Dun keep the water boiling

I really think I should write a post on this. Silly and careless incident which happened a while ago. Came home tired this evening. Took dinner after a quick shower. I was really feeling so tired even the day wasn't that hectic, still dunno why so tired. After dinner, I was craving for some beans. So there went the stinct to boil the water in a pot and later pour in the beans while the water was boiling.

My instinct soooo told me that I was gonna forget this coz I was so careless nowadays, and that this was just a snack, not a main meal. So, who would remember about any snacks in the end of the day. But stubbornly I told myself, to have a nice snack, I gotta cook it well. After checking my mails and browing the net, the eyes were falling a sleep. I went to the room right away without thinking bout the kitchen.

I was in fact struggling in bed coz it was getting warm and warmer. That I could simply explain from the warm weather we had nowadays. So I kinda ignored it. 2 hours later, smoke started to fill every corner and I was literally drenched in sweat. The shock of ma life! Literally jumped from the bed and rushed to the kitchen and the pot was already black and the beans were already burnt beyond recognition.

Moral of the story: Don't keep the water boiling when you are tired...

Earth Hour 2009

A friend last night told me during dinner that there was an Earth Hour event at 830pm but the time was already 820pm my watch. But I remembered only leaving one small light on at home, gosh, if I'd known earlier, I would've switched off the main supply. I cannot agree more on this. Merely 1 hour can't really save much energy consumption the world is using, but it does show a huge concern and awareness among us, the people living on earth. I was touched by this brilliant idea the Australian was thinking of.



Let me talk a lil on life recently. I see life as very grey nowadays. It's not black, white nor colourful as before. I see authorities are talking how much they are helping the people but yet I see even more sufferings. I see more poverty, more jobless people, more inefficiency and even more disasters coming. Some people are taking the situation for granted while some striving so hard to get their heads above the water level.


Are we fighting a losing battle? Are we heading to the right and clear direction that we want everyone to be? While my fellow friends in the corporate line are fighting to keep themselves alive during this recession period, there are still people who reap off every advantage they could get from fellow peasants like us. You don't kill the buffaloes for their meat after they worked so hard to bring you wealth on the field. Alas, there are still people who think they deserve everything that is offered on this land, even it's not their property to own it. Welcome to the BOLEHland. I am frustrated to see this, but even frustrated to work with them.



That's why you don't see me eating beef or buffaloes meat, ahahahahha, dun get offended k. This morning, I received an email about the country situation. I felt like a sword piercing through the heart. It's really disheartening to see things are going down hill.

PS: For those who do not know about the Earth Hour, it's a global event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.

My fellow nation,

The path looks so uncertain,

Why are we still moving,

Like the headless chickens,

Losing their way,

In the midst of chaotic sea,

That is far far away.

Wake up, wake up,

We need to alert the captain,

Do you see not,

As we were born on the same land,

Why not we share the same vision,

Don't go any further the evil path,

Cause hell is waiting there.

Let's move back,

To the right and true direction,

Stop dreaming and be real,

We have the compass to guide us,

We have the moon to show us,

We have the wind to support us,

We have a great future ahead us.

But why,

Why aren't you listening,

To the cries of the hungry kids,

To the pain of the sick old folks,

To the frustrated adolescents,

To the dreaded peasants,

What are you thinking,

Are you real deaf,

Or are you playing deaf,
To ignore our needs,
To satisfy your ego.

Please, please,

We beg you,

Coz you sink, we sink,

Can't you think.

Let us hold hands together,

Putting our diferrences aside,

And pray the sea to calm down,

As we turn around,

To find our path,

Not the 'can can' land or bolehland,

But to where once we call home.

Gnail Tik

PS: Lover's concerto and Try to remember, the courtesy from Lebam Nail

Singing the complaints

Sunny Day...

..so far. The warm weather is back again and it's heating ma head away. Like American Idol, the theme of the week here is 'Sing the complaints'. Let's begin with complaint no.1, the bank.

Case 1: I had tried calling this bank, let's call it P at one of the branches at Sel to enquire regarding some issues. To my surprise, I was calling 8 phone lines but 7 lines were engaged and 1 line without anyone picking up for 2 hours on each occassion during office hour. Of course I was furious. Imagine you have so much work to do and spending 2 hours just holding the phone wondering if anyone would pick up or keep dialing hoping that somehow the line got cleared. That's crazy huh.. Even I couldn't get through the managers' lines!

