What Have I Been Up To?

My first project with a series of training ended last week. Alhamdulillah it went well and Madam Kucing has finally started to purr and mew instead of bark :) I'd give credit to the power of 'buat bodoh' and not take 'pot' with pettiness and idiosyncrasies hehehe...

After South East, I have to go North. I went alone for this 5-hours drive. Since I got the room all to myself and the wifi worked well in the room, hubby make arrangement to be here by bus. I missed him so much. We barely see each other last week. After the tiring 4-days training, hubby drove us back to KL. Hubby make a stop at one of the R&R to rest and I woke up only for a while to offer him pillow and an extra shawl. All the traveling has taken a toll on me. I totally zonked out.

We had our dinner earlier at one of the restaurant before we enter the highway and as we're about to reach home, I started feeling dizzy and nauseous with an upset stomach. Probably the place was not so clean. Hubby has to make a toilet stop too somewhere before Tg. Malim if I'm not mistaken. I felt totally sick the moment we reached home and I ran to the bathroom. After cleaning up and taking a charcoal tablet, we went to sleep. Thank God I felt better the next morning.

I have few days to rest, do the laundry and pack again for the next trip. Hubby went to East Coast when I went South East right. All his clothes for the trip were still in the laundry basket. All in all, I have to do 5 laundry trips. Sigh! On Monday mom's in KL so I fetched her and we spent the day catching up. She just recovered from fever and flu after her umrah trip. Next trip was to Cherating. This time I have a room mate and hubby has few meetings in KL and then Kuantan. I took his car and hubby used mine while in KL. He reached Kuantan by bus and I went to fetch him after my training. It's not like I was familiar with the road and know where the bus terminal is but I prayed to God to make it easy for me and Alhamdulillah I found my way.

I stayed with hubby in Kuantan that night, he sent me to Cherating in the morning and after his meeting in Kuantan that day, he went to Cherating again. My room mate is checking out in the evening so we can stay there for the night. Supposedly hubby has another meeting in Kuantan the next day. I really crave for durian on our way back the next day but we don't see any along the way. I'm too lazy to hunt for durian once we reached home. I have the weekend all to myself and I have to attend a training on Monday and I have to left for East Coast in the afternoon.

I have booked a flight ticket earlier but hubby suggested I cancel it because he has to be in the East Coast at about the same time. But in the end he has to be in Kuantan first and go to East Coast only later. So he drove us to Kuantan. After checking in and having our dinner, I have to make my way to the East Coast. After driving for a while I got upset because hubby didn't even call to ask how I was doing. I was thinking of not calling him till I reached the place but I reached a confusing roundabout and needed his opinion. When I called him, he told me his phone was barred. Sigh! No wonder hehehe... Lesson: Jangan cepat merajuk :p

All the traveling makes us tend to handle our bills to the last minute. As a result, that's what happened. I normally pay my bills just before or when I received the final warning via SMS. By then, payment with M2U or even it's own online payment page is too late to stop the system from barring our line. I finally asked a local and found out I have to make a u-turn and go the other way. I was only about 2km off with the u-turn and finally reached the place by midnight. Hubby has offered to drive me to the resort earlier but there is no way I'm going to let him drive for 4 hours and another 4 hours back to Kuantan. Besides, he has a meeting with a few contacts on the same night. If we make a move after his meeting, we'll probably reach the place around 2 a.m. and I need my rest for training the next day.

I slept like a log that night and feeling fresh for the training in the morning. I even managed to go out for a short walk by the beach. It was very quiet and peaceful and I called hubby and asked him to listen to the sound of the waves hehehe... Hubby took a bus from Kuantan to KT later that day after his meeting. Again I have to fetch him after my training. From the resort, it's about 45 minutes drive to town and again I have no idea where the bus terminal was. I have only vague recollection of the bus terminal when we went to Redang last year. We hang around town for about two hours before taking the cab to airport on our return trip.

Again I thanked God for giving me the common sense to figure out the direction till I saw the 'Perhentian Bas' sign. This time we have to stay at another resort because I have a room mate and the resort is full. I love the room and the seamless pool but too bad I can't enjoy it. We checked in after Maghrib and hubby sent me for my training very early the next morning. Hubby hang around near my training room because the wifi connection is good. He only returned to the resort after his laptop battery went out to enjoy the seemless swimming pool and rest in the room until after 2. After checking out, he waited for me but this time the wifi connection's out so he did some work offline. I finished my training few minutes after 5 and we make our way to KB. Hubby has a meeting in KB the next day.

