Life's Like That - Life Little Surprises (Part 2)

When Norzah wished me - "Let Happiness Be Your Soul mate" few entries back ... I decided that I like it very much and should made it MY "mantra" to go through the tough times (lately). I find the concept and meaning is interesting as we usually associate soul mate as in companionship or in "someone's" case - a parachute!

I feel happiness is somewhat been missing lately in my everyday life, than companionship. Happiness in doing my work, happiness being around my family, happiness around friends and colleagues, happiness in eating my favourite food, happiness being able to hibernate on weekends. Happiness in performing my duties to the Almighty (oopppsss ... this is a confession Lord).

The only happiness I felt was watching exciting episode by episode of You're Beautiful (Korean Drama) on YouTube. Now I am in episode 13 ... 3 more episodes to go. Even that kind of happiness is imaginary (and short)! What the heck ... yang penting ... Saranghae oppas ...

Anyway ... I truly meant what I said when I poured out my heart about wanting life to surprise me a little in my last entry. However, I never expected that it happened too soon. Though nothing is conclusive at the moment, I felt like Santa had finally managed to sent me my overdue X'mas gift ... you know, with all the global warming and earthquakes lately, his sleigh got stuck somewhere between North Pole and Haiti hehehe ... And now I also believe that "angels" or "fairy godmothers" do exist among the living.

But ONE happy surprise is definitely conclusive.

Got a call from Rachel last Thursday and I AM SOOOOOOOO GOING TO SUPER JUNIOR CONCERT IN MARCH. Guess what ... WE BOUGHT THE MOST EXPENSIVE TICKET. Mesti Jethro sik puas hati ngan aku after "kenyataan PANAS" time mauk beli tiket nangga Cuci The Musical... hehehehe .

Rachel, u and Jaime Unnie will have great time rubbing shoulders with one of the best K-pop band. Actually now in Korea, 2PM is a bigger hit but I prefer SuJu's songs and dance move. Don't ask why ... you'll be the judge.

About the ticket and my vow on "perbelanjaan berhemah" in 2010 ... I really don't care now ... Most important my SuJu will be coming to Malaysia and I want to be with them ...

My 7th Year in The Premier Service

Wow, it's already a year after I first blog about my anniversary as a PTD Officer.

Hmm, suddenly I am speechless ...

OK ... the last one year I religiously followed our new civil service mantra "1 Malaysia, Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan". I came to work early (before 7.30 am) and leave work late (between 7.00 pm - 9.00pm). I also set my unit's KPI slightly higher last year so that I will be forced to achieve it by hook or by crook. I have to thank my former boss Eddie Wee (my former company in Kuching) for that ... you know in Chinese there is a saying that goes "Die, die must do."

Did I tell you I got Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang for the 2nd time last year? The first was in 2005.

Kesannya ... my health is really affected. Badly affected. In fact now I am having fever and flu but I need to attend Tan Sri KSN meeting to help all my top bosses this morning. Since 5th, I had never seen daylight (litterally).

To put more icing on the cake, two of my self initiative abandoned projects rehabilitation completed in November 2009. This is a silent victory and am happy when the purchasers took vacant possession last year completed with CF some more.

But it also put more white hair on my head. I wished for Dolly Parton's boobs not her hair ... somebody "UP" there, can you look into this matter?

So on the eve of the anniversary I was so touched when during my insurance agency meeting, two of my fellow agent friends backed me up when my Group Sales Manager criticised my "barely" there performance this year.

Madam Heng and Meena whom most of their clients are top gunners in the Government said that public service now is not like before. Everybody had no time for appointments or sales talks. To make things memorable was Madam Heng's statement ... "Wan, she basically has no life now you know. I've seen the way her and her department works".

I almost wanted to cry. I said nothing throughout the ordeal cause it is not easy to explain yourself over the "taboo" that still loom in the public service. But still ... it was the nicest thing I have ever heard on this special occasion!

... Even when my blogging style get more seriously lately, right?

Enoughlah with sad story ... so today I thought of celebrating it with a nice cup of "expensive" Cafe Mocha at San Francisco Coffee. A handsome guy with a hot smile attended to me.

"Madam, what's your order?"

I think I should consider that early retirement ...

