Friday, July 21, 2006

I Stink!

Don’t you just hate the Toyota Yaris advertisement?

I don’t even know what they were singing about. To my ears, they were singing lagu alien dari planet yang tak masuk dalam sistem cakerawala.

Anyways, I’ve just got my car back from the workshop on Monday evening. It looked as good as new, I would say. The paint job was marvellous. It better be coz it cost Deli a BOMB for the whole thing!

Thank you honey. You’ll always be my sugar daddy. Hehehe.

Damn. I hate the way I smell right now and I’m not talking about BO!

I just got back from the canteen with my boss who smoked like a dragon along with a dozen of other people. Once I got to my cubicle, I realized that I smelt like a freakin dragon too! I hate the stench. Yuck. It’s giving me a throbbing headache. Argh!

I need to go to the pharmacy and get something to get rid of the smell.

This whole thing reminds me of an episode of the sitcom, Friends. The one where Rachael had to join her boss and colleagues on cigarette breaks for the sake of getting business tips, juicy news and gossips.

My situation is a bit different. My boss actually asked me to join him for minum-minum and talk about business. So I couldn’t say ‘no’. I don’t mind the smoking but I can’t stand the after-effect – the stench!

With my colleagues, I always told them (jokingly but meaning every word of it) that I’ll mati cepat from being a second hand smoker. Being the smart-asses that they were, they said the best defence is to play offence - be one of them!

Yeah, like that would happen!

Anyways, I’ll see what I can find in the pharmacy.

Other than that, I need to have a plan for the ICW Project that is falling apart with each passing day. I have to start it over, kick some butts so that they’ll actually do their work and put in drastic measures. I have 2 months to see this through and make sure the project go live as planned. Please help me God!

Sometimes I think I’m not really up for this job. The challenges are huge. It takes a lot of creative thinking and I need to play multiple roles at times. I’m not used to this just yet. I don’t have to get my hands dirty and produce any deliverable – which by the way, is very new to me. Most of the times, I find it hard to be in the current position which requires me to speak more than actually do something or get involved in the project like a real team member.

In the beginning I felt (a bit) useless coz I was not producing anything tangible. It annoyed me more when I had to wait for so long to get a simple info or when I have to kick so butts (so to speak) to get things done. Maybe I’m so used to a fast-paced environment and being in a place like I*G really mencabar kesabaran.

Oh well. I’m getting the hang of it, slowly that is. I know I can be good at this. I just need to practice more and ask a lot of questions.

There’s no short cut to success, right?

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Lessons Learned

It was the first road accident for me.

I've had my driving license since 1996 and as if to mark my ten years of clean driving record, God decided that I need to taste a tad bit of bitterness in life. An experience I will not forget for the rest of my life.

I dreamt about it and kept waking every hour. I was restless the whole night. I kept seeing the accident over and over like a broken dvd playing the same scene repeatedly.

My boss was kind enough to let me take the day off.

Sent my car to the workshop and after thorough inspection, we found more dents on the door, below it and and on the bumper. It'll take 2 days to fix, paint a new coat and replace the side mirror. The bill estimation is around $1500.

Ironically, we just spent that much last weekend to fix the cooling coil yang bocor. Sigh.

I learned a lot from the whole incident on July 12.

Firstly, I was upset that my car smelt and covered with coffee but I have to be thankful that it didn't happen while I was getting off the car. Otherwise, I would be the one smelling and covered in kopi basi instead.

Second, no matter how much I hated those people for not co-operating and not feeling the least remorse that their projects screwed up, I still have a boss that understands my position and most importantly believe that I'll do okay.

Thirdly, i need to seriously be going to the gym more often. I need to do that for my own good.

Next, no matter how much i need to pay the abang in the workshop, I have to be thankful that the rider is still alive and I am okay. I need to remember that one slight mistake (like not turning on the indicator) can cause more than just scratches to people and vehicles. I should have been more careful and cautious while driving like I always do and not take things for granted. Accidents can happen to anyone at any time. Am also thankful that we managed to settle the whole thing quickly and I managed to stay calm through the whole incident. No brawls or screaming - thank God. I thought I made the right decision of not telling Deli about the accident when it happened. I know he would panic and the last thing I want was for him was to worry about me. He only got to know about it when I parked my car in front of the house.

Lastly, i need to really trust my instincts. I don't know why but I had images of accidents the whole of Tuesday. My instinct also told me to take the usual route no matter how bad the traffic was but the ignorant me decided to take the 'clear' road instead coz I was too tired and too hungry to queue patiently.

So.. the car would be ready by Monday. I'll be at work tomorrow, have set a date for gym with VF and we're going back to BP with Deli's car.

Life goes on and am looking at it from a different persective now. Good luck to me.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Grrr!

Good things don't normally last.

This morning, the roads were clear and the kids were such angels. At any normal days, they're angels with little horns on their heads with teeny weeny tails just above the butts. Today's not that kinda day.

I thought 'hey, this is a good start'.

Until I parked my car.

I had just pulled the car keys from the ignition when suddenly ada air terpercik to my window and windshield. A strong smell of coffee hit the nostrils and my blood pressure pun 'go upstairs' almost immediately.

Took my bags, got out of the car and to my annoyance, a quarter of the car was covered in coffee.

The kancil next to my car actually ran over a packet of coffee lying on the ground. The driver was a guy who pura-pura looked sorry but never offered to help me wipe off the stain. His only words were, 'tak ada air ke? kalau ada air, boleh basuh' and left.

