You know how when a person starts getting on your nerves, anything the person says or does just gets you agitated and annoyed?
Well, someone is getting on my nerves. Me.
The sound of my noise agitates me. My attitude annoys me. I think I'm going to shut up for a while and just lay low.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Irritated
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Sunday, November 26, 2006
Piracy is stealing after all
Being in a country less afluent than that of developed countries, enjoying certain luxuries is not as easy as we would like. And as such, situation encouraged 'alternatives' that such luxuries can be enjoyed but in a less expensive manner, ie through piracy.
I remember a few years ago it was really easy to get pirated music CDs and movie DVDs that cost a fraction of what the originals cost. When it costs only a tenth of the cost of originals, any wonder why people felt pirated copies are the way to go?
Anyway, being a student with limited funds, I succumbed to the temptation of pirated music CDs. But can you imagine, after the first time I bought those CDs, I was attacked with an enormous amount of guilt? So I threw those out after a while.
Now it's a bit of a trend, I would hold off from buying any pirated stuff for a long while, until I forget the guilt that usually attacks me when buying pirated stuff, and indulge in one or two pirated stuff when the urge struck. Then I would be attacked with guilt all over again and then I would dump it and after a while, the cycle would repeat again.
It's expensive, trying to be honest. The most common argument I've encountered is that at the price these music and movie providers are offering the originals, it's their own fault that people are not buying originals. For me? If any of us Malaysians can do a job as good as Americans or anyone else for that matter in producing music and movies we can enjoy, then by all means do it and price it at a fair price. But render unto them music and movie providers what them music and movie providers own. If you can't afford originals, then don't indulge in them.
I think if we stood as a nation, and choose integrity rather than the easy way out, then we might find the situation we chose out of integrity one that is lacking, which might then push ourselves to achieve for ourselves what other nations have imposed such a high price on us. Buying pirated stuff does more damage to ourselves than to other nations. It encourages lackadaisical attitudes and insolence and disrespect towards intellectual property which is the products of other people's hardwork. And I doubt few people can disagree we can do less with that as it is.
Another reason why we shouldn't encourage piracy - it hurts our own economy. Piracy has a direct impact on foreign investment (only one facet to the impact) into our country and we're losing jobs to other countries which is seen to have better infrastructure, higher consumer maturity, and better laws to protect business interests. There are so many things we can do ourselves beyond simply blaming developed countries of bullying us.
So yes, I'm deleting all the mp3 files I've amassed from friends. I hope I find enough strength to throw away the pirated DVDs and xBox games still sitting on my shelf one day.
I'm not writing this post to preach and be pious. I'm vocalising what I know to be right, even if I may not have the strength to act on what is right all the time. In hopes that by talking the talk, it will force me to walk the talk as well.
A conversation I had with a colleague during the week: Perfection is idealism, Improvement is realism.
Big thanks to Rich, whose clear disgust and zero tolerance for pirated goods gave me added strength to choose what is right. It's funny how there are times when just one look, or one word in time can make an impact that persists through years.
I remember a few years ago it was really easy to get pirated music CDs and movie DVDs that cost a fraction of what the originals cost. When it costs only a tenth of the cost of originals, any wonder why people felt pirated copies are the way to go?
Anyway, being a student with limited funds, I succumbed to the temptation of pirated music CDs. But can you imagine, after the first time I bought those CDs, I was attacked with an enormous amount of guilt? So I threw those out after a while.
Now it's a bit of a trend, I would hold off from buying any pirated stuff for a long while, until I forget the guilt that usually attacks me when buying pirated stuff, and indulge in one or two pirated stuff when the urge struck. Then I would be attacked with guilt all over again and then I would dump it and after a while, the cycle would repeat again.
It's expensive, trying to be honest. The most common argument I've encountered is that at the price these music and movie providers are offering the originals, it's their own fault that people are not buying originals. For me? If any of us Malaysians can do a job as good as Americans or anyone else for that matter in producing music and movies we can enjoy, then by all means do it and price it at a fair price. But render unto them music and movie providers what them music and movie providers own. If you can't afford originals, then don't indulge in them.
I think if we stood as a nation, and choose integrity rather than the easy way out, then we might find the situation we chose out of integrity one that is lacking, which might then push ourselves to achieve for ourselves what other nations have imposed such a high price on us. Buying pirated stuff does more damage to ourselves than to other nations. It encourages lackadaisical attitudes and insolence and disrespect towards intellectual property which is the products of other people's hardwork. And I doubt few people can disagree we can do less with that as it is.
Another reason why we shouldn't encourage piracy - it hurts our own economy. Piracy has a direct impact on foreign investment (only one facet to the impact) into our country and we're losing jobs to other countries which is seen to have better infrastructure, higher consumer maturity, and better laws to protect business interests. There are so many things we can do ourselves beyond simply blaming developed countries of bullying us.
So yes, I'm deleting all the mp3 files I've amassed from friends. I hope I find enough strength to throw away the pirated DVDs and xBox games still sitting on my shelf one day.
I'm not writing this post to preach and be pious. I'm vocalising what I know to be right, even if I may not have the strength to act on what is right all the time. In hopes that by talking the talk, it will force me to walk the talk as well.
A conversation I had with a colleague during the week: Perfection is idealism, Improvement is realism.
Big thanks to Rich, whose clear disgust and zero tolerance for pirated goods gave me added strength to choose what is right. It's funny how there are times when just one look, or one word in time can make an impact that persists through years.
I never got into the downloading thing so I don't download songs, and I don't buy pirated music CDs because the quality just isn't the same (I've had CDs hang on me). I do occasionally buy pirated DVDs but that's extremely rare. It just isn't one of my areas of temptation coz I'm not into movies all that much -- mostly I watch movies in the cinema!
Posted by 
|
10:50 PM
I watched a lot priated vcds or HK series during my time in Newcastle. This just because I had a big supplier from my housemate. When I get back to Malaysia, I started not buying any pirated vcds or even watch it. Since the original is so expansive, I would just choose not to watch or stay out. Now I only rent vcds from proper renting shop. This all due to my friend. B'cos her tease, I just want to show her that, I'm not talking but also walking my talk. No more pirated vcds.!
I don't download, b'cos it's just a waste of my time!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Recap on a good week
I'm glad this week is finally over. It has literally been work, sleep, work, sleep. Meal times are just short breaks in between. I've also been working right through 2am every night consecutively.
Madness.
But I'm very happy this week for many reasons. Being able to exercise my workaholism is a small part of it.
For one, last weekend certain things fell to place and a recent restlessness was put to rest. Decisions were made and honest communications of it were well received.
For another, as a sales person, my cup runneth over. ;)
And another, being able to see my skill sets improve. And also a general improvement in my mindset and attitude.
Two weeks back, when I bumped into my work mentor, I was really struggling through work. We finally managed to catch up for lunch this week, and my disposition was of course greatly improved. We talked about a lot of things, and our time spent together was very fulfilling.
She made a comment on something and we discussed about how funny it seemed that my ex-team leader leaving the company was not such a bad thing after all. One of those instances I was reminded that God's wisdom is far beyond our own. And that He can turn any situation, including those precipitated by evil, into goodness and for His glory.
From my ex-TL's departure, I can now see how the team rallied together from severe demoralisation to be closer as team mates and as friends. For my ownself, I was pushed to stand on my own two feet and take ownership and lead in my own way.
On Thursday evening, the majority of the team tired ourselves out, because we spent nearly over 2 hours just chatting in the employee lounge. We just talked, joked, discussed, gossiped until we finally decided we had to leave because it was getting late, and some of us had been holding our bladder for too long just because we didn't want to interrupt the rapport we were having. :)
I've been working very closely with one of my new team mate, and it's been really fun. We would sit, work together, discuss and make decisions together. And when I needed to take a break, he would take over, and when he wasn't around, I took the lead to build rapport with the customer. I worked on his account while he worked on mine and though it was not the norm, our manager agreed to allow both of us to recognise the revenue from those projects.
As it's the month end, our manager was a little testy in pushing for orders to come in and unfortunately was a little too harsh with one of the admin girls. One of them came looking for me to help fend him off from her and I found the admin girl crying pitifully at one corner.
The somewhat humorous part of the situation was that she tried to explain to me what the manager did, but she kept crying and I couldn't understand a single thing she was saying. Then out of anger, she called someone that was somehow involved in it but she was crying so much she couldn't tell him anything as well, and then after that she called another team member who was also in some way involved and ended up crying again. I think none of us understood her at all.
The heartwarming part was seeing the team rally around her to just try to cheer her up. After a few hours of doing it, she finally started laughing again. I saw it in her eyes before she finally left the office, she felt it heartwarming as well, to experience the friendships built in the way it did in the last few months.
Another thing that made me happy was when I talked to Bro O last night about certain things. We concurred on certain things and it made me glad, with the added assurance on certain decisions. Then he told me Baby Ana walked 5 steps on Thursday! 5 steps! Awwww... she's growing up soooo fast! Hehe... hear me speak. I only met her for the first time a month and a half ago! But even when I saw her again a month after coming back from Singapore, I felt she grew up so much within a month! Awwww...
Mmm... ok, it's late. I really should start sleeping early again.
Madness.
But I'm very happy this week for many reasons. Being able to exercise my workaholism is a small part of it.
For one, last weekend certain things fell to place and a recent restlessness was put to rest. Decisions were made and honest communications of it were well received.
For another, as a sales person, my cup runneth over. ;)
And another, being able to see my skill sets improve. And also a general improvement in my mindset and attitude.
Two weeks back, when I bumped into my work mentor, I was really struggling through work. We finally managed to catch up for lunch this week, and my disposition was of course greatly improved. We talked about a lot of things, and our time spent together was very fulfilling.
She made a comment on something and we discussed about how funny it seemed that my ex-team leader leaving the company was not such a bad thing after all. One of those instances I was reminded that God's wisdom is far beyond our own. And that He can turn any situation, including those precipitated by evil, into goodness and for His glory.
From my ex-TL's departure, I can now see how the team rallied together from severe demoralisation to be closer as team mates and as friends. For my ownself, I was pushed to stand on my own two feet and take ownership and lead in my own way.
On Thursday evening, the majority of the team tired ourselves out, because we spent nearly over 2 hours just chatting in the employee lounge. We just talked, joked, discussed, gossiped until we finally decided we had to leave because it was getting late, and some of us had been holding our bladder for too long just because we didn't want to interrupt the rapport we were having. :)
I've been working very closely with one of my new team mate, and it's been really fun. We would sit, work together, discuss and make decisions together. And when I needed to take a break, he would take over, and when he wasn't around, I took the lead to build rapport with the customer. I worked on his account while he worked on mine and though it was not the norm, our manager agreed to allow both of us to recognise the revenue from those projects.
As it's the month end, our manager was a little testy in pushing for orders to come in and unfortunately was a little too harsh with one of the admin girls. One of them came looking for me to help fend him off from her and I found the admin girl crying pitifully at one corner.
The somewhat humorous part of the situation was that she tried to explain to me what the manager did, but she kept crying and I couldn't understand a single thing she was saying. Then out of anger, she called someone that was somehow involved in it but she was crying so much she couldn't tell him anything as well, and then after that she called another team member who was also in some way involved and ended up crying again. I think none of us understood her at all.
