...when your keys are locked inside - what would you do?

Before I start talking about my good CNY (last CNY being single, spending time with my folks all the way)... I need to pen down, what my deaf/mute friend Nancy did -- out of this world -- she taekwando kicked her wooden door after she'd locked her key inside her room! Then she stretch her tiny arms through the broken wooden pieces to reach for the knob from the inside to unlock the door! *I grabbed these pic from her blog*

Poor thing... you know, it's just amazing what special people can do. Any normal person would have just taken a card to slide through the side of the knob to try to unlock it, like what a thief would do. In fact me and my collegemate did that when we forgot to bring our keys out. Why could she karate kick to destroy her door?! I feel paiseh for having to rush her, that's how she left her keys behind when try to meet me in a rush. Special people have special methods of solving problems. They're also very sensitive towards the physical surrounding.

Infact when we were having dinner at a big hawker-stalls food court in Penang, I wanted to go to the toilet, I wrote it on paper that I wanted to go to toilet, she wanted to go too.. we stood up, I gestured that I don't know where is the toilet, she turned her one half a round, and she SAW it! The toilet sign was so distant away...

Her arms must be painful, having being injured... but you'll never know if she's in pain. We communicate through messaging on hp (without sending but showing) or writing on paper. I actually got dizzy when I was 'communicating' with her while driving on unfamiliar roads! *panadol rescued*

...to spill the beans

At tonight's reunion dinner, I'm going to tell everybody... that I'm getting married!

Our ROM > 19.09.2009

Our wedding dinner > still pending sg buloh cikgu to revert back, but we hope its... 09.01.10

Easy to remember right?

First thing first, we must get our house key. Start renovating. By end of March, I should get confirmed by my bank, so I can apply for staff reno-loan.

Anyway, since the ancestor tablet is at sayang's setapak hse, so for the traditional chinese keluar-masuk pintu, will be from Setapak to my hse in PJ back to Setapak. Then back to our new house (with no ancestor tablet yet).

Sayang was thinking of an unusual style for the ji-muis and heng-dais, shhhh my close friends would have known it by now. Not sure how will it work, or how my parents will faint... we'll see.

And sayang doesn't fancy those western-white gown... for me, I don't drool over it, whatever it is, has to fit and match my body size... and I do think wearing the chinese-kwa would be more authentic and culturally significant. And its long sleeve, so can cover my fat flabby arms! *wakakkakaaz...*

Hmmm... what else can I share, we're planning for a pre-wedding shoot and we've not visited any bridal studio and we don't plan to walk into any one! *Doh... sometimes I think it's cool having a meijoonized personality and marrying another one-of-a-kind sayang. We both dread having our pictures taken in a studio! Very fortunate that sayang has a cousin who's a professional wedding photographer! And you bet, its gonna be outdoor shoot! *ok ok I know many other couples who'd had pre-wedding shoot outdoor, esp the beach*

Now comes the dinner, this one it's not gonna be easy, sayang is really hoping to have it simple. By simple he means small. At the back of my mind, me being only daugther, me being first grandchild, me being first in both side of my family to get married... you think my parents can accommodate to a small wedding?! Wakakkakaz... anyway, that's where we'll have 2 receptions!

One very chinesey, one not typical. Chinese dinner most likely at Ming Room @ BSC that can only fit 22 tables maximum. *everybody pray for me that Ming Room will be available for us for our chosen date! Problem I don't have the date YET. The last I checked, they're going for renovation ready in June, so all booking can only be made after June!*

For the other more casual for friends punya dinner - we're looking at some cool places like Rahsia? Passion Road (we've check it out lotsa of mosquito lah!!)... You know of any cool places like that in the city or in PJ? Do you think buffet or served-dinner is better for a casual romantic wedding dinner with mostly friends as guests?

OK enough with spilling out the beans.

At the end of the day, there's alot of give and take. What I want, what he wants. How to compromise each other... I guess we'll take a whole life time to practise it.