There was not even one bit of apology. I know it was not his fault but some sort of an apology would suffice. After all, bukan kereta dia yang berbau kopi!

Thank God for the stack of tissues I hid in the glove compartment! I emptied my drinking water bottle and did what i could but the stains were a tad bit stubborn.

Walked to the office, had my breakfast, filled my water bottle with tap water, took a roll of toilet tissue and walked back to the car park. People were looking while i tried to scrap off the stains. They must think that the parking management ada service cuci kereta.

Dang.

Work was no different. It's another day of being tested to the max. That's just work. Not a big deal. No matter how hard it is, it will soon end. The phase, I mean. Not the work.

Walked over to SPK building to see VF for our first session at the gym. We spent 1 and a half hour there, enjoying every bit of it. I could feel the pain in my right knee creeping up but it didn't stop me from completing the session. We had fun and planned for another session on Thursday.

I don't normally take jalan yg depan bangunan MAS tu but yesterday, that road was rather clear so I decided to take that route. I wanted to make a right turn to KLCC, at the Shangri-La junction so i stayed on the second lane which clearly shows a split arrow to the right as well as to the road ahead. I don't know why I picked that lane coz normally I would take the lane with no 'split-arrows'. I didn't even remember if I turned on the right indicator.

It happened so fast.

I was making my right turn when suddenly a bike hit my car from the right (coz he's going for road straight ahead). I hit on the brakes, saw the bike went down and the rider thrown off the bike. I felt my heart stopped beating while it all happened. Luckily the rider stood up and bystanders helped to wheel his bike away from the junction. A traffic police was there and he asked which lane was I in and when I said the second lane, he said 'okay'.

I got off the car, with wobbly legs, trying to be calm and rational.

So there we were, trying to comprehend what happened. I asked the guy if he's okay and he said 'yes'. Some minor scratches here and there. I asked if he wanted to lodge a police report but he didn't say anything. There was an Indian guy who kept on rambling about making a police report and blablabla. I don't really mind coz I was in the right lane. Only thing was, I didn't remember if i turned on the indicator. Maybe I didn't. The rider on the other hand, should not have stayed between the two lanes when he was not actually going for the right turn. Not that i'm trying to pin this on him, but it's just not right.

So i looked at his bike - not that bad. He went and looked at my car - some scratches and dents, the side bar dah tanggal and the side mirror was a total wreck.

Again, I asked if he wanted to lodge a report, to which he said 'tak apa la. saya betulkan motor saya, akak betulkan kete akak'. We shook hands, said sorry and left the scene.

That's the end of July 12th for me.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Naim and World Cup

I've been busy. With my job and everything in between.

I've cut Kakak's hair and she looked kinda cute in the new do. What say you?




Finally got the chance to register at FF last Friday. VF and I didn't get to try any of the equipments coz we had to leave by 6.30pm. She had to pick up her dad and i've got to visit Aske' at Ampang Puteri.

Oh yeah - congratulations to Aske' and Rizal! She gave birth to a charming baby boy nick-named Naim last Thursday, July 6th. He's a healty 2.8kg baby with long hair sampai masuk telinga. Baby Rock - kata Adik. Heheh.

Naim's a very good baby indeed - he didn't even stir when Adik and Kakak laughed and played like there's no tomorrow with Aske's dad.

I have no idea why I didn't even snap a pict of Naim. Dang.

Anyways, weekend was fun and tiring. We spent the whole of Saturday at home doing laundry and other chores. We had fun mengutuk AF4 students. The concert was so boring and the 'kezutan' was ridiculous. I'd rather watch Gilmore Girls (season 6) on 8tv.

Speaking of which, i knew i missed at least one sesaon of the GG coz Rory was suddenly short-haired and Lorelai had opened her own inn! I need to find GG cd or dvds soon!

Attended a wedding on Sunday - one of Deli's relative. Were off to GE Mall soon after for some retail theraphy. Aussino made a handsome profit out of our purchases that day!

The four of us napped for hours after that! Deli was obviously conserving energy for World Cup finals at 3am. Adik woke up shortly after i did while Kakak slept though till the next morning.

I for one, am glad that the World Cup is over. It's doing more harm than good in my house. I stand by my view that it should be a century's affair. Just look at the number of people caught for illegal gambling, for killing others, for hurting others and those losing money and dignity for the obvious reasons.

Sure - it has it's own benefit to the population but it doesn't justify the fighting and killing. It's just not worth it.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

My Thongs

This has never happened to me.

Initially had lunch plans with ST and RR but had to cancel it coz I had to do something for my boss. Went out with Syam NB instead to the famous nasi ayam stall in Boustead Tower. I was running late and didn’t realize that I was wearing my thong (selipar ler, not the ‘other’ thong) instead of my shoes. I was in the elevator then, so I decided to go ahead sebab nak pegi makan jer, bukan nak gi annual dinner pun. Plus, the stall is just across the road.

We were walking towards the main road when my thong suddenly ‘flew’ and dropped almost 10 meters away, making a 360 multiple spin macam action dalam sarkis.

The 2 ladies walking in front of us were laughing and pointing and I know there were more to witness the ‘fear-factor’ scene!

I had no choice but to get the thong back and continued walking, pretending that nothing happened. Off we went to lunch and we never speak of it ever again.

Don’t even mention about being embarrassed – you have no idea how embarrassing it was! There wasn’t much time to look for a paper bag to cover my head.

Unforgettable indeed.