Taking everything in a stride

I do kinda hate Murphy's Law sometimes, whereby Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

I hate it when things go wrong, as it is really annoying when things don't go according to the plan.

It is hard to plan and organize events, and to minimize issues, and yet things crop up one after another.
I tried to accept everything calmly, but seems like sometimes being too nice is really just plain silly as people would just end up taking advantage of you.
I did not lose my temper, but I guess I was just not that cool when people are all stepping over me.
I had to do something, to make my statement clear to make sure that things get done.

I know things will not be perfect, although I want them to be.
I want to enjoy the process, and I will, so, I will just tell myself that everything will be fine.

Things happen all at the same time and I am caught up with one after another.
I will not let them take me down, things will be fine, they will, they always do.

All I need is just faith and a happy smile =)

2011 - A Year of Joy and Hope

The Year of 2011 started with a word, CHANGE.

Yes, this year proved to be a very challenging and different year for myself, as I am making changes in my life.
Both changes are taking place at different times, but yet, you can consider them at the same time as well.

It is a decision made by myself, and it is a very courageous and challenging decision, if I may say so.
I have decided to take this step, despite knowing that it is not an easy path and yet, it is the time for me to do something about it.

That's the first change!

The second change to take place in my life, is that I am about to enter another phase in my life! =)
Hehehe, actually it's pretty much the same as the first, as both also means different phases in life (sounds the same), but they are both equally different.

I may sound mysterious, but that's because I intend to be!
I want it to be kept a secret but the second one will slowly be revealed anyway.

Both CHANGES are about to bring JOY and HOPE to my life, and I am excited to slowly bring these two into my life as well.

It is exciting and yet at the same time challenging, but I am ready to take this next plunge.
That's what life is all about, right?

I don't want to just live to conventions and just being plain Jane, it is time to make a difference and for it to start, I am to make the change!

2011 - I am looking forward to a great year of CHANGE which will in turn bring me HOPE and JOY!!~

How about your 2011? =)

The most precious thing in life

This may differ from one to another, but to me, the most precious thing in life is faith and love.

Being able to believe and to love is no doubt, priceless as not a lot of people can have the courage to do that.

We are all caught up in the physical burdens and stresses of life that we often overlook to care for our loved ones and to spend a moment or two with them, and without ourselves realizing it, time has flown by so fast, and sometimes we may even lose them.
It is useless then to wish that we could turn back time to be able to appreciate them more.

I constantly remind myself of this fact, and try to spend as much time as I can with my parents.
As I look at them each time I am home, it struck me how old they are getting and the age is showing in the evident gray hair and their faces.
They are not as quick as before, taking time to do things.
This is all part of the natural process of aging, and I know that one day, I will be like that too.

I am aware that they are aging, and I try to spend as much time as possible with them as I live away from home, that I tend to neglect catching up with my friends in town when I am home.
It is not an easy decision, but I would choose my parents as they were the ones who brought me up and gave me much love and tender loving care to mould me into who I am today.

I can stand here today and be proud of what I have because of them.

To me, to be able to see them smile and be happy and not shed a tear, is the most precious thing.
To me, to remember what they have done and to be able to provide to my best ability for them is the most precious thing.
To me, to be able to be thankful for their presence and love for me, is the most precious thing.

To me, They are the most precious thing in life, and I thank God for them and all my loved ones in my life =)

Celebrating another year of wisdom

A year ago, I was sitting there, making a wish that 2010 will be a great year and that I am going to live every moment happily.
In just a blink of an eye (it really feels like it!), it is another year again, and the first thing that came to my mind is, were my wishes fulfilled? Have I done what I am supposed to, to make my wishes come true as well?

It made me think, what have I achieved in the past one year, and am I proud of myself today?

Yeah, I used to look forward to my birthday so much every single year like a child.
To me, it's the happiest day in that one year (and as I always say every single year, next to Christmas!).

This year however, I don't know, maybe it was because I was tired after a weekend church camp or I was already about to fall sick, or perhaps I was just getting older, erm, I meant wiser that birthdays are no longer that exciting as it just meant getting by with another year?

I did not feel the same excitement as previous years; and honestly, I was feeling rather lethargic too (I guess I was on the verge of falling sick as well)

Don't get me wrong, I still loved my birthday and I was quite happy although things did go wrong on the day itself, bummer.

I celebrated with my loved one, and it was yet another wonderful celebration, and I had plenty of well wishes from all my close friends and loved ones as well.
Looking at my Facebook wall, I was on the verge of tears as I realized that I was remembered by so many people.

