Weekend and Memoirs (1)

My weekend has been… contradicting. I had finally taken the first and hardest step in realizing my Choice A. And it went so well! I am so happy. I could have practically flown. I didn’t expect it to be so easy mah. Now with the first and hardest step overcame, I can proceed full swing into the choice. Yippie!!! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of the steps. I really, really hope I can get through it as smooth as I want.

The contrasting part came later. It was somehow minor (for now) but still spoilt my soaring mood. Have you ever felt you tried so hard yet not getting the anticipated outcome? Well, it’s kind of tiring and depressing. Used all my effort and strength to ‘protect something’ yet in the end the other party just couldn’t care less and won’t even spend one second thinking/ considering what may befall should the person proceed with the person’s action. Anyway, I got over it. I’m kind of occupied (and dead beat) myself lately so I just told the person what I thought; I wouldn’t go to the extra length just to ensure whatever the person did nothing bad would outcome. I think I’ve got to stop being such a busybody. I’ve got to stop thinking 10 light years ahead and start seeing tomorrow. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. Well, at least till I recover from my exhaustion to be a busybody again. ;P

Today, SPM result is out! Guess how St3 is doing? 18 straight A1s and 31 straight As! Of that, they have 17 with 10 A1s and 1 with 11 A1s*! Think this is the best achievement so far since my year. The only year that finally beat my year I think (can’t remember how many in my year around this figure too). The years before this, the number was so pathetic that I don’t need to remember my year’s numbers of achievers to know that we are still the record scorers. Keep it up Teresians! Oh yeah, congratulations to Carot or rather to Crystal for achieving a brilliant 10A1! How come now got 10 subjects? Not 9 meh? Unless she takes Music or Bible or.. or Accounts? Hmmmh… I am out of secondary education system for too long already. Out of date.

I’m thinking of doing my memoirs. Bit by bit. I mean most of you probably know part of my life. So I’ll start from what my first memory illustrates.

My earliest memory is of me banging my little head and limbs into the gates. Yes, very smart. When I was little and not schooling yet, I was taken care by Aunt Nyari**. She has two sons, one of which was of my age. Evidently, he became my first playmate. During weekends, my parents and my aunts and uncles and cousins would go for a picnic at Matang waterfall. It’s always a simple get together but fun. *Sigh* Life as a toddler is so nice!

After the eventful weekend, Sunday night is usually a torture for both me and my parents. I’d have to return to my aunt’s place but I just won’t listen. So they have to ‘lie’ to get me get to my aunt’s place and ‘lie’ to get me to sleep but I just wouldn’t even blink. I’d make all sorts of reason to get up from the ‘sarong’ (the buoyant that swings to make kid’s sleep) and walk around to stay awake, e.g.: going to the toilet for the zillionth time for the night. Well, eventually after a painstaking night, I’d fall asleep.

The next morning I usually wake up with a startle. Of course, my parents would be gone by then and I’d do the banging (hands and head). When I get tired, I turn to my cousin and get him to play with me. Even though I cannot remember much of our playtime, but I’m sure he didn’t bully me because I’d never forget those who do. ;P So, basically that’s how the first few years of my life past.

Soon, I enter the schooling phase. I liked it so much because now I get to stay with my parents. I still vividly remember my first day in St Jude. Everyone else was crying. I felt nervous but was gulping it back. I think made a deal with my parents that I would go to school without fuss if I want to stay with them. After school, Mum fetched me to her workplace. She works in the St Teresa’s secondary school which is just next to my kindergarten. Somehow after a while, she didn’t think it was a good idea, so I was arranged to follow a classmate’s transport back to my grandmother’s place. I remembered the first time how I struggled, nearly ripping off my mum’s gold necklace off; just to get into her car.

After the first time however, I liked the idea because I get to play with my ‘favourite’ cousins at my grandmother’s place (my grandmother is staying with Aunt Jane**). So, usually I have fun with Jessica and Jonathan until my parents pick me up. We enjoy games like the tissue-eating competition, anti-cpain-pinching etc. Jonathan usually invent mean games that put Jessica and I through pain (yet we were stupid enough to put up with it because we didn’t want him to call us babies) until he grew ‘out of us’. Looking on the bright side, Jessica and I never grew out of each other till today. We’re still as crazy about each other as we were 2 decades ago. And we’d persuade grandma to bring us to the nearby shop to get some junks or candies. We also usually wait for this grandpa (not our grandfather but a relative somehow) because he’d give us some junks/ candies/ money!

Well, I think that’s where I’d stop for today. I shall continue again another time.

**Aunt Nyari is my mother’s sister in law of her second brother, third among 7 siblings. They have two sons. Robert (Wei Ming), her first son is already married (by now) to a really (VERY) beautiful Kenyah (I think) girl from Miri and he’s even got a son (Miguel Dylan) last year who shares the same birthday as me! They are currently residing in Miri. Her second son, Robin (Wei Tiong) was my earliest playmate. My latest friendly memory of him was I think he tried to teach me to swim in the Damai pool. He is currently working in Komag, Kuching. I haven’t seen him for quite some time and I guess we are becoming strangers. Both her sons are good looking (mixed parentage), tanned and tall and have that tough look and obviously very unavailable.

