Reflecting on 2008

Another year has come to an end. 366 days passed in a blink of an eye. What have I accomplished this year? I made a list of things to achieve in 2008 and while not everything was crossed off, I am still proud to say that at least some were accomplished. Not bad for someone who rarely sticks to resolutions (not that anyone does, anyway!). Things that were on my list included getting a job (checked); write more articles for the newspapers (checked. I didn't say it had to be published!); pay for my sister's driving (I've started saving…hehe); start paying for my own hp bill (checked) and start paying back my study loan (checked!).

2008 was a year in which I really grew up. After being cushioned with the safety and certainty of 11 years of schooling and then another 5 years of college, bursting into the working world was indeed an eye-opener; especially since my first full time job was (and still is) with an NGO. An acquaintance once said, "Join the NGOs and see the world", and see the world I did. Not in the literal sense where I travel the world like Angelina Jolie or Oprah. Travel I did. Around the world I did not.

Within the first three months of work, I was sent to India to organise, facilitate and manage a conference that was to be held on March 8 in conjunction with International Women's Day. The 3-day event in March was back-boned by my month long stay in India, together with my supervisor and another colleague. Together we survived the long nights, early mornings, sweltering heat and lack of amenities to successfully pull off the conference, which nearly 1000 women attended.


My month long stay in India exposed me to the harsh lives of the Indians there, especially since I was working closely with the community who were of the lowest caste. Not that it made any difference. Caste is after all only a word. To me, anyway. Being the youngest there and what more a girl, naturally I was pampered and taken care of. Though homesickness was like a man dying of thirst, once things were in motion, the ache subsided. Towards the end of my stay, I was glad that I was going home. At the same time, I knew that I would miss India. And indeed I do. I actually miss eating Indian food three times a day; miss travelling around in an Auto; miss being in a different land. But most of all, I miss the people there. Rosalin, Vimala, Shanti, Thenmozhi.

Working back in the office after being so used to working on laptops while sitting on my bed back in India, it took awhile before I adjusted to sitting in front of the computer for 7.5 hours a day, having lunch at regular hours and going home on time. Nevertheless, working conditions in India soon became a memory as things started to be a routine. There were the occasional meetings in hotels and the yearly staff planning meeting on Penang Hill, but other than that, it was staying in the office 7.5 hours a day.

October was an eventful month as I went to Bintulu. My first time traveling to East Malaysia. The lifestyle there was slightly different from West Malaysia, despite both east and west being one country (read more in my Bintulu entries).

Then came Deepavali, which was a time I really enjoyed as this year sort of marked the end of Deepavali being spent in Penang. Families are all moving to better grounds for better opportunities, so the venue for Deepavali 2009 is still undecided.

From July to December, I experienced certain moments in my life that made me grow up. Not that I didn't learn anything in the first half of the year. It's just that in the second part of 2008, I learned what working life is all about; how to deal with people; and how to sometimes just listen and not retaliate, as silence is sometimes the better choice.

December was the month where I fell in love. Or was it November? Hmm…anyway, yes I fell in love. Yes it was with a guy (*grin*). But no, we're not in a relationship. For those who know me, they'll say that I've gone crazy. Falling in love with a fictitious character from a book that was soon turned into a tall, walking heartbreaker on screen. :-) Yes yes…I fell in love with a vampire.

2008 was also the year of marriages and pregnancies. It's hard for me to accept that I am now 24 years old and that next year, I'll be turning 25. 1/4 of a century. Half of 50. The age my mum got married. Some of my schoolmates are already married and have kids. Some have just gotten engaged and some are still in the throes of courtship. Do I see myself going down that path anytime soon? Or perhaps in 2009? No. I'm leaving all that in God's hands.

2008 also gave me two new friends. First colleagues but now friends who keep each other sane. One in particular is my travel partner for work. We survived India and we survived Bintulu. It's nice to have friends at work, so you're not bogged down with work and stress. Lunchtime is fun too as there's always laughter.

And so…as the last few hours of 2008 comes to an end, all I can say is this: The year was not a bed of roses as there were a few thorns hidden. I pricked myself and I bled. But I healed and now I am stronger than I was before. Emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. As I embark on my journey into a whole New Year, I can only hope for, pray for, ask for, believe in and receive good things for me and my family. I refuse to let anything hold me down in my pursue of happiness, success, wealth and good health.

To my family and friends, I wish you HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS!

Last Moments of Fun

It's the 30th of December today. I've just returned from a 5-day holiday, to work for another 2 days; and then it'll be 2009!!

So what did I do during my break? Well, since the break was due to Xmas, naturally (and obviously!) presents and fights were involved. Though Xmas was celebrated on a small scale this year, the presents were nevertheless much appreciated! I value them so much that I don't have the heart to start using them as I'm afraid it'll finish!! Hahaha....

As for the fights...well...it happens not only during Xmas. But also on New Year, birthdays, Deepavali and other occasions worth having a fight over. Now it may seem that these "fights" are violent and frequent and in a way, they are. But I'm not talking about physical blows or verbal abuse (although to some extent, there are some words used). What is this "fight" I'm talking about? Like my dear sister said, it's the Spray Foam Fight.

Now...I'm pretty sure that when the Spray Foam was created, the inventor merely had fun times in his mind; hoping that his creation would bring a little joy and fun to people during the festive season. However, certain people have taken "fun" to a different level. The spray cans are no longer a fun thing; it's now a weapon!! And that is why, at every occasion be it festive or not, the "weapons" are always in sight!!

This year, those certain people were armed with 10 cans, as opposed to the victims (mum, sis and me) who had none! So imagine three 6-footers (all guys, mine you!) armed with at least 3 spray cans each, chasing us girls!! As usual, we girls got FOAMED, from head to toe!! But...I have to admit, it was fun!

After that attack, mum and I both bought ourselves spray cans - 3 each. For revenge. On New Year's eve. Only to find out that the guys have bought 20 cans, in anticipation of New Year!! *rolling eyes* oh my....

That was Xmas day....my aunt and uncle came up to Penang on Saturday and I was the designated driver for the day! We had a good time; visiting my other aunt, having lunch, visiting an art exhibition, meeting new people. They left that night itself, as it was a spur of the moment decision to come to Penang. Nevertheless, it's not so much about how long they were here, it's more of how much it meant, them being here. :-)

Sunday was another day altogether. I attended a wedding reception of one of my dad's friend's son. Since my dad's friend is in the music industry as well, the reception was one of a kind. First of all, it was held in Fort Cornwallis. Great idea. Then, it was full of musicians! You know how it is when you go to a wedding and you don't really know people? Well...this was different. Here, everyone knew everyone!! It was like a reunion! I can only wonder what my wedding would be like!!

