- At The Moment of My Mind -

Taking leaps of faith only to fall in step with Him.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Santa Pimp My Ride!

You know it's that time of the year where you walk around the shopping mall and wonder, "Hmm...what should I get for my special someone?"

Wanna talk about gifts? How about something red? Something shiny? Something SEXY?



Then Santa, please pimp my ride.



This is Patricia's car.


She just got it today.



I was thinking...


"...I want one too..."


"How? Can...I got plan. Go marry damn rich guy."


"Yeah lor, then buy FLYING CAR! Hah, that will show Santa."

Monday, December 19, 2005

Christmas At Home...


This is our xmas tree. It's about 6 ft tall. I helped my sisters just set it up yesterday. Mom helped them decorate it. Looks nice doesn't it? Brings back lots of memories. This tree was given to us by my mom's boss when he went back to Holland after his contract in Brunei finished. It's been wif us since 1994, wow, 11 years.


Of course, we have our own local flair in decorating Christmas trees here... like a chilli perhaps?


I noticed this year, Mom did away wif all the old decorations. The paper lanterns my bro and I made when we were in sunday school were missing.

Her fav xmas candle figures are still around though.

I remember a Christmas eve when my mom took my bro and sisters to church. Dad was working in the Capital that time and didn't have the time to come back to a holiday he didn't believe in (dad's a free thinker). It was raining hard outside, I would have a cup of milo, turn out all the lights except for the ones on the xmas tree and sing "I'm dreaming of a wet christmas..." while watching the special programs on TV.

Yep, tis the season people. I feel like decorating a coconut tree or something.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Merry Christmas Ladies & Gentlemen. (Bleh Version)




It’s December again. The last month, when businesses wrap up their accounts, the holiday month, the month of bitter cold or rainy monsoon, the month of celebration and all that jazz.

It’s also my birthday month. I’ve been wondering about that for a while now. Why was I born on the 2nd last day of the year? Why not on new year’s eve? But then I thought, does it even matter? No, not really. Just wondering, you know? Haha. My mother use to say that I couldn’t wait to see the New Year. Bleh.

Christ was born on the 25th of Dec. Why 25th? Then again, why not? Would it be just as meaningful if he was born on the 8th of June? *heh* I guess so. God didn’t invent the calendar, we did. Go figure. No wonder it doesn’t work properly. Come on la, leap year? Bleh.

My family wasn’t born into Christianity. My mom started bringing my bro and I to church one Sunday (I was 10, bro was 5) and that was that. To tell you the truth I have no idea of ½ the things we did at church that time. I was just a kid. When I was in Primary 4 I was so scared of failing that year that I prayed for nothing else but to pass my exams. In the end I did pass and my faith was sealed. Like I said, I was only 10 at the time.

As a kid I’ve always knew there is a God but I didn’t know I have to go for confessions to him or that I have to go for Holy Communion. I mean does doing those things bring me closer to God? Would He only recognize me when I go to Mass? I don’t think so. Actually I think this free will thing is that God dun give a rat’s ass with what we do as long as we recognize and love him and his creations.

But of course, that is just what I think. Heh. Bleh.


Our Christmas tree when I was a kid, was the middle wooden pole holding up our part of the house. I would stick pins and thumb tacks in the middle of the pole with Christmas decoration and pretend it’s a tree. I would put a list of things I wish for in a new sock and also stick it on the xmas pole. It’s always the next morning the sock would be gone and a present would be sitting there. Heh. I didn’t mind it wasn’t what I wanted because was too ecstatic that HE came. Who? Duh, Santa of course. Bleh.

That time we were living in the maid quarters of Panaga while my mom worked for a Dutch family. At the time, most of the people living in Panaga are from Holland. It’s not surprising that they also have their own traditional celebrations. Like a Saint Nick with his black elves, throwing candy at good little kids while they run through the area. At bad kids, I hear, they throw coal and pebbles. But then I dun think they actually did that. What if the bad kid happened to be the son of Saint Nick’s Boss’s?

“I’ll see you Monday morning, Nick.” *gulp* Hehe. Bleh.