**Aunt Jane is my mother’s eldest sister, second among the siblings. She has a son, Jonathan, and a daughter, Jessica. She is married to Uncle John who was the headmaster of St Joseph’s primary school. He is now retired. She’s currently working as a secretary in (erm, not sure of that building’s name) Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (?... How come got sultan name?). Anyway, it’s the building where you go for JPA scholarship interview or to make My Card or passport, etc; the government building at the King’s Centre flyover. Jonathan ventures his way to be a professional hair stylist and is currently undergoing his training program in KL. Jessica picks up her fathers footstep and is taking the TOEFL program in IPBA (Institut Perguruan Bahasa-Bahasa Antarabangsa), Petaling Jaya. For your information, Jessica is this smart kid who used to be the routine number one in her class, skipped primary 4 (after the primary3 exam, forgot the name) and also an ASEAN scholarship recipient (but rejected the offer!). She was the Head Prefect, and also Head Section Leader for Red Crescent society. I can’t keep the record but there’s more. I think she’s trying to beat her Dad’s head (master) title, by collecting the ‘head’s title before she even graduate from St Teresa. Maybe that’s why she’s a bit sot (crazy) in her head. ;P

*statistics may not be exact but nevertheless around there; will confirm again ASAP.

Choices' chances and timing

It’s been bothering me quite a lot lately. That certain dilemma. Actually, it all started from a dream. It’s not that I want believe so much in my dream, but my dream has proven itself, or rather dreams have proven themselves, to be far more than dreams. They are more like help, reminder etc to me. Let me give an example.

4 years ago when I flew to Perak for tertiary studies, I lost my luggage full of clothes (MAS mah, famous for that). I had 2 luggage for clothes but the formal ones (for registrations, classes and lectures) were in the one lost. Talk about being unlucky. I was wearing sleeveless top and jeans at the moment. I had to shop for formal attire (which ended up not so formal; faint pink slacks and blouse) to attend the registration that very afternoon at UTP, about 45 minutes away from any shopping centre. For shoes, there was simply no time, so I had to do with my bright blue sneakers. I remember being the brightest person there, with pink pants and bright blue shoes. Everyone was wearing baju kurung (Malay female attire) and black shoes (as indicated in the letter of acceptance).

Anyway, we lodged a complaint to MAS office and there was this officer who was really nice and helpful. I will always remember his help (we were so helpless back then). But all efforts were in vain, and my luggage couldn’t even be tracked! Usually they can track if the lost luggage had been misplaced and flown to another destination or left behind and so on. But mine was, ostensibly, lost in space. He (forgot the officer’s name) asked for detailed description of my luggage and I did give him. Maybe to me I think it is quite detailed but he thought my description was really common. He needed special or unique criteria to spot my luggage. Come to think of it, I think the airport must have had about infinite numbers of bluish green luggage of (the dimensions I gave then but forgot now) in size. After registration, my mum, aunt and I stayed over at Syuen Hotel waiting for news from MAS. But none came.

That night I fell asleep worrying over my luggage. Then, suddenly the phone rang and voila it was good news from MAS! They had found my luggage. The officer pulled my luggage over and handed it over to me. I was so happy to see my luggage. And I turned around to check my luggage for ‘unique’ criteria in case it gets lost again in future. My mum, and aunt were chatting with (and thanking) the officer happily.

Suddenly I exclaimed, “Hey look at this, I have this name tag over here.” The back of the bag was labeled with my name and address. I had done it few years back when I was traveling but I totally forgot about it. The officer said with a smile, “Yes, that’s the kind of information we need to track your bag. But that label is a bit too small. You should make a bigger and more visible one next time.”

And then I woke up. I immediately told my mum about the ‘dream’ I had. She told the officer about the name tag and within 3 hours later the scene in my dream realized in reality. Was it only a dream… or more?

Okay, back to what I was trying to say. The dream brought out the dilemma I was probably trying to forget when awake. It is probably one that I can’t decide so rather not think about.

I have choice A, which is among the top of my priorities. Choice B is among my priorities but not among the top. So, it is obvious that I should take choice A right? Yes, that’s what I’ve decided. But then, why is that dream haunting my slumber?

Choice A is a rather dead choice. Not to say it is not good, but meaning it is a choice you can take as long as you want to (and of course have the ability to). Maybe I should rephrase it as a fixed choice. Meaning the chances to take this choice will be open as long as you work hard enough for it. As in, there is no other party/ person who can stop you if you take this choice (well, literally speaking la). The timing is more flexible, though for ultimate result, it should still be weighed carefully in decision making. This choice is also open and I can venture into it as much as I want, doing background research/ preparation before I decide the pros and cons of it. I am very clear about it; maybe that’s why I am sure I want to take this choice.

Choice B is a little more alive or undead, which means it is not very fixed. It means the chances open for this choice is limited. And there will be a party/someone who can actually have the authority to obstruct you from taking this choice. But for now (or I think) it is not a problem, which means for now the chances are open for this choice. The timing for this choice is more limited too (I think). Although, I’ve been assured the timing is not critical but I don’t know how much I believe that. And even if it’s true that the timing is as assured, but there will still be a day when it will expire. This choice is kind of blurry to me. That’s because this choice has fluctuating and contrasting information. This choice can’t be penetrated as deeply as the one above because it will have side effects. It can only be observed and ‘learnt’ from the surface. And maybe that’s why I daren’t take this choice as I don’t have the guarantee and may regret if choice B does not turn out as expected and at the same time had caused me to destroy my dream in choice A.

Actually there’s another choice, a harmonious combination of both A and B above, Choice C. It is the ultimate choice I want, but I didn’t put it in my list of choices because this choice is not mine alone. There will have to be consent from anther party so I would not consider it a choice because it is not my choice totally. I do not have the entire right to make this choice.

