Sept Highlight: Family's Vacation to KL Part I

I was really happy I get to see my family in advance instead of only during the CNYs when I go back. They were here for a week-long holiday, coming first to KL then traveling to Batu Pahat, Johor, where my mom's hometown is, and then for a day trip to Singapore squeezed in too.


21/9/2012

Started raining heavily in KL around the time I'm getting off work, and my family had arrived in KL and is traveling into the city in a van, stuck in the jam. I went to the hotel to check us all in first and waited for them to come. Alas they arrived and due to the rain my initial plan to bring them eat the famous claypot rice in Petaling Street ended up in me bringing them to eat Hokkien Mee instead. There was a minor lion dance procession while we were there and after dinner we went to walk around in Petaling Street. Dad then told me he's looking for a stall selling duck which is famous. After asking around we decided we will get the duck 1st thing in the morning the next day. Went back hotel to rest and then my bro and I spent the night camwhoring LMAO.


22/9/2012

Dan Ngan Lou Duck, Petaling Street

Cheong-fun, Petaling Street

We did get the duck in the morning (Dan Ngan Lou Duck Stall) and guess what? It's the best duck I've eaten in KL! No wonder it's so good. We devoured it over bfast before heading out to Titiwangsa station and took the bus from there up to Genting Highlands. It's a famous resort with casino on top of the hills in Pahang. Mom hadn't been there for more than 30 years, and remarked the road is better and wider now, and that it used to be a narrow winding road up. When we finally reached there brother is very excited to go on the rides but we decided to take the cable cars to Chin Swee Temple first due to the nice weather (no clouds) up there, and that made him unhappy. Such a spoilt brat with no patience. It sorta ruined my mood cos I don't like sourfaces during vacations, I mean what's the point right.

Anyway after walking around and taking pics around the temple, where there's a HUGE Buddha statue, Guan Yin statue and statue of Genting founder Uncle Lim Goh Tong, we took the shuttle bus back and went to First World and walked around. It was then that we finally went to the rides and my bro cheered up again. Such a kid! Dad and mom waited for us while we were playing and when we're done, we went to find them and took our bus back to Titiwangsa again. Halfway thru the rides I became sick due to the wind and lack of food and it made me nauseatic. My bro was disappointed I couldn't go with him on rides any further but he went for a final round and at least he's happy now, tho he couldn't go on the coaster due to lack of time.

Back in the city, we went to dinner where dad don't want to go to a fancy restaurant because I'd spent alot on them already. So we just ate at the measly food court at Berjaya Times Square where bro had Korean and the 3 of us had Little Wok haha. Then we just hung around in the mall because there was power shortage in Plaza Low Yat where I wanted Dad to visit and see all the tech stuff there.


23/9/2012

Brought them on a walking trip to Merdeka Square where our nation's independence was announced 55 years ago. Then we went back nearby hotel to eat bfast and then check out, took the LRT all the way to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, the new bus and train terminal on outskirts on city. They will be taking the bus back to Batu Pahat from there. And I'll be alone again at least for another 4 days. xD

Tun Samad Building, Merdeka Square

Terminal Bersepadu Selatan

Next up: Part II!

Belated Birthday Post

The problem with writing THIS late about your birthday post is, you don't really remember what happened. Or most of it. Maybe because nothing too special happened, but mostly it's due to laziness.

One thing I remember was that September was the starting of a 3-mth spiral into depression for me. Because I sorta "lost" my very good friend (okay I admit now, best friend. What's with needing to label stuff sheesh) and I just got ignored for no apparent reasons as well. It affected me alot and I was very unhappy most of the 3 mths since.

Anyway it's my birthday and I was feeling angry again at my friend for her behaviour. Nevertheless, I went to work and got a few birthday greets but it didn't help that my friend said nth to me and is still ignoring me, despite it being my special day. Oddly though she wished me on fb. Oh wells.

My friend asks me what plans do I have and I said none... well because I treated myself already two days prior on Sunday, where I went out and watched movie and treated myself to cake and soba dinner at Secret Recipe:

The movie, in 3D - Resident Evil: Retribution

I thought the movie is bad, plot-wise. It's just a filler movie. Basically the plot is just to survive from one area to another. Makes no sense to stretch it into a full movie. Forgettable. Milla Jovovich still kicks ass though. No matter how sucky the movie is. I felt ripped watching it in 3D. Oh wells.

