Hi there, I don't even know if anyone actually checks in to this blog anymore. So many things have happened since I last checked in. (When did I last check in, anyway? *grin*)
I was in a non-relationship for awhile and going nowhere. I finally decided that enough was enough and proceeded to purge him out of my system. I removed him from my contact list on FB (we never communicated there anyway), as well as on YM. In the meantime, I started checking out OKCupid again. I really wasn't expecting any results. I usually say hi and the communication tends to peter out eventually. You can tell from the initial messages how it's going to go anyway. I recall checking out someone's profile, and not impressed by what I read. So I happened to catch a glimpse of similar users listed on the right hand side of the rejected profile. One guy caught my eye. I clicked over to read his profile. He had some nice smiling photos, a very detailed profile not unlike mine and I could tell he was smart. One could be almost intimidated by it. I didn't send him a message then. I decided to write a testimonial instead, applauding him for an interesting profile. He approved it and that was when we started sending messages to each other. I must admit that had he not mentioned an obscure writer, I might not have initiated any contact. Yes, I realize how close I was to not knowing him.
Skip to two months later (all the while we had been communicating on FB and playing daily Scrabble games) and he decided to visit me. Had I not spent all that time chatting and writing to him plus getting a phone call, that decision of his would have scared me. Normally, I would try convincing anyone to rethink their decision. But he seemed sincere. He even wrote a fairly long message to my parents, asking for permission to visit me (as I live with them and he would naturally be staying under their roof). Just reading his letter to them, in all his honesty, made my walls crumble a little.
When he went back home to Italy and couldn't spend time getting online, he would make short recordings for me to listen. He'd describe how he had escaped a storm as he cycled the mountains with that cute accent of his. I mean, he rode a bicycle, not his cute accent. Oh, you know what I mean! =P Nobody has ever made the effort as he has in communicating and sharing part of his life with me. No one has ever called me long distance multiple times just to hear my voice! And that quiver in his voice when I attempted to speak in Italian. I doubt that can be faked. He's as genuine as Lingam's Chilli Sauce.
Just when I think that my feelings for him can't get any more intense, he says something more endearing. Since the very beginning, I have been forthcoming with him. He knows my feelings, my hopes, my dreams. He knows 90% of everything there is to know about me. And he's still here after almost 6 months! He's more than I could ever wish for in a man. He goes swimming every day, cycles, walks, does yoga. He goes for regular health checkups. He's not afraid of going to the doctor at the first sign of trouble. Yes, he seems too good to be true. Yet, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. Being cynical all the time is just too tiring and it does prevent one from enjoying what's left in life to enjoy. I'm giving in to my feelings for now. I'm ready to accept the consequences. The ride has been smooth so far and however it ends, I am so glad he is in my life!
105 days until we finally meet! And I will get to spend a whole month with him. =)
Ti voglio bene, S!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Found a site offering cheap electronic alternatives
Hi all!
Been busy working at the bakery. 6 days a week, so that one day off, you'll find me in bed or taking pix. Blogging has been put on the backburner. Oh yes, you will also find me on Facebook, playing lots and lots of Scrabble.
Anyways, wanted to add that there's this site I found that offers cheap electronic alternatives. They have a page on FB and a running contest where fans who post products from their site could win US$200 to use at their site.
I've posted the links on Twitter, FB, Google Buzz, Yahoo pulse, Friendster and now here. Wish me luck!
If I won the US$200, I'd use part of it to buy this:
I could do some ghostbusting since I live so near the cemetery. But am I brave enough?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Check out KLM - Fill a Plane - Promote your plane
Hi,
I want you to take a look at : KLM - Fill a Plane - Promote your plane
If we get to fill the plane, we ALL go to Amsterdam. Return airtickets, FREE! Imagine, your friends will be with you too! Please, please click on the link to join this contest.
Thank you all!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
You stay on your side
I took this photo almost two years ago. Wanted to post it to the blog just in case it gets lost in the pile at Flickr.
Taken with my first 'real' digicam, the Kodak LS755. I have no doubt that it was picasafied - sharpened, saturated, cropped. Need to remember this shot, because I think it'll make a good greeting card one day. Just need a good caption for it.
And that's all for this post.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Free Handbag?
Just a little update here.
Handbag Planet will be celebrating the launch of their site on October the 15th. They are offering a free bag each hour on the day of the launch. This means 24 bags to be won in a span of a day! I've read the Contest Rules and they don't state that it's only open to those residing in the US and Canada, so I have taken the chance to enter this contest.
Since I am not the kind of person to 'spam' friends about contests, I thought I'd promote the contest on this blog.
I've tried adding them to my Facebook Friends List, but I've just looked through 203 profiles and could not find Handbag Planet among them. Hmmm. And I will NOT join MySpace just to earn more entries to this contest.
So go ahead and join, the good people at Handbag Planet have assured on their website that the e-mails gathered will not be used/stored/saved for evil.
What is Handbag Planet? From what I've managed to read on the Google Search Results, it's a site offering 'designer-inspired' bags for a fraction of the cost. However, there is no purchase necessary to enter this contest.
Good luck!
Monday, August 06, 2007
RIP, Encik Rosman
The very first day I started working at that hypermarket, I met a former hotel colleague who informed me that Encik Rosman (he was the assistant manager during my three-year stint at the hotel - he was the Front Office Manager before his death) was terminally ill with liver cancer. I was truly shocked to hear the news because he was one of the nicest people I knew.
Ever since I knew about his worsening health, I had wanted to visit him. But I was unsure when was the best time to visit. For one thing, my day off was on Friday and I wasn't sure if visiting him would disrupt his Friday prayers. And then there was the fact that I didn't know what would be appropriate to bring as a gift.
