Comellest Singer

I was youtubing Anuar Zain for my colleague last night when I discovered this comellest singer. Soooo.... cute and sooooo.... comel.

Pokai But...

I went to Times book sale at Dataran Hamodal SS13 this morning, have lunch at Jaya SS14 and discover there's Popular moving out sale there, and then meet my school friend at Ikano where the biggest Popular store is located. I can't resist buying more books. Photo above shows all the new ones plus some bought from last time. My excuse... they are for my future planning.

I have also ordered 3 DVDs of ebooks and audiobooks from Lelong. I can spend all my time reading if I want to. I'm currently reading the 2 mind map books, doing the mind map exercises, and also reading Winning by Jack Welch borrowed from Ben. I have so many books I don't know which to begin with so I multi-read :) While this reading bug is still with me, I'd appreciate any MPH, Popular, Times, Kinokunya, Borders gift voucher :) It's not my birthday but any advanced birthday gift is accepted hehehe...

From Ipoh With Trepidation

I went to Ipoh last Monday. While driving back, suddenly I heard noises from my car... it was like somebody was hammering from somewhere underneath the car. Tong! tong! tong! tong! tong! The noises grew louder and louder and I drove my car slower and slower. The image of my car being towed to an unknown workshop crossed my mind in a flash and I also thought I could either take an express bus back or put up the night(s) somewhere in Ipoh. *heavy sigh*

I looked around for a workshop and stopped at a petrol station to ask. The attendant showed me a nearby area but when I got there, I couldn't find any workshop so I asked a nice looking uncle who is probably walking back to his car. He said there's none in the area and after telling him my problem, invited him to ride in my car so he can experience what happen. I know... I know... I shouldn't invite a stranger in my car and he shouldn't take a lift from a stranger but he's being helpful and I'm very grateful for the second opinion.

He said it's probably the drive shaft and I could take the risk driving back using the highway and driving slowly. I thank him and continued the drive back with feelings of trepidation and apprehension along the way. However, as I started to drive faster and faster, the noises started to disappear. I thought maybe something got stuck underneath my car and has fallen off, hopefully not ripping anything important with it. I reached home safely.

But, the next day I discover it isn't so. I'll get the noise if I braked hard. So I remembered to drive carefully and brake gently till I got the time to send it for repair. Today is the time.

The diagnosis:
- Drive shaft patah
- Bearing pecah
- Must do alignment
- Discover 1 camber nut out

The casualties:
- RM445

* Sigh, sigh, and sigh again... *

Adooiii... pokai! pokai!

Latest Book Purchase

Bought two weeks ago...
1. The 4-Hour Workweek

I'm third quarter through the book... very interesting idea with business plan you can follow through. We don't have some of the service here in Malaysia but since internet has no boundaries, we can consider foreign alternatives. I just wonder about the legal issues if any problem arises.

Bought last week...
2. Why We Want You To Be Rich
3. The Mind Map Book
4. The Ultimate Book of Mind Maps

I can become a Mind Map guru after this but still haven't started reading them yet. It will be very useful to me as a trainer. I've started with Why We Want You To Be Rich. I bought it to refresh my memory on Kiyosaki's ideas actually. I have 4 of his early books and thought I have lost all of them. Lucky me I got them back after I bought this book. I can use all of them now in my Sales training.

Bought yesterday...
5. Blue Ocean Strategy
6. Now, Discover Your Strength
7. How To Have Creative Ideas
8. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook
9. Body Language

I can go crazy book shopping at Amcorp Mall. Ben brought me there yesterday and they're cheap. They are all new books and I only paid about RM90 for them. I hope the books will be useful for my soft skills training.

Magazines I Read

Here are my staple monthly magazine diet.

1. Digital Camera Magazine
2. Personal Money
3. Shape
4. Cleo
5. Malaysian Women Weekly

Depending on how interesting the issues and articles are for the month, I might also read...

6. CLICK!
7. Digital Camera & Photography
8. Traverama
9. Virtual Malaysia
10.Nur
11.Her World
12.Female
13.any magazines that offer interesting gift :) I bought Jelita once for the bag it offered and its worth it because I still use the bag occasionally when I go out for lunch. I bought it with a colleague and the bag become our lunch out handbag.

Life After The Burglary

It has been about one month since the burglary. I'm thankful the burglars came in while no one was in the house. Things could have been worse. Many people has far worse experience then me but that doesn't mean it did not affected my life in some way. It did.