Then I treated myself to cake(one MUST have cake on their birthday) at where else but Secret Recipe of course. Since it is dinner time I dined there too. Japanese Soba + Chocolate Hazelnut cake!

It was pretty fulfilling :D

Back to 18th September, I finished work and, in a moment of impulse and anger, I went to a nearby mall and got my ears pierced. I had wanted to do it for quite some time already, and what better day than to do it on my birthday?

The physical pain actually lifted me up; I instantly felt much better, and I was able to breath without the sorrow inside of me. Now I more or less understood why certain ppl adopts physical pain to free themselves from their devils within. I don't encourage this, but I've benefited from it that day. It made me slightly happier for the next few days.

Nothing too exciting this year. Still I am blessed to be alive and healthy. Plus my family came over for a holiday the end of that same week. So I'm very happy to see them and spend time with them. :D I'll probably blog about that.... hmm....

Lastly, a pic of an email my colleague sent me. I thought it's a pretty cute pic and it cheered me up, so here I am sharing with you. Take care everyone! :D

Merry Christmas!

So.... this means, we managed to survive "the end of the world aka 21st December 2012 aka Mayan Apocalypse"!!!

It's been a long time since I last blogged, and I didn't even write my birthday post yet until now, but I'm gonna talk abt it in another post as this is a Christmas post.

As you can probably guess, I am now sitting at home on Christmas Day blogging about my Christmas. No I don't have any house to visit nor churches to attend (I don't.). I'm far away from home and my family and most of my friends aren't Christian so they don't really celebrate Christmas but like me, took part in the Christmas atmosphere and bought gifts and such. And made plans. So I'm just alone at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do.

I actually have something to do: make a drawing of Crayon Shin-chan for my colleague in the finance department. I sort of already promised her that so I'm going to try to finish it.

This year's Christmas, I gave more than I got, and I'm happy for it. The feeling when you gift someone and you see the joy in them receiving it, makes me happy the most. I definitely overspent (even bought a wrong gift and it's now lying on top of my work PC CPU alone) on gifts this year but it's okay. There's a gift for work colleague (Secret Santa!), gift for friends at an early Xmas BBQ celebration, and gifts for my best buddies who'd been by my side through the whole year.

And I'm thankful. Very thankful. Even though I am alone on Christmas Day stuck at home, I am not unhappy; in fact I'm very thankful and I feel blessed. Because I have everyone I love still alive and healthy around me. Even though me and my family is far apart, but recently we tried to get closer to each other through online and mobile chat platforms. The connection to them eases being apart from them.

And the two buddies, whom I think I've "lost", are back with me again...I really didn't see this happening, and rightfully around Christmas month for it to turn around. September was awful and by the time I reached November, my other friend told me she doesn't want to talk to me anymore and we broke off. Slowly i patched things up with this friend....but the 1st one took a far longer time. But slowly... we got back to each other again. Started with eye contact, then to speaking TO each other, then warming up by joking with each other. It feels like the beginning all over again.

And what is it if not considered another beginning? We started anew. We didn't talk about the past anymore. We just let it go, let it be slowly forgotten in times past. Gradually, by December, I've got both of them back. I guess all this loss and found teaches us a lesson to not take the other for granted, and makes you realise how lost you are were you to lose them.

So I'm grateful and thankful for everything that has happened. Maybe not so much the bad parts, but they did somehow play a part in shaping out the good parts, and especially some life lessons, so I still have to give it to them.

Thank you. I thank everything and everyone. God bless us all and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! :D

Jinx?

Lately, I have been wondering if it's some sort of jinx....

You see, every time I start to introduce my close friend(s) to mum, as in, tell her their names and what they helped me with, things will happen and my friendship with that person will turn 100x more messier and complicated.

Happened in 2009. Right after I told my mum who those people are, shit happens and the whole group fell out with each other. Well things are slightly better since then but still.

Happened again last month. Or was it July? Can't remember anymore. Mum was like why aren't u telling me the names of ur friends who helped u and got so close to u. And finally I told her. And... weeks later, shit happens. And it's getting messier and I don't know how to fix things anymore.

It's not I don't want to introduce my good friends to mum, I do want to, but... I am more and more afraid of jinxing things up. I know it's really silly and totally unrelated, but why do such "coincidences" keep happening to me?