Anyway...Monday was rest day. After the event-filled week, I needed to wind down and start agonising over the fact that I had to return to work the next day. hehe...

Well....it's New Year's Eve tomorrow...then it's the beginning of a whole new year. I think I'll end this entry here, while I reflect on what I have achieved this past year...

MERRY XMAS!!

MERRY XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!

SELAMAT HARI NATAL DAN SELAMAT TAHUN BARU!

HERE'S WISHING EVERYONE A VERY VERY VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR! MAY ALL THAT YOU PRAY FOR COME TRUE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS!!

Fictional characters are leading me into spinsterhood!!

If only I could marry a vampire. Or if vampires existed, I'd marry one!! In continuation to my entry titled 'Twilight Craze', I've just watched the movie version of the story and...OMG...I'm even more deeply in love with Edward Cullen!!

WIth all the hype going on about the movie, I had high expectations. The reviews going around were stuck to two extremes; at one end, girls and mums just looovveeee the movie (though I think it's Edward they're crazy about), and the other end, are the macho guys who just hate the movie. In fact, there were two Indian guys who sat in front of me and my sis in the cinema. I could hear them laughing and sniggering while my sis and I sighed and giggled everytime Edward appeared on screen. Half way through the movie, the two guys left. I'm sure they hated the movie. But in my opinion, they were just jealous! Jealous because they couldn't get girls to sigh and giggle about them. Jealous because they were not as good looking as the vampire. Jealous because girls are more interested in the fictional character than them.

Come on....anyone...and I stress anyone who sees Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) will just swoon!! I had fallen head over heels in love with him by just READING about him. But Robert Pattinson just immortalised my love!! I know I sound like some crazed 14-year old but what the heck??! Robert Pattinson already had a place in my list when I first saw him in Harry Potter. Unfortunately, his character died there. But now...with TWILIGHT (and 3 more sequels I hope) he has been immortalised!! Yay!!

I'm definitely watching Twilight again though the DVD that I have now just doesn't do justice to the sound and cinematography of the movie. I'll have to geta better version. Plus, I can't see Edward's eye colour in the DVD. But I melted into my seat everytime he gazed at "me" in the cinema....sighs....

As it is, I already have high standards when choosing a guy. But with characters like Edward Cullen, Jack Harper from Can You Keep A Secret? and loads of other guys....my standards just went through the roof!! Though I know I am being unrealistic but who can help it?

*smiling like a love struck idiot*

I would also like to give a special mention to some other characters in the movie which I thought were cute (character wise): the entire Cullen family (Esme, Jasper, Emmet, Alice and Carlisle, except Rosalie)

Catching Up

Today I did something that I only do once in awhile...I met up with an ex-college mate of mine; someone whom I've grown close to over the years as we battled our ways to earning our Law degrees.

I met up with her for lunch today. It's been over two months since we last saw each other (the last time was before I left for Bintulu), so we had a lot of catching up to do. I met her at her law firm and from there, we went to Gurney. Lunch was at Pasta Mania, where we had a feast of baked pasta, pizza, coke, mushroom soup and garlic bread! Yum!! We spent nearly 2 hours there before we went browsing around the new wing of Gurney plaza.

We left Gurney at about 5.30pm and since we both had free time on our hands, we decided (well, actually I decided since we wouldn't make up our minds) to go to New World Park where we had coffee and kaya toast at Old Town while continuing our gossip session. We talked so much that we only left New World Park at nearly 9pm!!

It's always fun catching up with her as we always had tonnes to talk about; from office gossip to what our ex-college mates are doing. Though our busy schedules doesn't permit us to meet as often as we would like, this once-in-awhile catch up is nice. At least, the longer we don't meet, the more we have to talk about!! Hahaha!!

Change...

As I sit at my computer desk, thinking of my next short story, I have made up my mind to stop writing about "Amah" and her journeys to the Thrift Shop. She will always be loyal to her shopping centre and if I were to continue writing about her, I would have to write until the day she has grandchildren and probably great-grand-children.

Therefore, I will no longer continue writing about Amah and her adventures. However, this is not the end of Amah because I have a new topic to write about. This time round, Amah will be portrayed as an Indian wife obsessed about the Chinese Art of Feng Shui. The title of the "book" is "MUMMY".

:-)

Correction

There was error in my story of "Amah -Part 3". I wrote that Amah had stolen a blouse from the shop, not knowing that she was only kidding when she told me that she didn't know the price. In fact, she had already paid for the blouse and was simply joking with me.

I am truly sorry for the misunderstanding that occurred and I promise it won't happen again.

And it continues...

Oh no!! That was my first re-action when I looked out the car window. Amah's favourite vehicle was parked there again. This time however, Amah's best friends were not in sight. Instead, there was a family sitting at the entrance to the Thrift shop, looking through, what I would call, a sea of brand-new clothes!!! Of course, I didn't know they were brand-new, so as usual, I took my place behind Amah as she marched into the shop. "VINCCI" was full but none was interesting enough to Amah. The jeans rack was also full but as I said before, they were only fit for construction workers.

On to the rows of clothes and Amah once again did not find anything that suited her. At the books section, Amah found two books. As for me, I found a whole box of Mills & Boon books much to my delight!! So I squatted and proceeded to look through the titles. As I was busy choosing my books, Amah felt deserted as her "handy lady" was not by the side. So she kept calling me to go and have a look at her discoveries, practically forbidding me to look through the books. Nevertheless, THAT did not stop me from choosing 12 books.

While I was putting the books on the counter, Amah had already gone through the bags section. She found a Louis Vuitton (LV) Bag and another sling-type of bag. Unfortunately for her, the LV bag was torn on the inside. Then, she was torn between buying the sling-type bag using the reason that she had too many bags already. I managed to convince her to buy the bag but at the last minute, just before paying, she decided not to buy it.

And then, the event of the day occurred. After paying, we proceeded to look through a pile of clothes that were on the floor. As I sat and dug out pieces and pieces of clothes, Amah just stood there directing me. Then, she saw a blouse that she liked and decided to buy it. So she went to the counter, PRETENDED to ask the price and promptly turned away after that. As I continued rummaging through the clothes, I asked her how much was it and she said, "Don’t' know". Then she grinned and put it in the bag that had the paid goods. She STOLE!!!!!!

