Did you read the news today? They're finally expanding the LRT lines! After years of talking about it.
I thought it was a great idea to expand the Kelana Jaya line all the way to Subang. And to extend the Sri Petaling / Bkt Jalil line all the way to Puchong. And I was ecstatic that they're also extending the line to Kota Damansara, near my future home! :)
But I thought it a bit weird to connect the Kota Damansara line to Masjid Jamek - like, huh? So I have to take the train down to KL city and then trawl all the way back up the Kelana Jaya line if I wanna go to my parent's place in SS3 or visit friends in Subang? Bit stewpid. Might as well drive.
The newspaper article mentioned that the extended lines should be ready in 4 years i.e. 2010. Cool. We'll see if that becomes reality. I guess "barring all major catastrophes and economic recessions".
Deep down though, I'm happy. Property prices in PJ will increase once again, or at least maintain its high levels, due to the wider coverage of LRT services. PJ is a great place to live in. Although it basically takes you about 30 minutes to get anywhere within PJ or even get out of PJ, due to the traffic and traffic lights. But, I love this city, with all its jams, idiosyncracies, great shopping - grew up here, studied here, and hopefully, will build a good life here :)
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
It's the week of patriotism!
Tang-gal tiga-puluh satuuu ... bulan lapan, lima-puluh-tujuh ...!!! That Sudirman song never fails to make me smile :)
I'm happy to be Malaysian, I really am. I can find lots of things to complain about the government, the mentality of its people, the mindless driving, the crime-rate. But, in the end, there is still no where else I'd rather be. Of course, living in Bangkok or Australia or London for a year or two would be great, but Malaysia is where I'd really want to stay, grow up, raise a family, earn a living, and basically just, live.
Just because I was born here.
The news in the papers about the various antics of our government really annoy me. But then, which government doesn't?
The special benefits awarded to bumiputera's also irk me a little. But hey, I can live with it, because it teaches me to be stronger.
The uncivilized drivers sometimes drive me to honk like a maniac. But then, which country's driving doesn't?
But it is sad that racial segregation seems to be so obvious these days. Or maybe it is the same. Maybe when we were younger and our schoolmates weren't differentiated in colours, it was for adults what it is now for us as grown kids. Maybe we just grow more cynical as days pass.
This Merdeka, I will probably spend it like how I spend Sundays, pottering around doing nothing in particular, just luxuriating that there's a comfortable home and great companionship (also enjoying the mid-work week break). Then, come Friday evening, I take a trip down to our southern neighbour, to enjoy a 48-hour holiday right in the middle of the Orchard shopping haven. Isn't it great to be Malaysian?
Tang-gal tiga-puluh satuuu ... bulan lapan, lima-puluh-tujuh ...!!! That Sudirman song never fails to make me smile :)
I'm happy to be Malaysian, I really am. I can find lots of things to complain about the government, the mentality of its people, the mindless driving, the crime-rate. But, in the end, there is still no where else I'd rather be. Of course, living in Bangkok or Australia or London for a year or two would be great, but Malaysia is where I'd really want to stay, grow up, raise a family, earn a living, and basically just, live.
Just because I was born here.
The news in the papers about the various antics of our government really annoy me. But then, which government doesn't?
The special benefits awarded to bumiputera's also irk me a little. But hey, I can live with it, because it teaches me to be stronger.
The uncivilized drivers sometimes drive me to honk like a maniac. But then, which country's driving doesn't?
But it is sad that racial segregation seems to be so obvious these days. Or maybe it is the same. Maybe when we were younger and our schoolmates weren't differentiated in colours, it was for adults what it is now for us as grown kids. Maybe we just grow more cynical as days pass.
This Merdeka, I will probably spend it like how I spend Sundays, pottering around doing nothing in particular, just luxuriating that there's a comfortable home and great companionship (also enjoying the mid-work week break). Then, come Friday evening, I take a trip down to our southern neighbour, to enjoy a 48-hour holiday right in the middle of the Orchard shopping haven. Isn't it great to be Malaysian?