When my friend told their parents of me, especially being their friend, I feel really warm inside... I want to give some acknowledgement of my friends to my parents too, but... arghhhh... I feel really bad inside too when my parents dunno who are the kind souls who helped their daughter out in the wild.

So is this a jinx? I dunno... I only know I don't like it.

Hello September~

Can't believe I actually left my blog here for 6mths without any new posts. Incredulous! And so much had happened within the last few months and weirdly i'd been keeping it bottled up inside me rather than write them out, which honestly is therapeutic for me.

Mmm to start off, I actually signed up and started to go for gym since last month, August. come 2 mre days and it'll be one full month xD It has been great, I am slowly regaining back my older stamina and generally just feel stronger, lighter and faster. Of course no dramatic body changes yet due to my insane love for food, so I am more or less the same.

Though, I can feel improvement in myself cardio-wise. With good timing I will normally spend 30-45mins on the treadmill. There are some awesome runners around though! One thing I've found out from my gym sessions is that I am severely weak in my core strength. Yeah I maybe can lift but core-wise and lower body-wise I am ultra-weak!

Other than that, at work, well, since July, we had a new manager from Singapore temporarily taking over our sales department as we lost yet another leader. The very impressive SG manager who took over last year left in May, and the Managing Director left in July. Next week gonna lose another colleague again, a supervisor from a supporting department. It really is a shame when all the good and able staffs are leaving :(

Nevertheless, the winds of change had occured, and there is nothing we can do about it now except to adapt to it. And honestly, the process of adaptation for me had been very rough. Changes happened too fast, laws are enforced too soon without allowing space for compromise. Worse, almost on a week-by-week basis, the approach and strategy to best hit on our competitors are changed all the time. How are we able to adapt to a certain change when u change that to another only 3-4 days after first implementing it?

We are also under a period of restructuring. So certain methods of work had to change to fit the restructuring. However, this phase of restructuring had been very messy. It was too rushed and not done with flexibility. How can you implement and ideal structure and at the same time losing on the manpower to enforce it? We are forced to follow in the steps of other regions, but we are severely short of staff and ideally, we haven't reached the full capacity to restructure yet.

As a result of messy leadership, we are working under more pressure than ever. Just to cover on manpower shortfall alone is taxing. We are told to aim high and to achieve more as a group, yet we are understaffed and that means we have to do 2-3 persons job instead. Personally, we all do want to work to the best we can. I believe in each of my colleagues there lies a desire to achieve more, and break more records. But we were being led to do so in a not very efficient method.

Almost everything the new manager implemented had some sort of backfiring element in them. And most of them won't likely to work out, despite his very well intention to implement it. He is a smart guy and can figure out solutions to problems easily, but he is not one who can devise an ideal solution correctly. A quick fix only temporarily solves a problem. A wrong approach will produce more bad effects than good ones.

To put it all simply, we are a herd of lost sheeps. Without a proper leader, without careful management planning, we are spiraling very quickly into deeper disaster. Who can help us? Despite our best to maintain some positivity and drive in our work, one cant help but feel the 'dead' atmosphere in the office hanging upon us, putting more weight on our shoulders.

Recently at the Popular Bookfest held last month, I got myself a copy of "Who Moved My Cheese?". I've read a "teen" version of the book when I was younger and I remembered being inspired by it. Thought the ideas, the metaphors used in the book, are really good. Because of recent events, I finally bought it to read again and help myself in better understanding and accepting changes. It's a good book and I recommend it! Simple yet direct.

(picture from Google)

I think my situation now is, my cheese is about to move. The signs are all there, and I have to quickly get to work on it soon and be prepared for it. xD

So where and what will September bring me? I hope it's all for the best. There might be falls and surprises, but hopefully I will be able to get up, brush it off and make it through. Plan to get as fit as possible is still on; plan to earn as much money as I can is still on, and I'm going to make it HAPPEN. Gambatte to myself!



Cheers!

The Outsider

Sometimes.... when you feel accepted, like you feel welcomed into this already-existing cliche of people... naturally you feel at ease with them, and whatever crazy shit was cooked out by them, automatically you get asked to join in the fun.

But there are times... when you still feel that nagging 'outsider' feeling... because you were the outsider at the start anyway. They happened before you, and while your presence is felt, it doesn't make that much of an impact. Certain things pull you all together, but certain things keep you apart as well. You don't know their history. Not much anyway. Nothing to fall back on...