Case 2: I was invited for a talk very the last minute. Received the letter via fax from S institution requesting to give a talk on XXX topic next week. Hello...as if I don't have an appointment book and expect me to leave ma office and clients just to attend to your last minute invitation? Can ppl be more considerate?

Case 3: A very obvious mistake! A client came yesterday to ma office and then, very soon, by looking at her records and herself, I just knew there were something wrong, very wrong. She was seen by 3 of ma staff previously for the past 3 months and none noticed any problems. Gulp (way of distracting frustration). 2 were senior staff and another junior staff. Guess what I did somemore..?

Case 4: The bank again. So I decided to call P bank at another branch and told them ma problems. This guy promised to look into it and get back to me very the very soon. 2 days. Long enough? Still no reply. Ma issue is kinda urgent, so?

Case 5: Ma boss cut ma claims! The office decided to cut some allowances from the previous trip I made to the city. Not fair!

Solutions:

Case 1: Lodge a complaint online regarding the calls. Less than 4 hours, I received a call of apology and offered to look into ma problems and speed up the procedure. Poor guy, he was following up ma case and gave me a call again 10mins ago to check on my details. It's off working hours now. Corporate world is so much stress nowadays I have to say. Kudos and keep up the good job man.

Case 2: Got a call this evening to attend a course next week in town, initially hesitated coz didn't want to travel but later thought of that talk, so agreed to go. For a while thinking of sending ma staff to give the talk instead and saving ma time to prepare but later got a call to postpone the course. Haizz... talk is back on me but decided to change the time instead coz guys, I need to work k. Please inform earlier next time, k.

Case 3: Called in 3 of the staff and gave a lecture to them. Well 2 are really seniors in the sense of age, so I didn't really go overboard. Sometimes we need to learn to give some respect to the elderly. To err is human. Again, I was kinda strict and expressed ma disappointment. If they were gonna repeat again, then they'll listen to ma melodious yell instead. So, you choose. Ma worst yelling was last year when the staff was denying her fault and that's what irritating me most. What happened after, you can imagine...

Case 4: I called back to the same branch and spoke to Ms.Christy who made sure that the guy would call me today. Well, he did during lunch hour and I enquired his name and kinda warned him of a complaint, then he really started doing his job.

Case 5: No comments.

So, which are you voting out for this week? It's your pick, haha...

Strange...

Sunny Day

..but true. I have been sitting here for the past 1 hour reading the old blogs. Strange strange strange (shaking heads). People would have thought that I had some other better things to do than reading your own, somemore old writngs. But hey, I was reading them. So nostalgic! That's why I always suggested to friends to start blogging but so far none listened to me, haiz..

I didn't realize that I have actually blogged for the past one and a half year, kudos! And it was really scary to recall back the freaking exhautive working hours and it's like a miracle to have survived till today, hehe. Looking back at time, I can't believe that I was that tough but the sense of contentment is there. I still remember how I stole every second just to take a nap. Coz it was really exhausting and the feelings like a roller coster, one moment you are high, one moment you are low, so labile.

Also I have to make a small note to a reader, ms.ka yin (ref:life as we thought oct28, 2007, 8.38am) for her generous comment on one of the entries but hey, I really didnt notice it until like today which was more than a year ago. Thank you. Well, pardon me for not checking coz people just don't respond to whatever I wrote. So, I was thinking all the while that I was either only writing for myself or to fill up the number of blogger quota in the country or both. Well, if there was one reader left, I'll still try to write la (merajuk oredy).

This morning it was really busy in the office. But I was still having some space for fantasy time. Dun get me wrong, not that kinda 3x fantasy. I feel like going back to school, I mean to university. I miss a real university feel... You know walking along the pathway in the old mansion-like univ in a European setting. Wearing thick sweater, holding some books on the arms. Singing "do you remember, the days of september, la la la.." Then Sally passes by, and I say hi and had lil chat at the hall way. Then Matthew joins us and we walk pass the falling autumm leaves to the nearest cafe. There we sit down and have an expresso (wait, this is not right, i dun drink coffee). Ouch, that's so soothing and nice listening to the crispy leaves falling on to the ground and the jazzy music by the roadside unkempt musicians.

I am so into languages, so it would be real cool if I could get a scholarship to study language in Europe. Italy, France, Spain, ma best bet. Ok, I know that's a dream. But hey, if I have enough money, I would really wanna realize that one day, take ma word for that, mmmm... but ma youthness is slipping away... sob sob, better be rich quick.