Friday, August 25, 2006
Latest project
Here's where I'm spending most of my time these days. KF made a lovely Pixart book for me, immortalizing our trip together. So this is where I'm doing it for us. Our trip to Italy and England. It's not finished, because I just started working on it. But it's a work in progress.
Yes yes, I remember the Bangkok one's not finished. Haha. Will get back to that one day.
By the way, Pixart is a really lovely way to have your photos displayed in a bound format. We've already made 2 orders with Pixart, and both came out wonderfully, and punctually at that. They promise the product is delivered 5 days after order is received. Service is excellent! I totally recommend everyone to this ingenious photobook site. Makes an excellent present or an eternal keepsake. For a very small price. I'm a total fan :)
Btw, Dominic, the "Marketing Manager" (I think he's also probably the Owner, Financier, Production Manager, etc.) is this young Malaysian fellow, and the office is in TTDI. I think he stumbled upon this fantastic idea and this person renews my faith that young Malaysians are enterprising souls.
As opposed to those lousy so-called university students-cum-thugs in that fracas that happened at UPM. Ho-humph. The Sun newspaper today has opinions and write-ups on the matter, and I particularly liked the write-up by the assistant editor Jacqueline Ann Surin - concise and exact. I hope The Sun pursues this issue until the university takes appropriate action. I like this paper, it's not a tabloid, and it works to ensure fairness - great advocate of human rights. The news that it has dug up lately on the MBPJ billboards and the Selangor state government pest control monopoly is fantastic journalism. My favourite newspaper right now for daily news. The Edge for business news. The Star Metro for local neighbourhood news and warehouse sales advertisements.
Yes yes, I remember the Bangkok one's not finished. Haha. Will get back to that one day.
By the way, Pixart is a really lovely way to have your photos displayed in a bound format. We've already made 2 orders with Pixart, and both came out wonderfully, and punctually at that. They promise the product is delivered 5 days after order is received. Service is excellent! I totally recommend everyone to this ingenious photobook site. Makes an excellent present or an eternal keepsake. For a very small price. I'm a total fan :)
Btw, Dominic, the "Marketing Manager" (I think he's also probably the Owner, Financier, Production Manager, etc.) is this young Malaysian fellow, and the office is in TTDI. I think he stumbled upon this fantastic idea and this person renews my faith that young Malaysians are enterprising souls.
As opposed to those lousy so-called university students-cum-thugs in that fracas that happened at UPM. Ho-humph. The Sun newspaper today has opinions and write-ups on the matter, and I particularly liked the write-up by the assistant editor Jacqueline Ann Surin - concise and exact. I hope The Sun pursues this issue until the university takes appropriate action. I like this paper, it's not a tabloid, and it works to ensure fairness - great advocate of human rights. The news that it has dug up lately on the MBPJ billboards and the Selangor state government pest control monopoly is fantastic journalism. My favourite newspaper right now for daily news. The Edge for business news. The Star Metro for local neighbourhood news and warehouse sales advertisements.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Miracle wipes
I've just wet-wiped my entire work space, it's now spick and span! Swiped the towelettes all around my monitor, workspace, shelves, files, then proceeded to methodically wipe every single nook and cranny on the telephone and the keyboard. Took one whole hour off my morning. First time in my life I'm cleaning a keyboard, honest to goodness. And boy, does it feel nice to type on it now! :P My black Dell keyboard is now ... as black as ever! :)
For something I put my fingers on everyday, it's a wonder I didn't think of cleaning it earlier. Will do so more regularly from now on.
I've heard somewhere that you can actually pull out the keys and insert them back, so you can clear the tray holding the keys. Well, I didn't dare to do that, just in case I forget how to put my qwerty keyboard back together. Just whipped my keyboard upside down, and out fell some clumps of dust and maybe bits of chips - haha. Should try doing the same to yours, you might be surprised (or rather, disgusted) by what falls out.