And you know you shouldn't feel this anyway, but still it eats at you gently. Don't worry about little stuff like this, but your mind just can't make peace with itself and just let it go. Of course people aren't intentionally leaving you out of certain things... you can't expect to be included in EVERYTHING. That just shows you're being possessive and controlling over something that you can't really have much say in... and that's where it is wrong.

So... you continue to sit, and watch, just like always: from the outside. You're there, but not participating. You sit with your uncomfortable thoughts and hope that after a night's sleep, it will go away and you can face them like nothing ever happened.

Because all these will pass. Because once an outsider, always an outsider....

Happy 2012!

Hi everyone! Hope it's still not too late to wish Happy New Year!!!

It's been a great start to my year so far, what with my first public New Year countdown in KL city at Pavilion, and continuing my holiday with a continuous trip to Penang and Ipoh!

As of now I'm in the state of Ipoh, my second time here and it's all good, this time coming over with a couple of my friends. In another 2 days we will be heading to Penang our last leg of the trip, and by this weekend I will be back in KL and starting work again next week!

Right now I'm in my friends hotel room waiting for another friend, and the hotel room is impressive with a very nice view!!! As this is a new hotel the wifi is very fast and the rooms quite new so far!

Mmm I'm pretty excited abt the food here in Ipoh! Hope to eat some more delicious food! Until then, see ya around! ^^

Merry Christmas! :)

If one year ago you were to tell me i would be organising a Christmas party and hold the position of 'President' of ANYTHING, i would've laughed in your face.

See, a year ago, i was working in a cafe, ever melancholic in the Christmas holidays as it reminds me of happenings of the year prior, hoping somehow we can go off work early to celebrate Christmas. I had wanted to meet up with my friends badly to watch fireworks and countdown Christmas together.

In the end we did close earlier by about half an hr, i did meet up with my friends and we did catch the fireworks. It was brief, but it was enough. It wasn't extraordinary, but at least i was in the moment. And i knew back then it would be my last Christmas there as well, so i was fully intended to enjoy it as much as possible, pushing back past memories to the back of my mind as far as possible.

A year later i was busy juggling work and extra-curricular activities; i was made the President of the Social Club of my job and the first event under me would be the Christmas party celebrations, which was really sudden and last-minute as well because i was elected just two weeks before the celebrations. I had also fallen sick and that made things worse when i had to postpone meetings and decisions.

But due to this election too, i got to learn new things. I have newer responsibilities now and i'm being tested more on my leadership and diplomatic skills. All these are necessary to be learnt to 'upgrade' urself and push to the higher echelons of corporate power, and it was really daunting. I have to learn to adapt quick while maintaining a peaceful truce with the previous committee, especially the 'leader' whom i was appointed to replace.

And here comes the party. Having never before organised ANYTHING, it was a major task for me. And that wasn't the only new thing. I also experienced a new way to enjoy Christmas: the getting together of everyone to work on SOMETHING, and to take part and getting my hands dirty to make sure everything went as smoothly as possible.

I sent out invitations. I had to speak to the higher management and get their approval on things(unfortunately for me i got a very unpredictable, in the sense of personal mood, lady boss as part of the management, which made things much harder), I had to actually give out orders and task people to their duties. I had to give speeches, and i had to speak louder and make myself heard.

For the first time, i decorated for Christmas. I also went shopping for Christmas decorations. I also took part in readying the door gifts for our party attendees. I bought, and in return, received Christmas presents.

This year's Christmas, felt the most 'Christmas' for me. I actually did something for Christmas. And i'm happier this Christmas as well, compared to the last two years. I genuinely enjoyed myself this year. It was a nice Christmas Eve too. Went to my colleague's BBQ party, and went for drinks after that.

Woke up and spent most of my Christmas Day with my dearest friends as well. It was so nice to see them again after so long! :D

And to my friends who i've seemingly less communicate with recently, sorry and please forgive me! I do still think of you now and then. Know that everyone is always in my heart, everyone i call my friends. :)

Take care and once again, Merry Christmas! :D

Say hi to my iPod Touch!

I guess the title says it all! I'm actually typing this out on the blogger app I just downloaded this morning. Pretty cool eh? :P

I'm actually supposed to be working now but zzz I can't keep my eyes and hands off this thing! I have a serious Internet addiction I admit... :P

So yes u can say that this is just a testing post. Just a minor update as well, I'd fallen sick recently, worst fever and cough I've ever remembered in recent years... I've only just shaken off the fever but the cough and dry lumpy throat is still here. Painful!!

