Asset Management

Mom informed me on Tuesday morning that she has been shortlisted for umrah in 2010. From the shortlisted, only 10 will be chosen and she could be the lucky one. All she needs to do is to go down to Singapore Shopping Center to register. She then asked me, how to get there.

I brought her there. Despite telling her it is a waste of time, she insisted on being there and registering. Of course, there is a catch.... she has to sit through a 1hr asset management talk before she could register.

I was annoyed and it was no secret. These are the reasons why I don't trust them and told them so;
- why would I want to put thousand of dollars in a company that is only 2 years old and claimed that they have done many businesses in developing country - focusing on India. They then showed us some of the projects that they are involved in... in 2 years they've built that? hmmm...

- when asked, where is their source of revenue/ income, what is their profit like, who is their parent company... - no one could answer. They sent 4 officers to me (!!) to answer my question. And not one could give me an answer

- their board of directors are made up of ex soccer player, musician.... eerrr... no offense but what would they know about asset management?! what more in the developing countries. Not credible

- Their PR manager is a Chef and you have seen him on TV. He thinks he is a celebrity.. he wore a white suit... and trying to sell me the company! Get serious.

So I finally asked them why should I put my money in your company and not a reputable Islamic Bank? They could not respond. And with that we left.

Mom is lucky she has her kids to talk to before making any decisions. What happened to other old people who live on their own or has no one to consult to? They may think that they could make the additional 10K or more by investing and who knows might end up losing that money?

Third Time Unlucky

Some people say, all unlucky things happen in 3s. I guess this time round, it's true.

I sent my 3rd maid back to the agency yesterday. Yes, my third. Since Tutik left in July, I had 3 maids - each lasted for about 6-8 weeks. The last one - 2 weeks.
Each time I sent a maid back, I'll analyse every single situation - could it be me, my mom, the workload or the maid?!!

The first one was hardworking, but she's too smart to my mom's liking. When mom commented on her work, she'll give mom her opinion and will pull a face. We decided to send her back.

The second one is in her own world. We called her "hantu dapur" and will stay in the kitchen all the time. When you speak to her, she just stares at you and walk off. Very bizarre. I sometimes wonder what she's thinking off. Mom had enough because mom ended up doing most of the housework while she stayed in the kitchen. She did not cook - mom does the cooking. She finds comfort hiding in the kitchen we feel.

The final one.... she's full of pretenses and is a smartass. She will do well when you stand to look, the minute you walk away, she does a half ass job. Most frustrating example, I told her to clear the dishes after dinner. She did, and instead of washing the dishes, she used my dish cloth to clean the bowls! I was so lost for words! And she takes 3 hrs to iron 12 pieces of clothes!!!

Yesterday, mom called crying. Chest pains from stress. The maid decided to pull on a long face - because I reprimanded her the day before. I sent her back within 4hrs.

Now I am maidless again. Yes, I do not need a maid. I took a maid to accompany mom - that was the only reason. With the lil' one, having a maid to help mom out was necessary. Luckily for us, my lil one is off to daycare/ nursery on Jan 4th.
Mom looked so much happier this morning.

Next, I'll just get a part time helper to come on weekends and help mom with her housework.

Ask and You'll Get It?

I hope.

I have been asking for the past 2 years - each time during our performance review.
Not so much for myself - but for the team.
This time, I said my team is like the battered wife - kena pukul and yet continue to stay with the marriage.

I've learnt to ask from my non-Singaporean colleagues. Perhaps that explains why they get richer each year and live a lavish lifestyle. I'm usually happy with what I get and since I am not a money person, I take whatever increment and salary readjustment that comes my way. And I know I cannot assume that my team members are like that - but they seem like that because they never ask.

Let's hope this time round we get what I ask for. Pray pray pray.

Big & Bulky

Kris Kringle Theme for today.

And what a nice surprise!

My secret pal -i'll give you a big kiss!

Kris Kringle

Day 2 - Meet my Fuzzy & Hairy Friends.
They greeted me this morning :)

Day 3 - Two of my favorite colors. Delivered by my not favorite man in the office.
It made my day though. How sweet.
Secret Pal - I think I know who you are. Very sweet definitely not sour.

Kris Kringle

It's so fun. We are playing Secret Santa/ Pal with some of our colleagues.
There is a theme everyday and today it's brown and warm.
I saw brownies, cupcakes, sandwiches on my colleagues' tables.
I received a card - with pictures of very cute puppies and Peanut Character. Very sweet. I think the sender is telling me that he/she likes dogs, own dogs. Who can it be??? So many colleagues here love dogs.