In the end, I decided to call my friend and former receptionist colleague to ask her opinion. She was surprised to hear the news about Encik Rosman's illness, and we then decided to visit him together on my revised day off (the hypermarket restricts days off on Fridays and Saturdays - the busiest days of the week), which was on Wednesday.
It was a good thing I went with her, because I did not know Encik Rosman's parents (they were taking care of him while his wife was working) and she did most of the talking. To be honest, I couldn't really hear what she was saying because most of the time, she was whispering while Encik Rosman was having his shower. Add to the fact that she was speaking in a Kelantanese dialect.
I saw him when he was done with his shower and he looked so different. He was deathly thin, except for his swollen stomach and legs. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes had a yellow tinge to them. He said that he still had a healthy appetite and on hearing that, I had some confidence that he would hang in there for some time yet. He first knew about his condition in February 2007. He had stomach pains and rushed to the emergency room at the general hospital. The doctor there diagnosed him with 'work stress' and sent him home. When he returned the next day complaining of the same symptoms, the same doctor was there and prescribed pain-killers! He finally found out after visiting a private clinic/hospital.
During this visit to see Encik Rosman, I also learnt that Asmadi (he was a bellman during my time there) had passed away after being diagnosed with bone cancer last year. He managed to get six chemotherapy sessions before the cancer killed him four months after his diagnosis. He was around 27 or 28, and he was married. According to my friend, his wife has now remarried.
So just after lunch on Sunday, my friend called me and I was shocked to hear that Encik Rosman had passed away on Friday night. He slipped into a coma on Friday morning and never regained consciousness. I am so glad that I managed to visit him before his passed on. He had apologized for any wrong-doings that he may have done to me in the past and I apologized as well. I am still trying to get to grips with the fact that I saw him alive on Wednesday morning and now, he's no longer with us.
I don't know how I would have felt if I allowed myself to get closer to people who smoked. I have always maintained that I could never be a good friend to a smoker because good friends would never allow their friends to kill themselves like that. I could never stand by and let someone I care for go down that path to suffering and agonizing death. While Encik Rosman did quit smoking three years prior to his death (he had to stop when he had his tonsils taken out), it was too little too late. Asmadi was a heavy smoker too.
It's 2am, time for bed.
Ever since I knew about his worsening health, I had wanted to visit him. But I was unsure when was the best time to visit. For one thing, my day off was on Friday and I wasn't sure if visiting him would disrupt his Friday prayers. And then there was the fact that I didn't know what would be appropriate to bring as a gift.
In the end, I decided to call my friend and former receptionist colleague to ask her opinion. She was surprised to hear the news about Encik Rosman's illness, and we then decided to visit him together on my revised day off (the hypermarket restricts days off on Fridays and Saturdays - the busiest days of the week), which was on Wednesday.
It was a good thing I went with her, because I did not know Encik Rosman's parents (they were taking care of him while his wife was working) and she did most of the talking. To be honest, I couldn't really hear what she was saying because most of the time, she was whispering while Encik Rosman was having his shower. Add to the fact that she was speaking in a Kelantanese dialect.
I saw him when he was done with his shower and he looked so different. He was deathly thin, except for his swollen stomach and legs. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes had a yellow tinge to them. He said that he still had a healthy appetite and on hearing that, I had some confidence that he would hang in there for some time yet. He first knew about his condition in February 2007. He had stomach pains and rushed to the emergency room at the general hospital. The doctor there diagnosed him with 'work stress' and sent him home. When he returned the next day complaining of the same symptoms, the same doctor was there and prescribed pain-killers! He finally found out after visiting a private clinic/hospital.
During this visit to see Encik Rosman, I also learnt that Asmadi (he was a bellman during my time there) had passed away after being diagnosed with bone cancer last year. He managed to get six chemotherapy sessions before the cancer killed him four months after his diagnosis. He was around 27 or 28, and he was married. According to my friend, his wife has now remarried.
So just after lunch on Sunday, my friend called me and I was shocked to hear that Encik Rosman had passed away on Friday night. He slipped into a coma on Friday morning and never regained consciousness. I am so glad that I managed to visit him before his passed on. He had apologized for any wrong-doings that he may have done to me in the past and I apologized as well. I am still trying to get to grips with the fact that I saw him alive on Wednesday morning and now, he's no longer with us.
I don't know how I would have felt if I allowed myself to get closer to people who smoked. I have always maintained that I could never be a good friend to a smoker because good friends would never allow their friends to kill themselves like that. I could never stand by and let someone I care for go down that path to suffering and agonizing death. While Encik Rosman did quit smoking three years prior to his death (he had to stop when he had his tonsils taken out), it was too little too late. Asmadi was a heavy smoker too.
It's 2am, time for bed.
Monday, July 23, 2007
I got tagged!
Tsk, trust me to find out a few months later that I've been tagged by Feisal.
'7 Reasons Why You Blog'
1. Because I had the time.
2. Because I started getting too lazy writing e-mail to people.
3. Because I didn't want to repeat myself when talking about the same thing (but I haven't really updated, have I?).
4. Because I had this idea that my brain was full of interesting thoughts and ideas.
5. Because there was that 'I am a blogger, I am cool and great' label attached to bloggers AT THE TIME. I wanted to dispel that. =D
6. Because I thought 'Do Not Resuscitate' was a great title.
7. Because I could?
Hehehe, thank you Feisal. ;-)
In other news, working is good, barely three weeks into my stint over there. Handle lots of returns. Word of warning to the people who buy stuff because they're cheap (the item and/or the person being cheap), there is a risk that your item (electrical in all cases) is a fire hazard. I've seen rice cookers with melted heating elements! Just imagine if someone had left it unattended and gone out. There would be nothing but burnt embers when they came home. If it's not the fire risk, then there's the risk of the thing not working at all. Rice uncooked or burnt, water unboiled, channels not changing with the remote control.
