Hokey Pokey

You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out, you put your right foot in and you shake it all about, you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about.

I think this is a common picture that crazy friends will snap and post it in blogs or facebook. And so, that is what we did during CNY. As usual, every CNY, when all the family members are back, Sunshine's family will pose in front of the house for a family picture. But there is something more to this picture. If you'd realise, we all have the same kind of flip-flops from Scholl. It all started with me, when I got myself the first pair from Hadyai last year. Then, when we all went to Hadyai again, everyone wanted a pair each.

The CNY break is almost over. All the crazyness and noise from the nieces and nephews finally left and I'm happy that it's peaceful and quiet again.

I've got a job!

As much as I dreaded and hated waking up at 7.30am to get ready for work, I am thankful that I have a job. I bounced out of bed when the alarm rang. There in the headlines of The Star today shouts, "80,000 lose jobs in US and Europe, Iceland govt collapses". I doubled my thankfulness for having a little cube to come to work. I was very sleepy this morning as I reached Penang at 1am this morning. But, after a nice hot cup of coffee, I was fully charged to start the day. When everyone else is still busy celebrating CNY happily, there I was handling customer escalations. I was on the phone practically from 9am till 7pm. I didn't even have the time to eat or pee. I tripled my thankfulness, that this job really needs me.

Now, put the crap aside. Who am I kidding? I wished I was busy gambling or drinking on this third day of CNY. My hope of becoming a millionair with some friends by trying our luck on some lucky numbers last night vanished when those supposedly lucky numbers weren't very lucky for us afterall. The only right strike was Sunshine's 7. So, maybe it's gonna be a good year ahead for him. Which is good, so he can go earn more money for me.

So, no matter how thankful I am about this job, I still wished there was a miracle in my path of life that is going to make me so filthy rich, that I can wake up anytime I want and not having to come to this stinking work! The part of being thankful is just a disguise to soothe my emotional feelings at this moment. I've got a job and some out there are hungry and shelterless tonight.

To all the lonely people out there.

It's CNY eve where everyone is supposed to be home, feasting with their families. Then maybe later tonight will be drinking sessions with friends who are back to the same hometown. I had a simple dinner with Sunshine's family. Nothing much, but it was the "whole family getting together eating on the same table" kind of feeling. This is the second year I am having this reunion dinner here. However, this is something that not everybody can have or have the chance to experience.

I remember when I was with my own family, that we never really had everyone sitting on the same table at the same time to have dinner. Dinner is ready, but everyone seems to like eating at different hours and eating by themselves. I have totally no idea where papa is. Nor, do I know where the rest of the family is. So, I would be eating with myself or maybe my aunt.

Thinking back, it isn't a very nice feeling back then. Where when it's supposed to be a family time, we had family members, just that they forgot to come home for dinner. So, I am lucky to be here now.

And to all those, who have no home to go back to, or those who "forgot" to go back for the reunion dinner, I totally understand. Remember this feeling. So that when you have your own family in the future, make sure you have all your kids back for dinner. Make it statutory for them. It's a feeling that I think everyone in this world deserves in thier lifetime.

Journey home.

Gurney Plaza was filled with people last night. I guess it was the last minute shopping or maybe those who are back to Penang wanted to see Gurney's new wing. The new wing looks like those big shopping malls in KL, filled with branded boutiques. But, I didn't have anything to buy. Or, I didn't see any clothes to suit my liking. So, no new red clothes for me this Chinese New Year.

Driving past the Penang bridge at almost 10pm, I saw the massive jam. The turning to the bridge from Bayan Lepas wasn't moving. And there were cars lining up almost up to Gold Coast. I wondered what time will the jam dissolve. From my place, I could see the bottleneck towards the bridge and I saw brake lights all the way. Until it was almost midnight, there were less red lights. Then did I decide to start my journey home.

I left Penang at almost 1am. Surprisingly, there were still many cars on the road. I was very sleepy, so I turned on Linkin Park to full blast to keep me awake. I enjoyed the 10% rebate on the toll for travelling after midnight. There were not many speeding cars. Most were driving at 110km per hour or less. I reached Taiping at 2am.

Happy Niu 牛 Year!

With the moo moo here, moo moo there, here moo, there moo, everywhere moo moo... Everyone is in the holiday mood again because it's the chinese "niu" year. And because it falls on a Monday, everyone is getting a long weekend break, some may even continue through Friday. Me and some friends at work are busy checking the traffic online and predicting what time would be best to get out of Penang. Most of us are planning after midnight or maybe tomorrow. I'm sure traffic at the bridge is going to be insane after 6pm today. But some say it wouldn't because most people had already taken the day off and left last night or taken half day off today and left after lunch. Either way, I am not taking the risk of getting myself in the jam. I think midnight will suit me best.

Happy Chinese New Year, everybody!

One million cars and nine traffic lights to go.

That is what I have to go through every morning. I hate being caught up in the traffic, it makes me feel so restless as there is nothing I can do when all the cars in front, at the back and my left and right are not moving an inch. I just want to scream out of my lungs when every traffic light turns red just a few seconds before it’s my turn to go.

For the past one month I moved to my new crib, I had to travel a little further to work everyday. What used to be a 10 minute drive has now become a 30 to 40 minute drive. And if ever an accident or a breakdown happens on my route, it could take up to an hour. Imagine that! Penang is becoming like Kay El. The only thing that is keeping my sanity in those horrifying drives is Linkin Park’s Minutes to Midnight blasting.

