It's the Ox Year 2009

Just a very short update. Busy busy with dinners and visitings. Not back to office yet till next week. Until then, let's enjoy the beginning of the Ox year. Gong xi fa cai! Xin nian kuai le!

Going back for CNY

Street with lanterns

Yes, it's a statement. Nothing fancy, nothing catchy. Just a lil' tired today. Don't have the energy nor inspiration to blog. Just got back from the badminton session. Played more than 6 games after work. Then hung around the cafe for a drink. Body is aching. Been working out aggressively for the past few days. In fact, crawling out of bed with bodyaches this morning. Sports health experts say, muscles should get rested for 48 hrs- quoted "menshealth". Broken the rules.... need more rest now-says the doctor, blink!blink! Yes, doc.

PS: Crossing fingers for tomorrow.

Chinese lions...

There was a performance held at the district hall this morning in conjuction with the Chinese New Year. Lion and dragon dances, etc. The crowd was amazing. The funny thing was that the performers were majority non-Chinese and there was a mix of local dances in this Chinese-oriented performence. Speaking of unity and non-discrimination, this is really one place I admire. Met Manny but didn't see sight of Amy though she was the one who asked me to go. Hung out for a while and later decided to leave with Ray to the market.

Lion dance

The lions met again. Ray and I were puzzled by the smaller lion heads version here..

Young spectators

All walks of life

Local dance

Boy, I am feeling like an adult. Staff was asking for some mandarins. So, voila...here you go. Mandarins for distribution. Gonna keep some for the neighbour.

The Amazing Race

The sky looked so grey. Everyone was so quiet in the jeep. I was laying the eyes over the jeep window overlooking the greenery. Perhaps lethargy could only explain the silence. It was a cold morning and unlike the usual morning, it was such a long journey, an exhausting one.

Then suddenly we saw some people walking along the empty road non-chalantly. As we went further there were more. Ah... it was a school race. I saw these smiling faces, tired faces, naughty faces all along the way. This reminded me of those schooling days. Doing things with friends, and hanging out with them whenever we wanted to. Of course those days we were rushing to grow up so that we could earn a penny but it's a different story now.

So I stick my camera phone out and started snapping pictures, and voila, here they were smiling back at me. It was really an impulsive decision but who cares, 'kodak moment' should never go wasted. The driver must have thought 'what's wrong with this guy?' Hehe...

After a day of travelling, we arrived back to the workplace exhausted. But I was so pleased to find that there were some food on the desk. Nice... on top of that, a mandarin orange, hehe..
Then I realized, life is actually an amazing race.

So impressed O.....

I am simply IMPRESSED!

The ambience of CNY is slowly growing everywhere. This does not preclude the very own office. Last Friday, I passed a pack of red packets to Suzane and asked her to do something with it. Then yesterday, while walking out from the office door, I was so amazed to look at how small this lil red packets turned the office into a Chinese house literally. I saw even more decorations than I had expected.

98% of the staff here celebrate Xmas and mind you, dont really celebrate CNY. But their enthusiasm to work together, to decorate the office despite their own background has certainly earned my praise alot! I started going from one corner to another and singing praises at each corner. I just can't resist!

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Some even forked out the money to buy the props to enhance the ambience. I always wanted to make them feel that this working place does not belong to others, but to ours. I always wanted them to come to this place every morning thinking that they will learn and bring home something towards the evening. And finally, I felt some achievements here. They are bringing home my msg! Work is not all about business, it's humane coz it's part of us.
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What look like a small spark that I've come up with has turned into a small flame which is growing day by day. I am crossing my fingers so that this flame will continue to turn into an infectious fire which will burn in every heart of ours!



Small cutie right in front of the room

Creative huh?

The center was hand-made!

Pat's husband did this. Amazing!

PS: Meeting tomorrow, and I will sing some praises publicly again, hehe...

Lesson of the day!

I realized one thing today:

Why frown because of some clowns, when you can laugh and smile to the crowd. I know it doesn't rhyme nor sound like a proverb but let it just be that way.

Just san incident which I wouldn't want to talk more on when I have so many better things in hand to manage!

3 days...