This year I’ll be taking a 5 day leave for xmas. Not sure what I’ll be doing yet because the same thing happens every year. Dad would be at home watching TV with a beer. Mom would be at Church with the choir. My sisters would either be with her at Church or watching TV at home. Only God knows what my brother will be doing, working probably. I know I’ll be going for WOE (Ragnarok) on xmas eve. Heh. Bleh.

I’ve been invited several times to spend xmas at KL. It sounds awfully tempting (I hear some places in KL rawk during xmas.) but sad to say I’m in no financial position to go. Maybe next Christmas. Bleh.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!! ^_^

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Plea for the Pets Exposed to the Abuse of Humanity



A bark of help for the pets of the animal kingdom. Please place your vote here. It's a petition to the prime minister for applying harsher fine/punishment for abusers of animals.

Furry friends who trusted us to take care of them, instead they are exposed to the most inhuman treatment I've ever heard of.

note: I know the img is not there for some reason, but the link works, so just click on it anyway.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Late Date with Miri




I thank God that I’ve taken leave on Friday to get ready for Pat’s Chinese reception in Miri.

Woke up late that day and after a shower I started packing for the overnight stay. Passport, check, towel, check, toothbrush check…hmmm feels like I’ve forgotten something…

My dress~!

Effy and Shikin messaged me and we arranged to go to the salon together after I pick up my new dress from Yvonne’s Mom, who tailored my dress. I was so excited. Actually I just wanted to trim, wash and blow dry my hair straight. But then Shikin mentioned ‘Set’ I was like ‘Set?’ what? The three of us one set have discount kah? Yes I was that damn blur ok?

Effy was signaling to me *Hello? Set? Like make hair pretty and curly and cute?*

Oh~! *Smack on the head*

After the hot curling, Shikin went off to work. So, Effy and I continue to another salon to get our nails done. We went to the Korean House of Nails. Well…actually there is no such place, Effy just made it up, but it sounds classy, eh?

Nails done, bag packed, dressed nicely steamed and we’re all on our way to Miri with Wandi as the driver.

Aaron messaged me “Where are u guys? It’s late already.”

DUH~! You think we want to be late ah? No choice mah. Some people have to work for a living what.

Anyway, checked into the hotel, changed and got ready in our room, everyone rushing about, doing their make up, zipping up dresses, strapping on heels. Off we go, down the elevator and into the ballroom where the party was.

There was a live band. Woohoo! Music was good, food was good and everyone was feeling good. It was a great time.

Took pictures after the dinner. Lovely couple eh?

After the initial polite manners and chit chat, we all went up again to change to our more casual clothes to par-tay in Cherry Berries. (What to do? This is Miri we’re talking about.)


Okay, whatever happens in Cherry Berries, STAYS in Cherry Berries. Heh.

Off we go back to the hotel to snooze the night away. Next evening back to the normality of our life in Kuala Belait.

Helloooo Brunei.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Married be Patricia

3rd Day: The Sanding (san-ding, not sand-ing)

The last day of their malay wedding ceremony, the sanding, which is where they get to be King and Queen for the day. (True, it’s called Raja Sehari)

It was hot day and the smart guests brought traditional fans to cool themselves. Those who wasn’t smart enough to bring one and worst, decided to wear a black baju kurung for the scorching occasion, hai…, dunno what to say.


Yes, I was the fanless dum dum in black.

They also had the traditional Hadrah which was entertaining for Shikin, Tini and I, in more ways than one. (One of the better looking Hadrah guys was looking at our direction, but we could be imagining it.)



Before we were cooked to ‘well done’, Hamdani came out to the tents to greet all the guests. I’ve always been a sucker for guys in baju cara melayu (and any kind of uniforms, traditional Chinese outfits, formal wear, in good jeans, dress shirts, three piece suits…er…okay…) So Hamdani scored a prefect 10 from his shiny shoes to his super lipstick smile.

Then they started the doa. Okay, keep in mind that we’ve been cooking since 11am to 12.30 noon. We’re hot and thirsty. This is because after the 1st doa we immediately stood up (the 3 of us) and was gonna head for the drinks. Thing is…no one else stood up and to our embarrassment there was another doa before the makan. We couldn’t help laughing and giggling all through the 2nd doa. Dammit we were so embarrassed.