Life's Like That - Life Little Suprises

I was having writer's block lately. Maybe it's the hormone thing again. Hmmm ... sometimes it's not easy to be a woman. Mood can turn 360 degree especially bila memasuki "prime" age nie. Ada satu masa, I am soooooo in the mood that I could do 4-5 works at the same time. Sometimes, I just want to hibernate and avoid any form of civilisation. And ada satu time ... I just need to get out from KL! Itu yang mencetuskan adrenaline rush last Friday.

So ... I missed my flight last Friday to Penang but sebab dah tak tahan dengan "suasana tegang " di KL sanggup detour from KL Sentral to Puduraya naik bas balik Penang. Oh ya .. suasana tegang in my context tiada kaitan dengan isu hangat sekarang nie. Just that after 12 days bercuti tanpa contact dengan masyarakat luar ... I desperately need a breath of fresh air and companionship of another woman.

While ronda-ronda in Kulim town, Emel and I talked about how a lot of things in our life were unplanned. Like her going to Germany and work in Kulim, me becoming a PTD and work in KL. About a friend whom we thought should be the one "married" to her career instead of us, now finding happiness as a wife and mother. About a friend whom flunked her "A-Level", forced to work and studied part-time (when the rest of the classmates had graduated and settle down), now worked for a multinational company earning a 5 figure salary.

Suddenly I thought ... wouldn't our life be much better if there are little surprises sometimes? The past few years I felt like ... kalau nak sangat benda tu, don't expect it to fall from the sky, have to work hard for it. As long as you do nothing, so expect nothing! So jadi lah tekanan emosi sebab bangun pukul 6 pagi, balik kadang2 pukul 8 malam. By the time reach home maybe pukul 9 malam. Before we know it's already time for bed and sebelum mata puas tido, alarm pulak berbunyi .

And if you want to make something work for you since nobody is doing it for you, banyak pulak halangannya ... like my "ambitious" dream nak tour satu Japan with my office mate (in April 2011) which means I need to cut down expensive expenses like trips to Kuching on festive seasons (when I normally splurge) - CNY, Gawai and Christmas (or off season) or on fine dining or designer's brand. I had no other options since 2008 I used up all my savings for my home renovation. My mum started making noise and my dad is not happy. Though I mengalah ... but I am left with no energy to fix a broken heart, let alone finding a rich boyfriend.

Hmmmm ....

Tiba-tiba teringat dengan Yoyop. Few years back ketika masih aktif mencari SOULmate, myself and Niejah tried to pair her with a guy, whom was quite close to us that time. So one day this guy told us that he got posted to Tawau. Apalagi lah makin berjaya lah rancangan kami untuk menyatukan "dua" jiwa menjadi "satu".

Macam-macam lah kaedah kami bincang dengan this guy mcam mana nak "make him" as a suprise gift to Yoyop. From the Cleopatra Delivery ... you know, him wearing nothing and gulung dengan carpet. So ala2 bila kena delivered, Yoyop just roll the carpet and "ooo la la"... tapi rancangan tu terpaksa dibatalkan kerana takut Memek and Nyanya terus pukul dengan penyapu hehehe

Satu lagi idea was asked Yoyop to gather few female (only) friends kat satu lokasi and lokasi tu ala-ala diserbu oleh "jejaka" ini yang akan berlakon sebagai "pegawai polis" and terus buat strip tease hehehe ... tapi idea ini juga terpaksa dibatalkan kerana takut orang lain yang "terbekenan" ...

I don't know lah kalau sang jejaka nie buat ke tidak seperti yang dirancang sebab kalau ikut plan, Yoyop kena "collect" present dia nie di satu lokasi di mana dia dikesan berdasarkan ribbon hadiah atas kepala heheheh

So apakah reaksi Cikgu Yoyop dengan "suprise gift" dari Cik Rambo dan Niejah the Legend (memang dah legend pun si niejah nie). ... sila komen sikit cikgu hehehe

Freedom Of Religion

I was waiting for Guy Next Door to complete a very important presentation to KSU tomorrow. So while waiting, I killed time reading today's papers. A very, very HOT issue caught my attention but instead of feeling GLAD, OFFENDED, VICTORIOUS or CONCERNED, I was INTERESTED and decided to form my own opinion based on historical background, linguistic and cross-cultural values of 3 religions of GOD.

Throughout the data search and analysing process-the McCurry case, Norzah entries on sensitivity, 1Malaysia, Dr. M's entry on Federal Constituitions and certain politicians or bloggers writings on the issue came into mind. So satisfied that I found a more intellectual and rational explanation on the issue I decided to share it with Mr. Energy Savings.