We stayed at one of the 'homestay' house near his meeting place. It was very hot that night we opted to sleep on the floor. I can rest while hubby went for his meeting. I even washed some clothes because hubby's concern he don't have anything to wear for tomorrow. I know there's enough but I washed a few anyway. Then we don't have to bring back so many dirty laundry. The weather's nice for drying the clothes. I have to pack again because we'll make a move after hubby's meeting. He has to be in Kuantan again the next day. So off we go to Kuantan that night. I checked out with hubby the next morning because I don't want him to make the return trip to fetch me at the hotel. I also can't wait to reach home after all that traveling. I waited at the cafe with a book and my laptop and was having a bad flu the whole day despite taking my allergy medication.

We bought some lychee and rambutan the night before so we finished that in the car and then we saw so many durian stalls along the highway. I asked hubby since I don't feel well already, why don't I just take the durian hehehe...He agreed and we bought 1 durian which is really worth it. It was sweet and juicy and we finished it in the car. My flu stopped while I was enjoying the durian and commenced again after we finished the durian. I even almost ran out of tissue paper. We reached home at about 4 I think. Thank God my meeting in the afternoon was cancelled or otherwise I'll be very very late. So that's how hectic our schedule was the past few weeks.

We'll be off again tomorrow very early in the morning but this time for a well deserved holiday. My treat after successfully completing my first project but I'll get hubby to chip in too lah. I still has not received my full payment :) By the way, today is the anniversary of the first time I met hubby 3 years ago. We've known each other online for a few months before meeting and it is supposed to be work related because hubby has some training contact and I'd love to do freelance training so it's natural for both of us to meet before we talk about any project. In the end we talked about a different kind of project hehehe... Not after the first meeting of course but not long after that. Anyway, I better get ready now. I'm going Muslimah swimming suit hunting and has to pack for tomorrow :D

Ants in The Water

You've probably heard its not good to drink water where ants died in it. Some has even forbid it totally and says better throw the water and waste it rather than take the risk of 'mati hati'. Didn't it seemed wasteful to do so? Especially if it is one little ant.

Then I found this and this. An excerpt from the IIU website...

Fiqh 1.7 a: Dead animals that have no running blood

(That is) bees, ants, and so on. They are considered pure. If they fall into some substance and die, the substance will not become impure. Ibn al-Munzhir said, "I do not know of any disagreement concerning the purity of such water save what has been related from ash-Shaf'i. It is well-known that he views them as being impure. Nevertheless, it does not bother him if the object falling into a substance does not alter it (in any way)."

OK! I'm so glad there's a different opinion about the purity of the water. Well... we've heard what people have said about drinking water with ants in it but those people never quote any Quranic verses or Hadith to support their claim. So if there's no direct ruling against something, we'd rely on Ijma' ulama' and it seems the general consensus is the ants did not make the water impure or unfit for consumption.

Tea For Me

Here are some health benefits of tea.

Tea is a naturally-derived beverage and, besides antioxidants, contributes valuable vitamins and minerals to our daily diets. An average daily consumption of 5 to 6 cups daily complements our body’s dietary intake of these vitamins and minerals.

5 to 6 cups of tea contributes:

* 16% of the daily requirement of calcium
* 10% of the daily requirement of zinc
* 10% of our folic acid need
* 9% of the daily requirement of vitamin B1
* 25% of the daily requirement of vitamin B2
* 6% of the daily requirement of vitamin B6
* very few calories and almost no fat (when taken without milk)

Besides containing a high amount of vitamins and minerals, tea also:

* Acts as a diuretic and therefore helps kidney as well as colon functions
* Aids digestion by stimulating the body’s digestive juices. Tea also helps the stomach muscles’ action and takes the ‘heaviness’ out of a meal.
* Helps to replace fluids after exercise. After exerting itself, the body absorbs warm drinks like tea better and more quickly than cold drinks.

