Reflection of 2009

I've not been updating for awhile now. Mainly because I have been busy traveling and taking the easy way out by storing all the happenings and memories in a photo album on facebook. People say pictures paint a thousand words. But just a thought I'm throwing out here, how often do we misconstrue pictures with the wrong words?

As we inch closer to the end of 2009, I look back at the year with gratitude. A year ago, I was at the brink of losing my job with the uncertainty of my then company giving way to the world economy crash. Almost a year ago, I gave up on my 5 yr relationship and decided to soldier on alone in 2009. A year ago, I was eating hawker food and maggie mee five days a week as a staple meal, while leaving away from home. A year ago, I was a fresh grad still reeking of the stench of my photocopied university notes. A year ago, dad was living abroad as well, and the family was separated in 3 ways.

I started my 2009 with uncertainties and many worries. Not knowing if this year will be better than the last. But as fate or karma or buddha or kuanyima would have it, my life shifted gear and started picking up again. I am a firm believer now that good things do happen when you least expect it. It is when you relieve yourself of expectations and worry, and put things into action with the hope and faith that you're doing the best you can, things will fall into place. Call it the law of attraction or whatever, the power of optimism works!

I got a job offer from 3 companies in a week, met someone (or rather saw him in a different light) utterly amazing, accepted the job offer with an NGO, fell in love with amazing, dad got a good offer back home, family is still separated in 3 ways but we're good, had a wonderful year traveling both for business and leisure, had a raise and bonus after half a year, learn so much more professionally, enjoyed working with the company, in addition to having so much fun this year.

There's not a thing from my past I would trade as it had brought me to where I am today. So 2009, thank you for providing the space and time for such wonderful memories. I sincerely hope that 2010 will brim even more with happiness, love, joy and success for me and all my loved ones.

In case I do not post anything before that,
Have a Merry Xmas and an even Happier New Year!

Cheers!

TGIF!

I'm excited till I'm anxious!

Excited with the thought of seeing you again
Anxiously looking at the clock ticking away until I can leave to pick you up
Although it'll only be for a few days, we'll have lots of fun house hunting and costume hunting this weekend. And then it'll be back to phone conversations for another week.

It's a busy month ahead.

But no matter, you're coming home in approximately 2 more hours! :)

*****
Was just thinking last night as well. I miss spending girly time with my mom and sis. And also family dinners. Haven't had one of those in a while where previously we'd have one every weekend without fail.

Everyone's so busy.

Nevermind. It's Friday!

Happy Birthday Lil Brother!

You're all grown up. 19 years old now.
I still remember the toddler you, with soft mob of hair, thick red lips and chubby cheeks talking while sucking in your saliva at the same time.

The games we used to play together- homemade tents, power rangers & barbie dolls, lego, lasi, dress up (:p) and much more..

How i used to endanger your life, bully you.. hehehe (sorry!)

and how i have always felt protective of you.

I had a great childhood partly also because you were a part of it with me.

So many things i want to say to you but i know that you already know. So, i'm just going to once again tell you that you are a wonderful and loving person, although sometimes you need to show it more la, and you will achieve whatever you have set out to achieve. You have shown great integrity and strength in pursuing what you want. I hope you will continue to be the loving boy that you are, and be successful and happy in whatever you aim to do.

Happy 19th Teddy boy!

Love always,
Er Che

ps: have u lost the old man pot belly yet?

brand new working girl

My apologies!! For being MIA for awhile now with no interesting posts. There has been lots going on in my life the past few weeks but i'm not sure where do i start and how do i say it.

Nevermind that. I'm just going to give you a short brief. hehe

I've already started work with my company last week and so far my colleagues are really nice and helpful people. Maybe because most of them are around the same age as i am so i feel quite at home.

My job scope is still pretty new to me. It's a constant challenge since i started and i've got lots to learn! Actually, im still on the fence as to whether this is what i really want to do; because all the while, i've always thought of myself doing PR. Something that i'm really comfortable in doing, and i've always been unsure with doing event planning. Lol. I do it, but i dont like all those calling, selling, etc.

However, when i evaluate and analyse my new job (hehe, i know i know, old habits die hard) it encompasses all the things that i feel for, be it in a good way or bad. Research, organising, planning and managing my events, and meeting people. All rolled into one. Thankfully, i don't have to sell/raise sponsorship.. haha. I hate asking ppl for money.

Best of all, i get to be a project manager in my first job! It's a good platform that allows be to learn how to manage ppl at such an early stage.

Okok, i'm rambling too much about my job. What else happened? The week before i moved here, all the cousins in my batch, except for my sis (what la u) met up in KL after not meeting up together for so many years. Hanging out with them again brought back so many nostalgic feelings- eating buffet, playing monopoly..... We'll try to meet more often k cuzzies? Hopefully we can, what with so many of us overseas.

There are a few health issues at home- mainly mom and grandma. Sigh. What wrong timing! With so many members away from home. Hopefully everything turns out ok and everyone stays healthy and happy. Not to forget, wealthy. :p

Okla, gonna head out to dinner and movie with simon now, our old friday night tradition. :)

Will post more sooon!

Another

I'm back in Tanah Melayu.

Since my last post, another one of my relative passed on. This time, it's my great-grandma who have taken care of us siblings since we were young and spoil us with love and food. I guess this one did not really come as a surprise as she was already almost a century old and is already senile since 3 years ago- ie: old age.

However, i was still taken aback with her passing. Sigh, one after another. Tomorrow's her funeral so we're all going to go down early in the morning for it. I just got back at 3pm, sis will be reaching at 10pm and dad will reach klia around the same time as well. Only my bro won't be attending as he is on his first abroad trip with his gf to Melbourne.