Tomorrow's theme is Fuzzy or Hairy. Someone said he needs to shave tonight!!
Too bad I will not be in the office to see colleagues reactions tomorrow.

Klacid - I Hate You

I am on Klacid. It is an antibiotic.
It makes me super hungry and super tired.
And because of that, I cannot concentrate and cannot work!
For the past 2 days, I have been eating a LOT!
And I still have to take Klacid for another 3 days.
Oh dear. Tomorrow is Eid.
Lots of food.
No bootcamp on Sat.
Habislah Aku (I'm dead)

A Meeting to Remember

I was asked to attend a meeting with one of the telco's companies here in Manila.
We met with the President and he brought along the MD of the company we are working with.
I have to admit, fine dining and meeting top executives make me nervous. But as I listened to the conversation and started making follow up notes, the meeting was entertaining.From work to personal life to scandals and who's who in the top.

I have to say - I could be wrong here but from what I've observed, Filipinos are very driven by emotions and egos and many decisions are made that way. They are very passionate people and this translates to their jobs. I was at a table during breakfast when I witnessed a very respectable and charismatic man's eyes welled-up and his face turned red. I was speechless and had to look away, in case I too cried.

Over lunch, other than work and politics and the various businesses they are in and who is connected to whom, I'm embarrassed to be in a conversation where these men talked about the scandals that they choose to have openly. I don't know how my lady boss could tolerate all these and continue to humor them.

Can I make the assumptions that most men at the top are like this? I have heard of many such stories and to be part of the whole conversation make it look real.

But I still believe there are men out there who are clean and faithful to their wives and kids.

Feeling Sick

I feel like throwing up.
I have had this feeling since 3pm - post lunch.
No. I am not pregnant - not yet.
This has nothing to do with being preggie. I'm feeling this way because I had lunch in a typical Filipino restaurant. I don't like the smell - it's oily, fishy - it just makes you sick.
And to be eating local food - I would rather starve.
I've been drinking warm water and eating fruits - i want to cleanse my mouth and my stomach if possible.

That's one of the many reasons why I don't like to go to Manila for business; holiday, no way!
Filipinos like their food to be oily, fatty and porky! yucks.Just the thought of it is making me sick all over again.

I finally know how Crispy Pata looks like now - it's actually pork knuckles- fried!

Can you understand now why I feel this way?!

Mabuhay Imelda Marcos

We saw her at the hotel lobby last night.
She is one very tall lady.
Very elegant, looks amazing and gentle.
She smiled at practically everyone.
Our eyes were glued to her - we followed her every single movement. We were admiring her elegance. And I was told, she is in her 70's. Wow.

Shampoo Boy

I had to get my hair trimmed - it's been 3 weeks already. The last one I did was in KL - on impulse and I liked the stylist.

Today, I had the same urge and walked into a hair saloon for a trim. I knew I was getting a male stylist and I am fine with that. I did not expect to get a male person to shampoo my hair. He looked tough - bulky and muscular - the image of him shapooing my hair was just wrong. I had conversation with myself; is he gay? if he is, how come he is not gentle? ouch that's my ear, don't dry my ear! Stay away from me.

What freaked me out when he put his hands on my shoulders and started massaging. I went completely stiff. I guess I must have looked really shocked because he stopped immediately and told me to relax.

Walauwey! Never again.

Malam Lagenda with Tok Pah

I went for her concert at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
It felt strange because I don't really know her songs and even more strange when I heard my mom singing along to almost ALL her songs! I felt like I was in 2 concerts -Tok Pah and one for Nani Jo. But it was a good evening. I truly enjoyed all her songs - some I have heard on the radio while helping mom in the kitchen :) and of course the company.

I have to say that Sharifah Aini is blessed with most versatile vocals; her voice is so powerful that you get goose-bumps and tingles at the same time.

Bootcamp

My colleague suggested I join her on Sat morning for an exercise bootcamp. I took on her offer and went to East Coast Park. I don't know what to expect but I was told that if I follow instructions and put my heart and soul into doing the exercise, I could get rid of 1000 calories in 1hr. Not bad. If I were to go on the treadmill and run in the gym, I would have lost only 300 calories!

I did not expect to see a big group - there were about 20 of us and 3 instructors! Of that 20, I have 5 other colleagues with me - that was good. The exercise routine were tolerable - we had to do push ups, crunches, shuttle runs, squats - I felt good - the pace was good and everyone in the group motivated each other. I spoke to a lady from Holland and she has been following the bootcamp for 4months. She said she has lost 7kg! Not bad eh.