Okla, finally I have killed all the time I have, waiting to go for an invited dinner tonight. I am going to get ready now. Gosh, haven't prepared the speech for tomorrow. Nevermind, will do it tonight. Until then, keep the oldies going on...

Finger LOOking good..

Sunny Day

Or shall I put it as Very the Sunny Day! Busy this morning doing laundry which was piled up like almost 2 weeks. Incredible huh..oh, you have a maid at home, lucky you. Did 2 rounds of laundry and able to dry those clothes in 2-hour time each. Can you imagine now how hot the weather was? All I wanted was to stay home and relax.

True enough, I did some blog hopping. Amazingly, found a few interesting pieces but doesn't mean they were good. Found one particularly interesting. This person is really vain. Born with good look made everything so easy. Age was around 30s but look was early 20s. Then, after a while, got a lil fed up coz everything was all about how full the blogger was and it's getting so childish. Sound slutty and cheap. Good looks don't give you the right to manipulate others. It was made as if good looking people deserve everything the world has to offer and if they don't get it, that would be someone's fault. Duhh...

Can't people just start to stand on their own feet and get what they deserve by their own effort? I don't mean till the extent of ignoring your health and look. Of course self-presentation is important as that will show how you respect your work, the events as well as others. But the mentality of exploiting the look to gain other interests is just a lil off the line. That's just a penny worth of thought.

That thought had actually hit my mind. People nowadays are only thinking of themselves. They are so full of themselves. I was brought up in a city but sometimes I really think that life in the city is too big for a lil person like me. Being away from the city for sometime literally put me by the corner and observe things from every corner of life. At least I saw humility, love and respect here, which I doubt will slowly evolve into greed, hatred and ignorance like what city has become. Again, at least I've seen it.

The work currently is putting service above self, and the future ambition is even unimaginable. But at times like today, I questioned myself. While putting so much effort on others when others only know how to care for themselves, I'd be at a losing verge. In the era of dogs eating dogs, I'd probably become non-existent by today. We were born with nothing, and we shall return with nothing. That one thing I realized. Alas, being raised in a needy situation, I've grown to be satisfied. Unlike those raised with pouring needs, will never grow to contentment. But I wouldn't say that's the case all the time. We find wonderful people around us who have done so much for the people since the beginning.

Anyhow, it's a chill, nooo..warm weekend. Did the ironing like forever coz the laundry was really alot. Nevermind, all travellings are at halt in the moment. Looking forward to a more exciting tomorrow.

Unbreak ma innocent heart...

Rainy Day

Was invited to an event this morning. Saturday morning o.....

Cute ay... (look at that lil small kid infront, she kissed ma hand when we shook hands, so cute)


It's got to be somebody's b'day..

Where goes the soul?

Rainy Day

The sky decided to break its shower this evening in relief of the past 2 consecutive days of hot weather. Its effect is cooling but not to everyone here. Jane, a young client came in the afternoon on a wheelchair. Her right leg was casted from knee below. I was stunned and offered a sympathetic look. Then I teased her abit that she wasn't careful enough.

I saw wet eyes and mourning face of her mother when she pushed her in. That really bothered me a lil. So, as usual, I'd start to probe a lil (not really that kinda busy body type). She related that she was knocked by a coming van last week and sustained injury to her right leg. She was walking back from work in the farm with her husband and in-laws in a dark road.

Out of a sudden, there was a van driven by a drunkard rammed into them. I was concerned about her in-laws, and she said they fell down and sustained some bruises and concussion. The father-in-law was admitted to the ward for monitoring. So, there went a sigh of relief in me...at least they were alive. Then tears slowly filled her eyes. I knew the story had not finished there. Where's the husband? With a tremble in her tone, she said: he passed on.... I didn't really get that right at first, but I was sure that it wasn't a good thing. Slowly her words digested in my mind. I was struck hard this time.

She slowly choked out the incident bout how her husband was badly hit and lost his facial bones and ribs. He's just 23 and she's 19. She is pregnant with her first baby. I could not forgive myself for being so intrusive. Life is so fragile, one moment you are here, n the next moment you are gone. Where goes the soul after that? They are normal peasant with a normal life and a freak accident can actually claim someone's life without a sign.