Just then, she decided to wait for my father outside the shop. However, upon stepping out of the shop and standing where the family was, she noticed two Andrea (actress from Secreto De Amor)-type jeans. Sadly, it couldn't fit me. But Amah was delighted because it fitted HER!!! So, she bought the two jeans along with a red t-shirt to match them.

When we reached home, I was prepared to roll my eyes and calm Amah down, but surprisingly, she did not utter a word of dissatisfaction. So, here I am after another day of shopping with Amah, waiting not very anxiously for the next shopping spree.

Day 3

This is the second edition of "Day three of shopping with Amah". The first edition got lost in the mail.

Day three of shopping with Amah:

Waves and waves of conflicting emotions filled Amah as she stepped out of the car. There, right outside the shop was Amah's favourite vehicle: the Thrift Shop's pick-up lorry. And behind the lorry, were Amah's best friends: the workers hard at work, unloading sacks and sacks of newly donated goods. A smile as big as Batman's Joker was pasted on her face. This sight obviously excited Amah because the more sacks there were, meant the more things she could buy.

As we entered the shop, I noticed that Amah's "VINCCI Department" was once again filled with a variety of shoes, from knee-high boots to worn-out sandals. Surprisingly though, none caught Amah's attention. Then I noticed the jeans rack which was also full. Unfortunately, the jeans' on show were only fit for construction workers!! As I stood by the jeans rack, Amah immediately started browsing through the clothes rack. At the speed in which she was going, one would think that she had been given a time limit!! But once again, she surprised me. After browsing through only two rows, she proceeded to the books section. Usually, Amah leaves it up to me to look for books for her but today she wanted to do the books selection.

Once she had gotten the book of her choice, she went on to her favourite section of the shop: the BAGS. Unfortunately, the place was in a mess because the workers had pushed the rack to an odd angle. This in turn made reaching the bags hard. But this did not deter Amah for she had me there. SO, with my long, thin hands and flexible body, I maneuvered myself into weird positions just to reach the bags that Amah wanted to see. But I must say, that my hard work and fantastic gymnastics were not wasted as Amah eventually bought two bags.

Then, as I was straightening myself from a 165-degree position, I noticed a huge pile of clothes next to the bags rack. It was so huge that I felt like jumping in!! It was then that I knew how Amah felt every time she came to the shop. I looked through the top of the pile but that was not satisfying enough. And at one point, I even asked my father to carry and throw me in the pile!! *sigh*

After "we" had satisfied ourselves, we left the shop. Amah did not say much on the way home but as soon as we reached home, she spoke her mind. She complained about not being able to look through EVERYTHING and that it frustrated her. I nearly rolled my eyes until I remembered the huge pile of clothes that also left me unsatisfied. SO, all I did was console her and told her to be proud of her achievements for the day. After all, she was the only person there with a daughter who was willing to do Olympics-style gymnastics despite not having learnt the sport. With me at hand, Amah got most of what SHE wanted to see and that alone is a loss to the other shoppers there!!

So, once again, shopping with Amah turned out to be quite an event. I learnt the sport of gymnastics in 15 minutes and Amah, well; she was left unsatisfied once again.

*To be continued.....*

Continued....

Note: Minus the exaggeration, whatever else said is true.

A few days passed before Amah made her way back to the Thrift Shop. However, the joy that once welcomed her was replaced by sheer shock. If a stethoscope was at hand, I'm sure we could have heard her heart stop. The sight that greeted her was simply depressing. The jeans rack where Amah bought all of her children's fashionable jeans was EMPTY!! The shoe rack where Amah prided herself in calling it her own "VINCCI" shop was also EMPTY!! And to think that these racks were filled with things just a few days back.

Amah courageously worked her way into the shop, glancing sadly at the empty racks that once filled fashion life with joy and happiness. As she browsed through what was left on the clothes rack, she couldn't help but think of all the shoes and jeans that she could have had. But then, luck was once again on her side when she found the store room. With its door open and no one at guard, she peeked into the room.

And to her great JOY........there, in the store room, from the floor to the ceiling, was heaps and heaps of clothes and bags. I'd bet that given the chance, she would have locked herself in the room so that she could have the first look at all the new things. However, thinking once again of her pride and respect as a loyal customer (she would rather be thought of as a charity-giver), she left the shop, not empty handed mind you, with the hope that, the next time she went there, the things she found in the store room would be on show.

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In regard to last entry regarding the "HELP FULFILL AMAH'S WISH - TO BUY THE THRIFT SHOP FOUNDATION", I would hereby like to notify that the foundation has been closed. It is a great pleasure to announce that the funds once needed are no more a necessity. This e-mail and other future e-mails are written purely for humour and comedy.

Those were the days...

"Long Live the Thrift Shop!! Long Live the Thrift Shop!!" - This chant was heard all the way from Jalan Perak to Jalan Sungai Pinang as Mrs.Shun @ Amah was on her way home.

The Thrift Shop has been Amah's "shopping centre" ever since it was established a few years back. However, on this particular day, when she went there to do her normal browsing, she was overcome by emotion!! There, right outside the entrance of the Thrift Shop was heaps of newly donated clothes, bags and shoes. She was as excited as a little kid in Toys 'R Us. However, her joy was short-lived as there was simply no place for the workers to unpack and display these new items. No matter how deep and hard Amah dug, she simply couldn't satisfy her growing greed!!

Beaten, she left the shop. Not empty handed of course!! Back home, she was so frustrated that she couldn't look through everything that she mentally promised herself that she'd do anything to achieve her dream.

Therefore, as her eldest daughter, always willing to fulfill her mother's wish, asks for your help in contributing to the "HELP FULFILL AMAH'S WISH-TO BUY THE THRIFT SHOP FOUNDATION". Any amount is appreciated.

Writing...

I've always had a "thing" for writing. I didn't dream of being a famous writer or anything. But I loved writing. Writing essays used to be my favourite thing in school and I suppose that is the reason why I loved English. I would take my time thinking of the content, structure and what would go into my essays. I'm proud to say that my essays were always given good grades.

My life is high school was not interesting. I wasn't in the popular group nor was I the nerd. I was just the average student. However, life at home was completely different. I had so many things going on at home (thanks to my mum!) that I started writing about them. The subject was always "Mum" but the things she did....was eccentric!! And so, the next few entries will be of my writings done at least 5-6 years ago...

Being the bigger sister

"We're always learning from others; be it from someone older or someone younger."