Guess I was too bogged down by things happening around me, especially all the unhappy things that I was quite down and all alone but it was not true.
I was proven that I was still loved and cared by everyone around me.

It is just so true; the saying that "To the world you may be one person, but you are the world to one person" and in my case, many people!

I am touched and I want to thank each and every one who wished and called me; you seriously had no idea how far it went.

I am a positive person and I am going to make this a driving force and constantly remind myself.
I will not let myself be bogged down by unhappy details.

I am determined to make this year a fantabulous year for myself, and for everyone who loved me in my life.

Being a year wiser, I am also looking forward to another exciting change in my life this year.
Make that two changes ;)

I am excited and yet nervous as this event is about to mark another new phase in my life, and I am going to be kept very busy with this.

I have learnt a lot in the past year, and I want to keep it going with this year and with years to come.

I am not going to look at it as just getting older, but rather acquiring knowledge and experience to make me wiser and a better person.

To another year of wisdom! =)

Happy Birthday to me!~

Struck by a virus

I have recently fallen really sick; one of the worst in history (besides the hospitalization that is) and it left me feeling rather lethargic and also irritated with the condition.

It started with a really bad sore throat and then it developed into running nose and the nose was stuck.
Then the throat started to itch and would initiate a slight cough; which was just annoying as you could not cough properly but constantly had the urge to clear your throat.

I felt really uncomfortable and I have been to two different doctors and the medicine seemed to be mounting!
I was sick for more than a week, and I was told that this was the same virus which seemed to have gotten to everyone around due to the weather.

It is just so annoying to be under the weather and not feeling like myself for so long, in fact, I even had to have my meals in the room for fear of spreading the virus among the other family members.
That is not the most inconvenient thing, and I thank my Mum and Aunty for being so considerate and attentive to my needs that the only good thing that came out of it all was that I received royal attention that made me feel like a princess.

I am now getting better although the cough would still occasionally irritate me.
I am positive and determined to get better before the Chinese New Year!

Bidding goodbyes...

Anyone who has bade goodbye would know that it is never easy to do so, especially when there is a feeling of attachment involved.

Meeting new people is always the happy part where you greet each other with smiles but bidding goodbyes are always one where you greet each other with hugs of sadness and tears.

For me, I have recently made a very important decision in my life, and although it is something to be rejoiced about for myself and I thought I would have nothing to miss about, I was proven wrong as the days for me to bid goodbye approach.

I never thought that I would feel strongly about the people and the place where everyone seemed to be just focused on work and their lives, but I guess I have made my own marks and memories with some of the people whom I have come across during my time there.

There were people whom I could never forget, and whom I realized have made an impact and touched me in my life and I am thankful to God for sending people like these into my life to make it more meaningful.


Over the years, I never realized how I have grown so fond of my previous environment that I found myself constantly and inevitably comparing the old and the new environment and I thought that the new environment was not going to be one that I could miss.
Boy, was I wrong, as I wrote my letters of farewell and personally bade my goodbyes to the people in the new environment, I realized that I have developed a strong form of attachment with each of them.

In fact, I have grown so fond of them that it was quite difficult to bid goodbye with shedding a tear or two on my part.
Receiving their return letters and calls were the most emotional part for me.


Sometimes, I guess I am altogether a rather emotional person myself too.

Though it is hard, there are times when we do have to depart and leave and hope that the memories would be there and would bring us to a bright new path.
Goodbyes are just temporary, I am positive that we will run into each other again some day, and besides, with the modern technology these days, keeping in touch is never a feat anymore, don't you think?

I still have photos and contact numbers and emails, so I have just got to wipe away my tears and get myself set for a better tomorrow.


Memories are what make us to be what we are tomorrow =)

I am glad that I have been able to leave my footprints and mark my presence in wherever I have stepped foot upon. Praise the Lord for his gifts =D


I have acquired and learnt so much knowledge from all the great people who have helped and guided me, and it would not have been the same without these people.

I will continue to pray for you, knowing that you are doing the same and my best wishes are always with you.

Goodbye, Adious my dear friends!

A Trip Down Memory Lane ~

It has been a very long time we have planned this, and I am glad that we have finally made it happen on Boxing Day.

We have always loved Malacca; for the historical and heritage value and also its significance to us.
My brother and I have both studied in Malacca for a year; during our first year in university and to us, this place has hold uncountable memories that one could not buy with money.

My parents love Malacca too, as the place brings fond memories of their pride when their children entered university.