The brands to look out for: Aspp0r0, Mapp0r0 (the zeroes need to be replaced with 'o's), Ph1lux (replace '1' with 'i').
Sometimes, the branded items are better and you don't have to worry about them breaking down as often as the cheap brands. You can't buy cheap items from a communist country and expect Japanese technology, right?
I received something in the mail yesterday. I came home around 11:20pm and saw it on my table. At first I thought I won a contest, and then I saw that Simon's gift had arrived. Man, opening that package was like giving birth to a baby (I did not use a pair of scissors)! So much cellophane tape. If tape was made out of trees, the world would look like Easter Island. But at least my present did arrive in one piece.
When I got the present out of the shiny red wrapping paper (it was still covered in bubble wrap), I saw a photo frame. I already knew what it was from the Customs declaration form. My first thought was, "Awww, great! A photo frame. I don't even have photos to put in it!" Since getting my digital camera, I don't print the photos I take. They're either in my hdd or on Flickr and Photobucket. As I tore off the bubble wrap, I suddenly noticed the photos in the divided areas of the frame. Simon had printed out some of the photos I had on Flickr. Awww...
By the way, while I was opening my present, Dad was standing by to see what I got. Because I took my time, he complained, "Can't you open it any quicker? I'm waiting!"
So let this be a forewarning to anyone who wants to send me stuff via mail. Don't send me anything you wouldn't want my father to see. I have no privacy. And yes, I'll be 33 this year. Hmmm, maybe a risque item IS what I need to get some privacy around here. Hehehehe...
I think it's one of the nicest things anybody's ever done for me. Thank you again, Simon. =) See, I don't need battery-operated items. =Þ
Time to get out of bed. Bye and thank you for reading, all.
'7 Reasons Why You Blog'
1. Because I had the time.
2. Because I started getting too lazy writing e-mail to people.
3. Because I didn't want to repeat myself when talking about the same thing (but I haven't really updated, have I?).
4. Because I had this idea that my brain was full of interesting thoughts and ideas.
5. Because there was that 'I am a blogger, I am cool and great' label attached to bloggers AT THE TIME. I wanted to dispel that. =D
6. Because I thought 'Do Not Resuscitate' was a great title.
7. Because I could?
Hehehe, thank you Feisal. ;-)
In other news, working is good, barely three weeks into my stint over there. Handle lots of returns. Word of warning to the people who buy stuff because they're cheap (the item and/or the person being cheap), there is a risk that your item (electrical in all cases) is a fire hazard. I've seen rice cookers with melted heating elements! Just imagine if someone had left it unattended and gone out. There would be nothing but burnt embers when they came home. If it's not the fire risk, then there's the risk of the thing not working at all. Rice uncooked or burnt, water unboiled, channels not changing with the remote control.
The brands to look out for: Aspp0r0, Mapp0r0 (the zeroes need to be replaced with 'o's), Ph1lux (replace '1' with 'i').
Sometimes, the branded items are better and you don't have to worry about them breaking down as often as the cheap brands. You can't buy cheap items from a communist country and expect Japanese technology, right?
I received something in the mail yesterday. I came home around 11:20pm and saw it on my table. At first I thought I won a contest, and then I saw that Simon's gift had arrived. Man, opening that package was like giving birth to a baby (I did not use a pair of scissors)! So much cellophane tape. If tape was made out of trees, the world would look like Easter Island. But at least my present did arrive in one piece.
When I got the present out of the shiny red wrapping paper (it was still covered in bubble wrap), I saw a photo frame. I already knew what it was from the Customs declaration form. My first thought was, "Awww, great! A photo frame. I don't even have photos to put in it!" Since getting my digital camera, I don't print the photos I take. They're either in my hdd or on Flickr and Photobucket. As I tore off the bubble wrap, I suddenly noticed the photos in the divided areas of the frame. Simon had printed out some of the photos I had on Flickr. Awww...
By the way, while I was opening my present, Dad was standing by to see what I got. Because I took my time, he complained, "Can't you open it any quicker? I'm waiting!"
So let this be a forewarning to anyone who wants to send me stuff via mail. Don't send me anything you wouldn't want my father to see. I have no privacy. And yes, I'll be 33 this year. Hmmm, maybe a risque item IS what I need to get some privacy around here. Hehehehe...
I think it's one of the nicest things anybody's ever done for me. Thank you again, Simon. =) See, I don't need battery-operated items. =Þ
Time to get out of bed. Bye and thank you for reading, all.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Monday, July 02, 2007
Barely Alive
Hi all! I was supposed to have started work yesterday (1st July 2007), but I woke up to a scratchy throat and a hoarse voice. I haven't been this sick in over two years!! Of all the days to be sick, it had to be yesterday. Boo! Thank goodness, I got them to postpone my first day of work to the 7th (07.07.07!). Incidentally, I first started work at the hotel on the 7th of July 1994. It's been thirteen years! Man, I feel old.
Apart from my flu, things are going okay for me. I mean, I no longer have to endure the occasional parental sighs about my lack of a job. Salary-wise, it's not much. I am definitely over-qualified for this Customer Service job (even if they doubled my pay, I wouldn't qualify for a credit card!). Not that I want a credit card, but it would be oh so convenient to buy Air Asia tickets online.
Have reconnected with a friend and it's been really nice to be able to chat with him again. Can't help but enjoy the conversation. I'll leave it at that. No expectations, no pressure, no worries. Just enjoy the ride. Read too much into it the first time. I won't make the same mistake again.
