tech savvy?

in uni, I was a student of physics majoring in electronics. So things like light and sound sensory, 3D optics, electromagnetic are no any stranger to me. I understand all these technologies theoretically through the perspective of its circuit boards to its functionalities.

when I was working in DigiMagic, multimedia and technology are the company core foundation. be it from touch screen or multitouch display to 360° projection or even 3D hologram, I had to understand from the back end programming to the visual interface and the final delivery execution in order to sell the company’s forte. thus all these wow technologies are not that such big hoohah for me. but I realize in Malaysia, these technologies are still quite at the early stage comparing to our kaisu neighbour land. slowly but surely, Malaysia definitely will catch up but just in a longer period of time.

today, I was attending a nutrition talk with Mee Yee. lots of different stages of human attended, old uncle & aunty couple, rich datin-looking lady, even uni students and they were all holding either an iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Note, a iPhone or an Andriod phone. yeah, I assumed they are all tech savvy people. well, they have to be tech savvy people in order to survive in today’s world. as the nutritionist was explaining while jotting down a few key points on the whiteboard, I saw all these people were busy copying notes from the whiteboard. yeap, copying by using a pen and a notepad. then Mee Yee, my friend who had attended the talk before, saw me with no pen and notepad told me it’s good to copy it down so that I can easily refer back coz it’s too much info to digest at that moment. true enough it’s really too much to digest but I still didn’t pull out my pen and notebook and instead I grabbed my reliable iPhone 3GS and snapped along. Mee Yee’s next reaction was you are smart!

come on people… it’s the 21^st century! technology updates even faster than you popping another child. you gotta embrace the technology and make use of it smartly. so what if you are holding the latest iPad when all you do is just checking out the facebook or playing games? you should be ashamed of yourself as you are just another tech sucker trying too hard to be the ‘in’ clan.

I remember Mr Donald once said, technology changes constantly and so we need to change our way of adapting the technology constantly too. very well said, Mr Donald. I truly admire his continuous effort in changing, adapting and looking forward.

A for...

yeap, there’s a new addition to my Apple family. proud to present to you my first MacBook and now happily blogging away from my Mackie Mac *happy happy*

this Apple family of mine started with a humble iPod Nano-Chromatic. then with the consistent hard selling exposure from Jimmy, I decided to get the ever highly acclaimed iPhone 3GS. followed by prizes from DigiMagic of the latest iPod Shuffle (which I had given to sis Rachel) and iPod Nano (which forced my poor Nano-Chromatic into early retirement stage). since I no longer have any laptop from company and relying on my sis’s laptop, I just decided to get a MacBook for myself (fell in love with it after being forced to use it for a week at an event during my service in DigiMagic). heard that iPhone 5 will be releasing in October… hhmmm… tempting, tempting :P

thanks Kelvino for the magical mouse! makes my dear Mackie look even more handsome :)

who says only boys get excited over their new gadgets? definitely not me… coz I get all over excited too!

bucking up

been MIA from my blog for quite some time. was busy, unmotivated and uninspired. worked at in2 was kind of hellish. I couldn’t cope with the uncommitted colleagues, the unhealthy culture of always working till late midnights and weekends (even worked until 1am on my freaking last day), the forever unsatisfied and last minute client and the types of boring events held. personal life was haywired too. all my bills weren’t paid on time and never filed properly, handphone service was terminated due to outstanding payments, room was in a big mess, savings wasn’t bank in for months, even mum was needed to help me with my annually road tax and insurances renewal.

I am a very particular person when it comes to financial planning. I have a logbook to keep my monthly expenditure patterns, I always make sure bills are paid before due date, savings are channel to the other bank every beginning of the month. so when the haywires happened, I got so frustrated at myself, feeling as if I had lost control over my life. I really hated that feeling.