So rationally, I should go for choice A. It may lead to future lament but if I take it, I am guaranteed of what is promised in Choice A. The only thing is I will never know what happens if I had taken Choice B instead. Sounds like the Robert Frost poem; The Road Not Taken. And that will bring a significant amount of regret because I do not deny the fact that if I could have more information and support for Choice B, its priority will rise considerably for me to willingly let go of Choice A. I guess this is something about risk. If I risk my head for Choice B, and do not get the return, it’s not worthy of letting go Choice A but nevertheless nowhere near the end of the world, whereas if I choose Choice A, I can sail a smooth journey and will safely anchor at my dream destination.

If only Choice C is available, I’ll be the happiest person on earth. Too bad, that’s not (entirely) my choice.

Argghhh, every time I think of this I go crazy and haywire. That’s why I’d rather not think. Get OUT of my HEAD!!!

Kenyalang, *accident* & 'Tadpole'

Who would have messaged me as early as 6:20am in the morning? There were possible and hopeful candidates running through my head, /;P but I would have never guessed the correct sender, my aunt! The only times she messaged me was when there’s occasion/ celebration, or when she can’t get through to my mum (then I become messenger). So, for one freezing moment I thought there was some kind of big urgent news and she couldn’t get it to my mum. … Opened the message…

“THE VALUE OF A WOMAN:
A woman came out of a man’s rib. Not from his feet to be walked on, not from his head to be superior over, but from his side to be equal. Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved. Have a blessed International Women’s Day!”

OK… Happy International Women’s Day to everyone. I didn’t even know this day’s existence before this. Whatever it is, go girl/women/female power! Hehe…

Last night was the first time I stepped into Kenyalang after having returned to Kuching for 14 weeks. Yes, I can remember since I have to do weekly report! It looked pretty much the same. Oh yeah, I went there to do some ‘shopping’ for my ‘project’. Not the internship project lah, some artwork and needlework. Okay, you can pick yourself up after you are done roaring on the ground. Done?

Yeah, I know my needlework is bad. The only time I ever used needle was during Kemahiran Hidup (Living Skill) ERT projects. Gosh, how I loathed it back then (till now but maybe less?)! The sewing machine seems to hate me even more since it is always tangling up the threads into impossible knots! Anyway I was looking for this shop that sells all kinds of artwork and needlework material. I got a tip from my sister that the shop was called ‘Shen Ling’ which literally means ‘Jungle’. She went there for her KH project. But knowing her, she can’t remember where the shop is. Actually I do have idea where the shop in Kenyalang is, only I don’t know if it is called ‘Shen Ling’. When I asked my ‘helpful’ sister about it, she said it was not that shop (the one I remembered). So when both of us stepped into Kenyalang we don’t know which way to head. In the end I asked a taukeh-nio (lady shopkeeper) of a junk food shop. She was real helpful.

Me: Excuse me, may I know if there is a shop called ‘Shen Ling’?
Shopkeeper: Shen Ling…. Shen Ling… (trying to recall) oh you mean Shu Lin hia?
Me: (Turn back and gave my sister a questioning look)
My Sister: Oh, I think so.
Me: (Turned back to the shopkeeper) We think so.. haha (a paiseh laugh)…
Shopkeeper: Oh the one that sells artwork and needlework materials right? Walk to the other end. It is a bit pass the 100% Discount Store.
Me: Okay, thank you. Thank you lots. (Waved goodbye at her)

I walked out of the place feeling like a foreigner finding way in Kuching. ~_~

Well, walking through Kenyalang, we passed 3 shops which had the name S.L co etc. etc. And two of it had the name Shu Lin (Chinese version of the shop’s name)! And my sister was surprised because the first S.L Co. (Shu Lin) shop we saw is an ice cream shop. But the nice lady shopkeeper had told us to walk pass 100% Discount store. The Shu Lin ice cream shop was before the 100% Discount store so I thought there might be just more than one. The second S.L Co was the shop we were looking for. But unfortunately it did not have the weird materials I needed for my project. So, this time we headed back to the shop I asked my sister earlier on. On the way back (to the other end), we passed the third shop which was S.L co… etc selling computers and stuff. I think, Kenyalang shops need to brainstorm for more creativity on their shop’s name. Don’t know what is so nice about the jungle that everyone is fighting to use that name. *Shakes head*

Anyway, I found most of the stuff I needed, though not the exact ones (replaced with something else), in the shop. But I was still missing some so we entered the air conditioned part of Kenyalang shops. When I walked pass a shop, they had this variety of cute gift boxes. I picked up a black one. It was about 5cm x 10cm x 3cm. But when I flipped for the price tag, I had a shock of my life. Guess how much it is? RM29.00!!! I dropped the box back into the pool of boxes. My sister was just saying that I was holding a nice box then. I told her that box is out of question since it is RM29!!! Anyway we dug on for a nicer but cheaper box. The rest, were prices at RM2.50 and below. My eyes never left the black box I dropped back after being shocked by the price. The other black boxes (of the same kind) were stacked up nicely in one corner. I did think that they might have priced it wrongly but at second thought it was after all a gift shop. And gift shop seems to have unreasonably expensive things. Somehow, we came over another black box which seemed to have been knocked of the stack it was suppose to be on and it was priced at RM2.90. I guess they did price the other one wrongly. So I immediately bought it.

