Nervous

I know there's probably not much to worry about. It's not something which I have not dealt before. It's not, at all, something new. C'mon, judging from where I came from, this will probably be just a piece of cake. But, as with all uncertainties, the anxiety just pops in. The fear of not knowing what to expect. The fear of being judged. The fear of not being able to fit in.

Ah, perhaps I just got to suck it all in and put on my best foot forward. I should trust myself to be fully equipped to embrace what ever lies ahead.

Wish me luck!

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Yet another last day

Last working day that is.

So, as I go around, bidding my farewells, I was relieved to dump all the unsolved problems and uncompleted work to my replacement, whom reported to work just today. Yea, I am mean.

This time around, I didn't feel reluctant. Or hesitant. Or sad even. Just glad. And very relieved. Phew! Finally I can let it all go and leave the place. Which was after all, not as great as I thought it would be.

Well then, all the best to them! Let's hope that they'll grow and prosper.

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Sinful bliss

Guilty with pleasure.

I was at work last week when all the rest were still on holiday. So, the mischievous side pop up and since no one was watching, I shut the door, pulled down the blinds, sat back, inserted a DVD into the laptop and waaa-laaaaa....


And to be exact, I've not only watched 1.....but 3 movies on that same day!

Ahhhh....the advantages of having your own room.......

*smiles*

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Universal Studios Singapore

So, I managed to coax a friend into traveling down south for the Raya holidays. The boredom has reached it heights and it just felt like I got to get out of the house and go some where. The lodgings and the entrance tickets were bought at the very last minute, which was half a day before the trip. Surprisingly, and luckily, not only were they still available, they were very very very reasonable as well.

We put up at Thistle Hotel, Johor Bahru. In case you are wondering, it's on the same stretch as Danga Bay and around 5 minutes drive to the Woodlands checkpoint. Like I said, for a last minute booking which coincided with the festive season, we had been very very lucky. Our room had a full view of the sea and it came with a rather spacious bath tub. So, after the 4 hours drive, all we did was soaked ourselves in the tub and enjoyed the fireworks display on the hotel bed at night.

The initial expectation of the Studio was rather high, after all the hype and the "hoo-hah" that was made out of it. But after that one day tour of the entire place, I didn't think that it was that grand after all. I wouldn't return for a second visit. Perhaps part of the reason could be attributed to the heat and the endless crowd. Perhaps another reason would be the age factor. I'm no longer 10 you see. But I do give them credit for their excellent customer service and the fact that they gave employment opportunities to senior citizens.

The place housed 6 themes. And you could cover them all in one day. Provided you get in right when they open and leave right when they close. It's rather standard for all of them. Each theme boasts 1 or 2 shows, food stalls, souvenier shops and perhaps another 1 or 2 rides. We skipped the rides. I bet you would too when the queue was like snake long. No point "fighting" with kids and their parents. But we did waited in line for 45 minutes for a 15 minutes 4D Shrek movie. Under the scorching heat of the sun. It was worth it. Oh, another thing to applaud the Studio. All of their shows had been fantastic. We ended the day with a little winning at the casino. Hah! At least the parking fare was taken cared of.

 

 

 

 

Oh, and one more thing. Did caught up briefly with Kenny and Jac in JB. Nothing could be more perfect than to meet up old friends over a glass of beer. Just like the good old days. They are doing well and fine. Some people just never change. :)

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Companion

Why is it just so tough? Why is it just so difficult? Why couldn't I just get what I want? It's not really that too much to ask for. All I ask for is just someone who could share my passion. Someone who could share my interest, my dreams, my likes.

I like to have afternoon tea at Starbucks. I like to hit the pool on weekends. I like to catch blockbuster movies. I like to go for spontaneous holidays. I enjoy getting my hair done. I enjoy pampering myself with spas & massages. I like doing something new every day. I like visiting new places. I like trying new food. I like new sceneries.

The world is your oyster. There is so much to do. So much to learn. Just where is this person who could do all these with me? Just where is this one person who could share all these experiences with me? I have not ask for more. All I'm asking is only for ONE person. And yet this is so hard to fulfill. So hard to be granted.

I do envy them. I do envy those that have found such person....

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Shopaholic?

My closet is over loaded. I'm out of space to store my clothes. There are some that have been forgotten and not been worn. And mum shakes her head in disbelief every time she walks into my room.

Thus, now, I am refraining myself from further purchases of clothes. Not from the malls. Not from bazaars. Not from online webpages. No more dresses. No more tops. No more bottoms. No more sweaters.

Not until for another few months. Possible?