So I wonder, how could anyone keep in the positive mood every morning when seems like the traffic jam is causing a bad start for everyone? I’m not sure if anyone enjoys the traffic jams? I think creepy crawly traffic jam is number one in my hate list! Will anyone come up with a warp machine in the next couple of years? Or else, I’m gonna need to go to Japan to look for Doraemon.

Sometimes

I wonder what am I doing here? No, no, it's MOST of the time. Everyday at work seems like a junction, and every second you got to make a choice whether you want to take a right turn or a left turn. Try as I might to think straight and do the best I can, seems like there's a stronger than gravity magnet pulling me back. Is it time to move? Surely it's time to get out of this comfort zone. If I don't try, I will never know what beholds on the other side.

It's hurting so bad.

I am trying my best. I am not sure if anyone else feels the same way too. But the best that I am trying here is leading me to too much distress. Is it worth it? Their in-efficiency is a problem to me. Their simple-mindedness and total lack of responsibility is getting on my nerves. What is wrong with them? I so hate people who preaches X and practices Y.

Self-centeredness is killing me too. When all they think about is their own self interest, and to hell with others, what is the meaning of being another human in this world?

Why can’t people have a little bit more sense of responsibility? Why do they like to cause so much hurt to others, knowingly and not knowingly? Is this world really a bad place to be in? I believe it’s more of the people who is making it like that.

What is wrong with a little bit of sharing and caring? Add that with a little bit of understanding and tolerance. Why can't we all live happily together? Why can't we make each other's life something to look forward to tomorrow? Why isn't everyone striving to make this world a better place to live in? It is afterall their home.

I think I am having a bad day. Shutting down now.

20 and counting.

I pushed myself to a 20 lap last night. Surprisingly, my arms didn't feel like it was going to fall off. I am happy that I did the 20 laps. It's like something that I look forward to at the end of each day, besides Gossip Girl. I'll increase the laps gradually.

I figured this swimming improves my sleep as I slept like a baby last night. I am a very light sleeper, I can hardly fall asleep just with the clock ticking. I'd have to use a digital clock. The slightest sound would awaken me. I would wake up from my sleep every now and then in the middle of the night. But last night, I slept all the way through. I figured I have burnt all the excessive energy I had in the swim, which is something good.

Getting in line.

I am very proud of myself last night. I took the effort to go for a swim. It was really a herculean effort on my part. I could not remember when was the last time I actually swam. I could not even remember when was the last time I took some time for some kind of exercise. Hence, the shape that I am in right now.

For the past 6 years, I lived just opposite PISA. And never have I ever been to the swimming pool. The very 1 time I stepped into PISA’s swimming pool was more than 10 years ago, when I went to see Kah Soon’s polo competition. Hang on, was it PISA or PSC? I think it’s PSC. That means, I have never been to PISA’s swimming pool, when all it took me was less than 5 minutes to get there.

So, since the new place I am staying now comes with a swimming pool, I willed myself to do a 10 lap last night. I did, and right after that, I felt as though my arms were falling off my shoulders. Papa threw me into the pool when I was 9. Believe it or not, I swam everyday. And at that age, I picked it up pretty fast. Unfortunately, without proper and further guidance, I was just swimming for the fun of it. It would have been different if I was encouraged to join some swimming competition. With the rate that I was swimming 7 days a week, more than 3 hours a day, I would have been in the junior swimming team for Malaysia back then.

I might go for a swim again tonight. Looks like I am getting in line with the right things this year. More good stuff coming my way.

Lazy days are over.

I wanted to start this post (the first few for this year) on a positive note. Upon checking and updating my facebook, I realised many people were ranting about going back to work today. Yea, the past 2 weeks, many workers were clearing their annual leaves or companies were closed to cut down operating expenses. I had my fair share of not waking up at 8am and drag myself to work. I kept work out, though I was not doing anything else.

So, getting back to routine today was a little bit more difficult than ever. It's not like the ordinary 2 days weekend break, and you come back to work on a Monday morning. I'm sure everyone else is feeling the same way I was. Throughout my journey from Taiping to Penang this morning, I made a mental note to myself that this is going to be the first official working day for year 2009, therefore, I have got to make this a good one, so that the following days for the rest of the year will follow suit.

The day ended well. I'm going home now. I hope everyone else had a great day today too. Go home now, and rest well. We've got another day to deal with tomorrow.

Bigger is better. Biggest is best.

Funny how I used to sleep in a single bed, and could make do with that small little space. Now, I got a queen sized bed, but I am fretting that I don’t have enough space. Silly, I know. Seriously, the bed feels small. Or was it because my room now is smaller, and comes with a bigger wardrobe? I don’t have a CRT TV in my room anymore (planning to get a wall-mount LCD somewhere in the near future). So, how come my bed still feels small? Should I move that bed to the other room and get myself a king sized bed instead? That is going to reduce the already limited walking space in my room further more. And not mentioning burning another hole in my pocket. Any sponsors?

Happy New Year 2009!

This was the spectacular view from my sanctuary just a few moments ago. There were many places spotted with fireworks at the strike of midnight. This picture was taken facing Queensbay. Of course Queensbay didn't want to miss out the fireworks too. The more I am loving this place! Being so high up has it's own perks. It's cool up here.

Happy New Year 2009 to all! It will definitely be a better year.