Oh, I won Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape" CD from Mix.fm on Saturday (30th June)! I heard the courier guy give a shrill whistle before we realized he was there. We are in need of a doorbell. So far, I like the slower paced songs like "4 In The Morning". And of course, there's 'The Sweet Escape', which I first heard on 'American Idol'. And I thought I had been blacklisted from all the Astro radio stations for winning so many contests in the past. I guess my dry spell helped a lot.
Will be going to the bank after lunch today to open a new bank account with Allianz Bank. The problem with starting work is that we need to open accounts with specific banks. Had to open a Maybank account when I worked at the hotel, then one at BBMB (now CIMB) for my practical training at KLAS. So this means I have currently four bank accounts under my name. BSN, CIMB, Maybank (currently inactive) and Allianz. Too bad none have a healthy balance right now. Oh well, good things come to those who wait. *hopes for a cheque from ASW2020*
I'll leave you with a photo taken of my dog, Tiny. He's seen bullying his younger sibling. Scanned from film. Please excuse the dust.
Apart from my flu, things are going okay for me. I mean, I no longer have to endure the occasional parental sighs about my lack of a job. Salary-wise, it's not much. I am definitely over-qualified for this Customer Service job (even if they doubled my pay, I wouldn't qualify for a credit card!). Not that I want a credit card, but it would be oh so convenient to buy Air Asia tickets online.
Have reconnected with a friend and it's been really nice to be able to chat with him again. Can't help but enjoy the conversation. I'll leave it at that. No expectations, no pressure, no worries. Just enjoy the ride. Read too much into it the first time. I won't make the same mistake again.
Oh, I won Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape" CD from Mix.fm on Saturday (30th June)! I heard the courier guy give a shrill whistle before we realized he was there. We are in need of a doorbell. So far, I like the slower paced songs like "4 In The Morning". And of course, there's 'The Sweet Escape', which I first heard on 'American Idol'. And I thought I had been blacklisted from all the Astro radio stations for winning so many contests in the past. I guess my dry spell helped a lot.
Will be going to the bank after lunch today to open a new bank account with Allianz Bank. The problem with starting work is that we need to open accounts with specific banks. Had to open a Maybank account when I worked at the hotel, then one at BBMB (now CIMB) for my practical training at KLAS. So this means I have currently four bank accounts under my name. BSN, CIMB, Maybank (currently inactive) and Allianz. Too bad none have a healthy balance right now. Oh well, good things come to those who wait. *hopes for a cheque from ASW2020*
I'll leave you with a photo taken of my dog, Tiny. He's seen bullying his younger sibling. Scanned from film. Please excuse the dust.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
I quit!
Hi again all! I am still alive (you'd have known if you checked the other blog).
After getting a letter to attend an interview for the T3rengganu Graduates' Attachment 5cheme and subsequently passed the 30-second screening process, I quit the Phot0nics and Fiber Opt1cs course. I just couldn't handle the daily walk and climbing of stairs in addition to wracking my brain over calculations. Sure, NOW I know how to convert dBm to milliwatts and vice versa, but would it actually matter? Apparently, the place for women in this industry is in the lab.
The only thing I liked was splicing the two fiber optic cables together and getting 0.00dB fiber loss.
I'll be attending the 3-day orientation at TE5DEC starting on the 27th. If all goes well, there will be an employer who will take me in for six months by the end of the orientation. If all goes better, my job application to a university here will be accepted and I can start working again.
On an even better note, I won a Ghost Rider key-chain worth RM120! Yaay for me! I had just decided to check the previous Sunday papers (in the stack under my Dad's table) and was not deterred to see that my Mum had already tied them all up. Usually, I'd figure that it wasn't worth untying and leave it at that, but something spurred me on. I carefully untied the knot using my handy fingernails and went through the papers. The first copy didn't have anything, so I went through the second copy, dated the 18th of March. Lo and behold, my name (albeit misspelt) was first among three set aside to receive the Ghost Rider key-chain! I'm pretty pleased with myself! I don't need the Timex watch worth RM509 (I'm VERY sure it'll be too big for my skinny wrist) and I don't need the t-shirt worth RM200 (it'll probably be too big for my skinny frame and t-shirts DO get dated, especially T-shirts commemorating movies. I don't need a silver notebook, Collar Pin, bandana nor poster. So I couldn't have won a better prize. =)
It sucked that I didn't win the iPod in that Valentine's Day contest. I'll just keep waiting before I actually buy one. Perhaps the price will go down for the older models and I'll be able to get one for under RM100. Yes, I am willing to wait 20 years. Hmmm...I wonder if I'll still have my hearing after being bombarded by loud music by the time I'm 53. hehehe...don't mind me.
Take care all!
After getting a letter to attend an interview for the T3rengganu Graduates' Attachment 5cheme and subsequently passed the 30-second screening process, I quit the Phot0nics and Fiber Opt1cs course. I just couldn't handle the daily walk and climbing of stairs in addition to wracking my brain over calculations. Sure, NOW I know how to convert dBm to milliwatts and vice versa, but would it actually matter? Apparently, the place for women in this industry is in the lab.
The only thing I liked was splicing the two fiber optic cables together and getting 0.00dB fiber loss.
I'll be attending the 3-day orientation at TE5DEC starting on the 27th. If all goes well, there will be an employer who will take me in for six months by the end of the orientation. If all goes better, my job application to a university here will be accepted and I can start working again.