The heartwarming part was seeing the team rally around her to just try to cheer her up. After a few hours of doing it, she finally started laughing again. I saw it in her eyes before she finally left the office, she felt it heartwarming as well, to experience the friendships built in the way it did in the last few months.
Another thing that made me happy was when I talked to Bro O last night about certain things. We concurred on certain things and it made me glad, with the added assurance on certain decisions. Then he told me Baby Ana walked 5 steps on Thursday! 5 steps! Awwww... she's growing up soooo fast! Hehe... hear me speak. I only met her for the first time a month and a half ago! But even when I saw her again a month after coming back from Singapore, I felt she grew up so much within a month! Awwww...
Mmm... ok, it's late. I really should start sleeping early again.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Crankerous me
Ok, I know I can get really cranky when I'm working. I'm trying to be a little more... amicable. Less fierce, less scary, less intolerable.
But really.
Seriously.
When you're in my position, it's 12.40am, and I've already told the people who pinged me on MSN and gtalk that I'm still working, but they insist to continue chatting, which is not a problem really, just that when they ask you things like "Hey, do you think I'm complicated?" and "Do you have a tattoo?" despite already telling them I'm in the midst of working, it's like... what the...
*Breath in, breath out*
Let's put things in a more clearer perspective. I'm still working at 1am. I have slept past 2am everyday of this week now so far. I had to leave office early because my back was super duper painful because I think I was overly tired last night and slept in the wrong position without moving the entire night. I've got a review with my boss' boss' boss this Friday morning and I haven't sorted out the review report yet. My fat ass could be potentially fried if I don't do my homework by then.
With that in mind, on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you think I care to answer the question of "Do you have a tattoo?" and to further continue down that discussion? As for the former question, I would generally love to engage further with that question, but just didn't have the time for it.
Yes, I'm tired. And I'm cranky when I'm tired. Yeah, I suck that way with my bad mood swings, bad habit of not replying SMSes/emails/phonecalls. God still loves me though. So go complain about me to someone else.
But really.
Seriously.
When you're in my position, it's 12.40am, and I've already told the people who pinged me on MSN and gtalk that I'm still working, but they insist to continue chatting, which is not a problem really, just that when they ask you things like "Hey, do you think I'm complicated?" and "Do you have a tattoo?" despite already telling them I'm in the midst of working, it's like... what the...
*Breath in, breath out*
Let's put things in a more clearer perspective. I'm still working at 1am. I have slept past 2am everyday of this week now so far. I had to leave office early because my back was super duper painful because I think I was overly tired last night and slept in the wrong position without moving the entire night. I've got a review with my boss' boss' boss this Friday morning and I haven't sorted out the review report yet. My fat ass could be potentially fried if I don't do my homework by then.
With that in mind, on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you think I care to answer the question of "Do you have a tattoo?" and to further continue down that discussion? As for the former question, I would generally love to engage further with that question, but just didn't have the time for it.
Yes, I'm tired. And I'm cranky when I'm tired. Yeah, I suck that way with my bad mood swings, bad habit of not replying SMSes/emails/phonecalls. God still loves me though. So go complain about me to someone else.
blogging been turn out part of ur work or life too rite?? Seems you are quite busy...but nv left out the blog.....mayb you should change job to be a journalism....??? Just drop by to kacao.....
ah, now i understand :)
Posted by 
Shih Chung |
8:13 PM
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Love Blog?
Just curious, but I wonder, is it possible for someone to fall in love with someone by reading their blog?
I mean, there are stories of how people fell in love through IRC. Like IRC. I mean IRC. So why not a blog, if the person was honest enough in their sharing to reveal something real about themselves. Or maybe the guy/girl was so darn good looking in the pictures they posted and the other party can't help but fall head over heels with saliva for the person.
But I never heard of anyone falling in love with anyone through their blogs. Hehe. Anyone in love with me yet?
I mean, there are stories of how people fell in love through IRC. Like IRC. I mean IRC. So why not a blog, if the person was honest enough in their sharing to reveal something real about themselves. Or maybe the guy/girl was so darn good looking in the pictures they posted and the other party can't help but fall head over heels with saliva for the person.
But I never heard of anyone falling in love with anyone through their blogs. Hehe. Anyone in love with me yet?
possible. But not me lah.
Posted by |
12:16 AM
Florence> I was going to said like what you said too.....hahaha!!!!
Ee wei> I got stapler..you need it?Or you need tape to stick all the piece back to a heart?
no, I mean that it's possible to fall in love through the blogs. But I dont fall in love through blogs. Never do I believe people who claim they love me because of my blog. NOT that I dont fall in love with you through your blog...am I making sense? I can easily love you WITHOUT going through your blog lah.. so the heart miraculously fall back into place already or not. LOL.
Posted by |
9:42 PM
Adrian - in the words of a friend, if no one will praise/compliment us, no problem, we will tekan the lift and go up ourselves. hehe
aiya, secretly i know a lot of ppl in love with me wan lah. kekekeke...
so my heart was never really breaking, but really growing bigger each day, no need stapler or tape!
:P
Monday, November 20, 2006
About work after a long while
When I got into the office at half past eight in the morning, I could literally feel my stress hormones having a joyride through my head.
Then when I had my weekly sales review at 10am, I was dreading it. My sales report was dismal. The only thing I had committed to my manager was a small little project, which I had already committed a month back but still had no movement to closure!
My manager can have a fiery countenance and I was not looking forward to the sales review. I hid in the farthest corner of the room from him when we started our team weekly sales meeting.
Desperate, I was MSN-ing with a business partner of mine asking if he had updates for a project and he committed to me a sizable amount for the month! I had to tell him not to break my heart and if he closed the deal for me I would be incredibly in love with him but of course told him to tell his wife that since I met her and really liked what a sweet woman she was. Hehehe... he definitely seemed amused by me. Now who says MSN is not productive?!
I really do love the guy. It's not often you work with a business partner who is independent, autonomous and incredibly dependable because of the efficiency and honesty. And this incredibly sweet man saved my fat ass last month and set to save mine again this month. How can you not love this guy when he looks set to help me overdeliver my numbers two months in a row?!
Aside from that, my manager who has a bit of a temper has done an excellent job of trying to overcome his weakness. Having my own issues such as moodiness, I know it isn't as easy as saying deal with it just because it's not pleasant at the receiving end. It's like trying to win an arm wrestling match with someone who has the bigger brawn. But he has improved his temper so much that no one can deny the efforts he has made.
I highly dislike any manager who are insincere, selfish, would cover their sorry asses even if it meant throwing yours in the frying pan or sneer behind your back and spread stories about you. Not that I know of any manager that did that to me, but I do know what that manager said about another subordinate. Above all, I dislike managers who are like that and act all pious like their characters should be never be questioned. Ka pui!
If you wanna say something about a person make sure you can still say the same thing in the same tone in front of that person. Don't be freaking coward and sneak around with your coy word and looks.
Ok ok. Enough venting already. Heck, I'm not perfect myself. I can't look beyond sneering cowards, but I'm pretty darn sure there are people who can't look beyond my own flaws. No way am I decreasing my shortcomings, but if a blog is for people to think aloud, then I'm allowed to do it once a while aren't I?
Then when I had my weekly sales review at 10am, I was dreading it. My sales report was dismal. The only thing I had committed to my manager was a small little project, which I had already committed a month back but still had no movement to closure!
My manager can have a fiery countenance and I was not looking forward to the sales review. I hid in the farthest corner of the room from him when we started our team weekly sales meeting.
Desperate, I was MSN-ing with a business partner of mine asking if he had updates for a project and he committed to me a sizable amount for the month! I had to tell him not to break my heart and if he closed the deal for me I would be incredibly in love with him but of course told him to tell his wife that since I met her and really liked what a sweet woman she was. Hehehe... he definitely seemed amused by me. Now who says MSN is not productive?!
I really do love the guy. It's not often you work with a business partner who is independent, autonomous and incredibly dependable because of the efficiency and honesty. And this incredibly sweet man saved my fat ass last month and set to save mine again this month. How can you not love this guy when he looks set to help me overdeliver my numbers two months in a row?!
Aside from that, my manager who has a bit of a temper has done an excellent job of trying to overcome his weakness. Having my own issues such as moodiness, I know it isn't as easy as saying deal with it just because it's not pleasant at the receiving end. It's like trying to win an arm wrestling match with someone who has the bigger brawn. But he has improved his temper so much that no one can deny the efforts he has made.
I highly dislike any manager who are insincere, selfish, would cover their sorry asses even if it meant throwing yours in the frying pan or sneer behind your back and spread stories about you. Not that I know of any manager that did that to me, but I do know what that manager said about another subordinate. Above all, I dislike managers who are like that and act all pious like their characters should be never be questioned. Ka pui!
If you wanna say something about a person make sure you can still say the same thing in the same tone in front of that person. Don't be freaking coward and sneak around with your coy word and looks.
Ok ok. Enough venting already. Heck, I'm not perfect myself. I can't look beyond sneering cowards, but I'm pretty darn sure there are people who can't look beyond my own flaws. No way am I decreasing my shortcomings, but if a blog is for people to think aloud, then I'm allowed to do it once a while aren't I?
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Transition, yet again
It's one of those days. The kind you question what in the world you are doing with your life.
Currents are changing again. I suppose it's a yearly thing. :) When I predicted changes in 2006 while I was still in 2005, I didn't realise how dramatic those changes would be. I hope 2007 will bring me experiences that boggles my mind. It is after all, one of those momentous ages - 25, a quarter century old!! I hope I can look at it as fondly as I do my 16th and 21st year.
I know reflections on 2006 is a little premature since I'm still in it! But you can't imagine how much I've disliked 2006.
2004 was not easy for me, but it was still momentous for me because of the reconciliation with my past, so though bitter it was still sweet. In my previous post I've said the last 3 years has been difficult for me. I always wanted to correct that. It was only 2 years. 2004 and 2006.
2005 was pretty sweet actually. :) Thanks to someone for that experience. It was a year like no other. There were a few things that stands out in my memory, the trip to Cyberjaya and Putrajaya before CNY, the trips to parks, and just the memory of being special. It was really a very sweet year.
2006. Bleh. The only thing I can take back from this year is to never repeat the same mistakes I've made. I was like an overeager soldier, overconfident and impulsive and dashed out onto the battlefield thinking that only glory and fame awaited me. Only to get hit left right center and being taken out of the battlefield to treat my wounds while the devil laughed at my youthful naivete.
Oh yes, did I ever mention I have a problem with prematurity? I've always been a little mature in my thinking for my age. It's a blessing and a curse. Though lately I've been thinking it more as a curse. But that is a story for another time.
In the past week, the things I used to be so taken up with suddenly taste like cardboard to me. Like a candy that has lost its artificial flavouring.
Transition. Yet again. How frustrating.