Teacher advised: He is 大男人。我是大女人。So in order to sustain a harmonious relationship, we gotta remember 要配合, 要包容 & 要善解。

Pre-CNY Doh

Negative thoughts create negative energy... that's what I observed.
I'm being numb listening to mom nag about everything the under the sun. To her she's just giving her opinion, its not complaining. To the listener - that's me - she's nagging / complaining / saying negatively.

So how it got me into a little mess? Aunty called her to tumpang put vegetarian stuff in the fridge. Infact I shouldn't say tumpang, because I have no idea that aunty is actually giving my mom the stuff as gift and its supposed to be put in the freezer. So my mom very boldly complained that there is NO SPACE in the freezer. She didn't mention anything about aunty GIVING us the stuff, which is meant to be kept in the freezer. And mom forgot to go pick it up from aunty house, and we all reached home. It's so late... while mom was bathing, aunty called to ask when are we coming to pick up the stuff to put in the freezer... I just repeated exactly what my mom told me "freezer got no space".

To which she said "you come take lah, my houes got no freezer.." which I don't believe and well I don't wanna drive out at 12.15am alone. Minutes later, aunty's husband came... I'm actually surprise aunty manage to get her husband to do things for her, this uncle usually shoot my aunty for being 'stupid'.

Anyway, uncle didn't utter a word standing outside my house, I didn't know it was uncle, because there's 2 cousins who usually come home very late at night not uttering a word when they come in. I turned my head, saw uncle... with a big packet of stuff, I said "why bring over? there's no space in the freezer!"

And I dunno why he didn't utter a word and left. Hmmm.... moments later, aunty called to speak to my mom to tell how angry uncle was -- that I'm so rude! That I didn't even say Thank You! That inspite of calling myself a Buddhist, I didn't even say Thank You!

....altogether now "DOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That was supposed to be a CNY gift? CHiiiiiiuuuuuuuu.... why would my mom NOT graciously accept people's gift instead complain about our freezer no space. DOH! I just repeated exactly what my mom said to my aunty & uncle, and now I'm being labelled so rude and a Buddhist who don't know how to say thank you. When I tried explain to mom that I didn't know the stuff is for us, not merely tumpang... then she cleverly imply that's because I simply assume things / getsmart.

Isshh... anyway, not the first time I'm having this sort of pre-CNY complication with my mom.

The thing I fear most is how I'm resemble her! Oh geeeeeee... esp when I'm driving and she's telling me where to turn (not following the sign). I somehow remembered how sayang got mad when I tried to direct him where to turn when he's behind the wheel. The pathetic part is, when I said "I'm following the sign" and she said "1U you know lah, but this place I know, I ask u to turn there..." Then I sarcasticly replied "Yes, I'm very blur wan you dunno meh" She counter back "but you always talk like you getsmart!"

~*~

No wonder my dad has always remained SILENT. Just don't bother open mouth.

The small world at a small wedding

Sayang asked me to go for a his schoolmate big chinese-wedding do (90 tables), without much thought I said no. Sayang asked me to go for another of his friend's wedding at Passion Raod - go!

Why? Cos I've not been there and I heard quite abit about it... and its something different, not chinese 9-course sit-down dinner you know. Anyway, so there I was at this bungalow surrounded by lush green trees.... fantastic breeding ground for MOSQUITOES!

I thought garden - buffet wedding at a cool mansion with great ambience would be something to look forward to... but the mosquitoes is really sad case. You know I have terrible legs... I cannot stand itches, I just scratch auto-mode when I there's itch.. and it really itches.

~*~

Anyway, this story is about a small world. First I saw this girl standing there... usual of me, I don't care, I glance away. BUT I paused my mind -- she looked familiar, I've met her before -- think she must have heard me saying that to myself, as she walked nearer to me, she looked at me, I looked at her -- smdj!

Gee... if she didn't become SOOOO ultra thin I wouldn't have doubt my senses lah! I thought we were in the same class, but I remember we were not in same class... but we're supposed to know each other lah. Then we try to connect back who we still keep in touch with from school.