..and still am having flu. Mostly cough during the day but worsens with runny nose at night. A lil' temperature is driving my head dizzy. Weather went funny. Nowadays, the blanket of clouds occupies the sky in the morning, you just don't feel coming out of the bed coz the floor is just so cold. Open the door and you think that it's going to rain very soon.

Soon the afternoon comes. Briskly walk to the car to avoid the scorching sun, and yes, feels like burning the epidermal layer and soon get a bad tan. The heat in the car seems like a heating microwave which is not going cooler any time.

Then the night wraps the sky. Slowly the rain falls and touching the warm heated ground. Ahh..and that rings a bell. Maybe the weather has something to do with my 'not feeling well' state of health. Ahaks...

Went to a meeting at another town in the afternoon. Met boss there, hooray, I am going back for holiday as planned. The drive while on our way back made me nauseated. Popped some pills but the dizziness is not getting any better. Maybe the driver, or maybe the vehicle, or maybe the roads, or maybe it's me?! I dunno.. still having this nauseated feelings. That other director tried to pull a joke...watch out for Chikungunya... sounds familiar right? But I don't think that's funny. Hahahaha (ok, that's a fake laugh)

So, I shall rest this blog for the night....

Resting souls

So I broke the heel yesterday and went home with the remaining one. Left the broken one in the office and thought it was funny. Nicely I always had a pair of spare shoes in the car. I am using it so often now that I am worried what would happen if these were gone too.

Went home on time today despite so much work to do and so many people to be seen. Oh yes, got a call this afternoon from the old office. They submitted my name for shortlisting without my knowledge and result out that I was given the license to practise for 'this' particular course instructor. It's the national-level thingy which just added another feather to the cap. So grateful that was given the many opportunities last year and shall work harder this year.

So Alexis asked what could I make out from rice, chicken meat, long beans, yam and shallots. And speaking of shallots, trust me, I was tearing all the way cutting and almost given up continue being in the kitchen. Felt so helpless coz I couldn't rub the eyes when the hands were stained with shallot remains. Boy, these small shallots can definitely demonstrate huge expressions. Well, the answer is.....

While waiting for the luggage in the airport 3 days ago, there was such a huge crowd. I just thought what if I missed out my luggage and someone took it. I mean, there wasn't any space for me to chip in at the luggage station. I was waiting for the crowd to get smaller. What if someone stuck in the airport long enough just to take others' luggage and left with it? There could be an opportunity for theft but all this while I hadn't heard bout it. So, I did ignore that notion. Till today, I read in the paper that there was a theft in the airport yesterday. Then, that wouldn't be impossible I thought! Anyways, better play safe, watch out for our stuff.

I know there are so many 'thens' but really then, I recalled the incident struck Alexis. She said that the only reaction she had after her handbag was snatched daylight, was stunned, and THEN walked off without a word..... mmm.....

PS: This morning got the news that Mals succumbed to her illness 3 days ago. She is a year elder. May her soul rest in peace.

Tipsy minds

A new post of the year. Didn't expect this entry at this very tipsy moment. Pardon the English. Woke up this morning feeling so dreadful. It's BACK to WORK!, again. Just can't get over with the holidays. Now the responsibility is back. If I don't work, no one is gonna work, and that means 'close shop'. The hundred of people will be affected by this dreading moment in the morning. But I was just so exhausted and not motivated.

So, I stepped in the office, and slowly got back the pace. Feeling much better with the long time abandoned environment. Afterall, the office hadn't changed much. Then things got better but busier. It was still ok.

Boss did a spot check! cheng cheng cheng..... Na...he wasn't checking on me. He was checking on the building. So, I guess we are expecting an extension over this tiny building but I am not getting a bigger office. I didn't ask for that coz I am just so cozy with my office. I was asked if I could make it back on 3rd day of CNY coz the state director is coming! We'll see, but I think it would just be too hurry.

Then an sms came in between. An invite to the lil jungle for dinner. Got there with a fren. So the crowd was there singing, eating and drinking. That's why so tipsy now,,,,, had to entertain the local custom lor.... ok, no slang puhleassse.. Abit headache now.

So, that's the start of the week and the year of 2009. What bout you guys?

PS: Btw, got facebook recently but abit lazy to update. Will work on that soon.