We're as different as chalk and cheese. Not only in personality, but also in looks (though some say we look alike). I love to eat only the creamy part of a cake, while she only likes the cake bit. I only eat the egg-white of a hardboiled egg, while she eats the yolk. Mum always says that with the two of us, she saves a lot because nothing goes to waste!!

My sister and I have a six-year age difference. Being the elder half, people may assume that I bully my kid sister and that we constantly fight. But contrary to what people may think, my relationship with my sister is as close as sisters can get. I can tell her about this guy that I like or that girl that I hate, and she'll understand. And vice versa, she can tell me about which gang in college she despises and which college has the cutest guys!! We share the same taste in guys, movies, songs and nowadays, clothes!! She teaches me what is hip and fun, while I teach her what is proper and casual. I teach her patience and she teaches me to be brave to act. She lends me her clothes but rarely borrows mine, as mine are "old". But as much as we find joy in shopping for clothes and modelling them around the house, we have our moments of "this is mine and that is yours", "Who is prettier"...etc. It's not selfishness or vanity. It's just plain sisterhood. And of course, there's also our favourite past time: combining our "forces" of wit and humour, and pitting them against mum and dad!! Ahh....the joy and laughter (and sometimes, scolding) we experience, is simply wonderful.

Needless to say, just like all siblings, we do have our differences. There are times when we just can't see eye-to-eye and I suppose that's normal. After all, I don't expect a 18 year-old to agree to everything that her older sister says or thinks. She calls me old-fashion, while I call it elegance. She calls me boring, while I say she's just restless. While the age-gap does confer problems and causes us to fight over petty things, the joy and fun that we have together overcomes all the "adversities" that we face. We may fight, quarrel and refuse to speak to each other for hours, but when the time comes, and one is in need of help or simply a shoulder to cry on, we both know that we are there for each other. We're always on the look out for each other, secretly protective of each other's well-being and welfare. And of course, without each other, who else do we get to point a finger at and blame the other for a mistake or accident that has occurred, if not for "sister"?? :-)

Twilight Craze!!

After the craze of Harry Potter, I have a new craze: TWILIGHT!! Actually, my craze for Harry Potter is only on hold till the next movie comes out. After all, since there are no more HP books, I have to look for a diversion.

Anyway, my supervisor introduced me to Edward Cullen, the ultimate superdashing-supercool-superheartmelter(I made this up!) hero of TWILIGHT!! There are 4 books in this series and because I was soooooo engrossed with Edward, I read 3 of the books in 2 days!! Talk about speed reading!! All I did after coming back from work was lose myself in the book!! There was another hero in the book, Jacob and for awhile, he was my favourite. But towards the end of the series, my heart was back with Edward!! sighs......*eyes twinkling**grinning*

To think that this book was aimed at tweens/teens, and here I am (I'm not alone though; my supervisor is just as crazy) swooning over a vampire!! Hahahaha!!

Anyway, now that I've read the 4 books (I also had to buy the 4th book as I had to return the books to my supervisor and my sis was pissed at not being able to finish reading; hence the purchase), it's time to watch the movie!! The trailer seems to be dark and the stunts look corny. Nevertheless, I love TWILIGHT and I don't think bad stunts or dark sets are going to sway my judgment!!

sighs.....*grin*

It's DECEMBER!!

IT'S FINALLY DECEMBER!! And that means....XMAS and NEW YEAR's EVE!!! Woohoo....one year ago, I think I said the same thing. Hahahaha!!

It's always nice to know that it's December and that means, a whole year is finally ending. And the beginning of a New Year is about to come about. For me, December is a month of reflections. I like to spend the month looking forward to Xmas and New Year's eve; at the same time, analysing or rather reflecting on the things I've done and achieved the past year. Did I fulfill all the resolutions I made at the beginning of the year? Did I achieve anything worthy? Or was the whole year just a flop?

It's only the 3rd day in December; and I reserve the right to take more time to ponder on the things that I've done, achieved and lived through, this 11 months. Once I've sorted that out, that'll be the material for another post. So...to whoever who reads my blog (and I bet that less than 5 ppl do), wait till I organise my thoughts and put them down here. :-)

Marriages, Babies and Decisions

It's one more month to the end of 2008 and we'll be starting a whole new year. A whole new year of promise, resolutions, decisions...etc. One thing that has been on my mind (besides work and thinking about furthering my studies) is marriage. Not that I am eager or desperate to tie the knot! I'm still young!!

It's just that...since I left high school, most of my friends (mostly the Muslim, no offense) have gotten married and even have kids!! Just this year, my ex-classmate gave birth to a baby girl and I was like, "What?!" haha...I was also shocked when I found out 2 years ago that she had married!

I'd thought that the average age of women getting married nowadays had risen. We're now career-minded. We have to be successful before jumping into lifetime commitments. We have no time for guys. Hahaha....But I guess when you're in love and the time is right, marriage seems to be the next right thing to do.

On the other hand, I have friends and cousins (all my grown up cousins in fact) who are very much single and enjoying life. And I fall into this category. Just this year, my aunt asked me if I had a bf and when she got the negative reply, she said it's time to look for a "nice" guy. Hahaha...as though I am consciously going to look for "bad" guys!!

Well...2009 is a new year. So we'll see what happens. Who knows? 2009 might be the year I find Mr.Right. Or...it could be the year I win a beauty pageant!! Haha!!

Fridays....

It's Friday again!! Yay! I've always loved Fridays. From high school to college to work. And why? Simply because it marks the beginning of the weekend and the end of the week!! That means, two days of doing absolutely nothing!! Not that "nothing" means sleeping the whole day and waking up only to eat!! Haha...!! It's just that..the weekend means not having to think, stress or worry about anything work-related; getting to sleep in late; being able to wear my pajamas the whole day and so on and so forth.

Now, I may sound like I am lazy, I hate my job and that I only think of weekends, holidays, off days..etc. The truth? I am lazy (in certain things). I don't HATE my job, but at the same time, I am not married to my job (get what I mean?). And yes....I do think of weekends, holidays and off days. It's one of the pleasures that I look forward to after working hard, trying to make other people's lives better. It's what I deserve!

Anyway....like I said in the beginning...IT'S FRIDAY....!! I'm definitely planning on sleeping in late tomorrow. But that depends entirely on whether my mother wakes me up so that I can "help" carry her marketing!!

8 months after India

It's been 8 months since I've returned from India and I have yet to complete my "journal" on my experience in India. I sent out three rounds of my writings to friends and family and that has been it. I'm putting it here so that I'll remember to finish off by year end.