So she's the cousin of the bride, who is sayang's melaka friend.

~*~

Yada yada yada... at the long fancy dinner table, since there were empty seat infront of us, this guy walked over to ask if the seat is taken, no its not, so he sat... (as he was walking over, I was already talking to myself, where he look so familiar, facebook fella ke) then he introduced himself as TJ (hmm.. not james ooi ah...) Then he explained he's the bride's friend from UM.

Ahah! My upm coursemate's brother! Eh when I attended my coursemate's wedding recently, the bro was sitting in the same table as me at the opposite end of the table leh! Fuiyoh... like that also can... wedding do is like a place where you might meet who and who, so and so who's connected to so and so...

At some point I explained to TJ about sayang being floral designer who did the flowers for his sister's wedding. When the bride was chatting with TJ, she intro sayang as her florist -- TJ said yeah its a small world munyee also did the flowers for his sister!

~*~

Anyway, the part about 'small wedding'... agree with sayang, there's not enough crowd to make up the mood / atmosphere. Or maybe its the place? maybe its the spicy-range of food? Maybe I'm lazy to walk up and down to get food & to socialize since the chair is so bulky.

Next we'll go scout Rahsia to see if its any better... Shhhh its a rahsia.

Ox Year...

Year of the Ox :: Make aspiration.... things will go our way ;)

~*~

I read about all the bad luck stuff for goat for the year of Ox... If I listen to it, then it might be true. But if I maintain my positive outlook, and aspire for good things to happen, not leaving it all by chance, be assertive and just continue aspire!

~*~

Read somewhere >

VIRGO SHEEP
Overly fussy with high expectations, these Sheep often expect too much of themselves and of others.

...sayang nod his head to this statement! Maybe I don't realise it myself esp when things don't go the way I want... now I have an excuse to pacify myself on why sometimes things just don't meet my expectation -- because I'm a Virgo Sheep!

My 2009 Wish List

1. Dell Inspiron 1420 is priced at RM2,299 if purchase online by 5/1/2009! I like the white, brown, red shell :) How ah!??! Maybank monthly installment RM193/month for 12 mnths. You see, the laptop (only 1GB RAM) I'm using currently belongs to dad, who uses it mostly for reading news & check 4-ekor. Each time I hog on to it, both my parents wont have chance to use it and they'll sulk. I also need more memory for adobe work, and what more experimenting with creating dvd slideshow.Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T5750(2.0 GHz, 2MB Cache, 667 MHz FSB)
3GB DDR2 SDRAM
250GB (5400 RPM) SATA Hard Drive
Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium 32 bit SP1 Edition (English)
1 Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
14.1" Widescreen WXGA (1280x800) Display with TrueLife(TM)

2. Settle Membership System for BGF.

..to be continued.

If I have 'san-choi'...

I'm a chinese... so I like chinese-qipao... wish I can fit in them but banyak susah...

Happy New Year!

What an interesting start to the new year 2009! On 1/1/2009, my honda got knocked by a white van, as I stopped at the dangerous U-turn corner at Jln Sg Buloh. The van driver thought I'll not stop la.. but I didn't realise there were cars flying in from the right side (road under construction)... I thought it was a ONE WAY road, so I looked the left side no car.. I let go brake, turn my head saw the cars coming from the right side, step on brake...POOOOKPPPTTPPP! Luckily I don't feel big impact.... but ya allah... pagi pagi 1st January woh!!!

Van driver say he got no money.. he rather go make police report, since I've gone through the process before, no problem. Have to make report lah, if wanna claim from insurance company.

Anyway... I didn't get to meet who I wanted to meet, couldn't get the answer that I wanted to get yet. What to do?!??!!?!?!?!! Sometimes I see it as my subconscious mind playing tricks on me... many a times when I was driving, I'd suddenly think of accident or the car behind duno how to brake in time. Once you send out the 'thought' it will most likely happen.