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Love and the Void

I find this article so true. True on a personal level. True to what I believe in.

And to quote a phrase which I totally agree :
Anything that we depend on beyond ourselves to make us feel good and safe, is undependable.

It says it all, here:
http://liveandinspire.com/creativearts/love-and-the-void/

Alas, there is someone with the same beliefs out there.

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Fine Dining

It wasn't actually planned for. The plan had been for some where else. But due to my "blur-ness", I ter-booked the wrong place and we ended up there instead. Which, in the end, was not a bad thing after all. At least, now I know that there is such an out-of-the-ordinary fine dining restaurant in the heart of KL city.

Now, I don't usually blog about places to eat. But as I stumbled upon this amazing place, hidden in the concrete jungles of KL, I couldn't resist to snap a few pictures and to spread a word about the place.

I now introduce to you, Tamarind Springs - fine Indochinese cuisine.

That's the entrance, after driving 'forever' up hill.  

Just a small wooden door.

And the view after you stepped through the entrance.

No, no restaurant yet. Continue on walking down the pathway.

Ahh, might as well stop to pose.

Stairway to a fish pond further inside.

 Note the small candles on the sides.

 

Finally, here it is!

Welcome snacks. 

Keropok & some shrimps.

Appetizer. Tamarind platter.

Looks yucky but very yummy.

 

They called it 'the tree top' restaurant.

 Now you know why.

Another view of the setting.

 The lounge.

The bar.

The main course. 

Beef in coconut milk & vege mix tofu.

The Tamarind special.

The dessert. Gelati Misti.

Guess what? 

One lovely 'candlestick'.

Okay. Now, to answer some regular questions.

What's on their menu? What type of food do they serve?
It's a mixture of Laos, Cambodian & Vietnamese dishes. Served either individually or mixture of all three together.

What are the prices like?
It ranges from RM25-RM45 per dish. Some might consider it reasonable, some might not.

Where are they situated?
Jalan 1, Taman Tunku Abdul Rahman, Ampang. You will need to head kinda deep in to reach the place. So, not to worry if you feel like driving on forever.  You'll see the sign soon enough.

What about their service?
Excellent. And very polite. Yes, of course they speak English.

Ohh. One more thing to note. As seen from the pictures that they are situated in a forest, so don't be too surprised to dine with monkeys. You'll get to see them up close on the trees, just maybe next to your table.

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Of Weddings and Marriages

Of late, this topic is HUGE. You'll know by just logging into Facebook. Every week, pictures after pictures are being posted up. The proposal. The registration. The white wedding gown. The bouquet. The photo shoots etc etc. As if every teeny weeny pre-wedding arrangement has been posted up. The most absurd one which I've seen is the comparison of dinner menus between different restaurants.

I am not a big fan of marriages. Really.

I have watched many walk down the aisle. More will be taking that walk in the coming months or years. It has come to a time for many to hop on to this next phase of life. To settle down and to start a family. Society has a rather specific time line for this. And for my generation, this is exactly the right time to get into one. I have blessed all of them for a happily ever after marriage life. I seriously hope that they do. Seriously.

There are some who really are in love. There are some who really wanted to spent the rest of their lives with each other. It is by sitting in the audience of these weddings that you'd feel touched, watching them grow over the years to finally pronouncing their vows to each other. You'd just feel genuinely happy for them.

But there are also some who did it for the sake of peer pressure. Or for the sake of their families. Or maybe they thought it was "just about time". The entire ceremony was planned lavishly, only for the marriage to end up in problems and divorces. Blaming it all on irreconciliable differences. Foolish, I would say. To get into something which was not throughly thought about. Harsh as it may sound, I don't pity them.

As conventional as I wanted to be, I no longer put marriage on my "to-do" list, like what I used to. It won't be something to be aimed for. So long as two person are comfortable being together, it really doesn't matter whether you have it on black and white, does it? After all, who could guarantee that marriage is forever? Who could guarantee that you'd stay faithful to each other after you've have it on paper? Who could guarantee that you'd lead a blissful life after you've walked down the aisle in that white gown? There are no guarantees. There have been no guarantees as to matters of the heart. So it doesn't have to be taken so seriously either.

So what if I do not have the "Mrs" title in front of my name? So what if I prefer to remain as a "Ms"? Does that make me a different person? No. Does that make me loose out? No. Does that make me "crippled"? No. The only implication is being judged by society. To which I don't really care. Cause if I'm going to let society depict who I choose to be, then I won't be being myself.

Marriage is after all just a ceremony. A ceremony that has been commercialised.

