Rezeki

Alhamdulillah... as a freelance trainer, there are many opportunities out there even though they are quite seasonal. It is a matter of looking and pursuing as many as you want. I started toying with the idea of freelancing at the end of 2008. I remember registering for my company on 28/10/2008. It has been about 4 years already and I rarely use my company. I quit my job just as 2008 close its curtain.

Initially, I did look for opportunities through the web and Yellow Pages and some contacts from hubby. It was quite difficult in the first few months. The first training I did as a freelancer was with a contact from hubby. After that I managed to contact an ex-colleague who now runs his own training company and an alumni friend introduced me to his contact. From that moment, I didn't have to look anymore. They would call whenever there are opportunities. This year, I have many other contacts from friend of a friend and even my Masters classmates.

During the low demands, it will be quiet for few weeks or months, but when the demands are at its peak, I'll start wishing for a break or family time. Last time I would try to do any training people requested but now if it gives me too much stress, I'd say I can't do it. This normally happens when the topic is not very familiar to me and I have to do a lot of research. The extreme stress is just not worth it. I might as well focus my energy on topics I'm familiar with, as did many professional and highly in demand trainers. Another consideration would be the time. If it is too long, I can't function very well after 3 days. But sometimes, must take the "Just Do It!" attitude. Pushing myself one day at a time.

Recently I have a request for 5-days outstation training which means I'll be away for 6-days. I was thinking of writing an SMS to say I can't do it. The thought of not seeing hubby for too long, more than 3-days training really didn't sound very appealing. But while discussing it with hubby, he encouraged me to grab the opportunity. It will be difficult but he and I will manage it. I hope when the time comes we will really survive. The thought of stark room in PD recently comes to my mind. I hope there'll be some warmth in the place where we'll be staying so I can at least feels able to relax in the room. I have not received the details yet but the 5-days will be at two locations way up north.

Hubby has several times suggested that I become a principal, source for projects and let my friends conduct the training. I did have opportunities to do that several times and the responsibility to give the best to the clients is too daunting. I have high expectation on my trainers and I can't control how they control their class. I hyperventilated while sitting at the back of the room willing them to stick to time and stick to all the program contents. Sigh!

I prefer to be a trainer.

I have 19 days already scheduled in my calendar till year end and I believe more request will come as the government agencies wants to finish their budget. Unless, there's election of course. The momentum will be disrupted for a while, especially so if the opposition takes the seat. Whatever it is, rezeki comes from Him. InsyaAllah there will be other opportunities. By the way, 19 is low even for a month number of training days for some trainers. For me, that is sufficient insyaAllah but I'll take more opportunities if circumstances are right so I can create a buffer for months when there are no trainings.

I've been wondering how long will I be able to do this. Will I have the health, will there be opportunities, will I still have the passion? Only time will tell but for now, alhamdulillah with this opportunity. Some friends are envious with what I do. There is no need to be. All you have to do is follow my footsteps and be prepared to ride the tide :)

Life's Like That

Life's like that. At the end of the day, only family and loved ones matter. And if family and loved ones fails us, Allah never will, even if we failed Him gazillion times.

This blog has kept me sane for many years. Only here I can tell what's bottled inside without having to explain my reasons. Readers may judge me but should it matter? They still do not know the whole story, emotion and heartache that I have to go through. So judge, or reserve judgment, whichever way you see fit, AAK (ada aku kisah)?

For things we can control, do things that might help us get the outcome that we want. For things we can't control, nak buat apa susah2, bising2, kalut2. Dah memang beyond control. Only Allah has the power to change it. Covey's 90/10 Principle says 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. So react according to the outcome that you want. Kalau nak kesudahan yang baik, buat lah baik. Kalau nak kesudahan yang penuh drama macam telenovela tu, buat lah yang sewaktu dengannya.

Baru nak meriah2 with old friends dekat WA, dah kena removed. Probably to make way for some other more important people due to limited no. of members that can be in a group. Duh! Biar betul!!! Sangat2 terkilan tapi takper lah. Mungkin ada yang tak suka with my life story. Mungkin takder apa2 isu pun. Beyond my control... nak hentak2 kaki pun no point so life goes on. Besides, I have my own group so pakai yang itu jer lah.

Yesterday morning hubby said he'll return to MLK after his office's makan2 Raya. I discovered my driving license has expired sometimes early July. To think that I drove to KB with an expired license and the police who stopped me didn't say anything. Didn't he noticed or did he gave chance since I produce my license confidently, without the guilty face. I thought might as well have lunch, buy my asthma medication and check out the blouses at Jusco and visit my friend who just gave birth few days before Raya after going to the post office since vitamin M banyak sangat bila sebut pasal nak keluar jauh2 ni. Kalau dah weekend lagi ramai on the road going to open houses. Alang2 dah keluar, pergi jer lah. Hadiah for my friend pun dah beli.