On an even better note, I won a Ghost Rider key-chain worth RM120! Yaay for me! I had just decided to check the previous Sunday papers (in the stack under my Dad's table) and was not deterred to see that my Mum had already tied them all up. Usually, I'd figure that it wasn't worth untying and leave it at that, but something spurred me on. I carefully untied the knot using my handy fingernails and went through the papers. The first copy didn't have anything, so I went through the second copy, dated the 18th of March. Lo and behold, my name (albeit misspelt) was first among three set aside to receive the Ghost Rider key-chain! I'm pretty pleased with myself! I don't need the Timex watch worth RM509 (I'm VERY sure it'll be too big for my skinny wrist) and I don't need the t-shirt worth RM200 (it'll probably be too big for my skinny frame and t-shirts DO get dated, especially T-shirts commemorating movies. I don't need a silver notebook, Collar Pin, bandana nor poster. So I couldn't have won a better prize. =)
It sucked that I didn't win the iPod in that Valentine's Day contest. I'll just keep waiting before I actually buy one. Perhaps the price will go down for the older models and I'll be able to get one for under RM100. Yes, I am willing to wait 20 years. Hmmm...I wonder if I'll still have my hearing after being bombarded by loud music by the time I'm 53. hehehe...don't mind me.
Take care all!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Off into the unknown
I will be leaving on a 6-month course on Photonics and Fiber Optics tomorrow (Jan 22nd). My course is scheduled to end on the 26th of July 2007, one day after my birthday. :)
I don't think I'll be doing any blogging til then, so you might want to check out my other blog while you are waiting: http://sharlini.today.com/
Do take care and wish me the best of luck! I'll need it for 'Mathematics for Engineers'. XD
I don't think I'll be doing any blogging til then, so you might want to check out my other blog while you are waiting: http://sharlini.today.com/
Do take care and wish me the best of luck! I'll need it for 'Mathematics for Engineers'. XD
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year 2007!
It's past midnight, it's officially 2007 here. So, happy new year! To Duncan and Marie, we received your lovely calendar in the mail. Thank you so much, those photos always make me wish I had money to travel to your beautiful country.I received a letter on the 30th informing me of an interview for a course in Photonics and Fiber Optics on the 9th. Please keep fingers crossed that I'll get through the interview. I'm not sure how up to date the information on the TESDEC site is, but if it's current, then the course could be for four months. The latter stated that the course is free and that an allowance would be given.
According to a company site (I noticed that the letter was CC-ed to the manager of this company, asking him to give a briefing), they had successfully trained 15 trainees during one stint and 13 of these trainees found jobs at the companies they had undergone their practical training with.
So, fingers crossed! I looked at the course outline and there's absolutely NO PROGRAMMING! One 'Mathematics for Engineers' module though. Won't worry about that until I actually am told that I succeeded in the interview. Here's hoping for the best in 2007!
"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want." ~ Irish Toast
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Merry Christmas!
Thank goodness Christmas isn't just on one day. I still have time to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Since I'm here, Happy New Year 2007, too!
I must apologize for my lack of updates. I have to beta-test another blog provider and it can be tedious when one doesn't have anything interesting to write about.
No thanks to my extended trip to KL, I was behind in my posting, as well as behind in my depositing my check. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to try harder.
Not much rain here, as opposed to the southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia. It is rather weird to be reading about floods and there is no mention of Terengganu.
Nothing new on the job front. Still jobless.
That's it for now. Bye!
I must apologize for my lack of updates. I have to beta-test another blog provider and it can be tedious when one doesn't have anything interesting to write about.
No thanks to my extended trip to KL, I was behind in my posting, as well as behind in my depositing my check. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to try harder.
Not much rain here, as opposed to the southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia. It is rather weird to be reading about floods and there is no mention of Terengganu.
Nothing new on the job front. Still jobless.
That's it for now. Bye!
Monday, November 20, 2006
Psst!
Yes, yes...I am still alive. Been busy administrating at Challenge You as well as going out into the garden to take photos. Doesn't matter if it's raining, or hot, or teeming with ravenous mosquitoes.So, is it just me or does this top view of a mushroom in the garden remind you of a certain body part owned by both men and women alike? Oh don't mind me. My mind works in mysterious ways. I used my sister's Nikon L4 (or was it L3? Well...the cheaper one) to take this shot.
In terms of Macro quality, I still prefer my Kodak EasyShare LS755. But I really envy the fact that the Nikon has that Panoramic function and is also able to detect faces for portrait shots! Eeee....never mind, I must endeavour to seek that vivid yellow object to snap and enter that NGC Asia/Nikon Photography contest! I'm not going to share the link. The hint is already there. *eg*
In other news, I was also busy with butterfly chrysalides the past month. I discovered the caterpillars in the lime bush during their various instars and realized how dangerous it can be for them, despite looking like bird crap and having malodorous liquid emanating from their osmeteriums. Once, there were 17 caterpillars...and that dwindled to ONE in a span of four days! Eaten by birds and killed by Kerengga ants...what a way to go.
I did manage to save three that had begun pupating. Alas, only the first one that I had taken succeeded in becoming a beautiful butterfly.
Beginning to pupate >> A few hours before emerging >> Beautiful Butterfly!!
I am still so proud that I managed it! The good part about it was that I didn't have to feed it, or clean after it...just occasional sprinkles of water (which made it twitch). The butterfly crawled onto my hand on its way out of the container and it did not feel at all delicate. It had started moving about around 4:35am. I awoke sometime after 6am and there was a horizontal tear along the side. I thought I would aid in its exit by sprinkling water and then it stopped moving. I thought I had drowned it! XD Well, I was too sleepy to care by then, so I went to sleep. Without the aid of an alarm clock, I woke up again at 7:20am. The butterfly had emerged! I feared that if it remained in that juice container, its wings wouldn't fully extend, so I hurriedly took it back to the lime plant.
It spent a few hours sunning itself on that branch, and soon the clouds covered the sun. It flew away before the first drops of rain fell.
And that will be all for now. Take care, all!