I don't feel as safe as before. I rarely bring my office laptop back nowadays so I don't often go online at night. I have to think carefully whether I'm going to make any stop before I reach home. If I really have to bring my laptop along and leave it in the car to get something, I will use the laptop lock. The lock is not theft-proof but it gives me a little bit more peace of mind.

I even lock it when I'm at home. I have nothing big and heavy that I can tie it to except to my iSqueez. But, come to think of it, if they can cut the grill, what's stopping them from cutting the laptop lock isn't it? I just hope it will not be as easy to the burglars if it happen again but please God, don't let it happen again.

A good thing about not going online at night, I have more time to read. I bought a lot of magazines every month and sometimes I only have time to flip through the pages. Now, I even started buying books again... and read them. I stopped buying books when I felt I have no time to read. I still read many materials online, I have a lot of e-books but it is still not the same like a real book.

Putting a book on the shelf and knowing you have read them is different than having many e-books and articles in a folder, some you have read, some not (hoping you'll eventually read them in the future). I can easily recall a book content from which book as compared to an e-book so maybe the extra senses of touching the book still make some difference than reading it from the computer.

The landlady still did not fix the grill. While I understand her husband can't drive do to his eyesight problem (they're over 60) and has to depend on the children, but I did pay the rent every month and my safety is of concern here. They sure don't want a murdered single lady in their apartment so I hope they'll do something about it.

I do have the option of moving out but its not very practical right now because I'll have to move again in the near future. Ben is also looking for an apartment now, when she find it I might stay with her for a while if I have to.

What Will Be Will Be

If I can lay down the history of my life in this page, it probably would take lots and lots of megabytes. Even if I can, I won't. Some entries have disjointed fragments that only I would understand. Probably some people could guess or would make a guess, it doesn't matter really because despite going through the same thing, the same experience, people would have different interpretations and assumptions anyway.

He's well. He looks healthy and happy and I'm so glad. When things are fated, destined, what will be, will be. I couldn't have thought how easy it was actually. I also didn't realize how much I miss him until we met. We have wasted twenty years but maybe those wasted time makes us closer now and appreciate each other better. I will not waste the opportunity anymore. Times may not be on our side the second time.

Burglarized

I have been busy. Nothing new there but this month is extremely busy because I have continuous training for 2 weeks including outstation, and other training which are not continuous, including outstation. I was feeling feverish yesterday and decided to go back early despite the traffic congestion report over the radio. That was at 6.30 p.m. and surprisingly the traffic was heavy but the car was moving. I reached home about an hour later.

I was visualizing hot milo and bread, took some medicine for my fever and flu, wrap myself in the blanket while doing some work. The deadline is today so I have no choice but to complete the course outlines. All that visual images disappear when I saw the grill on my door was damaged, the door slightly ajar. Only about 2-3 months back, Ben's house was broken into and I accompanied her and her house mate make police report, get the police photographer to take photos of the broken grill and went to another police station to meet with the investigating officer.



I quickly went in without thinking that maybe the burglar could still be inside. Lucky for me he/she or they were not. My personal laptop was gone, the master bedroom was ransacked especially on the the shelves where I put all my accessories. A gold bangle, gold ring, and all my accessory brooches and bracelets (new, old, cheap, expensive)... all gone. They missed one pair of brooch on top of one of the shelves and I have another pair which I was wearing. So now I only have 2 pairs of brooch. They missed my digital camera and also did not take my passport. I'm thankful for small miracles. Oh... they did not take any other electrical equipments too.

I called a few people but none of them reachable except the landlady. She can't come though and I was worried about finding people to repair the door that night. The landlady suggested the apartment maintenance people but I never knew if they exist. I have stayed here for 3 years and never heard of them. All I can think of was the security guard. I switch off the lights and leave my apartment the way I found it.



The guards were very helpful despite not doing their job properly. They are not supposed to allow cars without the apartment sticker inside the area unless they leave their drivers license at the guard house but they have not done that for many months already. Even if the guard did what they're supposed to do, it still didn't mean anything if it is an inside job. Anybody could rent a place and check out hundreds of vulnerable looking apartment unit that they can break into when it is convenient. Anyway, the guards suggested I buy a new door lock and they can help fix my door. They refuse to take any money for it.

Feeling better I can at least lock the door, I went to the police station to make a report. Did you know Sg. Buloh police station is located at a godforsaken place? I went there once before and that was during day time. I have to ask direction from one safe-looking guy yesterday. The lady constable was very helpful and efficient. It was a different experience when I accompanied Ben last time. She then asked me to go back and wait for the investigating officer to come with the photographer.