My lil heart goes out more to the lil baby in her womb. I am determined more to see him grow stronger and realize the meaning of life. Alas, struggle of life doesn't stop there. There are many more challenges to face ahead. But what bothers me is the fact that losing ones love in a split second and that can be really devastating as the emptiness can never be filled and will never be the same again.

Who would've guessed it's...

Sunny day!

Once again, I'm back. I don't just come back with a handful of information, but a full-filled big stomach. Burp..Yes, put on so much weight. Been eating like a fish (or was it drinking like a fish,hehe), non-stop...now it's time to resume work out. Not complaining much on the eating part coz it's something that we should be thankful for.

Food, food, food

8-course menu

Alright. Let's see what do we have here. An 8-course meal, and how many of us on this table? Surprisingly 3!!! And we had to finish the 8-course meal by ourselves. So semangat ay... But we had to coz they would throw away the food unless we had them. It's a beautiful banquet anyway, so no qualms bout that.

Cheers on the food!

That's alot ay..

The dedicated waiter of the table

It wasn't all rosy though. When I received the msg regarding the situation back home, I was so worried. Couldn't even concentrate that day. The flood and landslide had become the news to everyone, even it's on the newspaper and television. How can the adrenaline not pumped up the spine? Clenching the teeth and clasping the hands, I braved the hills and rains to be home.

Firestation on water

Flooded houses and trees too

Early morning today, the sun finally showed itself, a sign of comfort. Water slowly coming down. But the scene that the river was overflowing and houses being flooded till rooftop still a lil bit worrisome. A few staff were not able to come to work today becoz of the inaccesible roads. The apartment was evacuated becoz of the landslide and most areas were cut off water supply.

Flood

Biggest river here

So this afternoon me and my colleagues went to the river bank and had a few shots on the most severely affected areas. Weather is slowly improving. It was even funnier coz the sun was alot mucg hotter and that gave me a migraine the whole afternoon. Poultry and veges were not that fresh in the market coz lack of water supply. Nevertheless, still able to make some dinner. It's time to rest abit before braving the days ahead...let's just cross our fingers tonight.

Why la flood again..

Rainy Day

Received a msg from a staff a while ago saying that there is a flood back home. Hmmm...the third time for the year, that's alot ay... Still away for the conference. It's been raining here too..usually in the evening with hot sunny afternoon off and on.

The hosting hotel was feeding us so well with heavy lunch and all day long tea and desserts. While dinner outside, having lotsa seafood like a gala. I have to admit that this trip has opened up the sights on whereabout to get nice seafoods here! Hmmm..are we having seafood again tonight?

Oh yea, meeting up colleagues from all over the country. Met some of my previous senior colleagues who are mostly being promoted lately.. how time flies? Looking forward to my turn, hehe. Until then, keep dreaming...

Time to pack again..

Rainy Day

There was a short rain, maybe for 5 mins. Besides that, it was hot hot sun throughout the day. Was not feeling well from the beginning. Started working this morning with runny nose. Water kept dripping out, dunno how many tissues had been used..many. Looked at most clients' faces today, so sympathetic as I wiped the nose with the tissue paper.

Then, decided to pop the pill (antihistamine actually) coz knew that it was still a long day to go. The effect kicked in very soon. A lil dizzy head and bones were getting heavier. Breath was shallow as if it was gonna blackout. Desperately took 30mins off and rushed to the nearby canteen for some glucose consumption. Slowly, the energy came back and started work again. Busy but the pace was never slowed.

Gonna pack again tonite. Leaving for the city again for a few-day course. Tired of travelling? Maybe. But after this, gonna have to really rest at home. Just unpacked my stuff n now have to pack again. Nevermind, let it be an experience. Okay...gotta rest abit. The dizzy head is still bothering. Yawnnn...

PS: I eat when I'm sick...

So predictable

Rainy Day.

I guess it has to rain somehow. But why when it was so hot scorching sun in the afternoon and it changed so dramatically? Wasn't that a lil' extreme? Ok, that much on the weather...

It's been tiring. Yesterday was dozing off on the couch while surfing the net, then let it be. It's a busy day. Appointments were overflowed. Calls kept coming in. Worse, there were calls from insurance, some telemarketeers, etc. Been getting a lot of these calls lately. There was one telemarketeer, so outttt.... Didn't know how he was given this job. Phone etiquette was so out. He wasn't polite at all. Calling my first name!! A stranger calling you your first name for the first time without addressing you as a MR. or MS....?? What da f***? And somemore wanted to sell something to you over the phone. That conversation lasted about 10seconds before I decided to end the conversation. That's so rude.!