I am still so proud that I managed it! The good part about it was that I didn't have to feed it, or clean after it...just occasional sprinkles of water (which made it twitch). The butterfly crawled onto my hand on its way out of the container and it did not feel at all delicate. It had started moving about around 4:35am. I awoke sometime after 6am and there was a horizontal tear along the side. I thought I would aid in its exit by sprinkling water and then it stopped moving. I thought I had drowned it! XD Well, I was too sleepy to care by then, so I went to sleep. Without the aid of an alarm clock, I woke up again at 7:20am. The butterfly had emerged! I feared that if it remained in that juice container, its wings wouldn't fully extend, so I hurriedly took it back to the lime plant.
It spent a few hours sunning itself on that branch, and soon the clouds covered the sun. It flew away before the first drops of rain fell.
And that will be all for now. Take care, all!
Sunday, September 24, 2006
And the unofficial results are...
With just ninety vacancies and 1318 shortlisted applicants, it was to be expected that I didn't get the job. I'm fine with it, it's my parents who are driving me batty. I know they want and are hoping for the best for me, but it's not doing me any good to be sighing and saying, "You didn't get the job, tsk..." Hello? I was the one who checked. I KNOW I didn't get the job, no need to remind me.
I have this belief that in the long run, everything that happens will eventually be to my benefit/happiness. May not seem like that now, but who knows? Maybe I'll win the lottery some time in the future - because I didn't get the job. Hehe, wishful thinking. It's the only thing keeping me sane. =)
I'm not the kind of person to wallow in self-pity. I like to stay calm and mellow (and other people would think that I don't have a care in the world and I should be trying harder to get a job). I've been through enough disappointments to know that it'll all work out in the end. Of course, the ultimate end always ends in death, doesn't it? And by then, who needs to worry?
End of very short rant. Have a backup plan B and C. Hopefully, I'll go with plan B (take Unemployed Graduates' Training Scheme course) and not plan C (apply for that HSBC Global something-or-other where you try sounding like you're British or American and receiving calls from those areas).
Hmm, wonder when my ASW2020 dividend is going to arrive.
That's it from me. Take care, dear reader.
I have this belief that in the long run, everything that happens will eventually be to my benefit/happiness. May not seem like that now, but who knows? Maybe I'll win the lottery some time in the future - because I didn't get the job. Hehe, wishful thinking. It's the only thing keeping me sane. =)
I'm not the kind of person to wallow in self-pity. I like to stay calm and mellow (and other people would think that I don't have a care in the world and I should be trying harder to get a job). I've been through enough disappointments to know that it'll all work out in the end. Of course, the ultimate end always ends in death, doesn't it? And by then, who needs to worry?
End of very short rant. Have a backup plan B and C. Hopefully, I'll go with plan B (take Unemployed Graduates' Training Scheme course) and not plan C (apply for that HSBC Global something-or-other where you try sounding like you're British or American and receiving calls from those areas).
Hmm, wonder when my ASW2020 dividend is going to arrive.
That's it from me. Take care, dear reader.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
And the result of the interview is...
*drumroll* ... postponed til next week! And if I hadn't asked an ex-coursemate (who had also applied for the job), I would have been checking every day at every hour until my eyes popped out. It pays to scan through the 12,000+ names that were on the list of those shortlisted for the interview (not just for the job I applied for). I know that at least four of my ex-coursemates also applied for the same job.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Still alive
Yes, I am! I've just been busy helping out as admin in a Flickr Group called 'Challenge You'. It's fun. I'll only use my photos when a challenge is close to expiring or I just want a challenge to begin. *grin* Anyways, I wanted to recap something that happened months ago.
Just before going to that Habib Jewels store for the prize-giving ceremony, I spent time at another jewellery store at Ampang Point. Hmmm, I can't quite remember what it was called. Was it Lazio? Whatever...I went there to waste some time and this young salesman attended to me. I did explain to him that I was just browsing because I was going off to Habib Jewels later. So I looked at all the chains, pendants, rings, earrings...and then I came to a display that had cartoon characters, such as Sylvester the Cat, Hello Kitty, etc. "We also have Twisties!" said the enthusiastic salesman. I thought, "Eh? Twisties? Isn't that the snack?" I saw what he meant. But I'll only reveal to you what he was referring to after I tell you that I went to the Kuala Lumpur International Motorshow 2006.
As my aunt decided to wait outside, my uncle and I rushed through the exhibits. But not such in a rush that I spotted 'Twisties'. Hehehe...
Just before going to that Habib Jewels store for the prize-giving ceremony, I spent time at another jewellery store at Ampang Point. Hmmm, I can't quite remember what it was called. Was it Lazio? Whatever...I went there to waste some time and this young salesman attended to me. I did explain to him that I was just browsing because I was going off to Habib Jewels later. So I looked at all the chains, pendants, rings, earrings...and then I came to a display that had cartoon characters, such as Sylvester the Cat, Hello Kitty, etc. "We also have Twisties!" said the enthusiastic salesman. I thought, "Eh? Twisties? Isn't that the snack?" I saw what he meant. But I'll only reveal to you what he was referring to after I tell you that I went to the Kuala Lumpur International Motorshow 2006.
As my aunt decided to wait outside, my uncle and I rushed through the exhibits. But not such in a rush that I spotted 'Twisties'. Hehehe...
End of my mini post. At least it's something, yeah? Oh, and I won't know the results of my interview until Sept 19th. *fingers crossed*
Monday, August 07, 2006
Time Waits For No Man
And it's not waiting for me either. In 13 hours, I will be up to have breakfast and prepare for the inevitable. My interview with the Malaysia Public Services Commission. In Malay, that would be the Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia (SPAM) - but it's commonly known as SPA.