The beauty of technology. I'm glad, in days like this, when I'm mulling over life and its intricacies, it takes me mere minutes to be connected to the Internet, and to speak to people, namely Bro O (he's online quite a bit), for a bit of a pat on the hand. Usually, since he stays in Singapore, we would occasionally ring one another up. But because our conversations tend to be intensified and could take hours, we don't talk on the phone that often. Only as is when we feel prompted to ring up the other. So now with google talk, it's been incredibly easier to stay connected!
So anyway, I started the post feeling just a wee bit frustrated. But after chatting with Bro O, I feel a little better. Am reminded to embrace pain and suffering that God may use it to turn it into a passion - a passion to in turn minister to others who will go through it themselves.
As a summary to all my thoughts above and those hidden behind them, though I may have disliked the year, all things work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 28:8). As to where all this is leading, I have my suspicions. I just wonder how it'll take form.
Currents are changing again. I suppose it's a yearly thing. :) When I predicted changes in 2006 while I was still in 2005, I didn't realise how dramatic those changes would be. I hope 2007 will bring me experiences that boggles my mind. It is after all, one of those momentous ages - 25, a quarter century old!! I hope I can look at it as fondly as I do my 16th and 21st year.
I know reflections on 2006 is a little premature since I'm still in it! But you can't imagine how much I've disliked 2006.
2004 was not easy for me, but it was still momentous for me because of the reconciliation with my past, so though bitter it was still sweet. In my previous post I've said the last 3 years has been difficult for me. I always wanted to correct that. It was only 2 years. 2004 and 2006.
2005 was pretty sweet actually. :) Thanks to someone for that experience. It was a year like no other. There were a few things that stands out in my memory, the trip to Cyberjaya and Putrajaya before CNY, the trips to parks, and just the memory of being special. It was really a very sweet year.
2006. Bleh. The only thing I can take back from this year is to never repeat the same mistakes I've made. I was like an overeager soldier, overconfident and impulsive and dashed out onto the battlefield thinking that only glory and fame awaited me. Only to get hit left right center and being taken out of the battlefield to treat my wounds while the devil laughed at my youthful naivete.
Oh yes, did I ever mention I have a problem with prematurity? I've always been a little mature in my thinking for my age. It's a blessing and a curse. Though lately I've been thinking it more as a curse. But that is a story for another time.
In the past week, the things I used to be so taken up with suddenly taste like cardboard to me. Like a candy that has lost its artificial flavouring.
Transition. Yet again. How frustrating.
The beauty of technology. I'm glad, in days like this, when I'm mulling over life and its intricacies, it takes me mere minutes to be connected to the Internet, and to speak to people, namely Bro O (he's online quite a bit), for a bit of a pat on the hand. Usually, since he stays in Singapore, we would occasionally ring one another up. But because our conversations tend to be intensified and could take hours, we don't talk on the phone that often. Only as is when we feel prompted to ring up the other. So now with google talk, it's been incredibly easier to stay connected!
So anyway, I started the post feeling just a wee bit frustrated. But after chatting with Bro O, I feel a little better. Am reminded to embrace pain and suffering that God may use it to turn it into a passion - a passion to in turn minister to others who will go through it themselves.
As a summary to all my thoughts above and those hidden behind them, though I may have disliked the year, all things work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 28:8). As to where all this is leading, I have my suspicions. I just wonder how it'll take form.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Have a little common sense
I got a call today from someone who said he met me through someone. And for the LIFE of me, could not place who the caller was, nor identify the person he said he met me through.
I'm usually ok, talking to people I don't know or something. But what really annoyed me was, he started asking if he could meet up with me to explain to me about investment links. Suddenly, my annoyance level shot up.
Why? Let me count the ways.
1. I obviously did not place who he was, and he could not explain to me when we met, how we met and through who we met. As far as I'm concerned, he has not established a credible link for me to consider his credibility.
2. He called me not to establish friendship, but for his own business interest. Which is fine. Where I have issues is that he calls me on a Saturday. If he had called me on a weekday, I might have pretended to be a little more cordial. I prefer not to have my Saturdays marred by the slightest thought of work.
3. He was too brusque, too businesslike for me. Funny ain't it that I should say that when that's the way I am when it comes to work? But when you try to do business through a personal link like friends, it throws the entire relationship into a different tangent and a different approach is required. You savvy?
4. When I clearly indicated annoyance when I said I was not interested, you don't question me, "Have you actually heard what investment link is about?!". The right question and line of probing should be, "May I understand why you're not interested?" He was obviously not savvy.
5. When I have further indicated higher levels of annoyance from your line of questioning, you end the conversation quickly but lightly, not closing any doors for yourself to call again and try to see if my interest could change by saying, "Perhaps it may not be revelant to you at this point of time, but it potentially could in another time. Let's leave this for now and discuss it when that time arises." You do not reiterate yourself several times in a tone that insinuates that I am ignorant and clearly stupid for not listening to you by repeating yourself, "But have you heard of investment link?! Ok, so you don't know what investment link is about. Ok then."
Now, if he had been able to more clearly establish the link of how he came to have my mobile number and who I met him through, I might, for the sake of the person, hear him out. If you insist on using through personal networks, then you really must try to establish a very strong credibility because of the delicate situation. If it was merely through a work network, then it's purely about business and I would have given my time much more freely.
The other thing that made me cautious was the fact that he called me by my Chinese name. The name he mentioned that he met me through sounded like a colleague in the office. And I use an English name in my work. So you see, I do very clearly draw very clear lines between personal and work. So when he tried mixing the two up, it made him very very dubious to me.
And so in conclusion, my dear friends, please do not refer any direct sales person to me out of the blue. If the sales guy truly has a product that you yourself believe in, please tell me that you have referred the sales guy to me. Else wise, I warn you, I can be very nasty when provoked. Especially when they try to call me on a Saturday.
I'm usually ok, talking to people I don't know or something. But what really annoyed me was, he started asking if he could meet up with me to explain to me about investment links. Suddenly, my annoyance level shot up.
Why? Let me count the ways.
1. I obviously did not place who he was, and he could not explain to me when we met, how we met and through who we met. As far as I'm concerned, he has not established a credible link for me to consider his credibility.
2. He called me not to establish friendship, but for his own business interest. Which is fine. Where I have issues is that he calls me on a Saturday. If he had called me on a weekday, I might have pretended to be a little more cordial. I prefer not to have my Saturdays marred by the slightest thought of work.
3. He was too brusque, too businesslike for me. Funny ain't it that I should say that when that's the way I am when it comes to work? But when you try to do business through a personal link like friends, it throws the entire relationship into a different tangent and a different approach is required. You savvy?
4. When I clearly indicated annoyance when I said I was not interested, you don't question me, "Have you actually heard what investment link is about?!". The right question and line of probing should be, "May I understand why you're not interested?" He was obviously not savvy.
5. When I have further indicated higher levels of annoyance from your line of questioning, you end the conversation quickly but lightly, not closing any doors for yourself to call again and try to see if my interest could change by saying, "Perhaps it may not be revelant to you at this point of time, but it potentially could in another time. Let's leave this for now and discuss it when that time arises." You do not reiterate yourself several times in a tone that insinuates that I am ignorant and clearly stupid for not listening to you by repeating yourself, "But have you heard of investment link?! Ok, so you don't know what investment link is about. Ok then."
Now, if he had been able to more clearly establish the link of how he came to have my mobile number and who I met him through, I might, for the sake of the person, hear him out. If you insist on using through personal networks, then you really must try to establish a very strong credibility because of the delicate situation. If it was merely through a work network, then it's purely about business and I would have given my time much more freely.
The other thing that made me cautious was the fact that he called me by my Chinese name. The name he mentioned that he met me through sounded like a colleague in the office. And I use an English name in my work. So you see, I do very clearly draw very clear lines between personal and work. So when he tried mixing the two up, it made him very very dubious to me.
And so in conclusion, my dear friends, please do not refer any direct sales person to me out of the blue. If the sales guy truly has a product that you yourself believe in, please tell me that you have referred the sales guy to me. Else wise, I warn you, I can be very nasty when provoked. Especially when they try to call me on a Saturday.
One of my friends once gave my name & number to an insurance agent. I chewed him out for it (the friend, not the agent!). I told him he should have asked my permission before giving out my number, or at least informed me after doing so -- and BEFORE the agent called. It's really common courtesy, and it's not nice to find out that your friends are so careless with your personal info.
Posted by |
2:00 PM
yes! although in this case, i'm more annoyed at the sales person than the friend who referred (if there really was a friend). i guess being in sales, i appreciate all honest and sincere efforts to sell. which makes me a sucker most times. seriously, i've bought things i don't need, simply because the seller was earnest and sincere. but this dude was obviously irritating me with his arrogant tone.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Thank God
For bursting bladders.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Questions questions
Questions questions.
"Do you have to climb every mountain before you?"
Yes. But I do choose which mountains to climb. Which is why I am questioning whether I should continue climbing this mountain I am on or not.
But the other mountain looks so much flatter. And the grass less green. But there are sheeps there, and not wild wolves. But the thrill of hunting with wild wolves is so much more exhilarating. There's a certain pride, being able to run with the pack, and knowing I am their equal, if not in size or speed, in wiles and fierceness.
To leave the pack and be among sheeps?
Questions questions.
"Do you have to climb every mountain before you?"
Yes. But I do choose which mountains to climb. Which is why I am questioning whether I should continue climbing this mountain I am on or not.
But the other mountain looks so much flatter. And the grass less green. But there are sheeps there, and not wild wolves. But the thrill of hunting with wild wolves is so much more exhilarating. There's a certain pride, being able to run with the pack, and knowing I am their equal, if not in size or speed, in wiles and fierceness.
To leave the pack and be among sheeps?
Questions questions.
Cake advertorial
I don't know why, but I'm feeling advertorial at the mo.
So in case you didn't know yeah, I'm very special in my work team. I am, *jeng jeng jeng* the Chief Morale Officer of the team. Coincidentally, the one with the lowest morale at the moment, but nobody cares do they?!?! And as touted by one, no moral one also. :P
Also coincidental, some of them translate CMO as equal to CCO... Chief Complaint Officer! Well to some anyway. Any thing dissatisfied? Go to CMO @ CCO!! Hehe... thank goodness I lap up gossip like a cat does milk. At least I get to have the inside scoop on office gossips.
Anyway!
So I wanted to throw in towel since low morale mah. But three birthdays coincided in the last two months and my manager texted me to do something (since I decreed at the appointment of CMOship that every birthday had to be celebrated - how was I to know everyone else's birthday fell from that month onwards and only mine was before my appointment as CMO?!). Eeeshh... since he requested me to do something that day itself, I had to rush to 1U to get a cake.
I walked and walked and well... being fussy about food at times, all the normal looking cakes at normal looking bakeries didn't look worth the money I was willing to spend.
Then I went to Bakerzin.
The cakes were smaller looking than the normal looking cakes in normal looking bakeries. And the price was higher too. But I figured, boutique bakery, small and expensive, must be good also riiite???
And they didn't disappoint! I bought two cakes since they looked small, which cost me RM80 ish... with special discount because they thought I was pretty. Hehe.
What?! What makes you think I'm lying?!?
