reflections 2008

how time flies. 2008 is now approaching to an end soon.

it's been a very roller coaster year. there are some high times and there are the low times.

i've experienced some interesting instances since the beginning of the year. some has been good, some has been not so good. the best thing that's happened is that i've finally completed my part time course after some struggle along the way.

overall, i've no regrets in all that's happened. everything that happened has gave me some lessons.

i just hope to do some major revamping of my life in the coming year.

i leave you with this pic of one of the most majestic monuments in the world :

another place of my dream i've just been to.

i'm done, finally

i can now say i'm finally done with the studies. didn't get a good grade, but it's still a pass.

it's a sweet birthday present that nothing else can buy.

but to make it a not so good celebration, i'm down with the flu today. spent the whole day lying around. reading makes the head hurt.

ok, that's all for the latest update. head's starting to spin already.

minor gripes about life for now

exam's just over. i'll praying hard that i've managed to answer enough to get a pass. i'm contented just to pass and get it over and done with. the assignments marks has given just enough marks.
i've just got a new project manager. now i'm answering to a fresh grad who not only doesn't have any work experience, he's also very much younger.
now, suddenly i feel like getting a diploma is not enough. you're still a white collared worker, but it can only take you up to a limited level. you still have to report to somebody with a degree. that piece of paper gives the person more responsibility and not to mention a very much higher salary scale. i've been working for almost 10 years and now i've to report to somebody who just got their first job.
talking about jobs, i'm now a little aprehensive in trying to apply to new jobs. although i did mention that taking a degree was just to see how far i can go, i think i'd still like to see what value that piece of paper would give me. in this economic downturn, you hear news of people losing their jobs and i'm grumbling about having to report to a newbie.
(ok, i realise that i'm contradicting myself in the second and third paragraph)
graduation from poly in 1998 pushed me right into the asian economic crisis. i spent almost a year looking for a job, landing into some temporary jobs along the way.
then came the minor downturn in 2001/2002. i missed getting affected since i was still new to this job. now the downturn is here again. this time, i got burnt a little more but i know i'll still survive.
i put in a huge chunk of my savings into some investment stock only to see the value drop like stone in water a few weeks after buying it. then came the american investment company going bust causing myy cpf investment to drop in value too. the melamine case in china simply 'helped' since part of the investment was linked to growth of china. i hope that i'll get at least my capital value back even if i don't get much or any profits.
yesterday, i did something i didn't expect i would do. an early morning sms resulted in a trip to the Singapore Expo Exhibition Halls. there was an MPH books sale, Crocs sale and some other offers.
when we first looked at the queue to enter the Crocs sale, we decided not to enter the sale at all. but an encounter with a very satisfied purchaser of the Crocs footwear convinced us to queue up. well, the line to enter the hall was moving and we finally got into the hall in an hour. but the next queue really tested my patience and strength. i stood for four (4) hours to pay. by the time i'm done paying, i was so hungry and my body was just telling me to shut down.
but after looking at the result of the ordeal, i'm very happy with what i did. would i do it again? maybe if the products are really worth it. no pictures cos i didn't feel like taking them.

Salam Lebaran

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin from Jamal Family :

it's really late, but it's still Syawal :)

another gadget

i think i have to be restrained from entering anymore computer or IT exhibitions. next time, somebody please chain me.

just came back from COMEX and temptation got the better of me. bought a new mp3/media player.

i've been on a gadget buying spree this year. first was the new PDA, next was the laptop and now the media player.

i barely blinked my eyes when buying these gadgets, but when it comes to bags or shoes or other items mainly coveted by the fellow species, i'll get taken aback. i think i need to invest in a really durable and classic designed bag to carry these items. the bags i carry don't last me as long as i use these gadgets. *LOL*

mac & pc users

extracted from Reader's Digest (Singapore) August 08, page 15:

MAC USERS ARE

ARROGANT SNOBS

If you've seen those Apple advertisements on TV with a young, hip Mac user versus an old, slow PC user, you should get the idea that there's a bit of rivalry between the opposing computer camps. But why?

Because they have wholly different personality traits, say branding experts. Mindset Media, a US branding company that analyses the relationship between consumer behaviour and personality, surveyed 7500 Mac and PC owners. Its findings? Mac users are "snobs".

In comparison to PC owners, they're likely to visit Starbucks for coffee more often, buy organic products and drive a hybrid car. Mindset Media says that people who purchase Macs fall into what it calls the "Openness 5" personality category - which means they are more liberal, less modest and more assured of their own superiority than the population at large.