I moved on to cards. That shop had a lot of weird cards. Yes real weird. I was looking for birthday cards. There are so many birthday babies coming (some past with me totally forgetting, I’m SO sorry)!!! I’m quite a lazy shopper (antonym of Bia), so I usually get most of you guys gift and cards together. Haha…

Anyway, back to the weird cards. All the birthday cards somehow sounded like… well, you tell me how it sounds like after I tell you. I suppose if I sent Jasmine this card saying “Happy Birthday, I can’t live a second without you” I think she’d have a heart attack (or maybe not, since we are so fren? ;) ). Or, “Happy Birthday, I like you”, “Happy Birthday, I will be yours forever”, “Happy Birthday, I will wait for you forever”. There just wasn’t one single normal Birthday Card! And even if I was getting it for my better half, all the messages sound so fake and eeyeer type. So Mint, it’s not my fault I can’t get you a card! Haha.. No lah, later in the end, I was getting so frustrated so I asked the shopkeeper.

“Erm, do you have birthday cards?”
She looked to the corner I was squatting at searching madly just now.
“I mean…(thinking how to phrase it) normal birthday cards…”
She pointed in another corner.

Well, the cards here are more normal. But it still is, weird, in a funny sense. There’s this card company that makes its card with all the stupid lame jokes. I was thinking of getting one, but it was all in Malay and it just seems not so appropriate for some un-BM-ish ppl. So I settled for normal cards. The Halloween cards were quite fun. My sister and I had a go at all. We opened most of them. It is a 3D design card. Like when you open it, it will structure into something. I can’t give out too many details here because I bought one for one of the ‘lucky’ candidate out there. Yeah it’s ‘Halloween’ theme transformed into birthday card. Can’t waste such nice cards right? (Insert Noob’s evil laugh~Hiak hia hia~) Anyway, it’d stand out in your collections of birthday cards mar. If not, every year get Memory Lane cards, not fresh at all. ;P So if your birthday is near, eg: Jas, Su, Olive, Jess… Beware… Haha…

Oh, when I passed a records shop, there was this boy about 7 or 8 years old. There were key chains of Chinese artists. He was pointing and exclaiming at one.

“Eee, chu shao tian!!”

I think (no, I think I know) that’s one of the F4 members. Well, amazes me how kids know artists names at such young age. I think I first got any interested in this entertainment artists and stuff when I was in Form 3? Even then, I only listen to songs and seldom know the names of the artists. But I guess the era has drifted faster than we ever realized. Well, that was most of if from the weird encounters of my first real shopping in Kuching.

This morning, I nearly had an accident. Well, not only me la, and the fleeting lot of speeding cars. If it happened it’d probably be a long accident of 15 to 20 cars. And we all have this white Wira aeroback to thank. Okay, this is going to sound long but it actually happened in a split of a split second. Serious, it was so fast yet so detail as if in slow motion. Luckily my heart is still young enough to take it.

I was turning from a roundabout into 1Si at quite high speed (told you it’s a highway speed). The car (a blue Iswara) in front of me had abruptly stopped! Yeah from about 100kph to 0kph! In the middle of the road. Yeah, near the turning point too. Meaning right after the turn, it stopped. I didn’t blink which is a good thing cause if I did I’d probably bumped right into him. Oh man, but I managed to stop in time. I think I was exactly 1mm behind his bumper. But before I even recover from the shock, I immediately became intense and anxious (for the car in front of me to move on from his sudden stop) because I was now exactly at the turning point where people turn at fast speed from the roundabout. The car behind me was a 4 wheel drive at a speed even faster than mine turned in and all I could do was watch it crash (or I thought going to) into my back. I was staring at it from my reflecting mirror. My heart actually beat so fast that it seemed still. The driver was so near my car, I could see his angry and shocked face but in the last second he managed to swerve to the other lane (though he looked like he lost control of his car for a moment). So, he’s safe but right after he swerved away another silver Atos appeared (it was right behind the 4WD)! I guess the Atos was shocked too to see my stationary car after the 4WD swerved out to another lane. I watched him again as if replaying the 4-wheel drive (but now different and relatively smaller car) crashing into my back.
Luckily for us, there were no cars in the other lanes and the opposite direction lanes. The silver Atos managed to swerve again like the 4WD guy but I guess he nearly knocked the 4WD. And after that there was like a pool of car at the roundabout because everyone was swerving everywhere and going out of the right direction. Pretty soon, the traffic all slowed down, as it was impossible to speed through the jam.

So I looked onto the front and saw that there were actually 4 cars ahead of me. The white Wira was the one stopping I think, causing the rest to follow the suit. The Wira finally made its move towards the side of the road. I don’t know why she (I saw the driver when I drove past) decided to stop so suddenly, but if it’s not because of emergency or problems like car breaking down, it’s really a bad move on the road.

Okay, I admit. My memory is bad. And I think I don’t even have the slightest idea of how much it has deteriorated. So I’d like to apologize for all that I’ve forgotten. First of all, it was like one month later when I remembered my ‘sister’s’ birthday. We were practically sisters how in the world did I manage to forget that? Sorry yeah… And I thought I remembered in time some other friend’s birthday but obviously I did not. If you thought that’s the worse, I even totally forgot that I forgot another friend’s birthday until he actually (yes, he did) reminded it to my face. He said he waited a week, but obviously my memory was lagging more than a week. I guess I deserve a smack to wake me up? Haha.. Sorryla… You know what. It’s all Friendster’s fault. Last time they used to show people’s birthday in the main page. Now it’s all about the profile updates, new testimonials, and birthdays are only shown when you go check. How can I go check everyone lah??

Oh, KC just popped up with a packet of food. Taiwan food. It looked like enlarged tadpoles. Black eggs of goodness know what. She insisted I take it even though I was hesitant. After I take one she added “You’re not allergic to eggs rite? It’s quite nice actually.”

