Monday again.. blue again.. and flying off again...

Well.. Monday again.. and blue again.. Why? Hmm.. no answer other than I am just plain lazy! HA HA HA HA...

Actually it is not that bad today since I will only be in my office for 4 hours in the morning. Will be off to a meeting at the city. Then tomorrow I will be off for business trip again. This time to Singapore for 4 days 3 nights. Will be back on Friday late night. Since this is the last planned business trip of the year! I can't wait to have it over! Hee.. but I bet in the future you will be reading some posts from me saying that I am bored of office bound job and wished I am travelling. Well.. there is really no perfect solution is there?

This trip I will be on MAS so it won't have the unreasonable flight delay like Air Asia, which reminds me that I haven't told you about the previous flight delay with Air Asia delayed our flight for 3 hours without notification. Apparently if this is the case they should give you some travel voucher for next trip.. i mean if they have not notify you of the flight 'retime'. I am not a frequent flyer on Air Asia and hence the 'retime' issue really annoys me. Now.. it is plain and simple a flight delay but of course 'retime' sounds better. When I relate this experience of mine to a lot of the other more frequent flyer of Air Asia they actually think that I was lucky because it was only for 3 hours and also I found out sort of in advance (when I reached the airport for check in). There are those who only got the notification when there were in the departure hall. Worse! My sister's in law flight was delayed too recently from 10pm arrival to 10pm departure! My mother in law has also suffered from this flight delay and it was when she was in the departure hall, as a result she has to wait there for nearly 7 hours! GOSH.. is this acceptable? It Just because the air fare is really significantly cheaper that we have to be subjected to this delay and no compensation?? Actually I heard that any flight delay more than 3hours do get compensation.. voucher for the next trip... but do you want to do the next trip?

Sigh.. the things we subject ourselves just to save some money...

Today is the day!

TTB is going to do it TODAY!!!!!

It is difficult to decide when it is the right time. You will always question that whether the right time you 'feel' it is.. is actually the right time for it to happen. Is it just because of thinking and analysing too much? Or getting impatient of waiting for it to happen and hence taking matters to your own hands?

Well, regardless of what the reason is, I always believe that.. 1) we will regret on things we didn't do more than things we have done (I am saying small matters here and not those serious case ya!) and 2) if you try you at least will know, if you don't you will never know. So a lot of times, it is the question of: " Can you live with it for not knowing? " or " Find out later that you have missed the perfect opportunity?" or " Find out later that it could have been but not anymore!".
Of course, a lot of you out there will say that somethings are better left unknown/unsaid. Well, we can go into all sorts of debate regarding this matter. hee...

Air Asia

Humph! My flight was delayed (or Air Asia said 'retime') but we weren't NOTIFIED!!!!!!!!!! Only found out when we arrived at the airport and have to wait for nearly 3 hours!

Hee.. but too sleepy now to tell you the full story.. till later! Pls keep tuning in! =p

Poor Mom

We planned it so well.. to have lunch at Petaling Street and then for mom to send us to the Sentral station and off we go to KK to visit hubby's parents. As we unloaded our luggage and wave mom good bye.. everything is good. We rushed to the coach to LCCT.. on board of the coach and I was really sleepy.. then half way there, my mobile rang.. it was mom asking for the house keys! So i told her calmly that the keys were where she asked me to leave it in the car... but no.. suddenly my hubby told me that he has taken it! OH NO!!!!!!! So poor mom has no keys to go into the house!

So she has to resolve to asking my sis to drive all the way from work to home for her... just something that was taken out of habit but the consequences .. sigh.. but luckily my cousins are now staying just a few houses down the same street and they managed to find the spare key to let mom into the house. But unfortunately for sis that she has to go ALL the way home and turn back. Sorry sis!!!!!!!!!!

Saving petrol consumption.. how?

Very recently the Malaysia government has lifted the subsidised petrol cost in Malaysia. The increase of petrol prices shot up 40% overnight and this really do cause a lot of moaning and stress. Especially for me since I travel between two states to work. Not to mention only the petrol cost.. with this increment basically everything will be more expensive. Just imagine this.. there is not a single consumable products in the market that is not directly or indirectly link to petrol. Regardless of what, they will need to be transported from somewhere.. and this is the link of most product! OUCH! Now.. think about the increment of electricity cost, water...etc.. OUCH OUCH and OUCH!

Today when I was back at office after 2 weeks away, this was the major topic of discussion. So.. in order to save petrol consumption, these are some of the suggestions I heard:

1) Do not travel out for lunch, do pack lunch!
2) Cycle to work.
3) Get a motorbike licence and 'car pool' with a colleague to share the petrol cost on the motorbike. Superbly cheap this way!
4) Always insist the VP to drive and you be the passenger so the higher management people pay for the petrol (which is paid by the company anyway).
5) Give up your car, move next to the office and walk to work.