My telephone now smells like how some people smell after exiting a restaurant. But, the smell smells good on my phone, rather than on people. Can talk on the phone now without worrying about creepy-crawlies surprising me out of the mouthpiece.
My greatest sense of achievement so far this morning is to see those wet wipes with black streaks of trapped dust. Wet wipes are a great, great invention!
For something I put my fingers on everyday, it's a wonder I didn't think of cleaning it earlier. Will do so more regularly from now on.
I've heard somewhere that you can actually pull out the keys and insert them back, so you can clear the tray holding the keys. Well, I didn't dare to do that, just in case I forget how to put my qwerty keyboard back together. Just whipped my keyboard upside down, and out fell some clumps of dust and maybe bits of chips - haha. Should try doing the same to yours, you might be surprised (or rather, disgusted) by what falls out.
My telephone now smells like how some people smell after exiting a restaurant. But, the smell smells good on my phone, rather than on people. Can talk on the phone now without worrying about creepy-crawlies surprising me out of the mouthpiece.
My greatest sense of achievement so far this morning is to see those wet wipes with black streaks of trapped dust. Wet wipes are a great, great invention!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
A Wedding in December
Just completed this book by Anita Shreve last night. Don't even bother wasting your time, if you, like me, hate books that have no endings. To me, an ending = a happy ending OR an ending where someone dies, and the story doesn't go on anymore. But oh no, this book had to end with a dangler - leaves you with that feeling of what-if's.
This book is filled with what-if's. But it's not even that beautifully-written. Yes, I'm going to lambast the book, because I was given to expect that the book would be good, Jodi-Picoult-like. It didn't even come close.
And, given that the synopsis says it's a reunion of sorts for 7 high-school friends who meet again after 27 years, I kinda expected it to be quite full of drama - like that Reunion series by Fox (which I really liked, by the way, and was quite pissed that Fox decided to pull the series halfway thru - without an ending!!!). Well, anyway, this book is anything but dramatic. More like, boring. I won't even bother to do the synopsis thingy, because it'll only give a false image of what the book is about.
So yes, the ending did spoil the book for me. If there had been an ending of some kind, that would probably have resulted in a different review. See how important endings are? It's not just enough to have a good storyline, a nice setting, a good plot, intriguing characters, captivating page-by-page narratives - there must be an ending! Heck, this book is comparable to "The Break-Up" : the not-romantic romance movie.
But, there must have been some reason or other that the book was published. Someone must have seen that there's some redeemable qualities in the book. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of the enlightened ones.
Monday, August 14, 2006
My very wonderful weekend
Finally, finally, I have all the photos of the trip in hand! So, from today onwards, whenever I have the free time, if I have the inclination to, there shall be stories to tell :)
My first real trip to the periodontist - and I'm proud I survived! Lesson 1 learnt : You either need to learn to floss, or else get yourself an Oral-B Hummingbird. Lesson 2 learnt : Drag, cajole, persuade, threaten and do whatever else you need to do to get your children to the dentist's chair twice a year - they'll thank you for it. Me, I still have to survive another 2 more trips on my cool periodontist's chair. (She's good, she really is, I totally totally recommend her to anyone who has bleeding gums).
Watched "The Break-Up" yesterday. Vince Vaughn is not likeable at all, and Jennifer Aniston is very forgettable (although there's this scene where she struts around naked - nothing much can be seen - but it left me wondering if she used a body double). That just about sums up the story with no ending. Don't watch it unless you really have nothing else left to watch. Then, watch it only to relive upon the petty arguments that you used to have with an ex, or are still having with your supposedly less-than-better half.
Also re-watched "Da Vinci Code", but this time at the annual Starlight Cinema, which was held in Sentul Park this year. The second time around, the movie is much better and easier to digest, although I've read the book a zillion times. But hmm, the movie was good. But still I stand by what I said in my earlier review.