So at the end of my short lecture I said,"Sometimes Lim, I think its better to be a free-thinker but in my case, a free thinker but not an atheist. Understand the foundation and essence of the religions and embrace all the best values that benefits me spiritually."

Innocently Mr Energy Saving answered,"Cik Jaime, saya free thinker. Saya tak percaya Tuhan tapi saya kena percaya Tuhan."

I was like "huh"?

"Cik Jaime tak tahu ker? Saya dah bersumpah. Rukunegara kita yang pertama kata ... Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan".

Hahahahaha .... Dunno whether to hate or love him for saying it earnestly. Just imagine if some non believers want to make an issue out of it!

However, I also have to agree to Norzah's view on this issue:

"You don't have to take everything to the Court. Nor can the Court rule that you must believe or not believe, love or hate something or someone, like or dislike certain things etc. It can only rule on what you can do or not do in terms of explicit action."

The 6th Day of A New Year

First and foremost, would like to wish my youngest sister Jayne, Happy 22nd Birthday today. Sometimes I wonder how my little sister had grown into a woman. During secondary school, I always think that my "teenage life is ruin" because I had to babysit her and she always followed me everywhere. Hehehe. Anway love you and wish you all the best of health, wealth and in future undertakings.

I started working yesterday, feeling a bit tired and moody. After a long holiday break, I had difficulty to switch to working mode. Throughout the holidays, I slept at 3 a.m and woke up between 10 am to 12 pm. So yesterday, I couldn't sleep until 3.am and had to wake up at 6 a.m. To make matter worse, on my first day working in the new year I had to attend several meetings from morning to evening.

Dampened my mood thereafter.... I so need to get out of KL! Am visualising Phuket ...

Korean Drama Fever (H1N3) – HOT BLOOD

When my foster dad called me yesterday asking why I was so silent the whole week, I simply answered, “Uncle, I got H1N3 lah … not feeling well”.

“Hohoho,” he chuckled. “Better don’t come to the house then.” (Sigh!) Good for me too. Otherwise Auntie Pakiam will start feeding me and Puvan’s wedding is just 2 weeks away. Why did I agree to wear saree for his wedding?

Anyway I wonder whether Uncle Perumal understood what I meant by H1N3. I felt a bit feverish though due to lack of sleep since Christmas. Hehehe

Well I have to say my mum was part to be blamed. She gave me “bad influence” when she was my Orang Gaji Berijazah for 2 weeks. I thought that I was soooooooooooo over with Boys Before Flower (BBF) and went on with my life. I never anticipated that I got hooked again … this time with Hot Blood (and sometimes Iris or Terms of Endearment). Mummy, you should have stick to Sehati Berdansa!

This time, it was a real challenge too because unlike BBF, Hot Blood was not a super hit. Other than Viikii or Mysoju, it’s hard to find other sites to watch the drama if the link is broken and being “Mie” I want to watch this drama on high definition. Even the “fan-subbers” took their time to provide the English subtitle. During the glory days of BBF, tonight it went on air in Korea… tomorrow you could watched it on thousand of fan sites.

So I’d got no choice but to download this drama episode by episode from Aja-Aja website on my crawling broadband. Huhuhu. Sometimes it took more than 24 hours to download an episode. Nasiblah I am not a PHD student, surelah tak balik UK tahun depan hehehe. The waiting really kills me!

Synopsis, cast information please click here. (if you dare Semin!)

Hmm, what do I like about this drama? Actually I was quite drawn to the character Kim Jae Hae played by Chae Jung Ahn, who is the top female car salesperson in Korea. Sometimes she can be the vixen, straight-forward and hardworking businesswoman, compassionate spinster, spirited team leader, wise elder sister or wicked witch of the west. For a while I believe that Ha-Ryu, the main character, may have fallen hard for her. But pandai cover line through his naiveness.

As for Jae Hae, though I don’t really approved whatever feelings she may still have for her ex, Kang Seung Joo, I understand very well the feelings of a woman who had fallen head over heels for a man only to be deeply hurt and betrayed later. She had to create a strong outer shell to conceal and protect the shattered damsel in distress and faced challenges in life alone. Hmm … déjà vu!

Whoever that comes next may need to work hard to get her love. I have to applause Chae Jung Ahn’s performance here, not easy to bring that character to live.

Since I only have KBS World on my ASTRO subscription so it’s plain to see most of Korean dramas which I am more familiar with are from KBS. However I knew that some great dramas aired in SBS in Korea. One in particular is You’re Beautiful.