Also for the meet-up that I wanted it to happen but didn't happen, I also had doubts that it might not happen due to some-reason-that-I-can't-tell.

What a wonderful start for the new year... I just feel so zombie the whole day... I'm also not excited about going to work tomorrow (FRIDAY?!!) iissh... (usually I look forward to going to work).

What's my wish for the new year?!?!

Breath properly.

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009

The year 2008 will be closing in. When I minus 2009 with 1979, means I'll be 30! I'm as usual, having contradictory thoughts about what the new year means to me. On one hand I look forward to turning 30! But on the other, due to conditioning from society, we're supposed to dread about turning 30.

I would like to recap about my most eventful year of 2008. The last time that I had a blast that I vividly remember was the year 2004 - when I backpacked Europe in Autumn, travelling under a youth pass (under 26). This year, I'm proud to say, I went to

Kuantan in early Jan (with sayang)
Singapore in Jan (with bgf)
Miri / Mulu / Brunei in end of Feb (with sayang)
Borobudor in June (with bgf)
Singapore (again) in July (with sayang)
Hong Kong / Macao in early Sep (with sayang)
Ladakh (India) in late Sep (with bgf)
Kuching in Nov (with coursemates)

Now you see how this year has really been fabulous if not crazy?! So when I argue with my parents that I have no money, I really mean it. Thanks to all the trips that just came to reality without much planning effort! Considering I love planning...

Each of the trip is unique. The most incredible trip gotta be Ladakh, the land of the extreme (climate). I was simply overwhelmed by the sheer magnitute of the high snow-capped mountain range & cloudless blue sky. But I was also sick whenever the road becomes winding & bumpy, whenever I couldn't take the weird food, when the temperature drops below 10. My life in Malaysia and their life in Ladakh is worlds apart. Like I landed on a different planet, luckily they speak English. Or I'll be speechless & jawsdropping through out my journey in Ladakh.

There's this nice guy call Amchi, he's the herbal medicine doctor serving MIMC. He invited all of us to his house in a faraway village where ven sanghasena was born. He's so warm and always smiling and obliging, and he's like the guy when you walk on the street, everybody know your name! He took around the town, and although we were on a tight schedule, he didn't care! He was laidback and he just talk and talk with all the people he met along the short stroll down the market road. If only the people back home were that humble, charming & friendly... *oh ya he's still single and probably available, if he's not going to become a monk*

Next best trip was Borobudor -- I love history/culture + architecture. I woke up 4am to see the sunrise from atop of Borobudor stupa. 'nuff said.

Since I adore ancient buildings & experience different culture, I actually don't fancy HongKong / Macao. But what the heck, can free stay just go again.

I guess I can relate to nature quite well, the trip to Mulu cave -- the world heritage site, is definitely well worth it. I wouldn't mind going again! The long nature walk & cave climb was actually fun! What more seeing millions of bats circling in the sky... walking into the largest cave passage in the world... seeing the garden of eden... simply awesome. Funny I remember we met Julie and her parents (who speak french only from Canada) right from the start of the trip, when we boarded the plane. We stayed in the same hostel, we see each other during meal time. And I can still see her now when we go attend the MPO concert! :D *thought im getting sien with the orchestra*

I hope this post doesnt sound too braggy, but 2008 is just one of those year in your life that you'll want to remember and appreciate. And being a forgetful person, if I don't recap my wonderful 2008, I'm afraid if I'll lose the memory.

The year 2008, is also the first time I bought a house under my name (sharing with sayang).

The year 2008, is also when I finally quit my job from a vendor company to join end-user company.

The year 2008, is also when it's the last time I became chairperson of idc and finally can breath when another person could take over. I always believe in letting younger / newer person to take over the organising. The younger / newer person may not be better, that's where I realise the opportunity to have training & development. Let there be movement, let there be changes, let there be test, so that we can all know what's the result, what's the impact - negative or positive - if never try, never know!