About Starlight Cinema, well, having it in Kiara (which they did for the past 3 or 4 years) is a far better option than in Sentul. Because :
1. Kiara had a much better general environment, although there's the occasional whiff of horse-shit. But Kiara had no big concrete building behind its screen (of which Sentul's had the KLPac).
2. Kiara's very near the general population area, compared to Sentul. Okay, maybe I should rephrase. Kiara, is very near the targeted market of young urbanites who would picnic under the stars to watch a movie. Sentul has a very different demographic.
3. Kiara's site is bigger. Even then, Sentul's site did not fill up, not like Kiara's.
4. Kiara just attracts more people to go.
5. Sentul is just too troublesome to reach.
Oooh, and one more other thing I did this weekend, went for a traditional massage at this place called D'Manja in Damansara Perdana. Promotional price was only RM30 for 45 minutes. The place had lotsa atmospheric curtains fluttering, and little pebbles leading up the steps to the door. Nice first impression. The lady boss Adeline was chirpy and friendly. She led us to this room with timber sliding doors and Japanese-style beds on the floor. Quite similar to what they had in Thailand. A little lamp was in the corner. The therapists were friendly, although a bit too chatty with each other, causing them to sometimes stop mid-way to finish their sentences. Overall though, I preferred the ones in Thailand. This place seemed a little too impersonal.
Best thing about the weekend though was that we spent time together! :)
Okay, very oh-so-reluctantly, I have to begin my work Monday now. Ta!
My first real trip to the periodontist - and I'm proud I survived! Lesson 1 learnt : You either need to learn to floss, or else get yourself an Oral-B Hummingbird. Lesson 2 learnt : Drag, cajole, persuade, threaten and do whatever else you need to do to get your children to the dentist's chair twice a year - they'll thank you for it. Me, I still have to survive another 2 more trips on my cool periodontist's chair. (She's good, she really is, I totally totally recommend her to anyone who has bleeding gums).
Watched "The Break-Up" yesterday. Vince Vaughn is not likeable at all, and Jennifer Aniston is very forgettable (although there's this scene where she struts around naked - nothing much can be seen - but it left me wondering if she used a body double). That just about sums up the story with no ending. Don't watch it unless you really have nothing else left to watch. Then, watch it only to relive upon the petty arguments that you used to have with an ex, or are still having with your supposedly less-than-better half.
Also re-watched "Da Vinci Code", but this time at the annual Starlight Cinema, which was held in Sentul Park this year. The second time around, the movie is much better and easier to digest, although I've read the book a zillion times. But hmm, the movie was good. But still I stand by what I said in my earlier review.
About Starlight Cinema, well, having it in Kiara (which they did for the past 3 or 4 years) is a far better option than in Sentul. Because :
1. Kiara had a much better general environment, although there's the occasional whiff of horse-shit. But Kiara had no big concrete building behind its screen (of which Sentul's had the KLPac).
2. Kiara's very near the general population area, compared to Sentul. Okay, maybe I should rephrase. Kiara, is very near the targeted market of young urbanites who would picnic under the stars to watch a movie. Sentul has a very different demographic.
3. Kiara's site is bigger. Even then, Sentul's site did not fill up, not like Kiara's.
4. Kiara just attracts more people to go.
5. Sentul is just too troublesome to reach.
Oooh, and one more other thing I did this weekend, went for a traditional massage at this place called D'Manja in Damansara Perdana. Promotional price was only RM30 for 45 minutes. The place had lotsa atmospheric curtains fluttering, and little pebbles leading up the steps to the door. Nice first impression. The lady boss Adeline was chirpy and friendly. She led us to this room with timber sliding doors and Japanese-style beds on the floor. Quite similar to what they had in Thailand. A little lamp was in the corner. The therapists were friendly, although a bit too chatty with each other, causing them to sometimes stop mid-way to finish their sentences. Overall though, I preferred the ones in Thailand. This place seemed a little too impersonal.