I was looking forward to the trip as I have not been to Malacca ever since I graduated a few years ago, and I have often wondered how it had become today. Don't get me wrong, I did want to go back, but somehow we could never fit it into the schedule; well, I blame procrastination for that.

Returning to Malacca brought a lot of memories to my mind; the trip we made there for my Orientation Day after accepting the letter from the university, the search for a place to stay, and to buy the necessary items.

As we approach the familiar area where I used to stay within the vicinity of the university, I was also filled with nostalgia of the friends I have made during that time whereby the friendship turned out to be a profound and lasting one in my lifetime.


Every landmark was just memorable, and had left marks in my mind



There were old landmarks and also new landmarks; something that weren't there before.



We searched for a particular shop making longevity buns; which Mum was quite fond of back then and we were delighted to find it!




Of course, Mum bought the buns to bring home; those with lotus paste as they were freshly handmade by the folks who run the shop.
Honestly, buns like these could only be found in states with historical value such as Penang and Malacca.

We drove around the area, and I was really happy to see most of the shops where I used to go to and get my daily necessities are still around.



Where I used to stay


We even managed to gain entry into the university and drove around, reminiscing about those days when we were still students


The place didn't change much, albeit there were some new buildings in construction.
It was such a nostalgic moment; this is the place that had made me who I am today, and secured me with a bright future.

We drove around the place, unwilling to leave actually =P
This is a place where my friends and most of the university students would love to have a cup or two and chat until the wee hours in the night.

I don't do that, but my brother and most of my friends have done that before.

As we drove around town, I remembered this church too; St Peter's Church, one of the most prominent landmarks in Malacca.
Come every Easter, people from Singapore, Johor, and KL would drive to this church to join in the grand procession for Good Friday.

For me, this church was also the one where I used to attend my Sunday masses via bus.
It is a small but historic church=)


There were just so many things about Malacca that was memorable, and my brother and I would just go on talking about them in the car, telling my parents over and over again, like a broken gramophone record.
It is always nice to be able to look back into the past, and feel proud and happy that you have been there and perhaps, that's why they always say that history makes who we are today.

I am looking forward to my next trip to Malacca; and of course more family trips as well.

It is just lovely being able to chat and laugh over every single thing as we reminisce together over the good old times =)

What Christmas truly means to me

Christmas is often perceived as a joyous and colorful celebration and is widely celebrated all over the world.
The global celebration of Christmas was probably due to the influence of Western movies and dramas which made Christmas such a merry and glamourous festival and thus, the younger generation these days just took after the celebrated notion of Christmas as a festivity.

In the midst of all the festive atmosphere of shopping for presents and parties, it makes me wonder whether the true meaning of Christmas is still truly remembered.

Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, and who was destined to be the Saviour of mankind.
His birth brings New Hope, light and goodness to all mankind.


To me, that is what the fundamental of Christmas is all about.

Christmas is not merely a festive season, but truly, a religious celebration of the birth of Our Saviour and Our Lord.
That is why Christians all over the world sing "Joy to the World" at the strike of midnight, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is a celebration of the triumph of good, and most importantly, it is a significance of God's true love for all of us, His children.

Christmas is not about exchanging presents, nor setting up of the Christmas tree or attending a number of parties, nor is it about dressing to the nines and displaying your best plates for a good meal with roasted turkey and wine, but truly, it is all about the celebration of welcoming Our Saviour with an open heart.

Today, Christmas is not being understood for its true meaning but celebrated just merely because of the glamour and the need to imitate the Western culture.
It is funny how they always criticize the Western influence and yet adopt most of the practices in the culture.

Everyone celebrates Christmas these days, because it is fun and it is a great way to enjoy the public holiday.

I am glad that it was such a welcomed festival although I do hope people truly understand what they are celebrating about.

When you celebrate Christmas, you are believing in Jesus Christ as the Saviour, you are believing in the goodness of His Birth and the reason He came to the world.
Yes, Christmas is not merely a festive occasion filled with fun and glamour, it is truly a religious festival and it reminds us of the great things that the Lord had done for us.

For me, this is what Christmas has always been about, no distortion about that.


I love the spirit and the cheer of the beautiful and miraculous Christmas season; and most of all, I love the midnight masses.

I look forward to going to mass for Christmas, to celebrate and to welcome the Lord's birth.

I look forward to going home to my family, and spending quality time with them.

Christmas is all about hope and LOVE, and that's why it is so important to be with our loved ones.
We are to be reminded of the love and the faith that surrounded us, and to cherish every moment of our life.