So I bought Jivara and Tiramisu. Oooohh... absolutely delish! Jivara was excellent! It was sooo good some of them took seconds. The praline crunch base of the Jivara made it hard to slice at first, but when you put it in your mouth, the chocolate mousse simply melts in your mouth. I kid you not, it is good.
The tiramisu is one of the better ones than most tiramisus I've had elsewhere. But not the best. Still good though. But I was told by the staff at Bakerzin Chocolate Amer was pretty good as well. Pity they didn't have it then.
So it was a little more expensive than normal cakes, but having celebrated a number of birthdays with different cakes, I've noticed that it's no point buying a cake for the sake of having one and having no one enjoying it but eating for the sake of it and leaving the extra for the birthday fella to take it home 'coz they didn't even want to touch the cake in the first place. So if you're going to have to buy cake, you might as well spend a bit more and enjoy every bite of it!
And of course, the best part is seeing other people enjoying it. :)
So in case you didn't know yeah, I'm very special in my work team. I am, *jeng jeng jeng* the Chief Morale Officer of the team. Coincidentally, the one with the lowest morale at the moment, but nobody cares do they?!?! And as touted by one, no moral one also. :P
Also coincidental, some of them translate CMO as equal to CCO... Chief Complaint Officer! Well to some anyway. Any thing dissatisfied? Go to CMO @ CCO!! Hehe... thank goodness I lap up gossip like a cat does milk. At least I get to have the inside scoop on office gossips.
Anyway!
So I wanted to throw in towel since low morale mah. But three birthdays coincided in the last two months and my manager texted me to do something (since I decreed at the appointment of CMOship that every birthday had to be celebrated - how was I to know everyone else's birthday fell from that month onwards and only mine was before my appointment as CMO?!). Eeeshh... since he requested me to do something that day itself, I had to rush to 1U to get a cake.
I walked and walked and well... being fussy about food at times, all the normal looking cakes at normal looking bakeries didn't look worth the money I was willing to spend.
Then I went to Bakerzin.
The cakes were smaller looking than the normal looking cakes in normal looking bakeries. And the price was higher too. But I figured, boutique bakery, small and expensive, must be good also riiite???
And they didn't disappoint! I bought two cakes since they looked small, which cost me RM80 ish... with special discount because they thought I was pretty. Hehe.
What?! What makes you think I'm lying?!?
So I bought Jivara and Tiramisu. Oooohh... absolutely delish! Jivara was excellent! It was sooo good some of them took seconds. The praline crunch base of the Jivara made it hard to slice at first, but when you put it in your mouth, the chocolate mousse simply melts in your mouth. I kid you not, it is good.
The tiramisu is one of the better ones than most tiramisus I've had elsewhere. But not the best. Still good though. But I was told by the staff at Bakerzin Chocolate Amer was pretty good as well. Pity they didn't have it then.
So it was a little more expensive than normal cakes, but having celebrated a number of birthdays with different cakes, I've noticed that it's no point buying a cake for the sake of having one and having no one enjoying it but eating for the sake of it and leaving the extra for the birthday fella to take it home 'coz they didn't even want to touch the cake in the first place. So if you're going to have to buy cake, you might as well spend a bit more and enjoy every bite of it!
And of course, the best part is seeing other people enjoying it. :)
Yes Bakerzin is lovely! But OMG so pricey lah! (Worth it though... but pocket must be able to tahan lor) My friend introduced me to Bakerzin last year. Every time I pass the 1U outlet, I go *drool* hehehe
Posted by |
2:13 AM
Monday, November 13, 2006
Women and diets
You know you better start doing something when you get one too many hints. It all started with this.
And then my mother followed up with that conversation a few weeks later by repeating:
Mom: You know, my colleague lost 4kg in 3 months when she went on low carbo diet.
Ok. And then she persisted one Saturday afternoon when we were having lunch:
Mom: You know, you should be eating all this veggie and meat during mealtimes instead of snacking in between.
Okaaaay... she's reeaally trying to hint something. And then we celebrated some team members' birthdays with cake from Bakerzin (absolutely delish!) and a colleague said:
Colleague: You know, you could with less of that.
-_-"
And what takes the cake is when I went to the gym and the frontdesk guy who usually flirts with me took a look at me and puffed out his cheeks hinting I look chubby to him!!! Ok ok! I get the hint!! Yeessshhh... I'm on diet and frequenting the gym more!!!
Then I wanted to cry when I texted my mom in the gym to tell her not to cook rice for me and she replied:
Mom: Ok. I will only leave you vegetables.
My mom's out of control!!! What, no fish, or meat or anything else?!?! Hehe. Thank God when I came back realised it was just a mild miscommunication. She did save me the other dishes she cooked after all. It woulda been funny to find my mother going bonkers on me.
And then my mother followed up with that conversation a few weeks later by repeating:
Mom: You know, my colleague lost 4kg in 3 months when she went on low carbo diet.
Ok. And then she persisted one Saturday afternoon when we were having lunch:
Mom: You know, you should be eating all this veggie and meat during mealtimes instead of snacking in between.
Okaaaay... she's reeaally trying to hint something. And then we celebrated some team members' birthdays with cake from Bakerzin (absolutely delish!) and a colleague said:
Colleague: You know, you could with less of that.
-_-"
And what takes the cake is when I went to the gym and the frontdesk guy who usually flirts with me took a look at me and puffed out his cheeks hinting I look chubby to him!!! Ok ok! I get the hint!! Yeessshhh... I'm on diet and frequenting the gym more!!!
Then I wanted to cry when I texted my mom in the gym to tell her not to cook rice for me and she replied:
Mom: Ok. I will only leave you vegetables.
My mom's out of control!!! What, no fish, or meat or anything else?!?! Hehe. Thank God when I came back realised it was just a mild miscommunication. She did save me the other dishes she cooked after all. It woulda been funny to find my mother going bonkers on me.
At least you are doing something abt it! I am vain but at the same time not vain enough to get off my ass and do something abt it! *die liao*
Also, thank your lucky stars that your mom is subtle. I told you mine asked me whether I looked at myself sideways in the mirror. And my dad said I'm the size of a sumo wrestler now. I asked them whether they were trying to make me anorexic. "You ah? You'll never be anorexic lah!" Dunno whether to laugh or cry.
Posted by |
2:24 AM
its toughest when its coming from your own parents. there was one time when i overheard my mother telling my father that i'm fat (many years back) when they were in their room, and that bit stung. i always had issues with my weight until i started taking kickboxing classes and then i started feeling and seeing the difference. that was the moment i decided i call the shots what to do with my life.
hehe... of course the only reason why i'm not super model shape is because there's still a portion of me that's too lazy to work thaaaat hard. i just do enough to make sure i'm acceptable to myself.
I think they need to get their eyes checked! You looked good & healthy on the volleyball court!
Posted by |
7:29 PM
I see dead dogs
I love to dream. It's like watching movies. But there are a few dreams I absolutely abhor. Besides dreams of ghosts and being chased by some madman.
The numero uno dream I absolutely hated was of having locked jaws. My jaws would be clenched so tight that it felt like my teeth was going to break into pieces against each other. And I would try to desperately to open my jaws only to have it fly wide suddenly and then I would be unable to close my jaws. Then I would struggle with my jaws to get it shut, and it would shut tight all of a sudden and then the grating began.
I hate hate hate that dream. I dreamt it a total of 3 times in my life. But the odd thing was, during one service in SIB church one day, the pastor spoke about how we did not require any outward 'acts of obedience', ie going up to the altar to receive healing from the pastor. We could sit on our seats in church and believe God heals and be healed.
That night, I dreamt for the 3rd time the dream of locked jaws, but it was followed by a dream of being attended by a nurse in SIB and after that I never ever dreamt that same dream of locked jaws ever again. I don't really know what the significance of that dream was till today, but I read on a book of signs once, and it explained that the mouth ignifies the 'gates to our beings/lives'. I wonder if the dream was indicating something towards the extremities of my own life.
Anyway, another dream that I truly dislike is when I dream of my old cockal spaniel that died when I was 16. I loved that dog to bits. When he died, I cried bucket loads.
I used to have the task of bathing him every Sunday afternoon and the reason why I hate dreaming of my dog is that everytime I dream of him, he would be filthy, as if he had not been bathed for years. And that would always make me feel hurt and confused, because his filthiness was like an accusation that I had neglected him.
But I never missed a week of bathing him! He was so active when he was alive, he would get really dirty within a week. So what makes me really dislike that dream is because it is as if my dog is haunting me in my dreams! Seriously! He appears filthy and unbathed for years and acts as if I neglected him and I never did when he was alive. You know how like ghosts hang around on earth because they die prematurely and weren't ready to leave earth? Well my dog died prematurely. Maybe he's still hanging around my house! Maybe he doesn't realise he's dead! Maybe that's why he's like haunting me in my dreams from time to time!
Or maybe I just really miss him. :S
The numero uno dream I absolutely hated was of having locked jaws. My jaws would be clenched so tight that it felt like my teeth was going to break into pieces against each other. And I would try to desperately to open my jaws only to have it fly wide suddenly and then I would be unable to close my jaws. Then I would struggle with my jaws to get it shut, and it would shut tight all of a sudden and then the grating began.
I hate hate hate that dream. I dreamt it a total of 3 times in my life. But the odd thing was, during one service in SIB church one day, the pastor spoke about how we did not require any outward 'acts of obedience', ie going up to the altar to receive healing from the pastor. We could sit on our seats in church and believe God heals and be healed.
That night, I dreamt for the 3rd time the dream of locked jaws, but it was followed by a dream of being attended by a nurse in SIB and after that I never ever dreamt that same dream of locked jaws ever again. I don't really know what the significance of that dream was till today, but I read on a book of signs once, and it explained that the mouth ignifies the 'gates to our beings/lives'. I wonder if the dream was indicating something towards the extremities of my own life.
Anyway, another dream that I truly dislike is when I dream of my old cockal spaniel that died when I was 16. I loved that dog to bits. When he died, I cried bucket loads.
I used to have the task of bathing him every Sunday afternoon and the reason why I hate dreaming of my dog is that everytime I dream of him, he would be filthy, as if he had not been bathed for years. And that would always make me feel hurt and confused, because his filthiness was like an accusation that I had neglected him.
But I never missed a week of bathing him! He was so active when he was alive, he would get really dirty within a week. So what makes me really dislike that dream is because it is as if my dog is haunting me in my dreams! Seriously! He appears filthy and unbathed for years and acts as if I neglected him and I never did when he was alive. You know how like ghosts hang around on earth because they die prematurely and weren't ready to leave earth? Well my dog died prematurely. Maybe he's still hanging around my house! Maybe he doesn't realise he's dead! Maybe that's why he's like haunting me in my dreams from time to time!
Or maybe I just really miss him. :S
Two main functionality for mouth, Eat and Speak!
After read ur story...first come to my mind is..." Silence and Wait" Not sure how it significant to u.....
Just ignore me...!!! =P
you know it could be a lot worse, like what if something crawled into your mouth while it was open it, or like a fly flew inside or something.. god that would be horrible.. it would buzz around in your stomach the whole time.. till you defecate or something..
i have too much time help
i think adrian's interpretation closer to home than yours lorh steph. hehe... since i did/do have a problem about knowing when to speak and when to be quiet...
i think dogs should have a right to go to heaven.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Pictures of iBridge retreat 2006
Here are some pictures of the last iBridge retreat up at Bukit Tinggi courtesy of Hwok Lok.