After days of memorizing names of ministers (please don't ask me which Ministry Datuk Dr. Peter Chin Fah Kui is from!) and thinking, maybe they won't ask me this...maybe I should read something else, the time has come. I don't remember more than half the things I learnt in uni and right now, I don't really care. I either get it or I don't. If I don't get it, I'll take that Graduate's Training Course (Web Publishing and Web Application Development) for 5.5 months at Cosmopoint Kuala Terengganu and I'll be guaranteed a job after that. If I do get the job, well...I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. besides, I have my parents to worry about that. *g*
Ugh, I'll have to be aware of what's in the papers tomorrow. Keep abreast with developments. Guess they won't ask me about the Terengganu lad from Marang who won 'Akademi Fantasia' last Saturday. Would they ask about the Prime Minister's son-in-law, Khairy and his problems in his party? Did he really take Maya Karin as his second wife? What about Siti Norhaliza and her impending wedding on the 21st to Datuk K (Datuk Khaled Mohamed Jiwa)? What about the Middle-east conflict? What about Tiger Woods' victory? What about Mel Gibson's drunken anti-Semitic rant?
If and when I survive my ordeal tomorrow, I might spill the beans about it in a post. I have read that some people have been attending SPA interviews more than 4 times (interviews are conducted once a year, I think) and they keep trying each year. Maybe I'll just attend this one to see what it's all like and be prepared for the next one if I am so inclined to subject myself to the same experience.
Went to my uni yesterday and got my graduation gown. Purple with a silver stripe. Not going for those overpriced 'studio' packages with the frame and waxed over details. I'm going to go crazy with my digital camera. I have blue walls, purple walls, white walls, and a shelf of Encyclopedia Britannica to choose from. I just hope I don't stumble on my way to the Chancellor to get that scroll. That would be something interesting to frame. So, on the 11th is the rehearsal and briefing, and the 12th is my graduation proper. Apparently, I'll be the only one in the family with the mortarboard photo.
Below is a pic of a lizard that roams our garden. Go to a pet shop in KL and this would probably cost a few hundred ringgit, and you'd have to purchase a cage, food, appropriate foliage to boot. This lizard comes free and it can take care of itself. Who could ask for a better arrangement?
After days of memorizing names of ministers (please don't ask me which Ministry Datuk Dr. Peter Chin Fah Kui is from!) and thinking, maybe they won't ask me this...maybe I should read something else, the time has come. I don't remember more than half the things I learnt in uni and right now, I don't really care. I either get it or I don't. If I don't get it, I'll take that Graduate's Training Course (Web Publishing and Web Application Development) for 5.5 months at Cosmopoint Kuala Terengganu and I'll be guaranteed a job after that. If I do get the job, well...I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. besides, I have my parents to worry about that. *g*
Ugh, I'll have to be aware of what's in the papers tomorrow. Keep abreast with developments. Guess they won't ask me about the Terengganu lad from Marang who won 'Akademi Fantasia' last Saturday. Would they ask about the Prime Minister's son-in-law, Khairy and his problems in his party? Did he really take Maya Karin as his second wife? What about Siti Norhaliza and her impending wedding on the 21st to Datuk K (Datuk Khaled Mohamed Jiwa)? What about the Middle-east conflict? What about Tiger Woods' victory? What about Mel Gibson's drunken anti-Semitic rant?
If and when I survive my ordeal tomorrow, I might spill the beans about it in a post. I have read that some people have been attending SPA interviews more than 4 times (interviews are conducted once a year, I think) and they keep trying each year. Maybe I'll just attend this one to see what it's all like and be prepared for the next one if I am so inclined to subject myself to the same experience.
Went to my uni yesterday and got my graduation gown. Purple with a silver stripe. Not going for those overpriced 'studio' packages with the frame and waxed over details. I'm going to go crazy with my digital camera. I have blue walls, purple walls, white walls, and a shelf of Encyclopedia Britannica to choose from. I just hope I don't stumble on my way to the Chancellor to get that scroll. That would be something interesting to frame. So, on the 11th is the rehearsal and briefing, and the 12th is my graduation proper. Apparently, I'll be the only one in the family with the mortarboard photo.
Below is a pic of a lizard that roams our garden. Go to a pet shop in KL and this would probably cost a few hundred ringgit, and you'd have to purchase a cage, food, appropriate foliage to boot. This lizard comes free and it can take care of itself. Who could ask for a better arrangement?
Here Be Dragons!
Take care all! Have a good week ahead! Wish me luck and think good thoughts for me (because I really am a nice person!). ;)
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Sorry...
...for the lack of updates. I got a little lazy and the heat wasn't helping matters either. And if it wasn't hot, then there'd be thunderstorms.
Two Saturdays ago, I received a call for interview letter from the Public Services Commision (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam). I had applied online at their site (www.spa.gov.my) in April and after the Deputy Prime Minister's call to have the government departments update their vacancies and offer jobs to 30,000 jobless graduates, received word from them. My interview will be on the 08th of August (08/08) and I have to be there by 8am. 08/08 @ 0800. That's got to be auspicious. But I'm not keeping my hopes up. I have googled for information and the details scare me to death. Why do the interviewers want to see me under pressure? I can tell them I don't handle pressure well without them resorting to bombarding me with questions about the Constitution and the Government. Eek!
And here's another scary fact.
Number of applicants:
10,748
Passed initial screening:
1,318
Number of vacancies:
90 (yes, NINETY!)