What will you do to save fuel consumption?

Moving house ...

Was helping my aunt's family to move in to their new house yesterday. Their new house project actually started a while ago. Excluding buying and selling house, this project has been on for nearly a month. Took a week to do the painting (DIY inside only), one week of renovation (bits and pieces to fix and redo the door + gate), then one week of cleaning.. and finally yesterday they moved in. They looked so happy despite being totally exhausted! hee..

La Place, Amsterdam

I recently stumble across this AMAZING place during my trip at Amsterdam.

Initially, we didn't know what the building was (since we both don't read Dutch) but guessed that it must be library since it is filled with books. As we gazed upon this building from outside we saw people sitting at the balcony right on top of the building and it looks really relaxing. Hence we went in, travelled up the escalator to 6th floor.. and there we were at the cafe house/restaurant called 'La Place'. I highly recommend this place and if you ever go to Amsterdam, PLEASE make sure you give yourself a few hours at this place. As I walked into the library i felt that i have been transform into one of the episode of "hitch hiker guide to galaxy" scene.. but it is for real!

At the ground floor entrance.

Looking up from ground floor entrance.

The view from 1st floor.

The public computer area (they are all MAC).

I have no idea what this futuristic chamber thing is...

Well.. it gave the feeling of tranquility and also very inspiring. I felt that I can spend hours in this library (although I normally fall asleep in a library although I love books!). My colleague and I both ordered a coffee and a tart. The verdict?! OH GOD! MUST TRY THIS! Of course La Place also serve a variety of salads, main courses and amazing juices (according to the guide book, we didn't try any of the juices). The main courses are a selection of meat and seafood that you can choose from with vegetables and they do stir fry/grilled on the spot for you. The price is also quite reasonable hence I highly recommend this.

The dessert counter.. to die for!

Apple tart and ricota fruit tart with coffee.. yum!!!

All gone!

The view from the balcony.

Archive - Now reading: Once and Always

Once and Always by Judith McNaught"It was a marriage of neither of them wanted. She was orphaned, bewildered and newly arrived from America to claim her rightful place in English society. He was black bear of a man - in temperament as well as size. Sought after by every matchmaking mama in London, he terrified the debutantes with his brusque manners and barely concealed sexuality.But in Victoria he had met his match. Young, bereaved, and at first frightened, she quickly measured up to Jason. If not in size, then most certainly in spirit. A war of passion, wit, temper and manners was declared - a battle of a marriage that both were determined to win."Sometimes, I just want to read something none complicated, predictive ending.. just to feel calm.. this is usually the type i go for. Mushy? Maybe.. but it does give the feel good factor!

Posted: 5th June 2008

Keeping track of time...

Recently the full meaning of what one of my friend once told me hit me with full force! He said:"if you are not in a 4 season country, it is difficult to keep track of time". I used to wonder why and how is it possible for not being able to keep track of time? Now I know...

I used to be very good in remembering what I have done in a year, recently I realised that my brain stored this information by remembering what clothes I wore, what was the temperature, how was the weather, were there any leaves on the tress, whether i have Hay fever ..etc..etc.. Since I settle back in Malaysia, I find that it is difficult. I filled in my leave application forms wrongly last week! Instead of June I wrote May. Gosh.. 5 months have passed since I started this new job. Where has time gone? Is it because I am too busy hence I forgot which month it is now? Or because I am getting old? Well, I would like to think that it is the former. But.. I do realise that I can't seem to remember the past events very well... because it is warm all the time in Malaysia! Everyday is the same.. every month is the same! Sun rise and sun set almost the same everyday!!!!! Although I did notice that the wind changes at the end of the year and certain months rain more than others, but these are minor in comparison to snow and street filled with leaves. When you are in a 4 season country, you can observe time pass by.. by just seeing the changes around you. You know that when the leaves started to turn from green to yellow/red/brown.. Autumn is here. You can sense winter is here by the dip in temperature... spring is finally here when you wake up one day and see leaves start growing on trees when you walk down the street.. on top of that there is also the duration you see the sunlight per day. All these factors do have a significant effect on how you remember things! I realise it now...

Hmm... I do get worried with my mental state sometimes, or I shall say the forgetfulness I seems to find myself recently. I am not used to make mistakes like filling in the wrong date! GOSH! What is happening??

Well, perhaps is also my frequent business trip. I lost a day in the plane due to the time difference. Depart at Amsterdam at 9am on Tuesday but arrive at 4pm in Malaysia on Wednesday. I guess this kind of schedule does do strange things to my brain. Well, it is 3am Malaysia time and I am still sitting in front of the computer writing a blog. Jet lag!!! No wonder my brain is having difficulty remembering things. HAAAAAA....