Best thing about the weekend though was that we spent time together! :)
Okay, very oh-so-reluctantly, I have to begin my work Monday now. Ta!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Love Rules
1. Thou shalt fall in love, or grow in love, to be in love.
2. Sex is not the be-all and end-all of a relationship.
3. Is there only one meaning to fidelity?
4. Friends pull you through every relationship - bad or good.
I truly loved this book - not just because it came free with a magazine I purchased in Heathrow airport, but because it was such a refreshing read. Chick-lit, the good ones that is, offer great balm for the chicky soul. And this one is no different.
Love Rules by Freya North. Story revolves around 4 people - Alice Heggarty and Thea Luckmore who are best friends, Mark who has loved Alice through various boyfriends and eventually becomes her husband, and Saul Mundy who becomes Thea's fairytale-prince. Yeah, the names are hard to remember, but you get pulled into their lives rather quickly.
Alice is one girl who loves falling for lust. So she runs through many many boyfriends because obviously, like Rule no. 2, sex is not everything. Finally, she realizes that there's this guy waiting in the sidelines ever-so-patiently to marry her (it's been Mark's life-long dream, really). So Alice proposes to Mark - yes! They get married. He's rich, has a well-paying job, even owns a Lexus, is a neat man who tidies up after Alice, and puts up with all sorts of womanly-nonsense from her. (Apparently Alice doesn't even know how to set up the canggih DVD player in the super nice house Mark bought for them). He loves Alice to bits. But, with all his work-travelling, Alice begins to feel lonely. And ta-da, things start to happen. Alice begins breaking the love rules one by one.
Thea is Alice's stabilizer best friend. She believes in fairytale love, that one day she'll find someone who loves her for who she is, and she'll love him as much back. She meets Saul, who falls incredibly deeply in love with her. It becomes rather like a fairytale, actually, because they fit each other so well. But, of course, what is a book without some dramatic interventions?
The plot is nothing very much to shout about. But, the writing is. I particularly loved the conversation pieces between Alice and Thea, because these were the parts which dissected morality, what's wrong and what's right in love, whether one set of principles are better than the other set. But, for all the morals in the story, one rule ruled supreme : that good friends pull you through everything.
There's one particular part though in the book that I've thought and thought about. But I can't dissect it here without spoilers. Just generally though ... if you're truly in love with the one you're with, but you occasionally look for sex elsewhere, does that step into the boundaries of fidelity? You'll find the answer (or more questions) in the book, muahahaha ...
Monday, August 07, 2006
My weekend
What I did this weekend :
... Went to see the periodontist (new word I learnt!). Go look up the dictionary if you dunno what it is. Anyway, I have a standing appointment every Saturday for the next 4 Saturdays to sit for an hour each session in her room. Will cost me a bomb, but I just have to spend that money.
... Had takeaway lunch from this Thai restaurant in Amcorp Mall's lower ground floor. Quite nice, not bad. Pineapple fried rice (KF said not bad), Thai braised spaghetti (I think it's ok too) and mango chicken (chicken had too much fried skin, but it was acceptable). 3 dishes, RM20 - ok mah :)
... Checked out prices of electrical items in Tong Kong electrical shop - a Panasonic dealer in SS3 near my house.
... Went for paintball!!!!! First time playing. Key words : adrenaline rush, shooting sounds, bruises (not on me), overalls, mosquitoes, Sg Buloh Mudtrekker, good workout. Too bad didn't take pictures. And as a souvenir, I have totally utterly sore thighs. Don't ask me why. Could be an accumulation from the lunging / cross-training exercises I've been overworking, or too much squatting when aiming my paintball gun. Now I can climb stairs slowly, but I can't come down the stairs, can't sit down without groaning, and can't go to toilet without holding on tight to some disabled person's handle. However, I'm running away from the topic. It was a good first time, because it was quite a good group of people - 13 of us I think. But, I think for the price we paid, it is an overrated game. Fun, because we get to shoot, but not so good because for that price I could have paid for a good saloon haircut.