I actually wanted to give up in March but decided to give it a second chance to change team. however things didn’t improve, in fact it got even worse with unreasonable request from my manager. so enough is enough, I did not want to waste anymore time procrastinating there. Resigned with no job offer on hand. the bravest decision I had ever made indeed but am glad I to be out of there.

it’s now 1.5 months being jobless. spent the first 2 weeks ‘cleaning’ up my life. filed the past 5 months bills, updated my savings accounts and fix deposits, running errands for parents and most importantly, a major room makeover. then packed in as much gym and jogging as possible to prepare for the mount Kinabalu hike. it was no doubt a tough hike, never felt so fatigue and miserable in my life before but the fulfillment of reaching the top is unexplainable and irreplaceable. I’m so proud that we did it.

hitting into the 2^nd month of my jobless period, things starting to get a little too boring and meaningless. I feel blank headed with nothing to look forward to. even bodycombat class isn’t that fun anymore when my punches and kicks are powerless because I have no anger and frustration to release.

I need to get back into workforce soonest before I start to feel depress and sluggish. but I am not compromising in the next job that I’m looking for (I mean what I want to do and the work scope, salary is still negotiable :P) although I know the markets are slow and it’s gonna be a different thing for me. well, I have updated my resume and started applying. I shall work on an impressive cover letter to brush up my portfolio.

I will buck up… no worries my mum and friends :)

I’m grounded

on a weekend like this...

have not been feeling well since Thursday. I woke up feeling extremely tired. initially I thought it was my usual negativity at work but until it got to the evening time that I felt my head throbbing. signed off sharp at 6. didn’t even have appetite for dinner so I forcefully had a piece of cake in order to take paracetamol. slept at 10pm all the way until the next morning weekday alarm rang. I still didn’t feel good, the headache was still hanging around and it got even worse. felt the pull from the right temple all the way to the back of the neck.

went to see doctor to get the cure and the ever important MC. my migraine didn’t get the doctor’s attention as it wasn’t as serious until nauseous stage. he commented that probably I was overstressed from overloaded college assignments. well, I’m gotta take that as a compliment :P but I admitted to him I’m too old for college. what caught his attention were my peeling lips and patches of blueblack on my legs. after much questioning on my diets, cosmetics and sleeping pattern, he suspected it’s just lack of vitamin B, C and zinc. I was prescribed with 3 weeks of multivitamins and if it doesn’t heal, I will need to have my blood taken for allergic test :( I hate blood and needles!!!

medication makes me weak. slept almost the whole of Friday after every dose. woke up Saturday morning and just couldn’t give excuse to myself to skip gym anymore since I skipped on Monday and Wednesday. since I felt normal so I thought maybe some sweat will make me feel even better. But no, it didn’t. Couldn’t hit my usual record on the treadmill. face turned pale halfway through bodypump until my instructor noticed and asked if I skipped my breakfast. as I informed her that I’m actually on medication and I felt my heart is like pumping very fast, she gave me 50% discount on my routines.

now on a Saturday night, I just feel like lazing at home. sitting on the couch, watching Fashion Police with lappie in front of me. it just suddenly strikes me that it has been quite long since the last time I’m grounded at home on a weekend. perhaps a break from the social lures out there once a while is good for health...

my oh my...

it took me a while to figure out what was the login name and password to my blog. yes, it has really been that long I last written here.

things are crazy. nonstop holiday mood since last Christmas, new job, work culture shock which I’m still trying to adapt, dealing with new colleagues and new clients, proposals and projects, room revamp and none the less hanging out with dear friends.

so many to cope with a vague mind causes a lethargic and unmotivated me. been talking and whining to friends hoping to clear my mind but it just didn’t work until last Friday.

last Friday was quite an important day. the day which I had to submit my all-out proposal and also my ‘candlelight’ dinner with mr Donald. proposal was tighten up till the very last minute before the clock stroke 6pm. phew... finally it was done and over, now hoping for a good feedback.