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Hi guys,

As you all know, I'm finally back from India after one month of eating tosai, idli, capatis and riding around in Autos. So...what can I say about my experience there?? Was it fulfilling?? Was it like the Tamil movies we watch?? It was all that and more.

So I arrived in Chennai on Feb 13 at 9.15pm and my first impression of the airport was: Disappointment. It didn't look like what I expected it to be but then again, I may have expected too much. After all, it's India!!!

Pass the immigration and having collected my luggages, the next thing I saw was a sea of men. I didn't expect to see so many men and so few women. It later hit me that this was due to the female infanticide that is so rampant in India.

Back to my "first" impression(s)...the next thing I was introduced to in India was the Indian Horn and the Indian-Way-Of-Driving. I was literally hanging on to my seat as the driver of the Jeep swerved left and right through the traffic. It didn't help that there were roadworks going on and a fly-over being built out of nowhere. And to top it all, my vehicle had no air-con and so we travelled for 2.5hrs with the windows down, breathing in dust.

I came to India thinking that I was going to stay in the city but when I arrived, I was told (to my chagrin) that we're heading straight for the village.

So after a dusty and "rocky" 2.5hr drive from the airport, we finally arrived at Arakkonam (the small village where I stayed). The driveway was so dark, the only thing I saw was BLACK. Though there was a single light bulb that was lit, it was not enough. But since we were so tired and were ready to drop our bags and just sleep, we did not bother about our surroundings. We did not even bathe!!

I got up at about 8am the next morning and my first thought was COLD!!! My feet were frozen and the MAS blanket that I "took" did not provide sufficient protection.

Anyway, I got a pleasant surprise when I went to take my bath. The bathroom actually had a heater. They call it a BOILER and if you want hot water, you'll have to switch it on a few minutes before you have your bath. Nevertheless, I was glad to have hot water coz I came to India thinking I was going back to the basic of basics.

Once cleaned and dressed, I stepped out of the room and oh my God...the blackness that greeted me the night before was replaced by a beautiful view. There were trees all around, a playground, a well and even a hut that is used as a day-care center. As I was taking in the view, a lady came and informed me that "Tiffen" was ready. Not knowing what she meant, I said ok and smiled and she walked off. An hour later, the lady came back and told me that breakfast was ready; and as my supervisor and I started on our breakfast of idli and dhal, the lady informed us that "Tiffen" meant food or meal!!!! Breakfast had been ready an hour earlier and because of the language barrier, there were already misunderstandings!! HAHA!!

Anyway, after breakfast, my supervisor (Marjo) and I decided to get down to work. Much to our dismay, the laptop that we brought with us malfunctioned. It could be switched on but there was no image on the monitor!!! After desperate and expensive calls back to Malaysia, we found out that it was a recurring problem and that, in order for it to be functional, we just had to let it "rest"!! Marjo had her laptop but every local Internet connection was incompatible with her laptop, as it was an APPLE MAC. And so…there we were, in a remote village in India, with just one laptop and no internet connection. To make matters worse, the electricity went off during the day (much to our chagrin, the electricity went off daily!!) so that left us with nothing to do on our first day in India!!

So I spent my first day in India not working. Instead, I spent the whole day getting used to the time difference by watching the entire new season of Grey's Anatomy (thank God Marjo had it in her laptop)! There were about 12 episodes and I watched it all in one day!!! I only stopped to eat and take a break by walking around the compound area.

Besides not having the Internet, I also did not have the local Indian handphone SIM card. I'd thought we were going to stay in the city and that I'd get it by afternoon the next day. So you can imagine my dismay and disappointment when I couldn't call my family. Actually, I could have called my family using my Malaysian line but it would have cost a bomb!! I couldn't SMS as well, as it was expensive. I did, however SMS my mother to let her know that I arrived safely and was in one piece.

And so...day 1 was spent doing nothing but getting used to the time difference and getting over the culture shock.

.........the next time I update this, it will be a long post on my experience in India for the entire month; rather than writing on a daily basis!

No time

My last post was about Deepavali. And since then, I've not had the time to update my blog! Spending approximately 7.5 hours in front of the computer during work, the last thing I need/want to do when I go home is to sit in front of the computer again!! Even on weekends, I'd rather watch tv or read, rather than go online.

So...for future updates on my life....people will just have to wait. :-)

Deepavali Is Over!!!

sighs....Deepavali is over and along with it, all the festivities, murukus and angpows!! I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed myself this year, both on the eve and Deepavali day itself (not that I don't enjoy myself every year. This year was just different)The eve was of course the best as the whole family was present. This was the one day when everyone would meet yearly without fail. All the uncles, aunties and cousins from Penang, KL and those travelling will make sure that they are present on the eve and that's when I really have the 'big family' feeling.

Deepavali day itself is another story. Though not every single member of the family will be at my grandparents' house, most of them would be there. The highlight of the day would be wearing our new outfits, complete with matching bangles and bindis, new shoes (this is optional) and of course, celebrating the day itself!! Arriving at the house and greeting everyone, having a hearty brunch (of putu mayam, chicken curry, tosai...) and then just hanging out with my cousins made my day. Later that night, we returned to my granny's house and we cousins decided to break the law. We played with firecrackers and though I am no longer a kid, I felt like one!! :-) This was the first year (hopefully not the last) that we cousins actually met up on Deepavali night and played with firecrackers.

On the other hand, I am sad that this is the last year that the whole family is celebrating Deepavali in Penang. Everyone seems to be moving away from this beautiful island, either to KL or Perak; and only God knows where our Deepavali will be next year. Nevertheless, I am very very happy to say that Deepavali 2008 for Shakun was great!! I enjoyed myself, I bonded with my cousins and I'm proud to say that the Festival of Lights this year, did indeed brighten my life!!

Day 6, 7 & 8 Bintulu, Sarawak

Day 6

What a wonderful night I had!! I was clean and I had a comfortable bed!! No mosquitoes and there was air-con!! Nevertheless, my thoughts of the people at Rumah Rajang was with me the entire time as I took my bath, slept on a comfortable bed and enjoyed the air-conditioner.

The day was pretty mundane as we went around town, visiting the pesticides shops, doing our monitoring. As we went about town, I realised that ever since I stepped into Bintulu, I have not seen any Indians!! I've seen Malays, Chinese, Indonesians but not any Indians!! Then I realised that maybe Chandrika (another colleague of mine) and I may be the only Indians in Bintulu!! There wasn't even an Indian temple in sight!!

Anyway, like I said, Day 6 was spent entirely in town, with us surveying the pesticides shops. After dinner, the group dispersed and Mel and I went back to our hotel.