After the eats we head for the main house for photos and air con. There I met my long ago classmate who also happens to be the cousin of Hamdani, Fadzillah. After we chatted a bit, we went inside to the living room where the pelamin is to have our picture taken with the King and Queen.

Patricia looked so lovely in her gold coloured gown…*sigh*

Now, all that’s left is the swinging Chinese reception in Miri coming tomorrow. I can’t wait *grin* It’s gonna be at Grand Palace Hotel too.

Monday, November 28, 2005

Married Be Her

Day 2 : Getting Ready

Saturday was a quiet day. Nothing much happening during the day and except for the odd msg in the mobile, I didn’t really hear from Pat. I was planning on visiting her at Hamdan’s house later at night, after I was done with WOE in Ragnarok.

The connection at Marilyn’s cafĂ© was decent enough. Not really good, but good enough for surfers. For gaming, I suggest OGDC, because I was pretty happy the last time I went there for gaming.

Anyway, Shikin and I was messaging each other back and forth that day when I thought about inviting her along. She seemed like she needed a distraction. She readily agreed to come along with me at Marilyn and witnessed WOE. It was a funny experience, I can tell you that.



Later around 9.30pm, we drove over to Pat’s house to check and see how she’s doing.


She looked tired as she laid there with her hands and feet occupied with the henna. We talked and joked about the stuff that happened in Nikkah and what would happen the following Sunday. She said she was in a lot pain from her allergic reaction.



Didn’t stay long because she was tired and there were certain things that occurred which I took notice and didn’t like. I will not blog in out in public due to respect to Patricia and Hamdani. However, when I talked about it later with Shikin, turns out she didn’t like it either. Don’t worry, it had nothing to do with us, it was just how others were treated in front of us.

Anyway, Pat and Hamdani looked prepped for the next day. I was so excited to see how good they would look.

[to be continued…]

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Married Be She

Today was the last day of the 3 day malay celebration of Patricia & Hamdani’s Wedding. This is the chronology of their wedding with love from Felicity.

Day 1 : The Nikkah

Both side of the family is celebrating this event. I was really nervous because I’ve never been involved with a malay wedding 110%. You can ask Shikin, I was fumbling in my purse, dropping stuff and forgetting things.

Basically, I was no help much. Pat’s mom and Pam pretty much have everything done. Thumbs up on their hard work into making Pat’s wedding special. There was around 100 people there, mostly relatives and friends of the family, including moi. I arrived there around 1 plus. Shikin had to work so she went off at 2. I had work at 5 which sucks but my staff’s son had convocation on the same nite. So there ya go.




Still, it was an exciting time. Aziz and Tini did a good job in guiding the guests. We all had some food to eat, then waited for the people from Hamdani’s side to come with the hantaran.

I didn’t count Pat’s hantaran but I know there was quiet a few. (Pat…if ur white shoes are missing, ask Tini. You know I can’t fit into your shoes. Now…if it was your bags missing…that’s a diff story.) *lol*



Hamdani’s hantaran wasn’t small stuff either. The biggest fuss everyone made had got to be the guitar. Yes, you read right, it was a real freaking good lookin one too. It was huge, we were wondering how to actually place it gracefully and prettily with the rest of the gifts.

So we all drove to Hamdani’s place where we all gathered in the living room where the ceremony was to take place. Before that, we dropped into the couple while they were getting ready.


My first glimpse of Patricia in all her make up and finery was…memorable. She was so beautiful dressed in all white. It didn’t seem like the Patricia I know. Instead there stood a composed, lovely woman, all ready to devote herself to be Hamdani’s wife for the rest of her life.

When they preformed the ceremony, thought I didn’t understand a single thing still…when Hamdani said that “Yes, I accept this woman, Izzah Batricia, as my wife.” I really felt so weepy. They shook hands, rings, signed the contracts…Tini and I were openly weeping.

Some kid handed us tissue. Glad to see that gentlemen still exists in the world.
“Eh sei…kau ni…”
“Nada lah, karang make up orang gugur?”

I had just enough time after the ceremony to congratulate Pat and family before rushing off to work. Later Tini messaged me that Pat went to the hospital. I was shocked! Why? Cuz the make up artist used a body shop lip balm on Pat and she had a allergic reaction to it. She was in major pain. So they took her to the hospital where she had two injections.