Source: BOH Tea

So with all the good benefits, it's OK if I crave for tea right? Ever since I started my training project, all the trainers were treated well. We don't have to queue with the participants for food. We have special table and we were served whatever we need. The waiters and waitresses gasp when I went to take my own tea from the tea/coffee station. So we've kinda been waited hand and foot during every meal. I requested for tea almost every time after lunch or dinner, our networking time. It took only a while to build a habit isn't it.

My current favorite is Sabah Tea. My only concern is whether I really crave the tea or the sugar I put in every cup. I also take green tea sans sugar but for Sabah Tea or Boh or Lipton, I need sugar in it. The best way to appreciate tea... drink it hot, inhale the smell and take a sip. Arrrhhh... Bliss.

Tough Decisions

I've had Milo for breakfast. I'm wondering whether I should cook or go down and buy something to eat. Normally I don't like to stock food when I have to go outstation so there's nothing much left at home. I'm not going to stock food as I'll be away again soon. So should I cook that oat soup recipe that I got from the internet minus the veges or should I wait for 12 o'clock and went out to buy lunch?

I could also fry some wantan since I have some wantan skin or fry anchovies for porridge but I just mop the floor yesterday. If you fry things, the floor will tend to be sticky and oily so I'd like to keep my floor clean a lot longer. I can take out the piece of chicken breast I have left in the fridge or the frozen minced meat and make something out of it but I'm too lazy to wait for it to thaw or microwave them.

Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Those are some tough eating/cooking decisions I have to make when hubby's not around hehehe...

Millionaire Ex-Boss

My jaw almost dropped when I saw the news on Malaysia's Richest Top 40 list by Forbes. My ex-boss is in the list and to think we always complain about his obsolete software. I remember when I tendered my resignation letter, he personally make a counter offer. If I stayed I probably would have published a book about him or his ideas, not to mention writing numerous proposals and manuals. I started my full time job doing system's documentation and I'm proud to say after many years leaving the company, the completed set of manuals I produced was the most complete.

The reason I did not stay... I found another interesting job. Not the most secure and fancy, but I like the challenge and the software and I... we clicked. This time, my ex-boss is a brilliant man with an interesting software. He may act like an absent-minded professor but I support his ideals and his vision of the software. Did he make it into the Forbes list. Still very vary far from it I believe. The reason I quit, I found another passion.

I would take a lower paying job if it interests me and I'm passionate about the cause. That's my weakness. But after more than 10 years of working, I'm trying to curb those tendencies and stay focus on my goal. I've had a few full time job offers that's really tempting since I'm on my own but I have to take a deep breath and think of what I want. Freedom and flexibility. I never thought I would retire with any of the organization's I've worked for. Job security is not in my priority list at all. I also never thought of becoming a government servant.

So here I am. Jaw dropped upon seeing his picture (of my now millionaire ex-boss) flashed onto the TV screen. A great lesson for me. You don't need to have the best product in the world. As long as you know how to market it well, has good connections due to your networking ability, you'll make it. Millionaire ex-boss spent most of his time on the golf course. I don't think he's so attached with his software. Poor ex-boss spent most of his time in-front of his computer tweaking and improving his software. The software is his passion and pride. Does passion bring in the big bucks? Not necessarily. But is poor ex-boss happy. I believe he is. Is millionaire ex-boss happy? I have no idea. I was never close to him when I work for him in the first place.

Having said that, what about me? I followed my passion in my career path. Would it bring me big bucks? I sure hope so. Following our passion makes us happy and any monetary reward is a bonus. I definitely want the bonus so I can continue doing what I'm passionate about. When do you think I'll become a millionaire? Let's see... if I can save and invest RM5000 per month and get a return of around 10% per annum, I'd get my first million in the year 2020. Do I want to wait that long for my first million? Hmmm.... have to find a better plan!

If There's A Genie

I returned from my outstation trip on Wednesday night. I've been away and busy for the last few weeks. I have few days break before going outstation again. Alhamdulillah for the 'rezeki' but I wish I have a genie to take care of the house. Yesterday was spent lazying around the house while sniffling and sneezing. Must have been due to the dust. So last night I took some allergy medication and feel better today so first thing I do is to mop the whole house.

If I found an ancient lamp with a genie who'll grant my wishes, those wishes will be as below:-

1. All the dust will be self-vacuumed and disappeared from my sight.
2. All the dried clothes will self-fold.
3. The plants watered accordingly.

I have a more altruistic wishes before. Nowadays, I need all the help I can get for myself.