It was then when I remembered. Well, honestly, I am allergic to egg. Or maybe to be specific, allergic to overdosed of normal chicken egg and allergic to any weird eggs. But having the thing in my palm and she seemed insistent to watch me pop in my mouth, so I did. I know it tasted salty. That’s all I know. When she got out of sight I took it out and put it away in a tissue. Sorry mate, I, er.., am not adventurous for challenging food.

Today’s post is so long. Longest ever maybe! But I guess I just have too much to say. And I didn’t even finish saying all I wanted. ;P

Boredom Blogaritm

Hi again for the second time in a day. I seem very blogative today. Actually, I’m on the verge of hugging my monitor into slumber. The thing with 1Si is the workload (at least for me) is very inconsistent. I’m so used to continuous and unending tasks that I can’t sit here with nothing to do. Most days are filled with work but some, like today, are dead boring. It is then when even a hard piece of keyboard looks like the softest pillow for the best dream.

As I was nodding off in front of my monitor, I decided to get up and stretch my legs. Then I decided to give the new girl another short, express session of ‘tutorial’. Boredom seems to empower time to crawl. Zzzz…

I wish KC would give me more interesting tasks like the one this morning. It involves a bit of programming. And I thought I detested it (programming). But I guess simple ones are interesting and give you the space to play around with.

Other than that and a bit of here and there routine tasks, troubleshooting and the ‘tutoring’, I am completely free. So free… VERY free… …

(After receiving some mails from friends)

Totally awake, and now busy ‘chatting’ over mails. So long!

Handphones, Shopping & Relationship

My dad just got his new Motorola super duper thin handphone. Seriously, it’s so thin I think I can karate it into pieces. Ha ha … My handphone looks obese next to it. It’s about 3 – 4 times thicker than my Dad’s. Otherwise (for those who have no idea of my handphone size) it’s a 20pages exercise book’s thickness. One day I think handphone will be paper-thin, or maybe, something invisible that just tags along its owner. These gadgets are shrinking like nobody’s business.

I shall not complain. I still love my handphone as much as the first time I saw it. And even more now that it’s elaborated all over with creative yet artistic marks (lines and scratches). And I will always remember what I vowed when I first bought it for RM1k, that I will use it till the end of my life, or its life, whichever shorter. Ha ha… Anyway, if anything happens to this handphone again (I lost my last one), I will live without one. I think (and hope) it’s achievable. Unless another one comes free, or money drop from sky (or jackpot), I will very much stick to my vow. -_-"

The same goes for my wallet. Burnt a hole in my pocket (or bank) when I bought it. Actually it’s not that expensive (for branded and quality ones), but I tend to make myself to take super good care of branded stuff. And make it last loOOoong. Like, for the lifetime. ;)

So which kind of shopper are you? Are you the kind that grabs stuff in excess quantity but relatively cheap/ reasonably priced? Or the type that buys (real) expensive one and makes sure it lasts long? I know some people buy things in quantity. Their policy is, if one spoils, there are many more backups. And it also may be convenient to have more as you can place them all over the place for easy access instead of depending on one (which might get lost). But I fall in the latter group so I usually shop for quality. Of course, before I ‘meet’ the ‘destined’ one, I stick to cheap but usable products (some stuff like watch and wallet are hard to live without). And when we ‘meet’, I stay loyal to it forever. Or so I vowed.

The same is true and applied for relationship. Before meeting someone of my resonance, I just stay friends, which may be richer than what outcomes from a relationship. And when the destined one is here, it’s happily ever after. Yea, kinda like a dream in that starts with once upon a time… I know, unrealistic. Slap me, wake me up. Haha… A friend always told me no pain, no gain. But I think at this state I’d rather to have no gain than any more pain. (Lucky she’s not around to debate with me this time ;P). Call me cowardy cluck cluck but I’m just too lazy to be bothered if it’s not worth (in my opinion that is) it.

Yesterday didn’t post as usual because I was … erm occupied. Lunch time was dragged out to eat. So hot! Got 5 star aircond, spacey, clean food court in 1Si they don’t want to enjoy. They choose to walk under the 12 noon sun, drive with 30 cents more expensive petrol to a hot, crowded, noisy coffee shop. I guess they are bored lah. Anyway, it was an interesting lunch. Erm, as in their gossips are nothing like the ones I heard in office. ‘Better’ gossips?

One of them (the gossips I mean) amazed me. They were talking about a guy (I mentioned him here before but better keep it as anonymous as possible). This guy had 5 girlfriends to date (as in till today). I have no idea what happened to the rest but he’s currently with the 5th one. The 3rd one was engaged to him already, when it somehow didn’t work out. The amazing part is, when he broke off with the 3rd one (she left him actually), he bought few prospective newspaper ever since. Guess why? He wanted to ‘catch’ the marriage announcement in newspaper of her. Just to see her picture again. And JL said he, without fail, every single day since the broke up, flip though newspaper for the news. After 4 years of flipping, one day he finally did see her picture. And for one second, my imaginative mind thought he saw a bad news instead. Well, no, it’s not a drama here, but real life. She did get married to another guy. And this 1Si guy who flipped the newspaper for few years was beh-song (unsatisfied) because according to him that guy doesn’t seem to be any better than him (looks).