I couldn't find my way back to the main road. I probably drove around aimlessly for about 15 minutes before I saw another safe-looking guy to ask for direction. Normally I have no problem with directions to go back when driving except when I was already very tired. I didn't notice any lady walking around that area. Saw a few in shops but the road was too narrow for me to park and ask for direction. Furthermore, the door handle of the car broke when I went to buy the door lock. It can't be opened from outside so I have to open from the passenger side. Just in case I need to make a fast exit with the car, I might have some trouble there.

I reached home safely at about 9.30-9.45. The police came at 10.30. By then I managed to talk/sms to family and friends. Most asked the same question, "Apa yang hilang?". I was quite calm yesterday. I have no time to feel anything. I just went through the process of doing whatever I have to do mechanically. I sms my colleague telling him I can't meet the deadline because my laptop was gone. This morning, everyone at the office asked about the break-in. I still have to continue conducting my training and it is quite difficult to focus initially.

I went to fix my car door after work just now so another worry is off my mind. I have another training tomorrow and my deadline has been extended until tonight but here I am blogging. I have to let it out because today I have some time to feel something.

Nobody came to accompany me yesterday. While I understand the situation of some people, like Ben who did not have a car here in KL, family members who stayed quite a distance, cik abang stuck in a jam, I did not inform that many people either, and I could handle things on my own... I still would appreciate the moral support. It is quite sad isn't it? None think it is important enough probably. What if I died, or got murdered... na'uzubillah... even if they do come under that circumstances, I'd be too dead to appreciate the gesture. The more I think about it... I better not think too much. I still have many course outline to complete tonight.

I'm thankful it was not something worse like snatch theft that causes injury or any other scenario that can cause death other than natural cause.

I'm using my office laptop now. I just realized the burglar took my streamyx cable too. Sigh! Consider dial-up a small miracle for me eventhough it is extremely slow. Without internet connection would be worse isn't it? OK... better continue with my work.

Mysterious Ways

Life works in a mysterious way. Sometimes, too complex for us to comprehend.

Can you imagine your life long belief quashed with a snap of your fingers? Well... probably not exactly an instant turnaround. A series of events could lead me to a certain untrodden path but it certainly took me by surprise the moment it hit me in the face.

I have many beliefs in life... some pretty, some not. And most of them has turned upside down, inside out, opposite poles recently. I'm viewing life differently now.

The only conclusion I can make, nothing is certain in this life. Even the path where I am on now is not a certainty. Only death is.

Family

Were there ever a time where you feel like you have nowhere to turn to? A time where you feel all alone in this world. Today is one of those time for me.

I have written few entries related to my father in the past. None of them mentioned about my good relationship with him. But today, when I'm feeling like this, I can't help but cry when I think about my situation and how I wish he's there for me. I have never felt like this. I'm not exactly alone. I have friends and loved ones who will be all ears for me. I just wonder why today, I wish I can talk to him.

"Abah, I have no one to turn to. I have been strong in the past but I wish I can be your little girl for a while."

Things happen for a reason. Maybe the series of happenings in my life lately is the beginning of something. With only his IC no., if only I know where to begin.

Reflection on the Eve of Syawal 1428 Hijrah

Ramadhan has come and gone in the blink of an eye. I paid my zakat fitrah today. The obligatory zakat to be paid during Ramadhan, latest to be paid the morning of first Syawal, before Solat Al-Eid. Tears came into my eyes as I sat in the car before starting the engine, reflecting on my previous Ramadhan... the journey of my life.

I remember after my parents divorced, we didn't know whether my father will pay our zakat fitrah. My mother has taken the responsibility to ensure all our zakat fitrah were paid on time. When my brother was older, he was given the task to go the mosque and pay for the whole family.

When I started working, I have to pay on my own unless I reminded my brother to do so. How time has changed. What was once the responsibility of the father until the daughter gets married, or the male siblings if the father is not around, nowadays many single ladies has to do it themselves. While the zakat amount is not such a big deal, but I still prefer to have male family member pay on my behalf. The gesture signifies family ties and belongingness.

Nonetheless, when everyone is busy with their daily lives, I don't want to impose something which I'm capable of doing. Just that, it would be nice if....

The situation is even more different this year. Somehow, I will go through it... the day will be over and a new day begins. That's how it will be every day. So no matter what... somehow I will go through it.