My very first memory of my great-grandma was at home in KL, us siblings were teaching her how to speak english. We were in our early primary school years and i remember clearly the word we were pronouncing to her- noodle.

Goes like this:
Us kids: "Lao ma! Ta (say) noodle"
Lao ma: "luulel"
Us kids: "hahaha bohsi (not like that), nooooodlleee"
Lao ma: "luuuuulelll"

:) She was more than a great-grandma, more like a grandmother.

I hope she is at a more beautiful place and moves on to have a much better next life. One where she does not have to suffer through all the things she did in this life.

I love you Laoma. Thank you for enriching my life and my sibling's as well as the lives of your children, grandchildren's and other great-grandchildren's.

Mambo and more

Mambo last wednesday night with the coursemates was absolutely fun! It's always when things have ended that you just started to appreciate it. Come two more weeks or so, everyone would have jetted off to their choice of place.

A few of the girls (px, fei, jw) were supposed to come by my place to get ready before we head to kl, but these perempuans, took their own sweet time. So while waiting 'patiently' for them, i took out my ol' skool curlers from way back world war one heh, and started curling my hair.

This is the outcome...

But my hair, being naturally straight and artificially sraightened as well, went back to its original form even before we stepped into the club. Lol. How sad is that
Haha, that last picture was supposed to be focusing on my backdrop with minimal narcism. Lol.

Apart from this, my London cousin just got here on Saturday. The last he was here was 8 years ago, so i've brought him to a few places, namely the Attic and Sungei Wang. haha. However, my aunt has brought him to more places for shopping la. He'll be here for 3 weeks, until after his sister's wedding. So there's still loads of time for all his shopping spree. (Almost a decade ago, his sister came during one of our sales and bought up a storm of heels claiming "it's practically free!" haha the exchange rate at that time was like 8 i think. )

I wanna migrate there..

***
My holidays have just started! I've got to start packing for my tioman trip. Sun, sea and booze fun! Ahh Bliss!

After this, Spore and Hanoi! :)

Status: Still Unemployed

the ticking clock

My home's currenly undergoing a minor facelift, what with existing furnitures being shifted around, new furnitures, new flatscreens, new coat of paint, etc. The whole place reeks of new smell, which i like! Because it refreshes the place. :)

Daddy's on the go to replace and repair most things old at home fearing them to spoil whilst he's gone as he wont be around as much anymore. Mum and i feel so helpless when it comes to things like changing the light bulbs, automatic gate failure, and other handyman issues. I especially will feel so lost what with both men in my life being so far away. Who am i going to call now if my car breaks down or when my tyres run out of air? :(

You know, all these while, simon has been the one who pumps the air in my tyre, my dad sometimes, and the workshop sometimes too when i send my car for servicing. I know nuts about my car. Which is very bad i know. I only drive, and pump petrol, occasionally asking the petrol station helpers to check my black oil and water. Guess its good that im going over to Sg after i graduate, so cars will be the least of my worries. Lol.

Nonetheless, i am starting to feel the pang of sadness just thinking about my dad being so far away from home. About not being able to see him often. About not being able to talk to him or be a little girl around him often. Sigh.

It's part and parcel of growing up huh? Where the physical distance between parent and child grows larger and larger.

Such an emo post.

I blame it on the stress of too much work.

*******
On a happier note, simon'll be back on sat for a whole month! Wee! :)

before this grows mold

hello people, here's some of the long awaited pictures from my grandma's grand 70th birthday celebration. hehe, cannot put all la.. takes up too much time.

With her two children, their spouses and her grandchildren all dressed in Oriental theme

Her grandkids!

Emcees for the night
My SEXAY ahma!!! hehehe
My youngest cousin from my mother's side of the family.

And what's an array of photos in my blog without one self absorbed one? ;)

There are more photos of my ahma socializing from one table to another all around the function room. But the stupid connection spoiled it.

It was a great event overall, have i said that already? Haha. Taking into consideration that yours truly was the one organising the programmes. I love my ahma! :)

*****

I did something i have always wanted to do but procrastinated and pushed it aside for a few months now. And on Thursday, i finally did it! Lol, after some gungho-ness from reen.

Behold...................
.
.
.
The New Me!


Let's have another look shall we?


And Simon doesn't know about it yet! SHH!! ngekngekngekngek :p

Byebye long hair..

Happy Father's Day

Dearest daddy,

I know i have not been as good a daughter as i possibly can be. However, please do know that i am constantly trying my best and being not only the best daughter but the best person that you have taught me to be.

We have grown to be much closer in this past year, and i truly enjoy my time spent with you, be it driving to and fro from work or just joking around at home. Sometimes, i look at you and i dont want to grow up. For i want to always be your little girl. The one who runs to your lap whenever you sit, and be carried by you to my room everytime i fall asleep in the car.

Though i know that, grow up i must. I promise to appreciate what you do for us more. And i promise to listen to your advice and lectures, for i know you only want what's best for me.

Thanks dad! For being the best father anyone could ever hope for. :)

Dad with my youngest cousin, cher yenn.

Happy Mother's Day

to all mothers everywhere
for their hardship in bringing up naughty children and still love them

For me, i do not only have one wonderful mother, but two! hehe..

My ever youthful Mother, who has never wavered in her believes for her three dirty disciplineless children. hehe ok, we're not that bad la.

And my darling GrandMother, whom is always there taking care of our every business, walking us home from primary school, cooking our meals and telling us all sorts of stories from a gazillion years ago.
Thank you for everything. Sorry if we didn't make a huge fuss out of Mother's Day like we did when we were younger, but it seems wrong to only make a fuss out of you guys only one day in a year when we can spread it out throughout the year. :)

We love you!