But it's great I'm recovering for now!

Take care my lovelies, I'll see y'all soon! :)

2011 Burpday

So here comes my annual birthday post (2 mths late LOL!)! I'm not one of those fortunate enough to celebrate it in a big way, and yet again i'm far from my family and the majority of my friends, so this year i'd pretty much settled for celebrating it alone.

And, it is another personal achievement, i guess, that i am still alive and well this year, and still have people i love with me at this stage of my life. That itself is worthy enough to celebrate, much less than the fact i was born so many years ago.

I hadn't really announced it loudly at work too, i just let things happen on their own. Most of them only know when the little facebook notification announces to everyone, but i'm fine with it anyway. My birthday falls on a Sunday this year, and most people are tied up in Sunday anyway. So yes, i'm ready for a little of 'ME' time on my special day!

---

If i remember correctly, as usual, i woke up late that day, and the skies were grey and raining. I decided to go to Mid Valley Megamall and spend my entire afternoon/early evening there, seeing how i didn't go there that frequent so it makes a nice change from the usual places i go on weekends. So off i went, had to take the LRT to KL Sentral, then change to KTM to travel to Mid Valley.

It was really wet and though i like the coolness, I really do not like the wetness.

Look, you can't even see the buildings clearly!

Anyway, i arrived at Mid Valley, and i dunno, it has somehow become some sort of ritual to me, i headed straight for the famous mata-kucing drink stall and got myself a cup of drink. It's the same one as the one in Petaling Street, but i felt this one always made it a tad too sweet. Nevertheless, i was very thirsty, and it's the only drink i'll get when i'm there, so....yeah...

Then i walked around, window shopping, look at people, until i found myself hungry and so went to try the pork burger from Ninja Joe, as recommended by my friend. Got myself a Brucely Burger (i think Brucely is just the name given to their size) and had it with my drink. There wasn't many ppl at the store, so i ate in general silence as well. It was okay, not too bad, but i think abit overpriced, i dunno...

With my stomach filled, i proceeded to walk about the mall & explore places i never went before. I hadn't finished covering the Gardens side last time so i walked over to the Gardens. Was very thrilled with the Borders bookstore there. It's so vast and quiet and relaxing, i finally found a bookstore that can rival Kinokuniya! Borders in Times Square can't even compare to this. But i didn't have much time to explore it cos treated myself to a movie and it's showing soon...haha. So after walking abit in Borders (Starbucks just next to it, it's like coffee reading session heaven!) i quickly made my way to the theatre to watch my movie.

But wait! Before that, i must have my cake first! I remember for last year i didn't have a cake for my bday... and the year before that... and i want to make this year different. Plus, they all say, birthday ppl shud have their cakes on their special day... so... i went to Secret Recipe and bought myself a piece of Chocolate Delight and ate quietly alone... LOL... i didn't miss other ppl staring at me though, is it really that weird to eat a piece of cake alone? LOL!

After that I went and watch Johnny English... played by the ever-funny Mr Rowan Atkinson, who's really famous as Mr Bean. I watched the first Johnny English many years ago, and i can still slightly remember quoting from the movies and acting certain parts out too. Haha. It was enjoyable light comedy, bt not LOL-funny, mre like smile-funny...bt it was ok nevertheless!

After the movie, it was already nighttime, so i resorted to eating my dinner at the mall before i went back. Mum they all already went back to Brunei by then, so i was truly alone by that time. I had claypot rice from the food court, nothing too special, and after that i took the (long) journey home... and by the time i'm back, i'm tired and didn't feel too special anyway, but again like i said, just grateful i'm still here and stuff.

Alot of friends sent their good wishes to me, on facebook mainly, and some texted me. I tried to not think abt how many really remembers my bday w/o the FB notification telling them, bt i guess ppl are nice to send their wishes to me too when they see it. I myself only remembers less than 10 birthdays myself, but only because i really love all these ppl and won't forget their birthdays, to be honest.

So i spent the night online and thanking everyone for their wishes. Physically, i might be alone, but the faraway wishes i received warmed my night and heart. So THANK YOU ALL. =)

Hope next year it'll be another one worth celebrating, and to celebrate it in bigger, weirder ways! I don't want to grow up so fast though... can i? =P



Love Always.