I stumbled upon it while “googling” for Top Korean Drama 2009 and there is this site who ask viewers to vote between Boys Before Flower OR You’re Beautiful. Hooo … bahaya ni. Biasanya fever or drama addiction seperti ini ada kaitan dengan kedatangan BIG MAJOR TASK!

Anyway, I will blog about it later if it’s worth watching. Here is the link for the 1^st Episode.

Goodbye 2009, Welcome 2010

Actually for this entry I wanted to put all my best photos to depict how busy and memorable was this year was for me. Kinda like bumper issue for Jan 2010. Unfortunately my broadband suddenly slowing down on me. Arghhhhhhhhhh ... of all the days!

How was your New Year's celebration?

Yoyop smsed me saying hers was like normal days. Mum called telling me they had BBQ and I could hear my little Gina screaming at the background. That girl, when I was home she played mute. But when on the phone, sometimes she would sang to me her favourite song ... Matahari by Agnes Monica. She got that DNA from you mum so don't fret at her lack of interest for anything intellectual. Farid called to ask whether I would like to join him and Farah to Genting. Julina also smsed if I would like to join her BBQ party and so was Uncle Perumal. My phone till now didn't stop ringing from New Year's messages.

But the best call for New Year 2009 adalah .... jeng jeng jeng .... dari Lolong Liling Luer! I was very very suprised when she called. Oh kena beli 4D aku hari tok! All this while ... it's either me or Jett or Emel or Kazen. She is ala-ala Harry Porter's "she who must not be named". If her name was ever mentioned, it will bring shudder to the bones. Hahahaha

I was overwhelmed! It felt so good that amidst all the excitements, festive moods and merry-makings ... some people still think of you! Gosh, unfortunately I had my own private plan last night. I just want a silent and peaceful celebration. Silent is golden maaa .... Hahaha ... just kidding ... I got H1N3 so kepala banyak pening wooo ... Thank God, after a hearty meal and medication I felt much better. Fortunately I still could see fireworks from a distance from my apartment balcony at midnight.

I recalled one of the many reasons why I wanted to work in KL ... to be able to experience the many celebrations in KL as featured on TV (that time mana ada Astro kat rumah ... so the best channel was TV3). But if you asked me to go to Dataran Merdeka or KLCC now to watch fireworks ... a BIG no. The overwhelming crowd was suffocating, and too many Ariel Peterpan.

Many years ago I would felt sorry for those who had to celebrate the New Year or any festive celebrations alone. However, having gone through it all myself (though on purpose) I felt sometimes we need to be alone to reflect ourselves and to make new plans for the future. Especially when you are being put into a situation that you have never planned, expected or wanted.

Believe it or not, God had just sent me a message. I am so relief that I am not Britney Spears ... hehehe. Wanna know why ... watch E! True Hollywood Story on Channel 712.

Albeit all these, happy to see that 2009 was a year of the beginning of a new beginning for most - my foster younger brother Puvaneswaran became a legally married man, Emel reignited her passion in cross-country running (apart from scuba-diving) and expanded her "test market " to Filipin (about time ko keluar dari market Kulim and some say Penang), Yoyop found her SOLmate and SOULmate in paragliding, Niejah discovered new "passion" in marriage (kalau sebut passion tu dalam konteks Niejah nie kena "passionate" sikit ya) and Suna had put Auntie's Lisa touch to test in her photography debut entitled - "My Face".

2009 also saw me made new acquintances and new adventures with Jett Zafril, Kazen, Guy Next Door, Farid, Mr Energy Savings and Aunty Ming. With Jett and Kazen, the magical moments of AF7. With Mr Energy Savings and Guy Next Door, you know sampai sekarang I masih muak makan Pasta Carbonara (we were on a hunt for the best Carbonara, so we tested 3 places so far and it proved to be too much for me). Farid, I love beaches and I hope to explore more next year with you and last but not least Auntie Ming. Auntie, till now I could hear your high pitch voice saying good-byes only to be ended later by "ohhhhhhhhhh I left my pouch" hehehe.

Hmm wonder what 2010 had in store for me? Honestly to me new year means new challenges that sometimes drained the energy in you. Therefore I never make resolutions for it may means I have to find the solutions.

Nonetheless ... Happy New Year 2010 everyone. May the new year bring joy, prosperity and wealth to you all! Eh sounded like Chinese New Year pulak hehehe