I survived the bootcamp. No aches, no pains just tired, super thirsty and very hungry - after the session and throughout the day.

Will I make it to next Saturday? God-willing I will!

On the road

I have been away from my family for about 13 days now. I got home for a few days and left off again.
My lil one chooses his Abah over me and I spend the first few hours at home cuddling and playing with him - so he knows, Mama is still around.
My hubby when I told him I have to travel again, was clearly not happy but is supportive - and I appreciate that. Who could blame them, I have been away for a while.
I dare not tell them of my upcoming trips - Manila, KL (again) and possibly Hong Kong.

You see, if you think a jet setting life is interesting, it is not. It can get depressing. When I was single and new to the job, I was super happy with the traveling that I get to do. I took time to also check out the cities I visited.
But 1 year into the job, I realized the following:

- I aged a lot faster
- My mom has aged a lot more - i know she was worried and she continues to worry
- My friends are frustrated with me as it is difficult to meet up and chat
- I miss my friends' kids birthdays (!) not good
- I spend a lot of money - on so many things!
- I am now used to a particular lifestyle - so when I go on a holiday, I become super choosy with hotels
- On vacation, when I reach the airport all I want to do is take my luggage and get out
- I buy facial products that promises no fine lines and dark eye rims

10 years into the job and now that I am a wife and a mom, I am going through the following:

- I aged even more and am thinking of getting La Mer for my skincare! scary thought that is!
- I have to spend more time exercising - so that my body could detox and my metobolism rate increases and I am burning fats while at rest and my skin is supple so - I want to look younger! hahahah
- I have to deal with crappy TV shows in hotel rooms
- I sometimes talk to myself in the room - like "where did I leave that bla bla.. or, this show is really bad!"
- It can get very lonely
- I call home often and spend lots of $$ on phone bills. Call hubby, son and mom.
- I spend time chatting online with friends and on FB
- I spend time people watching - in cafes, in massage parlour, in restaurants, in car, in hotel lobby

Short travels are fine. Long ones like this, makes me write such stuff on the blog and my mind wanders to all over the world and place. And when that happens, I can't sleep and the next day, I am super cranky.

A memorable trip to Cannes

Yes, this is a yearly affair but I have to admit that there are so many firsts for this trip.

My first stay in a 5 star hotel on the Croisette. The last few trips, I shared an apartment with my colleague from Korea.

My first Tom Yum Maggi Noodle - no shame asked a friend to cook it for me

For the first time, I went to bed at 845pm - too tired. I usually stay out till quite late.

I saw Jerry Seinfeld and Joan Rivers.

My first private dinner in a very nice hotel suite in Carlton. Very chic and cheeky when some of my colleagues got drunk! Pure entertainment. It was a great evening :)

My first encounter with a very vulgar program distributor. He manages Eastern Europe from a company we acquire content from. He has something against every nationality!

No impulse purchase. It took me 2 days to make a decision on that Louis Vuitton bag! I don't do such things.

The Wheels on the Car

I have to share this story.

The little one did not want to sit with me in the back seat last Sat and insisted on sitting next to Abah. As we approached the traffic junction, I told him that the lights are green and he knows that green means go. The conversation goes like this after:

Me: "Green means go and Red means stop. We cannot stop the car now."
Lil One: "No. Can stop the car Mama. Turn off the engine!"

Cannes

I am in Cannes this week for MIP. I’ve been here many times and I have lost count.

Each time, it’s a different experience. I have stayed in 2 star hotels, in studio apartments and in an apartment that can fit 7 people! I have also tried staying with a Jewish French family. It was a villa with 10 bedrooms and a small pool. It was a great place to meet people and it felt good to be going “home” after a long day.
Today, it’s another new experience – for the first time, I am an invited buyer and I get to stay for free at one of the hotels along the Croisette. It’s not that I have never stayed in a 5 star hotel, but this is a 5 start hotel that I never thought I would be able to stay in. It’s just so difficult to get on the list – for many reasons – I am not a sales person, I am not from US office and I am not even from senior management.

It really matters who your boss is you know. A boss that has good relationships with the right people at international level brings in a whole range for advantages and this is one of them.

Again, I am grateful at this opportunity.

French Alps

I was on the plane this morning from Frankfurt to Nice. I don’t like seating by the window and this time round, I was assigned to one.

It was an amazing view – the river that cuts across and the French Alps. The snow capped mountains – it was breathtaking.