... Dinner at Mum's Place at Damansara Perdana. Another overrated place. Food was okay. But expensive. Ambience was nice, but soured by some Lampeberger smell (I recognized it because it's the one my sister liked to burn in our room - urgh). Furniture was ornate, but not appreciated by the likes of me. Ah well, at least I can say I've been there.
... Watched "Click"! Good good GOOD movie. Definitely not overrated. Worth every single cent of the RM6 we paid (yah, cheapskates like me like to watch TGV's earlybird). Everyone should watch it, yes. You'll come out all fuzzy and feeling like loving everyone you see - haha, ok, I'm exaggerating. But was glad we decided to watch Click instead of Lakehouse. Someone told me later that Lakehouse was soooo slow it was a good thing we didn't watch it, hah.
... Lunch at Yippee Cup at 1 Utama. Nothing to shout about. But it was quite cheap - their traditional nasi lemak only RM4.90 - for something in a shopping complex.
... Checked out prices of electrical goods in Best Denki. Compared it with the prices from Tong Kong, and goodness, for a ceiling fan ah, the price can differ up to RM60! And Best Denki had the nerve to label it a "Great Deal!". Some shops just go all out to mislead people.
... My house is undergoing landscaping work. So now we have 5 mini palm trees (I think that's what they are) in the garden, and a lot of nice-looking Filipino grass (don't ask me how they differ from pearl grass and what-nots) plus lotsa cute white pebbles in all kinds of shapes. Nice :)
... Oops, I shouldn't have said "my" house earlier. I meant, my parents' house. My house, the one I co-own with KF (hehe) is something that has taken up most of my time during the weekend - furniture shopping, price-comparison shopping, etc.
And so, that was my weekend. I'm trying to see if I can squeeze in a weekend to travel down to Singapore, but first have to see what kinda workload my boss is planning for me (because sometimes that workload eats into my weekends). Ah well. It's nice to see that the days are flying by happily :)
... Went to see the periodontist (new word I learnt!). Go look up the dictionary if you dunno what it is. Anyway, I have a standing appointment every Saturday for the next 4 Saturdays to sit for an hour each session in her room. Will cost me a bomb, but I just have to spend that money.
... Had takeaway lunch from this Thai restaurant in Amcorp Mall's lower ground floor. Quite nice, not bad. Pineapple fried rice (KF said not bad), Thai braised spaghetti (I think it's ok too) and mango chicken (chicken had too much fried skin, but it was acceptable). 3 dishes, RM20 - ok mah :)
... Checked out prices of electrical items in Tong Kong electrical shop - a Panasonic dealer in SS3 near my house.
... Went for paintball!!!!! First time playing. Key words : adrenaline rush, shooting sounds, bruises (not on me), overalls, mosquitoes, Sg Buloh Mudtrekker, good workout. Too bad didn't take pictures. And as a souvenir, I have totally utterly sore thighs. Don't ask me why. Could be an accumulation from the lunging / cross-training exercises I've been overworking, or too much squatting when aiming my paintball gun. Now I can climb stairs slowly, but I can't come down the stairs, can't sit down without groaning, and can't go to toilet without holding on tight to some disabled person's handle. However, I'm running away from the topic. It was a good first time, because it was quite a good group of people - 13 of us I think. But, I think for the price we paid, it is an overrated game. Fun, because we get to shoot, but not so good because for that price I could have paid for a good saloon haircut.
... Dinner at Mum's Place at Damansara Perdana. Another overrated place. Food was okay. But expensive. Ambience was nice, but soured by some Lampeberger smell (I recognized it because it's the one my sister liked to burn in our room - urgh). Furniture was ornate, but not appreciated by the likes of me. Ah well, at least I can say I've been there.
... Watched "Click"! Good good GOOD movie. Definitely not overrated. Worth every single cent of the RM6 we paid (yah, cheapskates like me like to watch TGV's earlybird). Everyone should watch it, yes. You'll come out all fuzzy and feeling like loving everyone you see - haha, ok, I'm exaggerating. But was glad we decided to watch Click instead of Lakehouse. Someone told me later that Lakehouse was soooo slow it was a good thing we didn't watch it, hah.