Being not-so-young, I wish to get involve with more technical IT stuff for the Buddhist community front. In fact training & development sounds good. Its like you don't want to be hands-on running around doing the donkey work, but you want to be supportive, create the platform and opportunity for others to learn to be better. To be indirect driving force to make things happen.. for the bigger picture.

Apart from my own life, of course 2008 has the China Olympic that made history. I have high hopes for China... becos I truly believe in positive thinking. It seems like China represent a nation that defines 'changing for the better in action' or 'nothing is impossible'. You aspire for it, you work for it, you get it. I hope greed don't get in the way, although its easy to fall into the trap of greed.

The 2008 economy, I will have no say. Just waiting for the economy to reach its worst, then start asking people to buy! If its true that property price will drop, then I'll suggest to my bro to grab a title for himself.

Come end of this year, my dad will officially retire... which is good, then he can spend more time with mom, and mom will not get so naggy and there will be peace for me. Ahhhh.... bliss :D *you just don't wanna know how easily my mom can get on my nerves*

2008... many close friends got married, got babies... I just wish that in 2009 my new house will be ready, and who know whats instore?!

May the blessings of the triple gem guide and protect everyone always.

My boring update...

Been trying to fix my dad's compaq laptop *which im currently using right now* which freezes within 2 minutes each time it boots up. Its been days... so I have actually given up on trying to salvage my last bit of photos not backed up to my ext hdd... atleast I already had LL's pic in the hdd but I couldn't burn it on dvd to deliver to the newly weds couple.

Today... with the intention to FORMAT the entire C: drive... the laptop seems to be WORKING FINE... *so far* quickly I save up whatever not saved earlier. But I know ext hdd is not foolproof... you'll never know when it'll get corrupted or if its actually infected... blah blah I have a problem with "keeping too much stuff and dunno how to throw things away".

~*~

That brings me to my new house... I so wish to start decorating my new house, so can I start placing all my 'stuff' there. And then let sayang the SJ to arrange it. There's this ding-dong with the interest payment for 'late' settlement to the vendor. Which sayang is trying to settle... of which I have no idea what's the ding-dong all about.

~*~

And there's the dog in my house... of ALL places, he likes to wee wee IN MY ROOM! DOHHH!! And the stupid thing is I can't understand why. Why in my room?!! Mom have already raised her voice to yell at the dog many times "NO! NO!" But if I put myself into the dog's shoe... the meaning NO is not registered into its brain. There must be a reason WHY it has to be in my room UPSTAIRS! His 'place' is always downstairs...

Do you think it might be related to sayang always irritating the dog, so much so he dog takes 'revenge' to irritate me?! You know before this... he dog always bite my shoe, of all shoes only my shoes 'kena'. Why my shoe?! Why my room?!

Its a mystery that really cannot be solved.

~*~

Work : wow... just like how I've imagined, maybe its really very obvious... they're moving towards shared-services operation across the region. Logically there should be redundancy in manpower, but CEO say no job will be cut, only the people will be moved. And got change means got improvement mah! So I'm all supportive of this new big re-org, though the top management always seems to be at centred at Spore... doh.

At this point in my career, my wish is for 'the company want me & I want the company'. And not like my 1st company : I want them - they don't want me. Certaintly not like previous job : They want me - I don't want them.

~*~

Today at work, instead of working... I disguised as family travel agent, trying to draft out a Europe in Spring for my mom... and it has to include a visit to the flower garden... in Holland! See I'm very good at 'day-dreaming'.

The motivation to start plan for Europe in Spring for my mom is... mom is considering to join another family uncle to travel to Eastern Europe for 20days using around 15k. Hmm... I think my mom should focus on London-Paris-Amsterdam! She's been hoping to visit her cousin in UK for so long... she likes flowers... might as well use the 15k to go Western Europe which will appeal to her more?! *of course the indirect motivation, is if I'm doing the planning, it must suit me, just in case I wanna tag along!!*

~*~

So what's my plan for 2009?!?!?