The rivalry continues...

who, me?? a snob?? let's just say i'm different from the rest. i rest my case.

presenting to you the newest family member

next, need to upgrade the handphone.
i'm such a gadget freak...

delivered

i'm so excited that i can't wait to get home today.
it's been so long since i'm this excited. hehe...

new baby

last friday, after contemplating for so long, i've finally decided. the confirmation from the rebate centre made the decision final.
wait for the pics of the new baby soon.
i'm so excited.

last saturday...

watched fireworks in the rain.
very interesting experience.

it's june already

half a year is already here.
how time flies.
i need a good long break before i get busy again.
after this, i'm going to search for better pastures.
it's getting too mundane here.

if it's free, i'm there

last year
this year :



for this snaking queue, it took less than 30 min for me to get to the end point.

this 'cow' starts dancing when you put some money in the box it's standing on.

my 'loot', chocolate fudge brownie

on a high

a dose of cough syrup followed by coffee afterwards.
makes an interesting combo.
interesting feeling too.
try it someday.
really, do try...

i got me a new toy

last night, the sister and me braved the IT Show crowd to look for a bargain for a new tv and a new toy for myself.
the night ended with getting a pretty good deal on a new tv set and a new toy for me.
here's my new toy :

it was a little sad to part with the old toy but this one was too tempting to resist. besides, i've not spent on anything major for myself lately. the old toy will be passed on to a new owner very soon.

to all women

it's International Women's Day today.
enjoy the day :)

for you, a thousand times over

i have just finished reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. the story is not a very heavy read, but it is just filled with so much emotions. the movie's already out, but i don't know if i want to watch it.
i have been reading quite a lot lately. reading books made into movies to be exact. movies don't do much justice to books in my opinion. while it can potray the scenery and settings of the story, it doesn't really bring the true emotion of the book through. some movies even omit certain parts to keep the movie at a time limit.
take for example, Harry Potter. watching the movie after reading the book is such a disappointment. the movie is like another dimension. it only extracted some key points from the books and leaves out the reason behind it. certain characters who were potrayed prominently in the book were not in the movie version of the series.
given a choice of a movie or a book, i'd pick the book. nothing beats the feeling of immersing yourself into a book. it's like the world doesn't matter just for that moment while you have the book in your hand.
i've got my next read in hand. will be starting on it very soon.

this is it

this comment has stayed with me since it has been mentioned. at that point of time, i still have a few more modules to take so i just didn't bother to look around.
last week, something that is not my responsibility to monitor was made into a very big issue. i admitted to overlooking my part of the responsibility, but the person who is supposed to monitor that particular item was not even questioned.
after the above comment was made, i have lost the heart to continue working in this place. what made me stay is the thought of having to settle into a new work environment and still studying. didn't know how to adjust since i can do my schoolwork while at work now.
after the one-to-one meeting last monday, i left the room feeling so down and frustrated and dejected. nothing has ever made me feel so bad about myself. he made me feel like i owed him the position i am at right now at work.
i firmly believe in retribution. i will not retaliate as that will make me look even worse than what he has make me look like now. maybe i have become comfortable that i became complacent, but i truly do not believe that i am worse off that what he said i am. i will definitely go before you can have the chance to put me in a worse position.
maybe my journey has to take on a new path. it will be sad to leave the place that i have considered to be my second home for the past 7+ years (i spend more time there than at home). but something has to change sometime or somewhere. it may do me a lot more good that staying here.

so long 2007

the year is now coming to an end. it's been quite a journey.
didn't quite manage to clear something i badly want to see an end to, but it's ok. i'll work very much harder to end it, Insya Allah.
what's important is i manage to go through the year in one piece, Alhamdulillah.
i got through my 20s well too. am now officially in the 30s for a month already. frankly, i don't feel like i'm 30. what's most important is i'm healthy and loving my life.
next step, let's wait for it. i don't have any resolutions to make. will just stay the course as long as i can.
so, here's wishing everyone a good year ahead.

almost there...just one more

just one more exam to go. praying hard i make it...

on leave

will be on leave till thursday. plan is to clean and then make a dress for this raya.
i was planning to start clearing up the pile of mail i've stacked up on the table then the pile of odds & ends in the room.
that was just the plan. till now, all i've done is move things around.
the highlight of the day is......i've got wireless internet!!
and i've got mio tv. 6 months free. nothing much on offer now so i'll have to make do with what's available first.
hope 1 week is enough time for me to do all i've planned for. hehe...