Oh dear me! It's bad enough it's at 8am. My brain doesn't fully wake up until well after noon. And after lunch, it goes back into a dreamy state. *yawn*
Maybe if I assume that I don't get the job, my confidence levels will soar. Must think: I arrived without a job, I'll leave without a job...so, what have I got to lose? Hehehe...yeah, crazy logic. What's the post I applied for? They gave 10 choices, but all that was completely relevant to my degree was Information Systems Officer (Pegawai Sistem Maklumat). Let's see if I remember the job description (translated from Malay): Responsible for ascertaining the suitability of the existing computer system(s) and further developing, analyzing, designing, installing/executing, maintaining and reevaluating the data and information processing system to meet with the Dept's needs.
Some people commented about their interview experiences in forums and some said that they were NOT asked questions pertaining to their job. Some were.
I don't know if I should be the first to go into the interview room or wait til the end, when the interviewers are anxious to get home (and not so eager to pressure the candidate). But the thought of spending all morning there and seeing the other candidates end their suffering after 30 minutes...that might just do me in. And by the time it's my turn, I'll be a blubbering idiot. best to go in there unprepared. "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." I think it was Jonathan Swift who said something along those lines.
Okay, other than the fact that there's a pension plan after the age of 55, what are the benefits of working with the (Malaysian) government? Dad mentioned healthcare and subsidized housing.
I received the two albums I won during the Hitz.tv Album of The Week contest yesterday. Shakira's Oral Fixation Vol 2 and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Stadium Arcadium. The packaging for the RHCP album is first class! One side for Jupiter, another for Mars (it's a two-disc set) and the folded end is where the booklet goes. I guess I have to listen to the albums costantly before I like anything other than Dani California and Hips Don't Lie. Nothing beats Imogen Heap's Speak For Yourself album though. All her tracks are great!
Today, I got Simon's present. Two days before my birthday. He toyed with my mind, saying it was another one of his battery operated gifts. The two previous gifts are known as Sparky and Horace. Sparky is a flipping dog that barks. Horace is a hamster in a ball. I suppose with my regular questions about Cauli Cheese and Shepherd's Pie and other English dishes, he got the idea to get me the "Porters English Cookery Bible (Ancient and Modern)" by Richard, Earl of Bradford and Carol Wilson. Gee, nobody's ever bought ME a cookery book before. I usually buy them for my mother.
Okay, that's it for now. Take care all!
BTW, I WILL eventually continue about my trip details. But this time, I will just append to the previous post. If you subscribe, you'll find out when I have done so.
mailto:S.Landi@kent.ac.uk mailto:sl241@kent.ac.uk mailto:spartaco.landi.1972@gmail.com
Two Saturdays ago, I received a call for interview letter from the Public Services Commision (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam). I had applied online at their site (www.spa.gov.my) in April and after the Deputy Prime Minister's call to have the government departments update their vacancies and offer jobs to 30,000 jobless graduates, received word from them. My interview will be on the 08th of August (08/08) and I have to be there by 8am. 08/08 @ 0800. That's got to be auspicious. But I'm not keeping my hopes up. I have googled for information and the details scare me to death. Why do the interviewers want to see me under pressure? I can tell them I don't handle pressure well without them resorting to bombarding me with questions about the Constitution and the Government. Eek!
And here's another scary fact.
Number of applicants:
10,748
Passed initial screening:
1,318
Number of vacancies:
90 (yes, NINETY!)
Oh dear me! It's bad enough it's at 8am. My brain doesn't fully wake up until well after noon. And after lunch, it goes back into a dreamy state. *yawn*
Maybe if I assume that I don't get the job, my confidence levels will soar. Must think: I arrived without a job, I'll leave without a job...so, what have I got to lose? Hehehe...yeah, crazy logic. What's the post I applied for? They gave 10 choices, but all that was completely relevant to my degree was Information Systems Officer (Pegawai Sistem Maklumat). Let's see if I remember the job description (translated from Malay): Responsible for ascertaining the suitability of the existing computer system(s) and further developing, analyzing, designing, installing/executing, maintaining and reevaluating the data and information processing system to meet with the Dept's needs.
Some people commented about their interview experiences in forums and some said that they were NOT asked questions pertaining to their job. Some were.
I don't know if I should be the first to go into the interview room or wait til the end, when the interviewers are anxious to get home (and not so eager to pressure the candidate). But the thought of spending all morning there and seeing the other candidates end their suffering after 30 minutes...that might just do me in. And by the time it's my turn, I'll be a blubbering idiot. best to go in there unprepared. "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." I think it was Jonathan Swift who said something along those lines.
Okay, other than the fact that there's a pension plan after the age of 55, what are the benefits of working with the (Malaysian) government? Dad mentioned healthcare and subsidized housing.
I received the two albums I won during the Hitz.tv Album of The Week contest yesterday. Shakira's Oral Fixation Vol 2 and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Stadium Arcadium. The packaging for the RHCP album is first class! One side for Jupiter, another for Mars (it's a two-disc set) and the folded end is where the booklet goes. I guess I have to listen to the albums costantly before I like anything other than Dani California and Hips Don't Lie. Nothing beats Imogen Heap's Speak For Yourself album though. All her tracks are great!
Today, I got Simon's present. Two days before my birthday. He toyed with my mind, saying it was another one of his battery operated gifts. The two previous gifts are known as Sparky and Horace. Sparky is a flipping dog that barks. Horace is a hamster in a ball. I suppose with my regular questions about Cauli Cheese and Shepherd's Pie and other English dishes, he got the idea to get me the "Porters English Cookery Bible (Ancient and Modern)" by Richard, Earl of Bradford and Carol Wilson. Gee, nobody's ever bought ME a cookery book before. I usually buy them for my mother.
Okay, that's it for now. Take care all!
BTW, I WILL eventually continue about my trip details. But this time, I will just append to the previous post. If you subscribe, you'll find out when I have done so.
mailto:S.Landi@kent.ac.uk mailto:sl241@kent.ac.uk mailto:spartaco.landi.1972@gmail.com
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