Direct translation of Bukit Tinggi is High Hill. Unfortunately, the accommodations we were at was placed at the lowlands of Bukit Tinggi, so it was still a little warm. Take a guess if the picture above is shrouded in mist or in haze.
Ever wondered what we Christians do in Christian retreats?
We meet old and new friends
We put aside the stress and demands of the world to just enjoy friendship through games.
We spend portions of the time in singing as a form of praise and worship to God and also as encouragement and reminders to each other.
We learn from invited speakers who expounded on the teachings of God.
We go out for supper together. The mamak (which is a Malay-Indian restaurant that sells inexpensive food and drinks and usually opened till the wee morning) was closed due to Raya (Muslim celebration) so we had to adjourn to one of the few Chinese restaurants.
Some people flirted. Oops! I meant, err... worked hard on developing closer friendships!! :P
Direct translation of Bukit Tinggi is High Hill. Unfortunately, the accommodations we were at was placed at the lowlands of Bukit Tinggi, so it was still a little warm. Take a guess if the picture above is shrouded in mist or in haze.
Ever wondered what we Christians do in Christian retreats?
We meet old and new friends
We put aside the stress and demands of the world to just enjoy friendship through games.
We spend portions of the time in singing as a form of praise and worship to God and also as encouragement and reminders to each other.
We learn from invited speakers who expounded on the teachings of God.
We go out for supper together. The mamak (which is a Malay-Indian restaurant that sells inexpensive food and drinks and usually opened till the wee morning) was closed due to Raya (Muslim celebration) so we had to adjourn to one of the few Chinese restaurants.
Some people flirted. Oops! I meant, err... worked hard on developing closer friendships!! :PSaturday, November 11, 2006
Beautiful eyes
You know what I don't like about being a Chinese. We're so boring. We all have black hair and brown eyes. Maybe with the exception of those who have brown hair and black eyes. Yeeeshh... if only God could have blessed me with natural green eyes. I'll fall for any guy with black hair and green eyes.
I love Shih Chung's pictures on eyes.
Ok ok... back to work.
I love Shih Chung's pictures on eyes.
Ok ok... back to work.
Gosh, I need to work!
This has been the toughest week ever in my entire working career, in terms of morale. I've been struggling the entire week to focus on my work, without much success.
Which is odd, when you think about it, my workload has reduced tremendously since they brought in a new contract staff to help with the admin work and I've offloaded a lot of brainless stuff that used to tie me down to her.
In terms of my own personal targets, I'm on track. But a lot of stress comes from helping the team achieve the overall targets.
My manager who can be quite unbearable when he gets into his fits, which is quite regular like a woman's menstrual cycle. So regular we know when his menstrual cycle hits him. I really disliked him so much in the first quarter of the year. But in the last few months minus the vehement naggings, he has not thrown a fit with me. Quite the other way round now, some colleagues say I've been quite 'brutal' with him. That's what I mean about my biggest weakness. When I'm peeved, I lash out not caring how it hits the other person.
The good thing is that my boss is also a Choleric, so he hasn't been holding my harsh words against me. At least I hope so. I think Cholerics make the best sort of employees though. They may be hard to work with, but they're independent enough that you don't need to worry about getting results from them. They push themselves hard enough. I'm actually paraphrasing Li Shuan in this. ;)
My boss is such a comic sometimes, despite his angry fits. He was away for a business trip and his out-of-office message stated his back up was my ex-team leader who left. I think everyone who saw it was trying to get hold of him to tell him about it, and when he called me I could hear his goofy grin. Later in the evening he called me from the hotel telling me, rather proudly I thought and with the same goofy grin, that he managed to erase his mistake. He's quite endearing when he starts acting goofy.
But back to my point. Workload is lesser, expectations and pressures to perform is still the same, boss has been better, so why in the world am I so demoralised this week?
I have my suspicions.
Oh yes, and I'm a Coffee Bean convert. I've been struggling super hard this entire week in focusing and getting work done with little success. Until today, when I decided to get out of my house, which always makes it a little hard to concentrate when the TV or the bed distracts me a little. But I didn't want to work in the office because being the tension and stress there drives my morale even further down. And so I decided to work in Coffee Bean near home, and my level of concentration is up again. With the exception of taking some time to blog. :P
Ok ok, back to work.
Which is odd, when you think about it, my workload has reduced tremendously since they brought in a new contract staff to help with the admin work and I've offloaded a lot of brainless stuff that used to tie me down to her.
In terms of my own personal targets, I'm on track. But a lot of stress comes from helping the team achieve the overall targets.
My manager who can be quite unbearable when he gets into his fits, which is quite regular like a woman's menstrual cycle. So regular we know when his menstrual cycle hits him. I really disliked him so much in the first quarter of the year. But in the last few months minus the vehement naggings, he has not thrown a fit with me. Quite the other way round now, some colleagues say I've been quite 'brutal' with him. That's what I mean about my biggest weakness. When I'm peeved, I lash out not caring how it hits the other person.
The good thing is that my boss is also a Choleric, so he hasn't been holding my harsh words against me. At least I hope so. I think Cholerics make the best sort of employees though. They may be hard to work with, but they're independent enough that you don't need to worry about getting results from them. They push themselves hard enough. I'm actually paraphrasing Li Shuan in this. ;)
My boss is such a comic sometimes, despite his angry fits. He was away for a business trip and his out-of-office message stated his back up was my ex-team leader who left. I think everyone who saw it was trying to get hold of him to tell him about it, and when he called me I could hear his goofy grin. Later in the evening he called me from the hotel telling me, rather proudly I thought and with the same goofy grin, that he managed to erase his mistake. He's quite endearing when he starts acting goofy.
But back to my point. Workload is lesser, expectations and pressures to perform is still the same, boss has been better, so why in the world am I so demoralised this week?
I have my suspicions.
Oh yes, and I'm a Coffee Bean convert. I've been struggling super hard this entire week in focusing and getting work done with little success. Until today, when I decided to get out of my house, which always makes it a little hard to concentrate when the TV or the bed distracts me a little. But I didn't want to work in the office because being the tension and stress there drives my morale even further down. And so I decided to work in Coffee Bean near home, and my level of concentration is up again. With the exception of taking some time to blog. :P
Ok ok, back to work.
Huh??? Thought you were busy....b'cos you keep on turning me away with a 'garang' msg.....ceh...actually is 'pretending' to be busy huh?? hahaha....ok ok...i just drop by to kacao again...so bored me!!! :(
Posted by |
2:58 PM
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Rent-o-Baby anyone?
Bro O, wife and Baby was in town today. Baby is shoooo cuuuutee... I'm in love with her. I went for dinner with them just to see Baby again.
And guess what? She recognised me when she saw me!! She was all smiley and energetic. And she got all fascinated with my hair and started pulling it, even when I was sitting down with my back to her when someone else was carrying her.
Nopes, not my maternal instincts kicking in. It's my aunty instincts!
And guess what? She recognised me when she saw me!! She was all smiley and energetic. And she got all fascinated with my hair and started pulling it, even when I was sitting down with my back to her when someone else was carrying her.
Nopes, not my maternal instincts kicking in. It's my aunty instincts!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
One of my biggest weakness is that when I am annoyed or angry, my words and the manner I speak tends to be harsher and sharper.I remember it was when in primary school, and I was caught by surprised by a friend's bluntness about how my breath stank. And I liked that element of surprise. :P So it was at that point when I decided to be as blunt as possible. Of course, being blunt is not appreciated by everyone. And over the years, I learnt that tact is a skill that I reaaaally needed to learn.
So anyway, being a choleric, when I'm working, I am so intense on getting things done and done well, that being nice goes out of the window. Incompetency is disgusting. Inability to think independently and creatively is annoying. These are some maxim that describes and shapes my attitude when working.
Last year I didn't grapple with this issue because I still had lots of time to think about being nice. This year, my work is twofold and I have no time to even consider being nice. I was desperate to just manage.
Well, but now God went and made me a little more human and now I'm kinda, well, feeling bad because two of my colleagues who experienced my harsh bluntness accused me of being a snob. Now I can say a lot of things of why they experienced that, but, I claim responsibility of my own actions and not my place to accuse.
I think two of my dear friends also recently experienced the ugly side of Choleric me (sorry... no face liao).
The point I'm trying to make is, I'm really learning how to accept the way God has wired me. I make no excuses for my actions (although I must say, I think anger and using words to hurt is hereditary in my family. But hey, no finger pointing. I am fully responsible for my own actions).
And I'm really just learning that there really is a need to be gracious.
BIG thanks to Li Shuan, since she was the perfect person to talk to about these thoughts since she works in the same company, has the same temperament and has just a few more years more of experience than I do. So to have her share her experiences and give advice as a person who struggles with the same problems, was deeply encouraging and affirming.
This is a great article for understanding me better. :D
If you're too lazy to read, read this:
"The Choleric's one devastation is being misunderstood and considered emotionally cold. Don't believe that for a minute. There is a heart under there and it loves and wants to be loved, even if they can't easily show it.
If you have a strong willed Choleric in your life, please don't hate them! If they are sticking their nose in your business and you don't want them to - just tell them so! They can handle it! If they speak harshly and hurt your feelings - tell them! They might honestly not know that their words carry that much power to hurt you. Otherwise, embrace their leadership qualities and put them to work! They have great intuition and they are extremely loyal to those who appreciate and encourage them."
If you have a strong willed Choleric in your life, please don't hate them! If they are sticking their nose in your business and you don't want them to - just tell them so! They can handle it! If they speak harshly and hurt your feelings - tell them! They might honestly not know that their words carry that much power to hurt you. Otherwise, embrace their leadership qualities and put them to work! They have great intuition and they are extremely loyal to those who appreciate and encourage them."
Urmm... something I wanna try to remember myself, of the Choleric women in my family.
Ooohh... also take note, I'm a choleric sanguine. ;D
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Thank You!
He gave me this advice a long time back - boast! Boast as often as you can of the goodness of the people around you so that they in turn can be encouraged. Or something to that effect anyway. Of course, we should keep boasting in our God. And I would like to boast of how some of these people have impacted me so much because of the good works God has begun in their lives. I'm feeling lots of love right now ;)
Bro O, because in obeying God's will in your life, you changed the course of my life. I will always remember the day in A&W, because that marked among the more momentous milestones in my life. For your holy kick-in-the-butts, your wisdom, your weird sense of humour and insane laughter. And for being a godfather. And also for Jessie, because she released and supported you to obey God.
The girls from Newcastle, you guys have been an anchor to me, from your unceasing love, support, friendship. For Tricia being my back up singer, Yvonne for your companionship and holding my hand, Steph for your faithfulness to God, Cynthia for being part of the same foundation for me, Hui Min for your amazing ability to make people laugh and for all the gossips (without you Newcastle would not have been as amazing!), Chia Ying for just longing after God (it has inspired me in more ways than you know), and Fiona, for being your intensity - for God, for food, for friends! Patricia, for all the crazy nights we had at your place (Newcastle wouldn't have been the same without you as well!!)