I don’t understand why guys can’t understand that most (sensible) girls don’t think looks are important. If it comes along, it doesn’t hurt, but if it doesn’t, it’s no big deal either. Mainly because it’s the heart that can touch ours (girls' heart), not looks. Of course, it is always a plus if you put effort into presenting yourself in a respectable manner, but we do not expect more. And it is the effort that you bother to put in, not the outcome of your outlook that makes it a plus. May be I should speak for myself (as some girls may disagree with me).

Whatever it is, the 4 years of flipping still amazes me. And JL said he actually told his current girlfriend about the news and she just wonders what his girlfriend’s reaction is (about him flipping for picture of his ex). Haha… Like JL said, and I believe what most girls out there think, they’d rather not know (about the flipping news). White lies are preferred. Whereas for me, I totally agree it is a good way, but my own preference is to know everything. Because to me trust and honesty and cold but true facts are more important than anything. Some truths are not exactly melodious to the ears or heart, but all the same, I can take it because I’ve been through more than what most of you know. And I trust whatever we share (friendship, ‘sisterhood’, etc.) between us can survive it.

Wah, today a bit lohsoh. Must be making up for yesterday’s absence. Hehe… There were more from that lunch, but I guess another time, another day.

Wedding Bells

As you can see, I have added new features (again, I know). Haha… I tried the translator, and seriously except for a few words I recognize in Japanese and Korean, I wonder if the whole translated blog makes sense. Because I always type short form or net-spelling words, which means it’s not a proper English word like ‘which = wic’. So from now on, I will have to try my best to type all in proper and recognized English words, so that the translation does not turn into crap. Oh my, typing this paragraph alone makes me tired cause of sticking to the proper English. Just goes to show how ‘proper’ my English has always been. ;P Oh, and I wonder what are smiley faces translated into. Haha…

Ok, after trying in Chinese (since I read a lot more Chinese than Korean/ Japanese), it sounds ridiculous!!! But I guess it sticks to the main meaning though the structure sounds… weird. And my blog title ‘Rain Or Shine’, is translated into ‘Bu Jian Bu Shan’! Haha… Nice one. The section ‘about myself’, is totally absurd, but nevertheless delivers the meaning. Okay, some of my blogs become rubbish due to the use of net-English so I think some day some time I shall take some time to go back and do corrections.

Oh, and just for your information (see, I usually use FYI, but now cannot!), you can translate part of this blog by clicking the Alta Vista Blue header part. Then copy and paste it into the popup window.

Last Saturday I logged on (not from my house though), but my page appeared disastrous! Haha... Don’t know why it’s like that, but it seems okay when I open the page here this morning. Anyway, I tried doing corrections to the last post but it seems time consuming and dead boring. And it still didn’t make better sense. So I gave up. Sorry for those using translation feature just bear with me. At least you can still get what I’m trying to say… I think.

This morning JL showed a photo of a wedding she attended recently (should be during the weekend)in Merdeka Palace. KC was saying something, and I, as usual wasn’t paying much attention. I was actually standing there waiting for KC to dig out the lost SPC form, but they had evidently engaged into a really interesting conversation. It was something like this…

JL: She was so sexy you know. Her dress was bare back split all the way down to her butt.
KC: Haha… But she’s so fair and she looks beautiful in her wedding gown. (Gazing at the photo, while I was wondering when she would give me the SPC form.)
JL: You know what… The groom is more than 10 years her senior… (This is when I finally tuned to their conversation frequency)

… Don’t know what they were saying, as I was squinting at the photo now-it’s only the size of a name card. And yeah, the guy did look 10++ years older than the girl. By the time I retuned to their frequency, the conversation had just gotten from hot to SUPER-burning hot.

KC: (almost exclaiming) What, so old?! I cannot believe it. … (and she kept repeating it) When KC finally gave JL a chance to explain…
JL: Yalar, he’s her manager when she worked as Chemical engineer somewhere… etc… etc…

I began to lose interest again. Is age such a big problem? If the love each other, just go ahead lah… and I was still waiting for my SPC form... I think they got into a debate about the age thing (looks too) while I stood there, obviously invisible. Somehow, despite KC speaking so fast and anxiously, I managed to catch something which again brought my attention back to the topic.

….(in middle of age compatible debate)
KC: Same age as me lah, she’s my classmate mah.

Me: Wh..what?
KC: XXXX mah. My class one. (In an expecting tone) You don’t know her? (Because I told her I can’t remember anyone else from her year the last time she asked me)
Me: (mouth drop open and grabbed the photo from JL’s desk)

JL and KC stared at me.

Me: (looking up from the photo and barely whispering due to shock) Oh my gawd, it IS her!
JL: You know her?

I can only nod. And to think I’ve looked at the photo and not recognized her.

KC: Yala, same school mah, so not so surprising to know each other.
Me: (Actually, I don’t know many seniors one. So I explained.) Oh, actually I only know her from badminton.

KC and JL continued their saga of unbelievable age-gap marriage. While I asked myself what there is to be so shocked about when I found out who the ‘heroine’ was. I mean, 24 is a normal if not ideal age to get married (for most girls I think).

I have never been to a wedding dinner. And many people gaped disbelievingly at that. Is it such a surprise? Because my cousins are almost same age as me. About 2 or 3 got married but I wasn't around in Kuching then. Eh wait. Erase that. I think I have! When I was about 5? or younger. Now I remember cause I remember the photo of my youngest Aunt who got married. So did I attend? cause I only remember the church part. I cannot remember anything else. Maybe I was left out from the fun part being so stupid, I meant young then.

Okay la, I erm (OK wat is ‘erm’ in other languages I don’t know but well as long as it’s not too far from the meaning) think that’s all for now.