What is your take on marriage?

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Thank you EY

When it comes to job hunting and job applications, I guess I got to thank EY for lending their name.

Of all the interviews that I've attended, it was always mentioned that I was being shortlisted due to my experiences in an international accounting firm. Well, perhaps all the late nights are paid off in this manner.

Whether or not I aced the interview, it's a totally different matter. But at least, I'd get the first meeting with ease. :)

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Reflections

On days when I look in the mirror, I see a reflection that is confident and poised. A reflection that smiles back and knows that life has been treating it with grace.

On other days when I look in the mirror again, I see a reflection that is slumped and uncertain. A reflection that no longer smiles and wanted to know why has life being unfair.

We bring out our own reflections, in different stages. Inevitably.

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You ain't leaving

The boss hinted that to me.

Right the other day when we were having a talk on business issues. The talk spiraled to certain staffing matters and then to recruitment issues.

She specifically said, "You know, I read this from an article, no matter which company you are working for, it's always best to stay there for at least 2 years. It's never good to job hop too often. It won't look nice on your CV." With a rather serious tone.

I wonder if she already knows that I am on the look out. ;)

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Happy Mother's Day

 

Just for mum.

Like no other.

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Koh Lipe, Thailand

I know. No one has ever heard of it. At least, none of those that I know. 'Where?" was the common question when I told people that I would be away for a vacation to Koh Lipe. It's pronounced as koh lee-pae by the way.

Here's where it is.

And those are the routes to get there. The easiest? From Langkawi. Just take a flight to Langkawi. Make your way to the Telaga Harbour. Board the speedboat and you'll reach the island in an hour. But beware that the speedboat service from Langkawi is only available during their peak season, which is from November to April. Other than that, you got to fly to Thailand, make your way to any of those islands on the map and board the speedboat from there.


It is a relatively small island. One hour to complete touring the entire island, on foot.

We had chosen to stay on Pattaya beach. Cause that's the area which is the most happening. The chosen accomodation : Sita Beach Resort and Spa. Just newly built earlier this year and considered as one of the most expensive resorts on the island, by the locals. But in fact, to us tourists, it's considered affordable, with only RM100 per person per night. Not only that, they've got top notch service. Imagine feeling like a royalty the moment you step into the lobby.

 

 

 

They've got buggy services to bring you around the resort. They have porters to carry your luggages. They respond to your requests very promptly.  They make cute little animals out of bath towels to welcome you. They provide showers and hoses at the entrance for you to clean up. They are all smiles every hour everyday. And you could grab as many bath towels when ever you go out to sea. Now this is how a holiday should be.

 
As you can see, there aren't any jetties on the island. You've got to constantly jump in and out of the tailboats to and from the island. The tailboats are what they use to ferry people around as speedboats can't make their way to the beach. That's another fun thing to do. The jumping in and out.


Unlike most islands, this is one which hasn't been polluted. The water is clear. The sand is white and soft. Corals and  fishes are abundant. If you are lucky, you'll get to see sea snakes and eels. It was a regret that none of us had an underwater camera. I would love to keep those pictures. We spent 2 days snorkeling under the scorching heat of the sun. You'll find tonnes of snorkeling packages on the island itself. Costing approximately RM150 to RM200 per tailboat. No worries if you can't swim, just let the boatman know and he'll use the float to bring you around. Nice chap.

 

Other than snorkelings, divings, kayakings, island hoppings and other water activities, there are other things to do on the island. There is this street within walking distance, called the Walking Street, where you'll find stalls offering tonnes of Thai food, seafood, snacks and bars. Massage parlours are aplenty, with prices as low as RM30 per hour. You'll find minimarts, a pharmacy, tatoo parlours, cafes, underwater accessories stalls, souveniers as well as bikinis stalls all along the street.

 

 

Beware of stray dogs and cats on the island. They don't bite and they don't attack. All they do is linger between your feet and sitting next to your tables in cafes and restaurants, waiting to be fed. The locals pay no heed to them. They are free to roam all over the island. That dog in the picture above is a rare breed. Or is it a wolf?

And finally, this is something that has not been posted up on Facebook, due to certain reasons.

 

Yes, I had been in a bikini. I figured that I got to try it at least once in a lifetime. Might as well do it when I'm still young and Koh Lipe is the perfect place to wear one. It is full of mat salleh in bikinis and no weirdo is gonna stare at you like they are gonna eat you. And besides, I went with an all female group. All the more the courage.

I do love the beach. Calm, peaceful and serene. Nothing but the waves and the stars.

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