Ashley, for all the talking, tea, and letting me visit you in Coventry.
D, for your friendship. Thank you for sharing my baptism. You made Jesmond Parish Church so so much more sweeter.
Ramzi, JPC also wouldn't have been the same without you. Thank you for the wonderful nights spent in Globe Cafe. And thank you for stopping by in Malaysia and for visiting my church here with me. It meant A LOT to me. I couldn't go to Newcastle, and you brought Newcastle to me.
Ian Garrett, for impacting my life and so many other university students. If ever there was a person who reminded me of Jesus, it would be you. (Ramzi, could you tell Ian I said that, 'coz I don't think he would read my blog)
Fung Ying, for your amazing love and faith in God. I feel I did not appreciate you enough when I was in Newcastle, but you were there in my shakiest moments.
Carla, there is no one more sorry than me for missing out on the chance of being your housemate. That was and is still the biggest disappointments in my life. If we could have had the time, you would have been one of my bestest friends!
Lou, your friendship is one of the most precious thing to me. You have never ceased to encourage me. You are one unique character and I pray you and Apple will have the best times of your lives.
Aunty Yoke Kuan, for your love and wisdom. And Uncle Hong Jin, above everything, thank you for pastoring me through my childhood pains.
Ee Von, you do know I wouldn't have made it here without you right?
Bee Theng, for being right there when I first came to Malaysia, and for holding my hand when I needed it most. Especially when everyone else important to me was else where.
Max, for providing me your sincere and open friendship and fellowship. You will never know how much I needed it.
So many people to say thank you over and over again. I wish I could list down every single name that had impacted me. But it's getting late and I do have a busy day at work tomorrow.
Bro O, because in obeying God's will in your life, you changed the course of my life. I will always remember the day in A&W, because that marked among the more momentous milestones in my life. For your holy kick-in-the-butts, your wisdom, your weird sense of humour and insane laughter. And for being a godfather. And also for Jessie, because she released and supported you to obey God.
The girls from Newcastle, you guys have been an anchor to me, from your unceasing love, support, friendship. For Tricia being my back up singer, Yvonne for your companionship and holding my hand, Steph for your faithfulness to God, Cynthia for being part of the same foundation for me, Hui Min for your amazing ability to make people laugh and for all the gossips (without you Newcastle would not have been as amazing!), Chia Ying for just longing after God (it has inspired me in more ways than you know), and Fiona, for being your intensity - for God, for food, for friends! Patricia, for all the crazy nights we had at your place (Newcastle wouldn't have been the same without you as well!!)
Ashley, for all the talking, tea, and letting me visit you in Coventry.
D, for your friendship. Thank you for sharing my baptism. You made Jesmond Parish Church so so much more sweeter.
Ramzi, JPC also wouldn't have been the same without you. Thank you for the wonderful nights spent in Globe Cafe. And thank you for stopping by in Malaysia and for visiting my church here with me. It meant A LOT to me. I couldn't go to Newcastle, and you brought Newcastle to me.
Ian Garrett, for impacting my life and so many other university students. If ever there was a person who reminded me of Jesus, it would be you. (Ramzi, could you tell Ian I said that, 'coz I don't think he would read my blog)
Fung Ying, for your amazing love and faith in God. I feel I did not appreciate you enough when I was in Newcastle, but you were there in my shakiest moments.
Carla, there is no one more sorry than me for missing out on the chance of being your housemate. That was and is still the biggest disappointments in my life. If we could have had the time, you would have been one of my bestest friends!
Lou, your friendship is one of the most precious thing to me. You have never ceased to encourage me. You are one unique character and I pray you and Apple will have the best times of your lives.
Aunty Yoke Kuan, for your love and wisdom. And Uncle Hong Jin, above everything, thank you for pastoring me through my childhood pains.
Ee Von, you do know I wouldn't have made it here without you right?
Bee Theng, for being right there when I first came to Malaysia, and for holding my hand when I needed it most. Especially when everyone else important to me was else where.
Max, for providing me your sincere and open friendship and fellowship. You will never know how much I needed it.
So many people to say thank you over and over again. I wish I could list down every single name that had impacted me. But it's getting late and I do have a busy day at work tomorrow.
likewise eewei, likewise :)
Posted by |
3:37 PM
is bro O ur imaginary friend? a creation of your deluded mind? coz you never put down his full name hehe
sorry i'm being weird again
Posted by |
5:53 PM
adrian, good to know you're still alive and kicking, even if rather quietly. :)
sometimes i wish bro O was imaginary. altho, if he were, even if i gave you a name like Onesimus Macintosh it wouldn't make a difference right?
Another milestone
Do you know, the moment I published the last post, I burst out crying? And I still can't stop crying! But it's like how one would cry after you finished a grueling race and you just can't help but cry in relief. It's like how you watch a really happy ending of a show and you can't stop bawling.
And it's like how you finished a very difficult period of your life and you feel so grateful to God for everything. It's exactly that.
When I left for UK for my final year in university, I had a lot of free time as a student, and I would spend hours on the computer writing emails. Some personal mails to friends and a lot to a mass emailing group about the things I was experiencing in UK.
And these emails detailing my experiences was very, very precious to me. I wished I kept those emails.
I only spent a year in UK, while my brother and my sister spent years in Canada and US. At first, I felt a little shortchanged because of that. But after that one year, I knew that one year was far more blessed than some people I knew who spent many years in UK. My experience with God was so intense. It was as if one week, He showed me something, and then because that was already extraordinary, you would think it would be awhile before you experience something like that again, and before you know it, you experience something else within days!
It was so intense!
And I would write it all down and email my friends in Malaysia all about it. And it was through that when people slowly began to tell me that I have a way with words that challenged them and encouraged them. This year, two people told me how much my e-mails had impacted them and one of them still kept some of it in her inbox.
Ever since coming back from UK, I've been yearning to go back to the place where I had experienced that intensity. I cried and I prayed with my sisters-in-Christ from university about it earlier this year, but I don't think they truly understood that yearning. I didn't either then.
Little did I know that day when I cried and prayed with them at Hui Min's place, God was really quickening something. I don't even know what at this point, but I'm pretty sure He'll help me figure it out one of these days.
And then a few weeks back, during the midst of a conversation with a friend - I was talking to him about my views on certain things relating to Christianity, it was among the few times this year when I openly spoked about anything related to God, and he said one thing - "Just make sure that your life reflects whatever words you are speaking."
It struck me then that my life hasn't been that way for a while. And the silence is oppresive. It is oppresive. Which is why, Sunflower, kudos to you.
I called a friend right after I hung up and cried to him and I just had to confess myself to him. And I felt free. As I have not for a long while.
After crying and praying and talking, he said, my writings when I was in UK made an impact. There was so much zeal. And I had to get back to that first love.
When I published that last post on my reflections, I cried because it hit me, I'm writing again!
I'm writing of God again!!
Do you know what that means?! Well, I guess it may be hard to see the thin webs all my thoughts, memories and experiences are tied with, but it means that whatever I've been going through in the last years has finally ended. This is one of the moments where I have to keep hitting the replay button to try to understand the scene in the last three years.
But. I'm pretty sure it'll dawn on me one of these days.
And please don't dilute this milestone by questioning me about it. Just accept that it's a beautiful moment between me and God, and you may not understand it, but it's perfect. It really is.
I'm also disabling the comments function in this post, because this is such an infinitely precious moment between me and God that I rather not have anyone commenting on it. Even if I do want to share it and share the beauty of experiencing God.
And it's like how you finished a very difficult period of your life and you feel so grateful to God for everything. It's exactly that.
When I left for UK for my final year in university, I had a lot of free time as a student, and I would spend hours on the computer writing emails. Some personal mails to friends and a lot to a mass emailing group about the things I was experiencing in UK.
And these emails detailing my experiences was very, very precious to me. I wished I kept those emails.
I only spent a year in UK, while my brother and my sister spent years in Canada and US. At first, I felt a little shortchanged because of that. But after that one year, I knew that one year was far more blessed than some people I knew who spent many years in UK. My experience with God was so intense. It was as if one week, He showed me something, and then because that was already extraordinary, you would think it would be awhile before you experience something like that again, and before you know it, you experience something else within days!
It was so intense!
And I would write it all down and email my friends in Malaysia all about it. And it was through that when people slowly began to tell me that I have a way with words that challenged them and encouraged them. This year, two people told me how much my e-mails had impacted them and one of them still kept some of it in her inbox.
Ever since coming back from UK, I've been yearning to go back to the place where I had experienced that intensity. I cried and I prayed with my sisters-in-Christ from university about it earlier this year, but I don't think they truly understood that yearning. I didn't either then.
Little did I know that day when I cried and prayed with them at Hui Min's place, God was really quickening something. I don't even know what at this point, but I'm pretty sure He'll help me figure it out one of these days.
And then a few weeks back, during the midst of a conversation with a friend - I was talking to him about my views on certain things relating to Christianity, it was among the few times this year when I openly spoked about anything related to God, and he said one thing - "Just make sure that your life reflects whatever words you are speaking."
It struck me then that my life hasn't been that way for a while. And the silence is oppresive. It is oppresive. Which is why, Sunflower, kudos to you.
I called a friend right after I hung up and cried to him and I just had to confess myself to him. And I felt free. As I have not for a long while.
After crying and praying and talking, he said, my writings when I was in UK made an impact. There was so much zeal. And I had to get back to that first love.
When I published that last post on my reflections, I cried because it hit me, I'm writing again!
I'm writing of God again!!
Do you know what that means?! Well, I guess it may be hard to see the thin webs all my thoughts, memories and experiences are tied with, but it means that whatever I've been going through in the last years has finally ended. This is one of the moments where I have to keep hitting the replay button to try to understand the scene in the last three years.
But. I'm pretty sure it'll dawn on me one of these days.
And please don't dilute this milestone by questioning me about it. Just accept that it's a beautiful moment between me and God, and you may not understand it, but it's perfect. It really is.
I'm also disabling the comments function in this post, because this is such an infinitely precious moment between me and God that I rather not have anyone commenting on it. Even if I do want to share it and share the beauty of experiencing God.
Reflections
Yesterday went to watch "Walk His Trail" by the Footstool Players. It was a little trying on my short attention span initially, because it spent the first half building the background of the five missionaries to the Auca tribes in Ecuador. If you have never heard the story of Jim Elliot and friends, you should google it up.
It's a true story of five missionaries who burned with the vision of evangelising to a violent and murderous tribe who was feared by all who knew of them. And the moment the missionaries finally came to the point of physically approaching them after a time of peaceful overtures, they were speared to death leaving their wives widowed.
But some of the wives continued in reaching out to the people of this tribe, and eventually built a strong church among this tribe, and the murderers of their husbands became God followers; elders of the church, called 'grandfather' and baptized the children of the murdered missionaries.
How beautiful is that? Of forgiveness, repentance and salvation.
What really struck me about the story was that at the end of the play, they quoted Elisabeth Elliot, the wife of Jim Elliot, "Obedience is our task. The results of that obedience is God's alone." Thoughts also linked to this.