Day 7

Today was a busy day as all the groups were to gather back at the hotel and hand in all the questionnaires. Chandrika and I had the task of going through every single questionnaire to make sure that everything was filled up and that the handwriting was legible. After doing this, all the group leaders had a meeting to report back on what went wrong, the problems they faced..etc. Once this ended, we all headed for lunch. By then, it was 4pm!!

That night, Michael, Nyumbang and Chandrika made me go down to the hotel lounge as they had a surprise for me. When I reached there, the one-man band started playing song after song from the Alleycats' repertoir!! And I had Michael to thank for that as he was the one continuously requesting for the songs!! During the singer's break time, he even came over to our table to chat with us as Michael had excitedly told him that my dad was once in the band!! And, as usual, I was asked to sing!! OMG!!!

Day 8 - Leaving Bintulu

After breakfast, Mel and I had our final tour of Bintulu Town. We walked from the hotel to one end of the town, took some pictures and took our final look of Bintulu. We experienced so much during our 9 days in Bintulu and the friends we made.... was the best part. Though Michael, Nyumbang, Mujah, Niko and the rest were all older and wiser than us, we never once felt as though we were being treated like kids. Instead, we all worked as a group, bonded as friends and as we left Bintulu, I felt that I had left a piece of me there. I know that if I ever went back to Sarawak, I'll have friends there.

The end.....

Day 4 & 5 Bintulu, Sarawak

continued...

Day 4

Mel and I skipped breakfast as it was getting more and more difficult getting up in the morning. After checking out of the hotel, we left for our stay at the long house. We first stopped at Rumah Siba, which was a beautiful long house. It had a long row of ceiling fans and lights and the wood/papan was so shining!! After "resting" there for awhile, we proceeded to Rumah Rajang (a.k.a my long house) which was really really far away, in the remotest place I've ever been to. We had to drive through a lot of plantations on a gravel pathway!! It was such a bumpy ride.

When we finally reached the long house, what I got was not what I expected. First, it was not even fit to be called a long house as there were only two "houses" as it was still in the process of being built. Second, there were not as many people as I thought there'd be. I was very disappointed. Despite not having any water supply nor electricity, the long house was equipped with fans, lights and even a TV!! That was something!! I did not even think of taking pictures at that time.

Dinner that night was wildboar meat (as usual), mouse deer meat (yummy!!), chicken cooked in bamboo (another yummy dish) and also palm oil shoots. Although all the dishes were salty, it was nevertheless delicious and I was actually pleasantly surprised!! :-)

Mel and I did not bathe that night as we couldn't bring ourselves to bathe in the open "bathroom" (though I had sarungs). The "tuai rumah" and everyone else kept asking us to take our baths but we politely declined and thanked God for wet wipes!! And so, because we refused to bathe, we spent the night feeling hot, sweaty and donating blood to the Sarawakian mosquitoes. In short, we suffered!!

Day 5

The sun was up at 6.30pm and once again, Mel and I did not take our baths!! We just brushed our teeth and washed our faces. That too was done with mineral water!!! Talk about being Paris Hilton-y!!

I was supposed to continue staying at that long house for the next 3 nights; but thanks to Michael (and the internal conflict that was happening) I was "hijacked" from my group. Michael did not want me to be the only girl in my group (my "mak angkat" had joined another group) and so he decided that I should join his gang who comprised Melissa (yay!), Niko, Nyumbang and himself. Despite the miscommunications and dirty internal politics that happened, my new group bonded well. We joked, laughed and gossiped all through our journey from Batu Niah to Bintulu Town. It didn't help when Michael and the guys found out that I am the daughter of an Alleycats' member (I didn't tell them; my other colleague, Chandrika told them!!). They started singing 'Keranakau' and continued singing at intervals during our journey!! (I digress: some of the participants actually call me Shah Rukh Khan because my name reminds them of him. Crazy!!)

Despite staying at the long house for only one day, it was enough for me to realise that the long house community was living in poverty and that, that is the only life they know. Whenever TNB cuts the electricity for maintenance or when PBA stops the water supply for repairs, I'm one of the first to complain and whine. And yet, the community at the long house live without water supply and electricity. I felt bad whining about not being able to bathe and that it was hot during the night. I was so glad that I was going back to the hotel, to comfort; and yet at the back of my mind, I knew that the community was back there, living in that dilapidated condition. Sighs! I thanked God for the opportunity given to me to witness first hand what hardship is all about. What I witnessed in India, I've also witnessed here.

...to be continued

Day 1, 2 & 3 Bintulu, Sarawak

continued...

Day 1 in Bintulu started like any other day: breakfast then straight to work. Despite coming from an organisation that emphasises on gender balance, there were only 7 females in attendance and 6 were from my organisation!! Talk about gender sensitivity!! The sole lady participant from Sarawak was a last minute addition as she was to be my "mak angkat" during my long house stay. After a round of introductions (where I learnt that Mel and I are known as 'anak dara' ) the meeting/training commenced.

During lunch, my lesson on the Iban culture continued. I was told that Ibans eat fast as they do not like to linger and talk while eating. That was so true as the Ibans at my table ate so fast that within 15-20mins they would leave the table. I also learnt that at the long house, if you are the last person to finish eating during meal times, you'll have to finish eating all the leftovers!! And that's no joke!! I kept that knowledge firmly in mind as I needed to remember this during my long house stay. Nikodemus taught us a trick however. He told us to eat only a little so that we'll definitely finish fast!! Hahaha!!

Day 1 ended quite early and Mel and I actually missed dinner coz we didn't know that dinner was pushed forward. No one informed us. No big deal though coz the hotel was surrounded with coffee shops.

Day 2

Though we slept early the previous night, waking up in the morning was difficult. It was actually harder waking up today than it was yesterday morning.

I was famished and was looking forward to a hearty breakfast. However, when I reached the dining area, I found that there were no eggs. There was the usual beehoon, roti canai, bread, sausages and fried rice. But there were no eggs. I wondered whether Sarawakians ate eggs. I don't know why I expected eggs but I suppose it's natural as eggs are like THE breakfast thing to eat.

During lunch, I was told that the long house I was going to stay at has no water supply nor electricity!! OMG!! The residents depend on rain water and for electricity, they use a generator. That was enough to make me worry. All I could do was smile and act brave in front of one of the residents.

To make matters worse, my long house @ Rumah Rajang is the furthest one away from Bintulu town (about 2-3 hours away by car). It was situated at Niah, almost near Miri!!