Subahannallah. Allah is Great.

Kueh Raya

This year, mom said she does not want to bake any cookies nor cakes.
The last time I baked for Hari Raya was 3 years ago, before I gave birth. This year, all I want to bake is brownies. Surely, I cannot give her just that right?

So I have been going around looking for kueh raya. I found a shop in Jurong West that sells really good Raya cookies. This morning, despite the heavy downpour, I went to the shop and bought a few varieties for mom. That was 830am - before I go off to work.

I've just spoken to mom -10mins ago. She sounded so tired. She was telling me about her day and guess what, she spent the afternoon making sugee cookies and wants to do pineapple tart this weekend. She has bought all the ingredients. She said, if she has time, she wants to bake cake lapis. I asked her how come? She said " for si kecik tu lah, lagipun kalau tak buat kek, macam tak best gitu". Ler, so fickle.

Ramadan – A Time to Reflect

This Sat, I will be joining all Muslims around the world to fast. Ramadan is not just about restraining from eating and drinking in the day, it is also about reflection and resisting the less positive behavior such as gossiping, lying and being angry.
I started fasting whenever I can since Rejab and Syaaban – partly to pay back the number of days owed from previous Ramandan and also to prepare myself for the 4 weeks ahead. I didn’t want to be in a situation where it will take me many few days to adjust to the lethargy. I want to be able to just get in it and enjoy the benefits of Ramadan and use this time to reflect and cleanse myself.

To all my Muslim friends – Selamat Berpuasa.

Clinging Lil One

The lil one has been very clinging of late. Yesterday he cried throughout the journey - from home to mom's place. Reason: he did not want to go to nenek's house. It was a stressful 20mins ride.

This morning as we turned into my mom's estate, he cried again. Same thing.
No matter how you reason out with him, he would listen and after a few seconds would still insist on following me to work.

I hope this is just a phase and once he knows he cannot get what he wants, he'll stop.

I think he missed me - afterall I was in JKT for a week last week.

My 2nd Production Experience in Indonesia

Last Thursday, we had our second Indonesia Kids's Choice Awards in Jakarta. I have been on regular calls with the production team since day 1 - when we agreed on the event. And finally the big day. As usual, when I got to the site, a lot of things were work in progress and everything seems to move really slowly. As I sat with the production team and listened to the directions given by the Floor Director, I had confidence that the show will go on smoothly and will be a success.

At 6pm, an hour prior to the event, all the production members/crews and everyone who was involved in making the event happened went into a meeting room and gathered around a small table. On the table, there was a basket of pulut kuning (yellow glutinous rice). I was welcomed to join the group in the gathering session. The MD of the channel made a small speech - thanking everyone, etc, made me do a small speech as well (on the spot)to everyone and then the MD invited one of the senior staff to lead a prayer. That impressed me the most. Regardless of what religion you believe in, we were told to pray that the event will run smoothly and the ratings will be good. As the senior staff (a Muslim) led the prayer, I was so overwhelmed with emotions, i could cry! I have never experienced such a feeling in any event/ productions that I have been involved in. It was so surreal. Once the prayer ended, everyone had a taste of the pulut kuning and off they go to get ready for the big event.

The show went well - the kids went wild and most importantly, the show did bring in really good rating!

Cornered

I'm on business trip and one of the things that I dread most is entertaining - especially post dinner. The night could drag on. Last night was no exception. The intent was to just say hello and call it a night but I was held hostage and had to join them for a drink. A drink can be really LONG!

Our partner brought a friend with him - someone that I was introduced to 13 or 14 years ago during my Mediacorp days. And since then, I have successfully avoided him at whichever country I met him. Last night, no such luck. Imagine the look on his face - thrilled that we finally ended up at the same table! Imagine how I feel?! I was really cursing and swearing and kept looking at my watch and avoided eye contact!

You see, the first impression I had of this guy is not great. I could be rude and give all sorts of adjectives to describe him but let's not go there. I don't feel comfortable next to him and I hate his eyes. And I do hope I don't see him again in the next few days here...and I hope I don't see him again in any other country.

Farewell for Now

Wiji Astutik. 4 years and finally, time to say goodbye.

She is going home to get married – she called me this morning to tell me all is well and she was with her “cowok”. Steady. Cannot go out often she said. “Belum kahwin kak. Tak manis dipandang orang”. Wah. The last time I heard that line was like 10-12 years ago.

She’s been good to us – no major headache except for one hiccup but nothing serious.