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI

Rewind: Fun at Vientiane

So many things have happened since my last update... but I've been so lazy to blog. Anyway, before I totally forgot the sequence of events these past 2-3 weeks, I better write something. My memory has always needed extra RAM :)


Yahooo... let's go holiday...


Udon Thani, 3rd largest city in Thailand... flat as far as your eyes can see. From here, one hour drive to Vientiane.

I was in Vientiane about 2 weeks ago. I celebrated the eve of Merdeka there, catching up chit chatting with my friend Keen until 2 a.m. Vientiane time. She works there and has stayed there for about 3 years. Ben reached Vientiane a few days earlier. The two of them fetched me from Udon Thani airport and we stopped at Tops and Tesco before heading to Vientiane. Tesco's arrangement was pretty much the same. I can easily rush for the things I want and pay without much hassle.


Fashion show organized by Indonesian embassy.


Ulam at Fathima Restaurant. They like their cili padi. So am I :)

Keen was invited to attend Indonesian Cultural Evening Fashion Show that evening. Even though we're very late, we dropped by to catch the end of the show. We had dinner at Fathima Restaurant. The food was OK since I don't have a proper meal ever since I flew to Bangkok the night before.


Compound of Keen's house.


Lovely colors at the market.


Gold and gemstones there are reasonably priced. Most are quoted in USD.

The next morning, I wanted to catch the procession of Buddhist monks in front Keen's house but missed them by a few minutes. By the time I rushed down the stairs and waited for the gate to open, they have passed by very quickly. Not to worry since I have few more mornings there. Our first visit for the day was Vientiane Morning Market. Everything was very colorful there I can't help clicking at every shop. Keen and Ben would always walked in front with me tailing them from behind because I was too busy taking photos. Whenever they stopped too long at a store I would get restless, as I wanted to see more shops and discover hidden treasures. We walked at the market until lunchtime, and then walked to Talat Sao Mall nearby for the only halal food at Nazim's. We saw a Lao guy 'tebar' roti canai there but I settled for fried rice while Keen and Ben tried the roti canai.


More colors at the market. I can go crazy with the bags and pouches.


Malaysian embassy.


Keen and Ben at Patouxay.


Reflection of Patouxay.

That evening, we went to Patouxay. It is a nice park and I like seeing so many people enjoying the evening, some walking with family and friends, some exercising and some jogging. Keen and Ben kept each other company while I took hundreds of photos. That night we helped Keen prepared some sandwiches for Merdeka Golf tournament she organized. We felt like a small factory actually. The next morning I couldn't catch the monk, as we have to leave very early in the morning. The event was held at Ang Nam Ngum Resort, about 1 hour drive from Vientiane.


The beautiful countryside on our way to Ang Nam Ngum.


Ang Nam Ngum lake.





We waited for the event to finish until lunchtime and then went to Dansavanh Resort to get a boat to tour the lake. It was really worth the wait. The view was amazing. I took some videos here. That night, we cooked 'nasi lemak' for Keen since she has not tasted any for about a year. I was a satisfied cook when she had seconds and thirds and fourths :)




The toll on the way to Ang Nam Ngum. This one is taken on our way back to Vientiane.

It rained the next morning. I waited for quite some time for the monks to pass by Keen's house but too bad I couldn't get a really nice picture. Ben and I spent the day resting while Keen had to go to office to complete some work. That evening she brought us to Pha That Luang where I took hundreds of photos again, catch the sunset over Mekong River from Don Chan Palace hotel (video here) and experience Lao herbal massage that night at Mandarina Body & Soul Massage. I love the massage and I don't think we can find it here.


Pha That Luang looking very majestic while the sun setting on its golden stupa.








Sunset over Mekong River.

The next morning it rained again. I wanted to take the monks photos but this time they passed by much earlier than the day before. Keen had to work so Ben and I decided to tour the city on our own, guided by a map and Lao Lonely Planet book, followed the Monument to Mekong walking tour mentioned in the book. We visited the morning market again to get our souvenirs. We had fun bargaining using the calculator since we can't speak Lao and they can't speak English. We're still not used to Kips big amount so we always asked the price in Thai Baht since it is easier to convert. The funny thing was, on our way back to Keen's office, we took our first tuk-tuk ride. The guy quoted us 50,000 Kips or 50 Baht. We paid in Baht because 50,000 Kips roughly converted to Ringgit is about RM20. 50 Baht is RM5. It is really a short distance and a straight route. I wonder if the guy is trying to get some extra Kips from us but get confused when using Baht. We went to have dinner at Reshmi on our last night there. I don't think I want to eat any Mamak or Indian food for a while when I reached KL. Poor Keen has to make do with Mamak or Indian food when eating out at Vientiane.