... Lunch at Yippee Cup at 1 Utama. Nothing to shout about. But it was quite cheap - their traditional nasi lemak only RM4.90 - for something in a shopping complex.
... Checked out prices of electrical goods in Best Denki. Compared it with the prices from Tong Kong, and goodness, for a ceiling fan ah, the price can differ up to RM60! And Best Denki had the nerve to label it a "Great Deal!". Some shops just go all out to mislead people.
... My house is undergoing landscaping work. So now we have 5 mini palm trees (I think that's what they are) in the garden, and a lot of nice-looking Filipino grass (don't ask me how they differ from pearl grass and what-nots) plus lotsa cute white pebbles in all kinds of shapes. Nice :)
... Oops, I shouldn't have said "my" house earlier. I meant, my parents' house. My house, the one I co-own with KF (hehe) is something that has taken up most of my time during the weekend - furniture shopping, price-comparison shopping, etc.
And so, that was my weekend. I'm trying to see if I can squeeze in a weekend to travel down to Singapore, but first have to see what kinda workload my boss is planning for me (because sometimes that workload eats into my weekends). Ah well. It's nice to see that the days are flying by happily :)
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Mid-year review
Which is past due.
Still.
It's here - my to-do list for 2006.
My to-do list for 2006:
1. Finish my thesis by 28 February.
Done! Yippee - got my MSc certificate in the post last night too! A bit of an anti-climax actually, because the cert was literally just a piece of hard paper. Ah well.
2. Complete the 2nd year of my valuer's log book by 30 June (reminds me that I need to speak to my boss for more acquisition cases).
Hmm. I haven't done this. The deadline's by mid-September. I should get down to this.
3. Completed Task 1 for my valuer's license by 31 December.
Okay, as soon as no. 2 is completed, I should do this.
4. Renovated and decorated our new house.
In progress :) This is where all those reward points from credit cards and loyalty cards get put to good use. And this is also where I put my MSc-learnt research skills to good practice. And oh yes, this is also the time where I learn to layer on a few inches of skin and bargain down prices like nobody's business.
5. Travel to London for my graduation and visit Paris.
Yay - done this! :) But not Paris, that can be another time.
6. Make a trip to Redang Island.
Not exactly Redang, but Lang Tengah - which is supposed to be even better! It was bliss, and then some :)
7. Organize one family trip.
Okay, to be honest, I don't see this happening. I have absolutely no more leave left. But, it may happen. There's about 5 more months to the end of the year.
8. Do something for my own spiritual and emotional development (I realized that is lacking in my yearly things-to-do).
Yes, I found something - reading. More particularly, Jodi Picoult. She is good. Very thought-provoking, and after every book, you learn something. And yesterday night, I was sitting in bed, and realized that my emotional control is quite praise-able. It's much easier now to consciously tell myself to stop being angry or stressed and just simmer back down to a neutral emotion. But, I know what my initial goal was : to find someone to emulate, to be a better person. A tad bit too general, this goal.
9. Look out for better professional positions.
This is not gonna happen this year.
So, now I know what else I have left to do with the rest of the 5 months in the year. Always good to have set clear targets. 'Least I know I didn't just fly past the year in a blur.
Still.
It's here - my to-do list for 2006.
My to-do list for 2006:
1. Finish my thesis by 28 February.
Done! Yippee - got my MSc certificate in the post last night too! A bit of an anti-climax actually, because the cert was literally just a piece of hard paper. Ah well.
2. Complete the 2nd year of my valuer's log book by 30 June (reminds me that I need to speak to my boss for more acquisition cases).
Hmm. I haven't done this. The deadline's by mid-September. I should get down to this.
3. Completed Task 1 for my valuer's license by 31 December.
Okay, as soon as no. 2 is completed, I should do this.