Before she left, she apologize and I did the same. But her response was so humble, it was very touching.

Will miss Tutik for sure.

Stuffed

I was watching The Biggest Loser the other day on Hallmark channel. The fitness instructor showed the participants the kind of meal they can prepare during vacation.

I tell you, there are no such things.

We’ve just returned from a short holiday to Langkawi. My lil one who is not usually fussy with food is extremely fussy when he travels. Our 4 days in Langkawi, I visited the golden arch restaurant and KFC – with these 2 restaurants, I do know for sure he would have his meal. Unfortunately for me and hubby, we had to make do with fast food for lunch/dinner. Breakfast was a buffet spread and with the fussy eater, both hubby and myself had to finish most food. The only form of exercise I did was swimming and climbing the 367 steps to the waterfall. Till today, my calf and back hurts.
I brought my gym gear to the office today and I got carried away with work, the next thing I know, it was close to 7pm when I left the office. Urgh. Hate the bloated and stuffed feeling.

I feel like a stuffed beancurd.

Datuk

I was reading an article in Sutra magazines about Datuk in Malaysia. Successful marriages, how to tackle a datuk, places to go to "tangkap" a datuk and how to behave to get Datuk's attention. Oh my goodness, I cannot believe Sutra could feature an article but I guess there are people out there who likes reading such stories.I need to be more open minded I supposed.

I have met several Datuks in my profession. I have met Datuks and their wives, I have also seen Datuks without their wives and Datuks with you know lah! I have yet to meet a Datuk that I can respect, someone who is charismatic and visionary. I'm sure they are if not how would they get "Datukship" right? Then I think the standards set aside is not high.

You see, the Datuks that I have met do not leave very good impressions - they were either too "lembik" and speaks English - very Melayu - nothing wrong there but speed up sikitlah bila bercakap. Need to be poised lah. Or they are "gatal" - they think since they are out of their country, it's OK to be "gatal sikit". And then when they meet a fellow Malay in an omputeh country, they try to be friendly with you and want to take you here and there.

Urgh I'm disgusted.

Grow Up? Never!

My colleagues and I spend a few minutes each day to joke, laugh, gossip and can be rather playful during office hours. Today, is no exception; only thing is, we went to the very extreme of being crazy. We were like monkeys exploring a new discovery, from the way we talk to the way we behave to the way be posed in front of the camera. I laughed so hard until my head aches (I don’t get stitches) and each time I look at the picture, I laughed at it again. Hubby said we behaved like school kids and asked, so when do you do work?!

Maid Issues

These few days I have been listening to all sorts of maid issues – from girlfriends, colleagues, my mom’s friends and let me tell you… I do have maid’s issues too. For the past 4 years, everything was smooth sailing; there were problems but they were all very minor and we let it go. Little did we know that on the last day of her work permit, we received a call from some male foreign worker looking for her! And he works in Singapore! You wonder when they meet when I do not even give her a day off. Long story short, she got a good scolding from mom and myself – we both flipped as this was the last thing we expected of her. Few more weeks and she’s going home. Until then, I just have to stay cool and give her a cold shoulder. I need a few days to be back to my normal self… I hate it when someone breaks my trust.

C.F.T

I received a call today from MOM with regard to the extension of my helper's work permit. We spoke for a fair bit and I have to say she was very polite and provided me with all the answers. She definitely knows her work well. But when I asked for her name, she hesitated. It took her abt 10secs to respond and even then, she just gave me her initials. I wonder why. I had no intent to complain. I wanted to compliment and wanted it to be sincere. I wanted to say "Thank You" and would like to know who I was talking to. I did say thank you in the end and told her she was helpful. I can't help but call her by her initials C.F.T (The first thing that came to mind was Cross Functional Team??) -"Thank you C.F.T, you are very helpful" and we both ended up laughing when we hung up!

GSS - Go! Shop! Sale!

Yes, the Great Singapore Sale is here again! The malls are crowded .. and yes I was part of the crowd! Not to worry, after spending so much moolah at private sales, this time round I shopped for mom. She needed a white handbag so we went round looking. I did steal glances at Gucci, Coach, LV... there are long queues everywhere; I can't help but joined one of the queues to have a peek at what was on sale. Lucky for me, mom did not like any of the designs and we settled for something else.
Will I be back for that sale? I don't think so. While I welcome seeing a crowded mall (good for economy), I don't like the idea of pushing and rummaging through clothes, shoes, etc to get the best buys. I think for the next 6 weeks, I will spend my time reading my latest purchase - The Last Concubine :)

Men & Soccer

We went to Changi Hospital yesterday to visit hubby's friend. He was admitted because he had a mild heart attack while playing soccer. Yes, scary - he had no signs of chest pains, short breath prior to this episode. While playing, he suddenly had this acute pain and left the soccer field immediately. Lucky for him, his wife insisted that he went to the hospital to check - was admitted to ICU for observation and later moved to a HD ward. According to the doctor, if he had not done so, the second episode of an attack could be fatal.

