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.
Monday, August 06, 2007
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
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