I love Christmas because of the true meaning, because it the birth of our dearest Lord =)


Every year, come end of September and December, I would be looking forward to the coming of Christmas.
Preparing for Christmas means to reflect and to repent on our past misdoings and sins, and to prepare for Confession as well.
We are to do good during this time, before Christmas.

I also spend time buying gifts for my loved ones, as a token of appreciation for their love which is really important to me. The value of the gift is not in terms of the price of the item but rather the significance it brings to the recipient.

I make sure I have a nice and new attire for Church, as this is a grand celebration and it is a banquet of the Lord which we are invited to.
Think of it as a formal birthday party we are invited to.

This year, we finally have a Christmas tree set up in our new home and my brother had truly spent a lot of effort (and money) on ensuring that this is one of the best Christmas tree for the home.
I was really touched to see the Christmas tree being set up (I will be sharing the meaning of a Christmas tree in my other blog: Starry Starry Blog)

The shiny tinsels were just so colorful and it added so much life to the tree.
The presents are just so symbolic of our love and care for each other too.

Of course, the Christmas tree was just part of the preparations to welcome the Lord's birthday at home. It is just like decorating our home for the Lord's presence, and to truly welcome him into a place fit for a King like Him.


Midnight mass is another most looked forward to in my itinerary; in fact, it is the MOST important as we participate in the celebration of the Lord's birthday.


This year is different from the previous years as we celebrate in a new church; instead of the church we grew up in but it was all the same to us, we are not the main focus, but rather the Lord himself.

The Church of the Holy Family was also meaningful in its name as it is a true symbol of what a family is to be modeled after the Holy family.



The Church was elaborately decorated as well and it was just so beautiful amidst the lights lit inside and outside the church.


After all, Christmas is about LIGHT which brings hope to mankind.


We are always reminded of our baptismal promises in church, as we put the holy water on our forehead as we make the sign of the cross


Mother Mary is also the reason we have the Lord, and we honour her as Our Lady and Our Holy Mother who will always be there to help us in our prayers.



After our celebration at the church, we would usually reach home after 1am, and despite me being an early sleeper, this is one of the rare times in a year when I would stay up to chat with the family and toast to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is like a family tradition, for a small family gathering where we would laugh and eat and drink (not to our heart's content at that hour), and enjoy each other's company.


I LOVE Christmas, I really do, not for the festivities alone but for the presence of the Lord in our lives and how He is always there for us.
I am glad that I love Christmas for its meaning and not for the glamour and fun of the celebrations.

What is there not to love about Christmas as we celebrate the love of God and the presence of Jesus Christ among all mankind?

Will you lend a Helping Hand?

I went to work as usual yesterday, but the office shutters were still down.
I stopped in shock, I was wondering, is it again a public holiday or was it a replacement that I am not aware of (since I was so blur on Monday morning whereby I went to the office thinking that we did not have a replacement holiday for New Year's Day when indeed, we do have)

Then my ex-colleague who is now residing next door (used to belong to the same company until they were sold off, that's why they are ex-colleagues) told me that our admin lady, M, was downstairs in the clinic as she was not feeling too well.

That is one advantage of being in the branch office, the relationship with each and everyone working there is relatively closer compared to the huge team in the headquarters.

The disadvantage?
Well, that means I have to open the doors myself and that also directly translates to having to pull up the heavy metal shutter all by myself!
*Groans*

I admit, I am spoilt and seriously, I am not used to doing this on a daily basis as well and I was kind of dreading it when I had to do it, furthermore, ALONE!

I put down all my bags and proceeded to unlock the lock fastened to the door opening, then tried to lift up the shutter.

I was in despair when I noticed that it only lifted up a little, and I struggled to get it up when suddenly, there was an extra hand behind me who just pushed the whole thing without much effort!

No, no, this is no horror movie or it was not an invisible being, but a young man who just stopped by to give me a hand while he was on his way to his office just a few doors down.

He was quite cool about it and just nodded, but I was really touched and grateful for his help.
(No, don't think of anything mushy or romantic either)
I was genuinely and deeply touched by the actions as it was unexpected and rare these days.

I mean, how many people would help when they see something like this?
Some people may say that guys will be more willing to help ladies, but I don't think so.

I doubt that there will many who will lend a helping hand.

For that, I am convinced that there is still hope in this world.
To that young man out there, whoever you are, I just want to thank you for your great help which may not seem much to you, but you have really made my day and you are truly one with a good heart.
May the Good Lord bless you, and it is wonderful to start the NEW YEAR knowing that the world is indeed BEAUTIFUL with the many great people existing amidst the dark clouds =)

Have a MARVELLOUS day ahead!~

NEW YEAR 2011

It is 2011 now; we have stepped into a new year once again!!~
It is phenomenal, how we celebrate festivals after festivals, and then we come back to the same point where we started.
We bid goodbyes to the previous year and gather with good old friends to celebrate yet another year of friendship, but did we truly throw away all the old and negative habits as well?