And the murderers of the missionaries later testified after the killings, they saw bright lights stirring above the forest trees and singing. And it awes me, how amazing God's plans can be. I pray that there will be more men who would serve God wholeheartedly. Of course, women too. But coming from a Brethren background, the roles the men and women play are more vivid and distinct to me. But let's talk about perspective another time.
After the play, there was an exhortation to respond to what we might feel may be God's prompting in our lives. I started my prayer with words that has become a habit in the last few years, "Lord, I'm sorry I'm not more for You."
And before I even finished my sentence, it was as if I felt God's irritation with those words and indicated He wanted me to stop saying it. Those words implied that He could not accept me and wanted me to be more than who I am. His love is unconditional.
And I had to reword my prayer. Help me to be who I am for You.
Reversing the timeline, I woke up on Sunday morning before the play at 6.30am, and I thought of taking a morning walk with God. In that moment, while I was still half asleep, I felt my stomach tighten and I felt stress! And I had to ask myself, why does the thought of walking with God stress me?!
And it finally hit me today, I really do have an unhealthy problem with high expectations over myself, which pervades not just in work (which my colleague has been pointing it out to me for the whole year), but it also spills into my relationship with God. Despite knowing in truth that His love is unconditional. I was stressed about the thought of walking with God because I was feeling really sleepy and I didn't want to walk, but I felt guilty because I should want to walk with God and that expectation over myself to be a 'better Christian' stressed me out.
Another vestige of growing up in the Chinese Malaysian culture. Of course, expectations is a universal problem, just that I find it more intensified within the Chinese Malaysian families than the other races in Malaysia.
About the same time as last year, I yet again feel winds of change in my course. As it is every year, next year is indicating a different season. Of course, I have already begun sailing into that. Nothing excites me more, than sensing the strokes of the Master Painter on my canvas. Or to be the protagonist standing in the pages of the book looking out and seeing the story of my life being written out by the Author. It's very different, when you watch it live, than seeing it as a replay.
It's a true story of five missionaries who burned with the vision of evangelising to a violent and murderous tribe who was feared by all who knew of them. And the moment the missionaries finally came to the point of physically approaching them after a time of peaceful overtures, they were speared to death leaving their wives widowed.
But some of the wives continued in reaching out to the people of this tribe, and eventually built a strong church among this tribe, and the murderers of their husbands became God followers; elders of the church, called 'grandfather' and baptized the children of the murdered missionaries.
How beautiful is that? Of forgiveness, repentance and salvation.
What really struck me about the story was that at the end of the play, they quoted Elisabeth Elliot, the wife of Jim Elliot, "Obedience is our task. The results of that obedience is God's alone." Thoughts also linked to this.
And the murderers of the missionaries later testified after the killings, they saw bright lights stirring above the forest trees and singing. And it awes me, how amazing God's plans can be. I pray that there will be more men who would serve God wholeheartedly. Of course, women too. But coming from a Brethren background, the roles the men and women play are more vivid and distinct to me. But let's talk about perspective another time.
After the play, there was an exhortation to respond to what we might feel may be God's prompting in our lives. I started my prayer with words that has become a habit in the last few years, "Lord, I'm sorry I'm not more for You."
And before I even finished my sentence, it was as if I felt God's irritation with those words and indicated He wanted me to stop saying it. Those words implied that He could not accept me and wanted me to be more than who I am. His love is unconditional.
And I had to reword my prayer. Help me to be who I am for You.
Reversing the timeline, I woke up on Sunday morning before the play at 6.30am, and I thought of taking a morning walk with God. In that moment, while I was still half asleep, I felt my stomach tighten and I felt stress! And I had to ask myself, why does the thought of walking with God stress me?!
And it finally hit me today, I really do have an unhealthy problem with high expectations over myself, which pervades not just in work (which my colleague has been pointing it out to me for the whole year), but it also spills into my relationship with God. Despite knowing in truth that His love is unconditional. I was stressed about the thought of walking with God because I was feeling really sleepy and I didn't want to walk, but I felt guilty because I should want to walk with God and that expectation over myself to be a 'better Christian' stressed me out.
Another vestige of growing up in the Chinese Malaysian culture. Of course, expectations is a universal problem, just that I find it more intensified within the Chinese Malaysian families than the other races in Malaysia.
About the same time as last year, I yet again feel winds of change in my course. As it is every year, next year is indicating a different season. Of course, I have already begun sailing into that. Nothing excites me more, than sensing the strokes of the Master Painter on my canvas. Or to be the protagonist standing in the pages of the book looking out and seeing the story of my life being written out by the Author. It's very different, when you watch it live, than seeing it as a replay.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Memories, nothing but memories
I was editing the video of Yvonne's 21st birthday party at Pat's Glenamara accommodations on UNN campus. And whenever I am reminded of the golden year in UK, I'm always thrown into a melancholic mood.
I'm thankful of finally being able to overcome my heartsick longing of going back to UK, but there are still times like tonight, when I think of the what ifs.
What if I had stayed back and gotten a job there?
What if I did get a job and able to go back there?
What if I never did anything and stayed in Malaysia for the rest of my life?
So many what ifs. The only consolation I have is knowing that I am where I am today because God wants me here today. I hope I don't grow deaf to His voice when He tells me to move tomorrow, or even worse, to think I heard His voice but was actually my own voice.
I'm a person of extremes and of different facets. And sometimes these different facets keep pulling me to different directions that makes me question who am I really? This same tension kept me at my wit's end in the last three years, but now I guess I'm learning how to take it in stride. I'm not as frustrated as I was before, and learning to accept how I'm wired.
Anyway, here's a clip that was taken in 2003. So many wonderful memories. My only regret is that we didn't have more videos and pictures.
I'm thankful of finally being able to overcome my heartsick longing of going back to UK, but there are still times like tonight, when I think of the what ifs.
What if I had stayed back and gotten a job there?
What if I did get a job and able to go back there?
What if I never did anything and stayed in Malaysia for the rest of my life?
So many what ifs. The only consolation I have is knowing that I am where I am today because God wants me here today. I hope I don't grow deaf to His voice when He tells me to move tomorrow, or even worse, to think I heard His voice but was actually my own voice.
I'm a person of extremes and of different facets. And sometimes these different facets keep pulling me to different directions that makes me question who am I really? This same tension kept me at my wit's end in the last three years, but now I guess I'm learning how to take it in stride. I'm not as frustrated as I was before, and learning to accept how I'm wired.
Anyway, here's a clip that was taken in 2003. So many wonderful memories. My only regret is that we didn't have more videos and pictures.
Can send me the video?? Office band video ....can't view the video clips.....pls...send to my gmail...thanks!!!
aiyooo....ang eewei...y u post that video lah?? i so embarassing lahhhhh..
but anyway, sighhh...and those were the days...
Posted by Yvonne @ Liyuan |
5:56 PM
steph! must remember to dig out the farewell video. need to get alvin ling to see whether he can korek out ah ming's birthday video also. oh yarh... and i also have wei ling's engagement party. were u there? i send to u tomorrow.
ah chan... ur birthday was one of the best parties becoz we were so busy laughing at u mah!
Will try to remember dig out the video and pass to u...meawhile can pass me the wei ling's one too?? Think that's the first time I had a deep talk with michell and yk....remember so vivid that michell tipu me said she only 18 years old.....gr~~~~
Posted by |
9:56 AM
My godparents
A few people went hiking to Klang Gates this morning. I would have liked to join them, but was feeling really worn out from a very stressful week. I had a nice long sleep and when I floated in between sleep and the state of wakefulness, my brains was somehow actively whirling thoughts. So by the time I decided to stay awake, I picked up my phone and sms-ed Bro O.
"Hey, just a thought, but do you think I could adopt you and Jessie as my godparents?"
And his response 15 minutes later:
"Of course! We always thot of u as goddaughter! U mean u didn't?! :) ... Now dun tell me u chinese wan a tea cermony 2 formalize it? Ah, just a lobster dinner with caviar will do!"
-_-"
Chia lat... got such a greedy godfather.
But hehe, I guess it should have occurred to me earlier, since before God blessed Bro O and Jessie with Ana, they actually wanted to remain childless to look after their many spiritual children.
It's kinda nice, knowing that I now formally have a set of godparents to watch out for me. And of course, if ever there was a serious suitor for my hand, the poor dude has to go for 2 rounds of approval process now, first through Bro O then through my father for final sign off.
If ever larh.
"Hey, just a thought, but do you think I could adopt you and Jessie as my godparents?"
And his response 15 minutes later:
"Of course! We always thot of u as goddaughter! U mean u didn't?! :) ... Now dun tell me u chinese wan a tea cermony 2 formalize it? Ah, just a lobster dinner with caviar will do!"
-_-"
Chia lat... got such a greedy godfather.
But hehe, I guess it should have occurred to me earlier, since before God blessed Bro O and Jessie with Ana, they actually wanted to remain childless to look after their many spiritual children.
It's kinda nice, knowing that I now formally have a set of godparents to watch out for me. And of course, if ever there was a serious suitor for my hand, the poor dude has to go for 2 rounds of approval process now, first through Bro O then through my father for final sign off.
If ever larh.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
When you put 10 hungry people together
Went with a bunch of people from iBridge for dinner today. Learnt a few things from Jimmy. Example, if you're a guy, it wouldn't be good to be called an ABC.
Hehehe... at first I thought it meant the person was a jakun, but it means you're an Alligator Buaya Crocodile! Well, unless you're proud to be known as an amorous Casanova, then I guess it's ok to be called an ABC.
Oh yes, I'm entering a different phase in life now. I used to be among the youngest wherever I was. When I joined the young adults group when I was still in college, or when I joined the Assemblies Fellowship, which comprised of young adults. Even in uni, I was among the younger ones (even if by a year, except I was flanked by Yvonne who is younger by a month). And then I started working and everyone kept telling me how young I was. But now... people keep looking surprised when they find out my real age, and think I am older than I actually am!
The food at New Paris is still as good as ever! John was running late and after 10 minutes the food arrived, it looked like if I didn't save a plate of food for him, everyone else would have gobbled down his share. At the end, all the dishes were clean of scraps and even the bones were not spared!
Sieh Jin is a very useful person to have if you don't like to see food go wasted.
Hehehe... at first I thought it meant the person was a jakun, but it means you're an Alligator Buaya Crocodile! Well, unless you're proud to be known as an amorous Casanova, then I guess it's ok to be called an ABC.
Oh yes, I'm entering a different phase in life now. I used to be among the youngest wherever I was. When I joined the young adults group when I was still in college, or when I joined the Assemblies Fellowship, which comprised of young adults. Even in uni, I was among the younger ones (even if by a year, except I was flanked by Yvonne who is younger by a month). And then I started working and everyone kept telling me how young I was. But now... people keep looking surprised when they find out my real age, and think I am older than I actually am!
The food at New Paris is still as good as ever! John was running late and after 10 minutes the food arrived, it looked like if I didn't save a plate of food for him, everyone else would have gobbled down his share. At the end, all the dishes were clean of scraps and even the bones were not spared!