Wish Upon a Shooting Star

Or on your 21st birthday. But make sure you don’t waste it like I did. This happened quite some time ago (3 months ago) but I will never forget my stupidity for it. *Sigh*

My most favourite cousin was lighting the candle (yes only ONE, I think she wants to reset my age to 1 after 2 decades wondrous life) on my (cheese) birthday cake for surprise (*I’m so surprised*), when I caught her. It seemed that she couldn’t find any source of ignition for my candle and asked me for match/lighter. Absent mindedly, I called out ‘no’ (she was in the kitchen) from the dining room. Actually, I was suffering partial brain dead from 1Si. I remember I had to OT up to 7pm!!! On my birthday!!! ON MY 21ST BADAY.. er.. BDAY!!! Anyway, she remained ‘busy’ in the kitchen, but I never guess a thing as I was entertaining my aunt and my grumbling tummy. Then I heard, ‘tak’! Tiak! TIAK! TIAK, TIAK TIAK! It didn't even register to me what the heaven she’s doing in my kitchen, trying to ignite my stove (which is partially cacat*-ed). Only after several (unsuccessful I spos) tries, I decided to investigate.

She heard my footsteps. Before I even caught a glimpse of what she was attempting, she had already hidden the (small) cake behind her back. So I gave her that ??? look. And I think she thought I had saw, and brought out the cake from her back. OK, I was surprised. Really. I mean with all the food, I didn’t seem to remember birthdays come with cakes. She asked me to blow out the candle. I can’t remember if it was lighted in the end. I think not. Anyway, I took in my deepest breath to ‘blow out’ the candle. At the second I was about to puff out my whole lungs, she screamed ‘STOP!!!’ and was protecting the ‘lighted’ candle with her hand. Make a wish, she said. And as I was having faulty problems with my hand phone since few days back and getting tired of receiving more and more (impatient) messages, naturally it just popped out of my mouth. “Wish my handp hone is working again.”

My cousin gave me a blank look like I just said the most stupid thing (I now agree, but it was relatively important back then). Anyway, I ‘blew’ the candle. And as I was enjoying the cake, my hand phone, miraculously functioned (normally) again! Yes, it worked! And I meant both the wish and my handphone.

So you see, I had so ingeniously wished for something so ‘important’ on my 21st birthday wish that I do not hope anyone else out there does worse than me. Looking on the bright side, at least i DID save some money of sending the malfunctioning phone for check-up. So be careful about what you wish for! Don’t waste it!!!

Oh, and thanks dearest cousin... Your sincerity probably touched someone in heaven and made him / her gave my hand phone a flick of wand.

*cacat = handicap (Malay)

Gardening, Moobella and PRIUS

I’ve always learn a lot from my Dad. Well, recently he’s into gardening (actually he’s always into but no time for it). So when he saw his precious plants dying few days back (attacked by a white colour virus which sticks to the back of the leaf and flies around), he asked me to spray them with the remedy he prepared, which happens to be detergent (powder type) mixed with water! And checking back at them last nite, it worked well. The plant is now a healthy shade of fresh green. I obviously do no inherit his passion or wisdom in this case (and many others too actually). But I’ll always remember what he says, “Talk to the plant and they’ll tell you more than you can learn from the books.” It’s not dat I don’t want to listen, but plants are ok, soils are so-so, and worms/bugs/insects are NO-NO!!!

Was reading Fortune magazine (dunno wic edition) and came over this interesting article (since I quite like ice-cream). Moobella, is a machine like any other food/ drinks dispenser, but is meant for…. yes, you got it… for ICE-CREAM!!! It makes ice cream within 45 seconds (about $2/$2.5 per cup) of any flavour (12 options) and any mixed in (choc chip, nuts, walnuts, cookies and cream etc) u desire. It has LCD touchpad for user to input their order. And most of all it’s freshly made! It’s even completed with a nutrition calculator ready to analyze ur order’s nutrition facts. For more info, click here.

Moobella: 45 seconds to your freshly made favourite ice-cream

Toyota has yet introduced another hit car to the automobile market worldwide. Toyota PRIUS; sleek car with high-tech-look design. The car has this slogan promoting it: So advance, it makes the future seem obsolete. I personally, don’t know much about cars (told you I don’t inherit a lot, if any from Dad). But this one looks real nice. It’s a combination of a gas engine and an emissions-free electric motor (essential for our much polluted world) to achieve amazing fuel economy (with the price hike of fuel I bet this is the most important feature now)! And apparently, there’s special tax deduction for PRIUS customers (not sure if it applies to all). And all that at the price of mere $21,725! But, this may fly high once the car enters M’sian market. You can check here for more info as I’m not very good at detailing the performance, size, safety features etc.

Prius: Toyota's latest hit

'Thrilling' Thursday... *ahem*

I have been given the chance to do some training for the new girl. Wah seh... But I think I am a real lousy teacher/coach/trainer (look at Ong's badminton skill, but I guess her case is not a good measure of my teaching skill but rather her learning ability). Haha... Aniwei, all in all I think she got my point on how (its the easiest task mah) to do it. But then wen we were about to save the file, found out she only got read access. Aiyoh, was standing hovering over her comp and demonstrating the whole darn long process. Aniwei, I have just finish redoing it on my comp.