Finally managed to take some photos of the monks in front of Keen's house. I stayed in the house and zoom to the gate. It was raining and I was lazy to get nearer with an umbrella.


That Dam.


The President's Palace.


Our first tuk-tuk ride.

The next day, we celebrated Merdeka before going to the airport. The Malaysian Embassy hosted Merdeka celebration on the 4th September at Dong Chan Palace hotel. I missed home and can't wait to get back but still felt quite sad on our way to Udon Thani airport. Ben felt the same way. We kept some Baht and Kips with us and bought Lao phrase book at the market... we will definitely visit Laos again. Maybe to Luang Prabang the next time. I really enjoyed my holiday there. I got a few days to laze around before started working and despite that, it took me so long until I finally sorted my one thousand over photos and blogged about it. I brought my external hard disk and transferred the photos there every night using Keen's laptop so I can take hundreds more photos the next day :)


Malaysian Ambassador welcoming guests.




On our way to Udon Thani airport.




Lovely sunset as we're about to land at Bangkok.

Trekking at Pine Tree Hill - Part 2

This is a record for me. Blogging for 8 times in a day hehehe... Anyway, since this is the month of August and I have not blogged almost for the whole month, I'm making up for it.










I didn't make it to the top of Pine Tree Hill but pine trees are plenty around Frasers Hill :)


An abandoned house at a hill slope.


We stopped at Ampangan Batu on the way back. I have not taken this route for ages and the rest area is a good effort to allow people to enjoy the view. The problem is the people didn't know how to use the many rubbish bin around the area.

Trekking at Pine Tree Hill - Part 1

Pine Tree Hill is the longest trek at Frasers Hill. The expected trekking time is said to be about two and a half hours but I know I'll take longer than that. We started trekking at 10.30 a.m. because we have to wait for some people who has no concern for 30 other people waiting for them. We're given a cut off time at 2 p.m. Where ever we are, we have to make our way back by 2 or it would be dark by the time we return.






An interesting looking seed.
I also prayed there will not be a downpour like our Gunung Datuk trip last time. It will be very cold at Frasers Hill. My buddy from Gunung Datuk trip will be trekking with me again. That was very nice of her because I know I'd slow her down. Her excuse was she wanted to take it easy and enjoy the trek instead of sprinting to the finish line, panting and huffing.






One thing I enjoyed about Pine Tree Hill, I don't see rubbish anywhere and the trail is very narrow and overgrown at some area. There are also several fallen trees that makes passing through very difficult. People must have not favored this trail very much which is a good thing. It keeps the area clean and natural. I also loves the moss I see everywhere. I can't get enough photos of them. It looked really soft and velvety.




Migrating


Natural shelter that looked like a cave at the root of the tree.
It was uphill all the way up at Gunung Datuk, which means all the way downhill on the way down. At Pine Tree Hill, it was up and down, up and down, all the way up. That means up and down, up and down all the way down too. I have problems going uphill and it was very hard on the way back since I'm already tired. I waddled like a pregnant buffalo, moving ever so slowly, pushing my feet one at a time with whatever is left of my energy, trying very hard to catch my breath.


Wings...




My buddy kept giving advice about taking care of my health after looking at how pitiful I was. She's in her late 50s and she really didn't look like it at all. I hope I'll grow old like her. Yeah... hope! That's the word again. Hope won't happen unless we make it happen right? I always know I have to include some kind of exercise regime in my daily activities. Cardio has to be one of them. Didn't we all know that? Doing it is another matter. Sigh!


We forgot to take photos at the 3km sign. We took this sign on the way back.
Anyway, by the time we reach the second base camp, it was about 1.30 p.m. We stopped for a while and the moment we sat under the shelter, it drizzled. We had our lunch there and thank God the drizzle stop after about 10 minutes. Just before the shelter, we saw a sign 3km to Pine Tree Hill. After lunch, we rest for a while and decided to turn back. We knew we can't make it to the top by 2pm, and we're worried if it rains again.


Quite a number of people, including few younger ones, didn't even make it to the second base camp. So that was quite an accomplishment to me. I even recover from muscle pain and all quicker then when I went to Gunung Datuk last month :)