I went to bed thinking about my long house stay. Would I survive? I survived one month in India. This couldn't be worse right?

Day 3

Getting up today was even more difficult that it was the previous two mornings. I suppose the long travel hours and long working days were taking its toll.Thankfully the third day was a light day as it was mostly about role-playing and planning for the monitoring. We were briefed about our long house stay and put into our groups. We socialised, talking to the participants and one even thought I said I was related to Karpal Singh, thinking I was a Punjabi!!

When the meeting ended, Mel and I finally had the chance to walk around Bintulu town. I bought some souvenirs and. There was even a "mall" but it was nothing like Gurney or Queensbay. It was not even like Prangin Mall. I suppose with such a small population, there is no need for such a big mall.

After dinner, Mel and I spent our time packing as we were to leave for our long house stay the next morning.

to be continued...

Chronicles of Bintulu, Sarawak - Part 1 Arrival

This is the story, all about how, my life got twisted upside down. I'd like to take a moment, just sit right there, I'm going to tell you all about my life in Bintulu (sing to the tune of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

As the plane landed at Bintulu Airport, the first thing that I noticed was the lack of buildings. There were no houses or shops, let alone a tall building!! Mel (my colleague and now, travel partner) just looked at each other and grimace. This was going to be a long week...

First stop after getting off the plane was not to collect our luggage. No....we first had to go through immigration!!! Can you believe it? It is so ironic that, despite being a 'Malaysian' and having a valid identity card, the moment you cross the South China Sea into East Malaysia, you're considered a foreigner!!

You have to produce your IC and you'll be given a pass, 'allowing' you to stay in Sarawak for 90 days only!! I felt so weird and amused that with all the illegals entering and roaming around, the actual citizens are being so strictly guarded!!

Anyway, after securing the right to stay in Sarawak and collecting our baggage, we were on our way.

My first eating experience came next. Since we arrived at around 3.45pm, we naturally missed lunch. So we stopped for "lunch" at a coffee shop and I ordered what we Penangites call 'Wantan Mee'. But, instead of receiving noodles with black soya sauce, what I got was colourless, salty noodles, served with a tasteless soup, wantan and chilli paste. The result? Combine EVERYTHING and surprise, surprise....it was a tasty meal!! But of course, I only realised this after eating about half the meal!! By the way, it's called Mee Kolok.

On the way to the hotel, Bintulu reminded me a bit of Taiping. In that, it's a small town and there was hardly any traffic. Great for learner drivers and those with the 'P'. The houses I saw were huge and beautiful, although I knew that this was just the "first impression". I had yet to see the other side of Bintulu.

After checking in at the hotel, we went straight to work. Though we were all tired after all the travelling and the bad flight(!!), like in all PAN AP events, we had to work past dinner. Luckily, Bella and Mel were with me and we all got to return to our rooms by 10pm.

....to be continued

Of long houses and river-bathing

I'm back after the Raya hols and my oh my....there's tonnes of work to be done. And so...since I won't be here from the 11th to the 19th, this is my last entry for the time being.

In 4 days' time, I'll be leaving the beautiful island of Penang for a 9 day stint in Bintulu, Sarawak. I'll be spending the first 3 days at a hotel. As for the remaining 6 days, I'll be putting up at several long houses, if I am not mistaken. The reason I'm going is to monitor the living, working and health conditions of the people there.

I'm excited as this is my first time to Sarawak. I've heard that it is a beautiful place and the people there are as friendly and welcoming as one can be. So welcoming that, when I told family and friends that I was going to Sarawak, they all had the same comment: that I had to drink the local "treat" that was served to guests, TUAK!! God knows how or what that drink is made of but it is well-known that one cannot refuse the invitation as it would be considered an insult. Furthermore, there are some tribes that eat worm-like creatures or maggots from plants!! I hope I don't have to endure any of this!!

Having to live in a long house, maybe bathing in a river and doing my "businesses" in a "bathroom" or "pondok" that's located a few yards/metres away, is already an experience in itself!! My mother even has a "feeling" that I may return with a tatoo!!

Well....until I return from Sarawak, I can only imagine what lies ahead. No point worrying as it is better to think positively and hope for the best. It may not be as bad as I thought it would be!! :-)

Of long houses and river-bathing

I'm back after the Raya hols and my oh my....there's tonnes of work to be done. And so...since I won't be here from the 11th to the 19th, this is my last entry for the time being.

In 4 days' time, I'll be leaving the beautiful island of Penang for a 9 day stint in Bintulu, Sarawak. I'll be spending the first 3 days at a hotel. As for the remaining 6 days, I'll be putting up at several long houses, if I am not mistaken. The reason I'm going is to monitor the living, working and health conditions of the people there.

I'm excited as this is my first time to Sarawak. I've heard that it is a beautiful place and the people there are as friendly and welcoming as one can be. So welcoming that, when I told family and friends that I was going to Sarawak, they all had the same comment: that I had to drink the local "treat" that was served to guests, TUAK!! God knows how or what that drink is made of but it is well-known that one cannot refuse the invitation as it would be considered an insult. Furthermore, there are some tribes that eat worm-like creatures or maggots from plants!! I hope I don't have to endure any of this!!

Having to live in a long house, maybe bathing in a river and doing my "businesses" in a "bathroom" or "pondok" that's located a few yards/metres away, is already an experience in itself!! My mother even has a "feeling" that I may return with a tatoo!!

Well....until I return from Sarawak, I can only imagine what lies ahead. No point worrying as it is better to think positively and hope for the best. It may not be as bad as I thought it would be!! :-)

THIN

"You're so thin!", "You're just skin and bones", "You look anorexic" - those are just a few comments that I grew up with. Being blessed with a tall, skinny frame - and I say BLESSED because I know some people who are just dying to have my body - being compared to a drug addict and anorexic is nothing unusual. For the past 24 years of my life, meeting new people (or even friends or relatives whom I've not seen for a long time) brings nothing new. The first few sentences after introduction are almost always, "You're so thin". I've heard this so many times that I've become immuned to it. My reaction used to be forced smiles and laughs, but over the years, I've started to react differently. I still smile but now I add, "But I can eat whatever I want and not worry about putting on weight unlike some people!!" That brings on jealousy and reluctant agreement from the other party!! Need I say more?