then the prolonged farewell dinner with Donald. I wasn’t feeling comfortable when I got to know it was just gonna be me and him at the dinner. worrying the awkwardness and my emotions but it was all good. pouring out to him my challenges and expectations towards my current job. getting advices and inspirations from one of the man I respect most in my life really got me rolling back into the positive chi.

just heard the song ‘fix you’ by Coldplay and the phrase ‘when you get what you want but not what you need’ caught me. let’s just hope things will eventually turn out good. if it’s not, then it just gonna be another life learning curve :)

the magic of Christmas

the Christmas excitement started with a personal invitation from Jim to join his annual Christmas chilling session at his house and topped up with an offer of place to bunk in from Kitty, there’s no reason for me to say no. being the usual ‘thick face’ me, I asked Terry if it’s ok for me to be there just a few days earlier to chill with him. in fact, it was more of an excuse for me to escape from home due to the recent family argument.

stepped into Singapore on Thursday night, it is always a warm welcome from aunty Carrie. the night was very young but I didn’t have appetite for dinner hence I suggested for a drinking session. I guess due to skipping dinner and having too much of drinks, my emotions took over my brain. I just poured everything out about what recently happened in my family to Terry. he practically drove around the whole Singapore just so that I can release myself. and the next thing I knew was I cried until I knocked out.

on an eve of a Christmas Eve, I had to shop around for presents. it was a tiring yet awkward day after what had happened yesterday. but I felt better after saying it out to someone that I think cares for me. a lot of advices was shared with me and it was a bit too much to digest for that day.

on Christmas Eve, I tried to put away the emo side of me and just be jolly. but Terry refused to allow me lying to myself. he drove me around the whole Singapore again (I think) and said something so true that had been hidden inside me all this while. with his words of encouragement, I decided to call home to tell dad and mum my feelings due to the family unpleasant incident. being raised up in a typical Chinese family, we are not used to saying sorry or loving words to each other. it was really tough for me to make this call home to tell them about my feelings but it all turned out well. dad and mum even said sorry to me for what had happened. it’s the first time we spoken so openly. tough conversation but I’m grateful we did it with all the joyful tears. arrived at Jim’s party with a pair of swollen eyes but it didn’t take long for it to heal as there was so much fun and laughter filling up the house. hanging out with this bunch of ex-colleagues-turns-close-friends makes me feel no regret working in DigiMagic for the past 6 years plus.

it’s Christmas day! went to Vivo with Kitty to buy food back home to celebrate with her family. we bought pork knuckle, German sausages and log cake as requested by uncle Lee. spending Christmas with Kitty and her family and seeing the joy in the family although uncle Lee is suffering from a half body stroke, I told myself that the call back home yesterday was priceless and I couldn’t imagine if I didn’t. Christmas night was spent at Jee Chin’s impromptu party. another night of gathering with more ex-colleagues that missed out on Jim’s party.

overslept on the boxing day due to exhaustion from all the previous nights parties. then we rushed out to meet Vander and Pei Pei for our long-promised karaoke session. did a ‘If We Ever Meet Again’ by Katy Perry and Timbaland with Kitty, nailed a ‘Mr Brightside’ by The Killers with Pei Pei and battled the ‘I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing’ by Aerosmith with Vander. after burning all the calories from singing, Kitty brought me and Pei Pei to this new French Restaurant, Antionette, for a nice dinner. I am very impressed with the concept, renovation, ambiance, service, food and even the toilet. everything is perfect.

this year Christmas has meant a lot for me. from having a shoulder to cry on and the call back home and the celebrations with Terry’s and Kitty’s family as well the quality fun time with friends that I seldom get to see but matters to me. yes, it’s the magic of Christmas that has brought me closer and stronger to my family as well to Terry and Kitty. I am really blessed.

a blissful Sunday…

my eyes slowly opened along with the long exhale of the warm air. trying to search for a living sound but besides my own breathing rhythm, it was drop dead silence. then I realized it's the blissful Sunday.
 