With regards to the license, government is imposing all license to expire on our birthday. Since my birthday just passed, I thought they will backdate but they put till the following year with an additional RM15 for coming birthday date more than 6 months. So for 2 year renewal I pay RM77 and license will expire in 2015.

Hubby reached home after his office makan2 yesterday and I'm not around. He is not answering my call and not replying to my SMS now. I wouldn't be going anywhere if he said he'll be around after office event. I would have make a u-turn if he picks up my call. Dah bagi phone canggih pun tak nak jawab phone call and SMS. I've exhausted options that is within my control so from within my control dah jadi beyond control... Sorry abang. If only we communicate more effectively.

This morning cuaca mendung semacam. Lagi ler banyak vitamin M. I've kinda make declaration that this year tak nak buat open house coz there is no one to help. My part time helper dulu would come if I fetch her at nearest LRT station and nearest LRT from here is Sg. Besi. That's around half an hour's drive if we're lucky. After the event has to send her to the LRT too. Issyy... jauh juga tu. Kalau nak cari orang lain, tak tau ler dia boleh buat kerja ker tidak and most importantly our trust with things lying around the house. So no open house this year but friends and family are still welcome. Adat zaman sekarang di KL kalau takder open house, jangan harap ler orang datang.

I kinda make declaration too that I would visit friends yang dah lama tak jumpa. Tak perlu lah tunggu open house kan. Tapi dalam cuaca mendung ni, macam best lepak2 di rumah jer updating my schedule and check or update my training material since training will start soon. The thought of Saturday traffic and potential rain dampens the mood nak jalan. Besides, belum ada janji dengan siapa2 lagi. Schedule this weekend is within my control :) So I'll do what seems appropriate dengan masa yang Allah pinjamkan insyaAllah.

Life's like that. Sometimes untung sikit, sometimes rugi sikit. Ada things we can control and ada things we can't. Life goes on...

Samsung Galaxy Note II

I'm in love...

Sabar menanti....

When I first wanted to replace my Nokia N73, I have my heart set on Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0. But when I hold it in my hand, I thought it is too big to be held next to my face in a phone conversation. Then after an extensive research, I have my heart set on HTC Desire. After almost 2 years, rooting my Desire and requiring factory reset several times due to it being not too stable, I'm excited with the arrival of Galaxy Note II. For some reason, Galaxy SIII fails to attract me. I hope when I finally hold the Note II, it will fit nicely in my hand, comfortable for one-hand operation and doesn't look weird being held near my face. After all, Note II has a slightly smaller screen at 5.5" as compared to Tab's 7.0".

I'm currently in a 'waiting' mode with my Desire. Only install the important app so it will not be too much of a hassle when I have to do factory reset.

AK Notepad will backup all my notes. SMS Backup will backup all my SMS to my gmail. Backup my contact in a *.vcf file every now and then and save it in my Dropbox, every pics taken will also be uploaded to my Dropbox. So I'm more or less living on cloud storage for now. I can choose to buy Note II immediately when it is released here or hold on for few more weeks to see if there is any problem with it. I haven't decided yet. We'll see need and time factor after its release. If I'm too busy with trainings, I might hold off buying for a while. Otherwise, who knows :) 

After Raya Marathon

Marathon sakit

Health... tak berapa OK since end of Ramadhan. Flu --> Sakit lutut tetiba macam dislocated muscle or urat while trying to sit on a bed. Sampai susah nak duduk bangun solat so terpaksa solat duduk bila tak tahan sangat --> Phlegm which causes asthma and make me feel ada lung inflammation followed by coughing --> Phlegm and lots of phlegm --> Demam, muntah and mild diarrhea --> Tired from traveling --> And now I can't imagine why my body still felt weak.

Marathon jalan

Just a day after the demam episode, went traveling to KB as hubby's co-driver. A relative passed away. Start travelling around 9 p.m Thu and reached destination at 6 a.m. The route quite heavy traffic. Sat headed home, transit at SIL's place as MRR2 was jam and then MIL decided to return home immediately. Off to MLK that night. Next day a wedding in Johor. The following morning (Mon) off to KL.Hubby went to work and I lazed at home. Today is already Wed. I want to be more productive today tapiii... maybe I need heavier stuff for breakfast. Buat nasi goreng, will take some supplements and hope I have more energy.