4. Renovated and decorated our new house.
In progress :) This is where all those reward points from credit cards and loyalty cards get put to good use. And this is also where I put my MSc-learnt research skills to good practice. And oh yes, this is also the time where I learn to layer on a few inches of skin and bargain down prices like nobody's business.
5. Travel to London for my graduation and visit Paris.
Yay - done this! :) But not Paris, that can be another time.
6. Make a trip to Redang Island.
Not exactly Redang, but Lang Tengah - which is supposed to be even better! It was bliss, and then some :)
7. Organize one family trip.
Okay, to be honest, I don't see this happening. I have absolutely no more leave left. But, it may happen. There's about 5 more months to the end of the year.
8. Do something for my own spiritual and emotional development (I realized that is lacking in my yearly things-to-do).
Yes, I found something - reading. More particularly, Jodi Picoult. She is good. Very thought-provoking, and after every book, you learn something. And yesterday night, I was sitting in bed, and realized that my emotional control is quite praise-able. It's much easier now to consciously tell myself to stop being angry or stressed and just simmer back down to a neutral emotion. But, I know what my initial goal was : to find someone to emulate, to be a better person. A tad bit too general, this goal.
9. Look out for better professional positions.
This is not gonna happen this year.
So, now I know what else I have left to do with the rest of the 5 months in the year. Always good to have set clear targets. 'Least I know I didn't just fly past the year in a blur.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
This time
The 1st day of the 8th month in the 6th year of the 21st century. Dramatic leh?
But it is, indeed.
When you grow older, time flies a heckuva lot faster. When I was in school, an entire year seemed to take ages to pass. At that time, I always looked forward to Mondays - the start of the week when I get to spend 5 whole days with friends. These days, Mondays are a drag. Maybe if I started looking forward to Mondays, the year will pass slower?
I'd love to have the power to slow time down. Although being 20+ (haha, that looks young hor?) is a fun period of discovery, it's also the decade when responsibilities begin to bog me down and horror of horrors, I realized that I have little lines in my eyes when I smile! (I'm already resigned to the fact of white hairs).
I cannot begin to imagine what being in my 30's will be like. Not just in the physical sense. I wonder if I can still have a sense of fun (which even now, is often quelled by my strong sense of paranoia). Whether I can upkeep a reasonable level of spontaneity. If I would still be able to listen to hitz.fm without cringing. If I can avoid getting too jaded.
I stuffed my list of resolutions for this year somewhere. Need to search it out and do some self-reflections. But, although I want time to slow, it certainly doesn't mean I want it to stop. I'm actually looking forward to next year, a million trillion things to look forward to. I'm sure next year will be great - just need to ensure that this year passes fruitfully, because I'm sure next year will be a whirl :)
But it is, indeed.
When you grow older, time flies a heckuva lot faster. When I was in school, an entire year seemed to take ages to pass. At that time, I always looked forward to Mondays - the start of the week when I get to spend 5 whole days with friends. These days, Mondays are a drag. Maybe if I started looking forward to Mondays, the year will pass slower?
I'd love to have the power to slow time down. Although being 20+ (haha, that looks young hor?) is a fun period of discovery, it's also the decade when responsibilities begin to bog me down and horror of horrors, I realized that I have little lines in my eyes when I smile! (I'm already resigned to the fact of white hairs).
I cannot begin to imagine what being in my 30's will be like. Not just in the physical sense. I wonder if I can still have a sense of fun (which even now, is often quelled by my strong sense of paranoia). Whether I can upkeep a reasonable level of spontaneity. If I would still be able to listen to hitz.fm without cringing. If I can avoid getting too jaded.
I stuffed my list of resolutions for this year somewhere. Need to search it out and do some self-reflections. But, although I want time to slow, it certainly doesn't mean I want it to stop. I'm actually looking forward to next year, a million trillion things to look forward to. I'm sure next year will be great - just need to ensure that this year passes fruitfully, because I'm sure next year will be a whirl :)
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