refusing to rise up yet, I cuddled myself in my cottony comforter while stretching my body. turned to my right and the digital clock was blinking 11:46 in its usual glowing green. took another long deep inhale with one final body stretching and had my feet landed on the cold marble floor.
 
freshened up, dabbed some moisturizing essence onto my dry skin and made my bed. mind blank, thinking what now? alrite, decided to make myself my all time favorite breakfast. more like a brunch. nutty cereal with dried apricots and soy milk along with a glass of pomegranate juice. loving every munch of it. 
 
back to my freshly spring-cleaned room with a satisfying feeling. I docked my iPhone and selected 'my beach breeze' playlist. while the tune was playing, I jumped onto my ever comfy bed again. perhaps, the perfect mood to continue 'the gift of rain'.
 
afternoon nap crept in without me realizing it. felt asleep with the pages between my fingers and melody playing in the background. the evening heat started to bother me. again, another glance at the clock and it was already blinking 17:56. 
 
what a nice day in my little room. looked outside and the sky was already pitch dark. time for a heartful dinner, I thought. but all I could desire for was simply a cup of steaming coffee. headed to our regular Plan B to satisfy my craving. ordered a duck confit ciabatta and a double shot latte for her, Moroccan lamb meatballs spaghetti and apple mint for him and a classic Caesar salad for sharing. never felt so satisfying over a dinner for quite a while. pleasant food, nice atmosphere and great friend. what more can I ask.
 
back in my tiny room with lappie lying together with me on my bed. typing away on my blog and wishing if only everyday is a Sunday. then life will be so much simpler and happier. now, here’s to end my blissful Sunday... nite...

too fast and furious

November past fast, so fast yet so many things happened…

handover at work was ok, not smooth. but hey, with that lady bossing around and not helping in any situations, nothing will ever get solved... so I count this as a blessing though. farewell was hard. I was so emotional getting farewell wishes from clients, all my lovely comrades (those in Singapore and especially those here) and the ultimate, mr Donald, my love and hate boss. thanks for everything through this six and half years and as what Donald said, it’s not an end but a new beginning.  

life is always full of shits. ugly things happened back at Maluri house. this time was definitely not the day in day out quarrel. I really couldn’t cope with it that's why I decided a hideaway. I don’t know if all these were arranged by the One up there. it was just a week before this that I bumped back into Danny and when this shit happened, the first person that I thought I could run to is him. well, it’s been 5 years ago and we both definitely have changed. so don’t judge me.

it has only been 4 days that I’m out of work but I’m a bit exhausted already. decided to move back to Maluri house for my take-a-break month. things are still not ok and I hate everything about it but I just gotta be selfish and not care about anything else but to enjoy what I’m blessed with now. for the first 2 days, I was occupied with the long delayed wardrobe spring clean and laundry. then followed by a so called celebration clubbing for me, haven’t been drinking that much of a booze and dance like no tomorrow on my heels long long time… but I enjoyed very much. thanks guys, thanks Danny… for unleashing me :)

definitely December will be another fast one but let’s forget about the furious and enjoy the moment…

it’s finally official!

I thought I will feel great once I resigned but not really. there was this mix feeling inside me. a little bit of relieve and a little bit of feeling bad and sad as if I’m ditching my comrades back at the battlefield.

but as days went by, the ease feeling started to settle in. the stress, pressure and burden at work are getting out of my way... like what Jen said, slowly but surely...

I am now so looking forward to December! after almost 7.5 years of working, I finally get my long deserving break. a break that I have zero to-do-list, zero stress, zero thinking but just purely all about me, myself and I, purely relaxing, pure do-what-I-like-to-do at my own leisure of time.

with the year end and holiday season kicking in during December, it makes my break even more meaningful... it's gonna be a wholesome pleasure!

now, allow me to announce that I’m officially no longer a fairy in the magicland! hooray! celebrate good time, come on...