In that same ward, there was another patient with him. Let's call him Mr. A. Mr. A was admitted because of soccer too. He was watching a match between Arsenal and Manchester United. Being a Man U fan, he wanted the team to win the Cup title badly. Each time an Arsenal player dribbled the ball or tried to score a goal, he would get really anxious and started smoking non-stop. At the end of the game, Man U won, and he got warded into the hospital - he had a mild heart attack.

Are Singaporean Malays a Conservative Lot?

I think we are. I know I am.
Where do I even start?
I have met and seen many Malays in my course of work. I have also worked in a Malay environment.
I have observed how Singaporean Malays and our neighbouring country Malays behave. I am not saying that all Malays in the neighbouring country are like that, but I am comparing those that live in the city with our own Malay.
I find that the Malays in our neighbouring country is bolder
- some men have affairs and they parade their women openly when they travel overseas
- they drink and offer drinks openly to other Malays. The first time that happened to me, I was in Cannes. In fact I was being ridiculed for rejecting it. Never mind. My respect for that person went down the drain and today when I meet him (while on business) I don't bother to treat him well like the other Malays do.
- i've been asked to a party by one of them and when I said no, I could feel that they thought I have some kind of disease.
Sometimes I do ask myself; is this really required in your job? I am not bothered if you were to ask non Malays to do whatever but to ask a fellow Malay to do the same? That's just not right.

I spoke to a few Singaporean malay friends who have lived and worked out of Singapore and we all feel the same way. We agreed that we are conservative and deep down we know it's haram.

The Morning Talk Show on NTV7

I sat in my hotel room watching the morning talk show on NTV7 yesterday. The 2 hosts - both male were talking abt how much water was consumed by an individual in Singapore, Hong Kong and Penang. In Singapore, each individual used 157L of water per day last year and in Penang it was 257L of water per individual during the same period. Both agreed, that is a lot of water used. And I think they should have just stopped there. Instead, one of them said "Hey at least we beat Singapore at something - they don't have water anyway and they have to buy from us". Another clown called in and tried justifying why Penang used that much water - it's a tourist city, a port. I just could not believe it. So is Singapore mister and to the 2 hosts, it matters how much water an individual use - we are facing shortage of clean water (people on the Gaza strip needs clean water!) and here you 2 clowns are proud to show how insensitive you can be towards Mother Nature and the world! Guys, you are on TV, you have a responsibility to your viewers. Grow up!

My "LIVE" TV Appearance

I was invited to be a judge for a SuperAnimation Pitch in KL over the weekend. I was informed that the show was broadcast LIVE on Astro Ria on Sunday afternoon.
Yes I was a bit nervous and everything went well. Mom was really excited when she heard this and arranged for a tea session at my Mak Lang's place on Sunday arvo. Mak Lang being Mak Lang, informed some other relies in KL and other parts of Malaysia... not bad I have a fan base already.
While watching the LIVE show, my Pak Lang had to ask "Is she wearing a wig?"!!!! Yeah, I laughed too. You must understand, my relies in Malaysia think I am a minah who wears tudung 24/7!

100% Pure Minah!

Let's admit it. There is a minah in every Malay girl - regardless which part of the world she is living in. Today, I did this test on "How Much Of a Minah are you?" on FB and it turns out I am a 100% minah! Steady ah?!
I thought the description was very apt i.e. I listen to random Malay songs from my mp3 player and my hubby drives and his car radio is tuned in to Ria's 89.7 and if he is alone and out late night, yes, he will be listening to Misteri Jam 12!

So babe and dudes.. gua tengah dengar lagu lagu dari CD Rock Cintan. Amacam? Lu suka?

Victim

It is very tiring managing people who are very much driven by their emotions. They tend to position themselves as the victim of circumstances and at every single stage they think of themselves as the victim. The voice of reasoning can outline everything for them but again, these people tend to relate better to their emotions.
I hope I do not have to deal with such people again in future.

Hit by the Shopping Bug!

So much about $80 per week budget.