Ahah! I have finally settled in my new seat. Aiyoh, in the end still pindah rumah (move house). Cos loh, too many ppl wana sardine there (SPC section) liaw so this poor trainee kena (been) kicked out. Aniwei, I am now sitting with the senior staffs! Erm… the environment is a bit grim (seniors mah, more ‘pro’). And poor ED is totally gone. Out of sight. I guess he went to his lab oredi loh. More peace than to move here and there every now and then. Kinda miss the crazy & stressful environment in SPC section (I am currently handing over SPC to JU, after that move (as in officially involve) in this senior Reliability section!). Wat am I saying? I must be out of my mind to miss the pull-hair-out & bang-your-head-on-the-wall environment.

A new engineer will be arriving soon. He will sit next to me (ED’s seat). But dunno how soon. As I have said before, this seat, or rather ED’s seat (my current one is just next to ED’s ex-seat) is not so ‘strategic’. Well, wat I mean is it’s very open, no privacy, so ppl can walk pass, glance at your monitor and see wat u doing (eg: blog/ surf net / steal bone- Malay saying of lazy).

And at that point, I was ‘surprised’ by DY’s approach from behind (told u its not ‘strategic’, u can’t even see who’s coming towards u! My previous seat, I can ‘see’ with the end of my eye whoever approaching within the vicinity of 1 meter.). She passed me UTP letter of visit. I passed to SJU and she asked me to pass to SH. SH ar… aih better don comment la later ppl misunderstand as they owes do. ;P Aniwei, I think he was in the midst of bone-stealing… hehe ;P

Oh, I have been answering phone calls non-stop. Nope, I have not achieved that level of popularity in 1Si. It’s that guy’s who previously sat here. Apparently, our personal line (we all get one, yes even me) is not changed yet so I keep getting his call. And this guy (Chinese but mixed and he doesn’t look Chinese at all) seems to have multiple names! Ok, I noe (just only found out) his official name (Chinese one) but when ppl came up with something inaudible (plus noisy background) and non-Chinese/English name, I tot she got the wrong line but nevertheless I redirected her to JL’s extension (his current seat) and I hope the name she repeated is his. Ish, I bet that he (dat guy whose seat I take) doesn’t even noe my name if any calls come for me, which is also good since I malas wanna entertain anyone on the phone, mails wud be better. I can choose wen to reply, gives me more time.

It’s no more rainy/ stormy. HOT season. Just these few days la. It still rains, but drizzles (and cant overcome the strong blazing sun) I think and usually by the time wake up can oni see wet ground no more rain. Las nite really hot cos I din on air cond. Kinda uncomfortable since I can’t take too much heat, nor can I deal with the dryness or air cond. But however hot, its never gonna be anywhere near Tronoh, the land of crisp dry and burning hot. I can’t imagine how I am gonna adapt back after IT. I rmr my first experience there during special sem / 1st year… Erm, not too memorable.

Kla, nthg much, xcept I still can’t wait to graduate. Still working out on how to get off Petronas hook, FREE dat is or with the least payment. Can sumone explain my anxiety to graduate? Bsides the fact I am free frm UTP? Might got to do with freedom I think I’ll have. Yeah right, working life is so much of ‘freedom’. I’ve never anticipated anything more these days…

Annyeong Haseyo

And mianhamnida (sorry) for the false HIATUS status... hehe...

And as u can see the slaving (working) clock is still reset and ticking as usual today, which means I am still rightfully at my seat. Yeah! KC said there’s a bit of changes although I’ve seen ED made space for me to move (bt I still prefer my place than his cos my corner very ‘strategic’!). SH said JU, the new gal will be sharing with me. But for the meantime, JU will be taking SS place since SS is off the whole week (lucky pig) to Thai I think.

And just as I was typing JU appeared and all this while from her name I thought she’s a Bumi or wat… Mana tau, see see it’s a Chinese. Erm, looks in her late 20s or arnd 30. Still cute and attractive. Haha… Told u liaw, 1Si a lot lengluis mah. She’s considered normal (among lengluis) oni. Feel so paiseh, cos she no space cos of me! I really dunno how it’s gonna be wen SS get bk from his vacation.

And to make things worse, Lg has an engineer reporting to work soon. And she seems to have an eye for my spot. What’s all this about my spot? Aiyoh… ED oredi make space she oso dun wan use, wana rebut with JU. Me, nvmla since trainee mar. I mean, ED’s seat is oni like one row away from the nxt and facing in her section direction. If Lg force JU to take ED seat very hard mh for SPC section. It is like 2 rows away and facing opposite direction. Dunola, that’s wat I think la. If I were Lg, I wud understand and take up ED’s place instead. And JU can have my place. And happily ever after loh…

Aniwei, I still wun be here for long I think. Cos wen I change department, I memang nid to move. Just that I really don’t see any empty seat even despite the vastness of this office. Well, just appreciate wat I can loh for now.

Korean for the Day:
mianhamnida = sorry
annyeong haseyo = hi/hello (greeting wen u meet face to face or in this case e-face to e-face)

Your Personality Is

Rational (NT) You are both logical and creative. You are full of ideas. You are so rational that you analyze everything. This drives people a little crazy! Intelligence is important to you. You always like to be around smart people. In fact, you're often a little short with people who don't impress you mentally. You seem distant to some - but it's usually because you're deep in thought. Those who understand you best are fellow Rationals. In love, you tend to approach things with logic. You seek a compatible mate - who is also very intelligent. At work, you tend to gravitate toward idea building careers - like programming, medicine, or academia. With others, you are very honest and direct. People often can't take your criticism well. As far as your looks go, you're coasting on what you were born with. You think fashion is silly. On weekends, you spend most of your time thinking, experimenting with new ideas, or learning new things.

The Three Question Personality Test