kisses on the cheeks when they say hi! Anyhow, I could go on and on.. and I can't coz I have an exam coming up! So, if any of you are coming here, don't worry, the Spanish will take care of ya..

THE CNY SCHEDULE

I wonder if anyone's in the same dilemma as me. Me being away from home with a tight schedule, kinda having a hard time 'structuring' my schedule for Chinese New Year. First of all, my family's like split between KL and Singapore and after a lot of discussion, my family decided that we're gonna do CNY in Singapore this year.

Which is great, except that I have to arrange so that i can fly straight to Singapore from Jakarta on my company's expenses (they pay for flights back but only to Malaysia). Straightened that out and got the ticket back to Singapore on the 5th Feb. Mind you, this was settled in the beginning of Jan'08.

And then it's the reunions and meetups. Not forgetting that i'm spending first CNY with Andrew, so it means I've got to synchronize mine with his. Visits to his family and his visit to mine. Reunions with friends are a big big problem too since some of them are back from overseas and they are also on a tight schedule. It used to be that the Ipoh reunion is done in Ipoh but this year i'm splitting it to KL, Ipoh and Singapore....hah...!

It's not easy anymore to get people together now. Aside from friends and family who are overseas, friends and family with kids or married are also on a tight and somewhat unflexible schedule too. Simple things like kids having to sleep after 7pm, or visits to the other half's family all have to be considered.

So, now the best way i find is just to send a mass mail, to get an agreed date, time and venue. Fix it and try not to be late. Make provisions for unexpected things like traffic jam or choose and easy place to find. The objective is to GET TOGETHER, that's what that matters.

Webisodes

Heard there's a new fad going on the internet about Webisodes- series episodes on the web! I've only seen my sister doing that, watching on the web some chinese HK TVB series....

The one i caught on the E! Channel was called ROOM MATES? Anyone has any scoop on that?

Muka Parah

Was having a plate of Gado-Gado nearby my Jakarta office and my Indon colleagues were discussing animatedly about facials and what nots. They've had like treatment, laser, UV rays, peeling etc. One of my fren went for a facial treatment and was labelled as Muka Parah Level 2. And her face didn't even look really that bad.

I'm probably one of those few people who actually go for regular facial. Shocking but me and my sisters and mom dont have that kinda routine. You know how u've never been exposed and u just don't think that it is a norm that you should do it? I can't remember the last time i had one, except for that free facial by new york solution that was only so-so and overrated. Except for my daily facial wash with just about any product, i dont really buy any other products.

DO you think we actually need it? No doubt that we need some facial cream to keep the face soft and smooth but how can we actually validate that all those facials are actually good ? And how often and how long and what products to use is a big question....Dermatologist or Beauty COnsultant?

Buang Sial

A friend of mine ran into some bad luck yesterday and so after work we were discussing about it and she decided to 'buang sial'. Asked me for some ideas and i distinctly remember about 2 years ago when I had a terrible fever spell for about 2 weeks and a good friend of mine gave me some flowers (chrysanthemum) and asked me to 'mandi bunga'. We then went on a frenzy search for flowers on the way home and finally found some near Tanjung Duren (Jakarta Barat).

I suggested to add some 'daun limau bali', pomelo leaves into the 'mandi bunga' thing. Also the stepping-over-a-bucket-on-fire. hahaha.

It is really absurd or don't we all need to do this once in a while- just to set our mind at peace. I just thought that to ease my friend's mind maybe these ideas can temporarily pacify her. Ridiculous at it may seem, but no harm trying right?

I was fortunate enough to arrive in Jakarta only to have my boss to send me to Bali the very next day to “work”. It was a most relaxing 4 days 3 nights trip almost all expenses paid except for food. What more can I ask, right? First night was spent in Sanur Beach and the other 2 nights in Kuta Beach.

I’m not really a beach person, nevertheless the ambience and environment is good enough to make you feel all at once breezy and happy. The best moment for me there is probably just lounging after breakfast at the wooden chairs just by the poolside. Had a 2-hour massage at the hotel that is well deserved! I know I’m not really the hardworking type but hauling the luggage in and out of the airport can be tiring..

But I don’t really think I’ll pay on my own to go to Bali. It is much hyped for its beaches etc, I went all the way to Dreamland to see what the rave is all about, but very disappointing as there was construction going on and the sunset was spoiled by the clouds. If you’re into SURFING, now this is a place to be.

The Other Half's Family...

Just recently i've had a friend whose seriously in deep shit after she realized that she's having problems with the MIL (mother-in-law) just few months after she and the husband registered for marriage. But then again, who doesnt have problems with the MIL? it's always the MIL, isn't it?

Which brings the question, does it matter what your other half's family is like? You can say well marriage is between 2 people etc etc but the truth is that once u marry that guy, you're marrying his family whether you like it or not. You can have your own place with your hubby but you're gonna still have to make an appearance for whatever 'important' occasion. There is no running away there.

Nagginess we can take, but what about kiamsiapness? or the MIL who won't let go of the son? The dad who is always drunk? And broke? The beat-up brother who's jobless and expects handouts even from you?

Are you sure you're not bothered by these things? I know of a friend who....

*broke off with the boyfriend because she found out he has a brother with Down's

*broke off an engagement because the MIL was controlling the son and turning the son against the wife

*broke off with the boyfriend who is constantly paying off the dad's debts...

Wrong you say? Or just being realistic? Cruel perhaps, but what would you do if you know you're bound to have a marriage laden with chaos and problems?

2007 flashback

Had a long time to ponder on my last 29 years this 2008, and yes i'm turning 30 this year...but not without a fight, am not ready to battle it out in this life. But really 2007 has been a blessed year. Found someone to share my life with and also a new start to my career as well. But i guess we can't have everything and it's all about balance i guess, with a good sense of priority.

Biggest impact in my life I would say is Andrew. Perhaps i dont mention him enough here but some things are just better left unshared. He's helped me grow up this year a lot more than he thinks. People who know me would know how much i've mellowed. Best thing is that he's good to my family. I've never realized how wonderful that is until I spoke to BeeF today. BeeF also taught me that I probably would never find another guy who can take my whims and sometimes eccentric ways. Do you know of any other guy who would spend their afternoons and evenings doing household chores & listening to my banter? Like many would say, he's one in a million, without the showy and egocentric ways of many men.

Work is work i guess. But i've finally moved on to another job. U dont know how much it took for me to leave my previous job, how much crying , pondering, double-guessing myself. Being away is just part of the sacrifice i have to make not only for myself but also my other half. But good things come with sacrifice, no? What I sacrifice now, i'll reap in years to come. That's good enough reason for me.

There's probably no bad moments in 2007, even if there were, i always try to see the good side of it all. I guess 2007 made me an optimist. Sure, Andrew had a terrible accident, but i did enjoy chauffering him around and finding taufoofah and 'designing' his liquid diet. We spent so much time smurfing it was funny at times, and heartwarming.

Just way nearing 2008, I also got a new nephew...lil' Aaron! hope there's more to come. :)

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.