It all started with the CP sale in the office and thereafter one sale to another. In the last 2 weeks, I have spent on clothes, a bag, a pair of shoes, more clothes for hubby and son and yesterday - another invitation to another sale! This time round, it was perfume and cosmetics. The perfumes were going at $30-50 per 80-100ml and lipsticks were going at $10-15. I bought for myself, hubby, brother, mom and mom-in-law! How to say No?!
I know I have spent too much already this past 2 weeks and it's time to stop! Last evening I sorted my loot and I just cannot believe what I did. Thank goodness I paid them all in cash.

No more shopping!

Women Drivers!

Yes, I am one of them. But I don't think I drive like one.
I have been driving for the past 2 weeks and within a week, I started swearing behind the wheels. That was me - 8 years ago when I drove to work everyday!
Today, one lady driver pissed me off completely. I was cruising nicely on the extreme right lane when she abruptly cut into my lane and for every 200m she stepped on the brakes! What is freaking wrong with her?! Does she realize that her actions could have caused an accident? Drivers like these should NOT be on the road!

Shopaholic Series

I started reading Sophie Kinsella books in 2006 - I remembered grabbing one of her books at the airport. It was a long haul flight and I fell in love with the way she writes. I think I have read all her books and you can imagine how excited I am when I found out that there is a movie coming out for Confessions of a Shopaholic. Yes, I am watching it with girlfriends this Friday.

Now, I am a little hesistant - as I read her books, I have also imagined the whole scene in my head. What if the movie does not match the image I have created? I don't want to be disappointed.

My $80 per week budget

I want to become richer. I want to keep track of my expenses.
Few weeks ago, I told myself that I have to have a weekly budget. I shared my thoughts with some colleagues and they too wanted to do the same.
For that $80 per week budget, I know I have to change my lifestyle. It's going to be tough initially but I'm sure I can do it. I decided to take small changes and I shall begin with...

1) replacing premium coffee like mocha wiith Kopi no C - yes, possible. Can be done. What did I do? I stopped buying coffee altogether and made my own Nescafe.

2) Tah Pao food from home - yes. done. I have been waking up early for the past few days to prepare lunch for hubby and decided to pack lunch for myself.

3) Collect coupons for any discounts - McD, Carrefour... in case I need to top up food in the drawer in the office.... hahahah..

4) Take public transport... yes done. Take taxi but at non peak hour... I will get to MRT and LRT and feeder buses.

Wish me luck my friends...

Betrayal

I don't like the feeling of being betrayed. I feel resentful, furious, hurt and my trust towards that person just shatters. I cannot believe I actually thought that the person I knew for some time as honest and fair was actually manipulating me to exploit my experiences and talent. It does not help either that recently I found out the plan.

Friends are not easy to make and keep. But once this trust is shattered, no matter how much one tries to rectify the situation, the damage is done. I will move on but for now, let me hate you for what you did.

Frontal Nudity

It irks me to see women post work out session walk around naked in the changing room. I think it is simply rude - regardless whether one has a great body or one's body is covered with layers of fat.
Last Friday, I was waiting in line to go into the shower when this 40 something year old lady decided to stroll in front of me, naked. I can tolerate seeing women's buttocks and back but this woman was happily walking bare bodied. Oh my goodness, what happens to respecting other people's personal space?

I know, if ever someone stands in front of me naked while I'm getting dressed I would do one of the following:
a) smack the person's arse
b) pinch their headlights

Seriously!

Mr SnowMan

My lil one goes to Arts and Music class every Sat. Last week during Arts lesson, he and his friends had to draw, color and build a snowman. I was with him throughout, giving him directions as he put the snowman together. Towards the end, the teacher gave each one of them some cotton wool and told them to paste it on the snowman. Adli got very excited playing the glue and pasting the cotton wool on the snowman. When his Abah came into class to join him, he proudly showed Abah his artwork. He said, " Abah, Snowman Got Janggut!"

No news updates for me - thank you

I am avoiding the newspapers, news channels and online news. Everyday I read depressing stories about how the whole world is going through a recession. Today I read another - Nissan plans to cut 20,000 heads. I know the world is going through a tough time. Our government is doing their best to help everyone in need. Each morning when I read news online, I get very disheartened. Thank goodness I am not a sales person - can you imagine the kind of stress every sales person has to go through? In such tough times, how can you get advertising dollars?!

I hope everyone of us gets out of this recession fast.... for now, I shall settle for news update from the entertainment industry...

Alternatively, I should start reading Malay newspapers... why? The headlines news sometimes can be pretty amusing.