Okay...let's lighten up a lil bit. House is still messy, arggh.... no time to really clear the mess. I just know that this is gonna last for sometime coz hardly have time at home during the weekends. Travelling extensively. Gonna do laundry first thing in the morning. It's piling up again. What the h3ck? Let's lighten up more...breath in....and out.

Okay, better go and have some rest. Getting more and more disorientated. Night is getting late. There are still so much to do tomorrow. Clients are coming in the morning, then, afternoon there's gonna be a sports committee meeting (so the very last minute got invited, most probably not going).

Till then.... rush rush...

Community visit by NGO Part II

Rainy Day

It was so cold in the afternoon. Then, it rained in the evening so heavily that most of the sports activities got to be postponed. I am still having this headache since morning. Now that the night has come, things are slowly settling. Alright, let's continue with our previous expedition.


This kids certainly liked the sweets. But which kid doesn't. I like the fact that they would ask before they took anything from us and also that they were not greedy. There were times where I left a big packet of sweets on the table but none had actually took or near taking them. I still remember when I offered an empty bottle to a lil boy, he took it back to the room, later then only he was scolded by lisha (that lil cute gal,remember?) not to take other people's stuff without permission and returned it on the table. But later I clarified the misunderstanding to this lil fellow, and insisted to give the bottle to this lil kid. I was so proud of lisha. She taught me one thing: destitute people are actually not the poorest people on earth coz they still have this big DIGNITY with them!


The toilet from afar...

A very basic toilet. Of course the stench is...... arrg...you dun wanna know, hehe.

Before leaving the crowd..

After a day work, we were so exhausted and rested on the couch abit. Young, eva and leen. The 4 licensed service providers whom were liased with the NGO in the trip of mission. I knew leen when we attended the same course last year in the city while eva comes on and off to my office for work visit. Young is an ex-colleague of mine.

Getting ready for the next day. Early morning at 7am! Hehe, eva said that we made a gd househusband coz we woke up early and did our bed. (ehem..perasan pulak)

Silly moment. I did that swan thing which I was holding (but ppl said it was a snake, huh..), also that green dog and that white bird in the round cage. Look better on pics!

Another silly moment, we were just so proud of our creativity. But these were for the kids!

The balloons were distributed to these kids

So much so on this trip. It's enjoying and at the same time doing charity. What else can be better? Life is not all about receiving. Sometimes we need to learn giving back. Then life will be more balanced. Until the next entry, adios!

Community Visit by NGO Part 1

Sunny Day



I'm back again! Let's recap a lil' bit. Afterall, a picture speaks a thousand words. Sit tight and enjoy the pics! (original pictures only)


3D2N community visit organized by a local NGO.

So, we arrived in the late evening on Friday. Exhausted and found ourselves a place to put up a night. 7 of 4WD altogether departed that very evening.


View from top of the hill where we stayed.



Group picture before leaving for our mission at a nearby village. Here we go!

Having a moment with Leen and Eva (not real name,hehe) before the day began

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The guardian and liason for the mission

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Group photo again when we arrived at the target village


Busy packing our stuff at the community hall

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Kids having drawing sessions

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Some really cute kids waiting for us at the stairs. That lil girl next to me, Lisha was so outstanding and never fear of strangers. She's so courageous and confident at such tender age. Worth of a mention!


People slowly coming..

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Unused clothes became wanted here. In fact, some looked new and clean. Abundant of them!

Lunch time. Common guys, let's eat. Fresh venison from the farm!


Ouch! He lost so many teeth at this age but never regretted.

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Still wondering why people here like to have their teeth off. This lady said, it was hurtful to have broken tooth. So, she had 3 removed by her request! And wanted even more coz she couldn't bite the hardmeat due to the pain.

So, I teased her: if you have no more teeth, how are you going to even chew the hardmeat? You gonna swallow the whole thing rite?

She joked back: Yea, like a snake swallowing its food, hehe. (naughty)

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This group of kids called me while I walked passed them. They wanted so much to be on the camera. So I told them: you people have to say cheeesssseee and peaceee.......(they did!)

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Will post more tomorrow. Time to rest a lil bit. Wonder when am I going to unpack the stuff again.....