Of course, there is also the bright side of being thin. I've had my share of strangers thinking that I am a model *grin* *grin*, suggestions that I join a beauty pageant (I might do it next year, who knows!) and comparisons made with Bollywood beauties!! So, it's not all negative comments that I've had to endure. I can wear almost anything I want without having to worry about the availability of sizes; I can eat what I want without worrying whether it is fattening or not; I have no flabs or cellulite to worry me to death....and the list goes on.....

And so...to all those out there who have commented and will comment no matter what, to you I say: I DON'T CARE! I have been blessed with my frame so just accept it! There are people out there who are killing themselves just to have a body like mine. I, on the other hand, don't have to do a thing. There may (or may not) be a day when I finally look normal according to society, but until then....I intend to make full use of my blessing. No point being jealous. It only makes you old and gives you wrinkles!!

By the way...it's not as though I look like this ------->

Being a Vegetarian during Hari Raya

It's Hari Raya!! Before I start, I just want to wish my family and friends "Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!! Best Best Wishes and may God bless you guys always!!" :-)

There!...now that all pleasantries are over, it's time for me to gripe about not being able to celebrate Raya to the full extend. As you all know, Raya is THE time for rendang, ketupat, lemang, kuih raya, nasi minyak, ayam masak merah....you get the drift. I have always enjoyed celebrating Raya, not only because my uncle is a Muslim (which means I get duit Raya!! haha!) but also because, staying in a multi-racial housing area, you'll always have lunch or dinner invitations. That's been the norm for as long as I can remember. But ever since last year, I've had to forgo those lunches and dinners simply because Navarathri happens to be during Raya!!! Coincidentally, or rather unfortunately for me, Navathri is where Hindus have to observe vegetarianism for 9 days!! And so, being the good Hindu that I am (or rather trying to be a good Hindu) I too observe this 9-day practice.


Back in high school, I was only vegetarian for the last 3 days but somehow, for the past 2 years, I decided to go for the full 9 days. It was hard (it's still hard) to abstain from meat. Before this, I would never have categorised myself as a meat-lover!! And so...for the 3rd year running, I am missing out on my Raya goodies (see pic!!) Yesterday was only the first day of Navarathri and last night, I dreamt that I was eating the best chicken rice ever!! *sighs* To make matters worse, the air this morning was filled with the smells of chicken curry, dalcha and all those other lovely, tasty meaty dishes!!

I don't know why, but I feel worse this year. Maybe it's because after enjoying so much (makan wise), the sacrifice I have to make this 9 days is bringing me back to reality. At work, I am on this project campaigning for people's right to food and here I am complaining about giving up MEAT!!

Anyway, as I am writing this, my neighbour just gave us Raya goodies and I am eating the jelly!! YUMMY!!

Well...I am already half way through the 2nd day and there's just 7 days more to go...not bad, that's just one week, 21 meals (roughly) of eting veggies....hmmm....I'm going to look for soy meat now...

My current craze! Hehe...

Watching Spanish and Tagalog telenovelas (or dramas) have always been a favourite hobby of mine. I can still remember the very first drama series that I followed. It was back in 1996 and Green Green Grass by the River (a Mandarin series) was the craze. All my friends watched it, from Chinese to Malays and of course me! I don't know what it was that got me hooked, but at 6.30pm every day, you'd find me in front of the TV waiting patiently for my drama to start.

In high school, when hormones start raging and the male species no longer seemed disgusting, Spanish telenovelas were the "in-thing". I remember being a follower of La Usurpadora, Secreto De Amor, Rubi, Rosalinda...and the list goes on. The story lines of course ran along the same lines but the guys...!! Hahaha...they were the reasons why I gave up my afternoon naps, spend hours on the net looking for information about them and then being "heartbroken" after finding out that they were either married or taken. Oh my...to think that I actually went crazy after fictional characters!!

And yet...as I left my teenage years and stepped into my 20s, I still find myself hooked on telenovelas. I must admit that after years and years of watching and drooling over all the Latino hunks....it's difficult (very!!) for any guy to match up to the standards that I have set. It's sad really because, for all I know, my Latino hunks may be bad-tempered, foul-mouthed guys and yet, on screen, they are the perfect gentleman!!

Nevertheless, telenovelas are like "adult fairy tales". While I used to dream of Prince Charming from Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, I now think of Jorge Luis Pila (Lisandro, Tita Lita!!) or even Jericho Rosales!!

My current craze...is Korean dramas!! Although it's only one particular drama: Princess Hours (I've watched it once and am currently watching it again!!)...I'm hooked!! And, I can't believe I'm going to say this but some Koreans are cute!! I think Daniel Henney is good-looking but then, he's of mixed parentage. However, Kim Jung Hoon (pic) is cute!! I simply loooveee his character in the drama!! Haha...yeah..I can just hear some of my friends laughing!!! Even the songs are nice!!

Hmm...of course..that's just the drama/series craze. I've also got a Hindi movie craze and with so many young actors rising, I'm spoilt for choice. My current hottie of Bollywood?

Shahid Kapoor!! Don't you think he's just sooo cute?!! And he's young!! Haha!! I've watched two of his movies countless times and I still smile everytime he comes on screen!! I must be going nuts!!

He's got a new movie out and I've been searching high and low for the DVD. Can't wait to see him in action!!

I'd better stop here or I'll be raving on and on and on about Kim Jung Hoon, Shahid Kapoor, Kim Jung Hoon, Shahid Kapoor....*smiles*

Finally - I'm one of the gang!

27th September 2008 - A day to remember!! Hahaha...after reading numerous blogs, helping my sister get one of her own and being questioned about when my own blog was going to surface...I finally bowed to the "pressure" and "demands". Actually, my aunt (Tita Lita) had suggested, a few years back, that I should start a blog of my own, as I was really into writing back then. However, I felt that having a blog would only put pressure on me to continuously update it and so, I decided that the world could survive without my contribution.

A few years down the road and here I am, sitting in front of my computer, typing in my very first entry. This brings back memories of when I first started using Friendster. Back then, I was a "Friendster-idiot"; I didn't know what Friendster was, how it worked or how useful it was. Thanks to my friends (Trish!!) - meaning "pressure" from my friends - I got myself an account and *boom* I was in the gang!! The same thing is happening once again, but I am thankful to all those who have encouraged, nagged and suggested. :-)

With the thousands of blogs that exist, I no longer feel pressured to update my blog (or rather "global diary") on a regular basis. I have decided that, when I feel like it, when I have something to shout about or tell the world, that's when I'll update my "global diary". (However I have the distinct feeling that the excitement of having a blog will overwhelm me and I might flood my blog with unneceesary entries!!)

And so...till my next entry....Pa alam! (Bye)