Notorious Traffic

My job requires me to travel and I frequent cities like Manila and Jakarta. In my 8 years, I have missed a flight twice; once becuase I wanted to do my morning prayers first before departing and second because I was lost in Amsterdam's airport (hey their airport is HUGE! and going from one departure hall to another, you have to go through immigration!) and there were a few near misses too.

Last Friday we were in Manila. My colleague and I left for the airport early - in our minds, we'll be able to make it since the office and the airport was not that far. We arrived at the airport 30mins before the scheduled departure time. We jumped out of the car, pulled our luggage and ran as fast as we could to the check in counter! I think we forgot to thank the driver - he was really good though there were situations where I could have had a heart attack. I was prepared to beg the officers if they had refused to take us on. We were very very lucky... SQ counter was still open and we had an immigration officer to take us through to the boarding area!

What caused the delay - traffic! Coming from a very well organized traffic system in Singapore, traffic in Manila just does not make sense. There are bottlenecks everywhere, getting from point A to point B drivers, bikers and pedestrians become a "free for all"affair. Buses, jeepneys, motorcyles, cars weave their ways in and out of traffic to find a route that is the "fastest". Whether it is safe or not, that does not matter. For a passenger like me, being in such a situation not only made me anxious but it also made me nervous - all sorts of what ifs come into mind... lorries, cars do not give way to other cars - making me really nervous. Each time when that happens, I have to close my eyes and pray that all goes well.

After last Fri's incident, I'm proud and thankful that I am Singaporean.. and I can always adopt that kiasu syndrome. In future, I will make sure I leave the office way way way early - 4hrs earlier if need be!

A Run in the Park

I woke up this morning with a sudden urge to go for a long run. I do run on some mornings before I head for the office but today, I wanted to run in a park. After breakfast, I told hubby to take us to Bukt Batok Nature Reserve. As the lil one rode on his bike and Abah followed him close, I ran and ran and ran. It was not that long a run but the feeling of sweat running down my back made me happy. Lil' one kept calling me to wait for him.

We have been to Bukit Batok Nature Reserve many times but we have never explored the park. Today, we decided to do just that and I'm glad we did. The serene ambience of the park provides an ideal place for a peaceful walk, to be away from the hustling and bustling of the city and a place where one can just sit down and take in the nature. The picturesque pond while being still tells you that it is alive and to stay away. As I took in the beauty of the park, I do know that we will return to the park again soon and this time round, my lil one will be on his stroller while his mama and Abah run.

Trucks Trucks and more trucks!

My lil one loves trucks. His interest in trucks started when he turned 1 - exactly a year ago. Don't ask me why. It could be the daily rides to grandmas' homes and back. There are many trucks on the roads these days.

To date, he has 5 big trucks - dump truck, cement truck, rubbish truck, petrol truck and fire engine. If you asks him who drives the fire engine, he will tell you it's "Ah Boy". If you asks him where are his trucks, he will tell you it's parked or rather "Parking" and makes that reverse sound when a car parks. And if you ask him if he wants to be on a truck - he will pause, looks at you and says "No". Ask him why and he will say "Adli takut".

Walauwey...

My Resolution

One of the things that I promised myself to do this year is hit the gym.
It's 12 days into the new year and I have not even step foot in the gym.

Why?
I have had free lunches and drinks almost everyday since 5 Jan. I spent the weekend at my couz wedding and there was more food.

I was determined to start the day right today, got up really early to pack and managed to do some stretches and sit ups. I even had Weet Bix for breakfast.

Told myself, lunch would be salad.... I had pizza and fried chicken wings instead. *sigh*
How come you ask? Meeting during lunch hour, boss ordered food and she liked fast food and fried stuff. HELP. Will this be a weekly affair I asked? I was told to be prepared to gain weight. Yikes! I cannot afford that!

Got into Bandung this evening and more food. HELP... when will I ever stop eating?!

My alarm clock is set at 530am and I have made an appt with an instructor at 630am tomorrow.
I look forward to seeing the treadmill and sweating it all out tomorrow.

Motherhood

I am enjoying motherhood.
However I am unwilling to give up my career or take a step back from my career.
Being a mother certainly have its challenges and the love of a child is hard to describe. It gives me happiness and love that I get from no other.
But monetary rewards, the sense of acomplishments that I get from the work place is rewarding too.....

This 2009

I have to resist the splurge to purchase things that will cost me my future.
I will embrace change - I'll start by taking on a hobby which I have left untouched for a LONG time!