Sieh Jin is a very useful person to have if you don't like to see food go wasted.
Friday, November 03, 2006
The good ol' days
I got these 2 messages out of the blue on my Friendster, and I thought it was pretty sweet.
Hey There! How are you? My name is _____. I doubt you'd remember me. Even my dad doesnt quite realize i exist so i dont blame you la.He probably thinks Aylwin is a pot or something. Anyway, i used to go to AP**T back in the old days 00' 01' 02'. Gosh i sound like my grandpa already la. hahaha.. I used to remember you and Gurjeet always moving together inseparable like Frodo and Sam. You guys are bonded so tight even a thermo-nuclear explosion couldn't seperate you guys apart. And there i was, blending in with the wall or the dustbin, when you guys used to walk past i used to think to myself... pretty girls... then drool abit but as you all come near i used to wipe all that drool and TRY to act all macho and after you all walked pass by me i used to giggle like a lil catholic school girl. hahahaa.. i was... uhhh.. okay well i still am pathetic la. hehehee.. Anyway, hope to hear from ya. Hope i didnt freak you out. It's just the voices in my head told me to write this msg. *psychotic eye twitch* Have a good day ahead.. God bless.. :-)
and
Hey! Gosh i really didnt think you'd reply me ya know. I thought you'd call the mental hospital on me or something. Nevertheless i'm very happy for the reply and appreciate u not turning me in *looking over my shoulders*. hehehe.. Tell me bout being rusty.. Just the other day my friend asked me for my phone number and i just totally blanked out. Some more it's something i use everyday. Not like its something blending in with the wall or dustbin in college 4 years ago. Yup, i'm so rusted even a whole can of WD-40 wont help so trust me i totally understand. Plus i dont consider having a very memorable face unless you've had nightmares of my face waking up sweating in sheer terror.
You guys were popular to begin with. It's like you guys had camera flashes flashing all over as if u were walking down a runway in milan or something. hehehe.. But the cool thing bout you guys is that you didnt seem to be like those girls who want attention.. :-) I mean i wasnt like the most popular joe in college la but sometimes u guys walked pass by and you'd smile or i'd smile and you'd smile back or i'd wave and you'd wave back ya know? just made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.. soon after i got the wave or smile i'd do that whole school girl gigg-ly thing.. yeah yeah i know i'm pathetic.. *waving wooden twig flag with a white hanky on it* hehehee..
okay okay.. I've wrote enough to come up with a book thicker than the bible la. hehehe.. I'm really really glad to hear from ya. Thanks so so so much for adding me and for the reply. Hope to get a reply from ya soon. Take care there k? and Have a super awesome day ahead. God bless.. :-)
I forwarded the messages to Gurjeet to see if she recalled the guy who sent it, but she didn't. I vaaaguely recall seeing his face around, but its been what, 4 years already. So that's what it felt like, being popular... nothing? Heh... naw, me and Gurjeet concluded we were just having so much fun together it made us completely oblivious to our surroundings!
Urhmm... put two hyperactive and loud girls and I guess attention's bound to be drawn. But college was really such a blast. There were a lot of talking, gossiping, giggling, painful belly laughings, eating, name callings, sleeping (me), flirting. Oh yes, as I recall, we also got the entire class to gamble and a Middle Eastern classmate won so much that he bought me lunch.
The funniest thing was, me and Gurjeet would keep on talking in class, but all the lecturers would pick on her and not me. Heheh... guess I had the more angelic look. Also helps when you ask questions in the midst of the talking, as if you're actually pretending to gossip but actually listening. :P
The best part was one time, I actually decided to study on a subject the day before (very rare occasion). The lecturer for this subject was sooooo boring even the brainiest girl couldn't focus. And I promptly, as I always do in his class, folded my hands in front of me and went to sleep. When I stirred from my nap, I found the lecturer asking a question to the class and getting very aggravated by the silence. Since I read something in the book the night before, I answered his question (while my head was still fuzzy with sleep) and he exclaimed happily and loudly, "At least one person is paying attention!!"
Hahhaah... I can still remember the classic look on Nithie's face when he turned and whispered fiercely, "Didn't you just wake up?!?!"
So yeah, college days were just excellent. ;)
Hey There! How are you? My name is _____. I doubt you'd remember me. Even my dad doesnt quite realize i exist so i dont blame you la.He probably thinks Aylwin is a pot or something. Anyway, i used to go to AP**T back in the old days 00' 01' 02'. Gosh i sound like my grandpa already la. hahaha.. I used to remember you and Gurjeet always moving together inseparable like Frodo and Sam. You guys are bonded so tight even a thermo-nuclear explosion couldn't seperate you guys apart. And there i was, blending in with the wall or the dustbin, when you guys used to walk past i used to think to myself... pretty girls... then drool abit but as you all come near i used to wipe all that drool and TRY to act all macho and after you all walked pass by me i used to giggle like a lil catholic school girl. hahahaa.. i was... uhhh.. okay well i still am pathetic la. hehehee.. Anyway, hope to hear from ya. Hope i didnt freak you out. It's just the voices in my head told me to write this msg. *psychotic eye twitch* Have a good day ahead.. God bless.. :-)
and
Hey! Gosh i really didnt think you'd reply me ya know. I thought you'd call the mental hospital on me or something. Nevertheless i'm very happy for the reply and appreciate u not turning me in *looking over my shoulders*. hehehe.. Tell me bout being rusty.. Just the other day my friend asked me for my phone number and i just totally blanked out. Some more it's something i use everyday. Not like its something blending in with the wall or dustbin in college 4 years ago. Yup, i'm so rusted even a whole can of WD-40 wont help so trust me i totally understand. Plus i dont consider having a very memorable face unless you've had nightmares of my face waking up sweating in sheer terror.
You guys were popular to begin with. It's like you guys had camera flashes flashing all over as if u were walking down a runway in milan or something. hehehe.. But the cool thing bout you guys is that you didnt seem to be like those girls who want attention.. :-) I mean i wasnt like the most popular joe in college la but sometimes u guys walked pass by and you'd smile or i'd smile and you'd smile back or i'd wave and you'd wave back ya know? just made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.. soon after i got the wave or smile i'd do that whole school girl gigg-ly thing.. yeah yeah i know i'm pathetic.. *waving wooden twig flag with a white hanky on it* hehehee..
okay okay.. I've wrote enough to come up with a book thicker than the bible la. hehehe.. I'm really really glad to hear from ya. Thanks so so so much for adding me and for the reply. Hope to get a reply from ya soon. Take care there k? and Have a super awesome day ahead. God bless.. :-)
I forwarded the messages to Gurjeet to see if she recalled the guy who sent it, but she didn't. I vaaaguely recall seeing his face around, but its been what, 4 years already. So that's what it felt like, being popular... nothing? Heh... naw, me and Gurjeet concluded we were just having so much fun together it made us completely oblivious to our surroundings!
Urhmm... put two hyperactive and loud girls and I guess attention's bound to be drawn. But college was really such a blast. There were a lot of talking, gossiping, giggling, painful belly laughings, eating, name callings, sleeping (me), flirting. Oh yes, as I recall, we also got the entire class to gamble and a Middle Eastern classmate won so much that he bought me lunch.
The funniest thing was, me and Gurjeet would keep on talking in class, but all the lecturers would pick on her and not me. Heheh... guess I had the more angelic look. Also helps when you ask questions in the midst of the talking, as if you're actually pretending to gossip but actually listening. :P
The best part was one time, I actually decided to study on a subject the day before (very rare occasion). The lecturer for this subject was sooooo boring even the brainiest girl couldn't focus. And I promptly, as I always do in his class, folded my hands in front of me and went to sleep. When I stirred from my nap, I found the lecturer asking a question to the class and getting very aggravated by the silence. Since I read something in the book the night before, I answered his question (while my head was still fuzzy with sleep) and he exclaimed happily and loudly, "At least one person is paying attention!!"
Hahhaah... I can still remember the classic look on Nithie's face when he turned and whispered fiercely, "Didn't you just wake up?!?!"
So yeah, college days were just excellent. ;)
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Youtube on iBridge camp
I didn't realise what an amazing work David Ting did on this clip of the camp until I saw it at Ee Ling's site! So decided to attach it here as well because he did such a great job capturing the great moments in camp! He was so good that I didn't even realise we had a cameraman in our midst!
But he had to catch me larh... doing my ice-breaking task. :P I was suppose to act out playing the guitar. So shy.
But he had to catch me larh... doing my ice-breaking task. :P I was suppose to act out playing the guitar. So shy.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Doing REAL juggling now
Had good fun today. Dashed off to catch friends for dinner and movie today and left work really early. 6.30pm is super early to me, and I felt a tinge of guilt as I tried to leave the office as inconspicuously as possible. But I still felt good, being able to leave the office even if traces of work lingered on my mind.
But maybe it's another string of attachment to work is being released. That I can leave behind work and office and reclaim back the time that rightfully belongs to me. We shall see. Still too early to tell if it's just a phase or it's truly a readjustment to a different lifestyle. Especially since the race for the year end has already begun to truly heat up now that the long Raya break is over. Even if I can say money, commissions and my targets are not all-important to me, it is to some of my colleagues, and I need to balance up responsibility to my work and team members and to the other 'balls' which is my family, friends and church that I'm juggling in my life.
So anyway, had dinner, caught a movie and then had drinks at mamak. Pretty late night actually. Had planned to go back earlier since I wanted to tie up some loose ends of the working day, but looks like I'll just have to do it early tomorrow morning.
To cap the night, when I came home, my neighbour's cat was somehow extra affectionate to me, happily leaving the porch of the house next door to cuddle up with me. It was being rather cheeky with me though, at one point trying to playfully bite my arm all of a sudden. It's one thing to play with a dog's teeth, but cat's teeth is rather sharp you know. But nothing like having a furry animal to just ease a bit of tension from you.
My group at the iBridge retreat - From left: Simeon, Chooi Fong, John, Annie, Doreen, me, Vince, Eric and Stanley.
But maybe it's another string of attachment to work is being released. That I can leave behind work and office and reclaim back the time that rightfully belongs to me. We shall see. Still too early to tell if it's just a phase or it's truly a readjustment to a different lifestyle. Especially since the race for the year end has already begun to truly heat up now that the long Raya break is over. Even if I can say money, commissions and my targets are not all-important to me, it is to some of my colleagues, and I need to balance up responsibility to my work and team members and to the other 'balls' which is my family, friends and church that I'm juggling in my life.
So anyway, had dinner, caught a movie and then had drinks at mamak. Pretty late night actually. Had planned to go back earlier since I wanted to tie up some loose ends of the working day, but looks like I'll just have to do it early tomorrow morning.
To cap the night, when I came home, my neighbour's cat was somehow extra affectionate to me, happily leaving the porch of the house next door to cuddle up with me. It was being rather cheeky with me though, at one point trying to playfully bite my arm all of a sudden. It's one thing to play with a dog's teeth, but cat's teeth is rather sharp you know. But nothing like having a furry animal to just ease a bit of tension from you.
My group at the iBridge retreat - From left: Simeon, Chooi Fong, John, Annie, Doreen, me, Vince, Eric and Stanley.