It is funny, how we look at the past years as the PAST, but we just leave it at that, LOOK and DECLARE but we don't change.
For instance, do you still grumble about everything in your life?
Do you still wonder why you are stuck in this same old job?
Do you think of what is going to be your future?

Do you quit smoking?
Do you quit littering the Malaysian streets?
It is funny, how everyone claims to welcome the brand new year but yet does nothing to alter their life at all.

Is that what New Year means to you?
Is it just about the countdown and the crazy and wild parties on the streets?
Is it only about the fireworks and the wonderful decorations on the streets?

Somehow, there are people who just do not understand the true meaning of NEW Year and yet they are just joining in the celebrations.
What are they truly celebrating?

I am not trying to dampen the New Year spirits through this post, but rather, I would like to help to send the message across; that the NEW YEAR is not just merely a celebration that lasts a night (or morning) but it is THE FUTURE to look forward to and how we intend to make a change for the BETTER.

It is no point staying up for the celebrations and yet revert to the old habits after the countdown, to me, that is just clearly a waste of time!

Everyone is excited with the coming of the New Year every year; and there are those who planned months ahead for their parties; buying food and choosing what to wear or planning a romantic getaway with their loved ones.
Everyone has a reason to anticipate what the New Year brings to them, but what does it truly say about us?

I look forward to the New Year, for one thing: CHANGE
I look forward to new things and GOOD things, that will CHANGE my old negative habits.

I want to be a BETTER person, and I want to pick up from the past, on what I need to learn and realize to pave a new path.
I do not want to walk on the same old mistakes and say the same old thing, and yet not doing anything about it.
I do not want to just usher in the New Year when I am still holding onto the past.

It is not easy, yes, but it is all about determination and enthusiasm.

The Past year (2010) has been a year of ups and downs as well; and I have learnt yet to be a stronger person from all that I have gone through and enjoyed.

2010 - the Year it was....
1. Our team won the most outstanding and dynamic growth in the world and we enjoyed a trip to Phuket to celebrate our victory.

2. I was promoted in a year from my performance in the northern region!! (My hard work did pay off)

3. My dear grandaunt passed away, leaving the trail of the last ancestor on my paternal side.

4. My company's organization changed; we had a new CEO, department head and my boss left as well (I had a new boss)

5. I enjoyed a business cum personal trip to Singapore again and did some major shopping there too (it has been a very long time since my last trip there!)

6. I enjoyed a wonderful trip to Perth, Western Australia after a year of no international/personal travel! It was also a very memorable trip as my dear proposed to me on that trip as well!

7. Had my first bad experience with hotels which I thought were supposed to be of 4-5 star ranking!!

8. Learnt the true colors of people whom I thought were good and kind people, and yet, they were just hypocrites.

9. Moved into a new home with my family, and enjoyed spending quality time with them and recalling all the nostalgia at the old house as well.

10. Enjoyed our new car and learnt the legal procedures of house/car processing.

There are definitely more, but the above were the highlights! =)
I have had a great year and also learnt the downsides as well, and I would hope to do MUCH BETTER in the coming year...

For the Year 2011...
1. I want to DO something I am truly passionate about, and concentrate to develop my life career around it

2. I want to plan a wonderful and enjoyable wedding for myself and to cherish my beloved husband to be for the rest of my life!

3. I want to spend more time with my family; especially my parents for all that they have done for me when I was a kid (I am glad I found out, and I am ever thankful for all their sacrifices)

4. I want to make a good decision and to look forward (and not back on it anymore)!

5. I want to see all my good and best friends around me, and thank them for all their great friendship for all this time!

6. I MUST read more books, to add up my collection of books I have read..LOL!

7. I want to give my parents and family a better life, and to earn a better living for their comfort and luxury.

8. I want to have a better financial planning/management and to ensure that I spend wisely with every single cent.

9. I want to make more friends and to treat everyone like they are my family as well!

10. I want to travel to more places and share about my life in all my blogs/travelogue!

I will add accordingly as time goes, and by default, PRAISE the GOOD LORD for all the little things and blessings that I cannot see that he had done for me in my life.
THANK YOU LORD, I will never forget to thank you every single day.

A HAPPY and BLESSED NEW YEAR 2011 to each and every one of you out there!~