Poor Pat.

At least this much I can say, I’ve never seen her look as beautiful as she did on that day, all dressed in white and made up. She looked so HAPPY. I’m just as happy for her. Well, that’s the first girl in our gang to wed.

[To be continued...]

Tuesday, November 22, 2005


Lost Lemon Tree

Right on top of a long lost hill,
grew a lemon tree,
a girl rests there so still,
thoughtful repose is she,

"Loneliness feels so close to me,
A force which long lost its teeth.

It grips my heart, through which it pours,
such warm poison into my soul.

A kind of drug that comforts me,
But erase my sense of self.

I sleep like a butterfly in a cocoon,
Unmotivated to emerge out into the real world.

Dreaming of warm sun and rain drops,
Of stars in the heaven and wind in my hair.

Of a touch I'm fond of,
which was lost oh so long ago. "

Right on top of a long lost hill,
at the foot of the lemon tree,
the lovely girl rest so still,
dreaming of butterflies does she.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Mysteries of the Edible

You know there’s nothing compared to home cooking. After a hard day’s work you would like nothing more than a hot meal in one’s own cozy kitchen.




Unless of course you have parents like mine…

May I present to you, fresh from my father’s garden, the CATERPILLAR VEG (Ulat Veg)!



The veg itself is neither big nor long. This one I judged to be roughly 4 inches long. It’s always green in colour and my parents love them. As for me, the mere sight of them gimme the creeps, much less so to actually picture chewing it in my mouth.



Mom usually just chops them up and stir fry them with garlic.


My brother seems to like eating them but that’s just my brother, he makes the weirdest and most disgusting dishes imaginable. He eats anything, as long as he’s hungry. -_-"

Monday, November 14, 2005

HE knows better than I

Woke up late today cuz I thought that it was still early. The sky was still a bit dark, no birds were singing and the bed felt oh so comfortable. When I peeked into my mobile beside the bed, 9.15!!!! Holy rain drops! I’m gonna be late. Quick shower, coffee, change and zipped out of the house.



*sigh* Why it never rains when I work afternoons or on my off days?

Well at least this is noticeably better than yesterday where it was scorching hot. It was so hot that I swear I could FEEL my dear Josephine’s (BenQ Laptop) suffering. So today I had her propped up with books. I should invent something like this for all LT users.




Lovely, sweet, refreshing rainy weather we have in Kuala Belait today. Not that big stormy monsoon like rain, but soft pitter pattering rain. Yes, I love rain. I love to listen to it, feel and smell it.

Some people say that when it rains it means God is crying. I don’t think so. I like to think (not that my thinking matters to any one) that God causes it to rain to feed and cleanse us. Kinda like laundry day, where God sees a particular part of the world is kinda dry, dusty and dirty, He sends in some rain to water and clean up then He waits for the earth to spin and dry in the sun.



Okay, if that’s the case then why there’s TOO much rain on some parts of the world causing floods or how about the typhoon Katrina situation in New Orleans?

Ok, I will not say it’s natural. I will not say Americans just so happens to be in the way of Typhoon Katrina. I will not say its God’s Will. We will never know why it happened, but I believe everything happens for a cause.

There’s a song that goes,

"I’ve seen a cloud and thought it was the sky,
I saw a bird and thought that I could follow,
but it was You who taught that bird to fly.

Cause You know better than I,
You know the way,
I’ve let go the need to know why,
for You know better than I.”

So yeah, we all need a little hope, a bit of patience and lots of faith.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Pre-marital Attack of the Butterflies

During this festive season my staff had taken a few days, 5 days to be exact, leave to fully indulge their Raya mood. Only, I wish they taken some time to bring a cake or a kuih to the shop once in a while for me. Ah, how kasian am I? *Will work for raya cakes!*

Anyway, update on the recent happenings.

Pat's wedding is coming. Who’s is Pat? Pat is actually Patricia Luin (AKA Izzah Batricia Binti Abdullah Luin) of Kuala Belait, Brunei Darussalam. Hahaha. I dedicate this entry entirely to her, basically because it’s gonna be about her marriage to the *ahem* Hamdani (AKA Mohammad Hamdani Bin Jailani.)



They've been a couple for four years now, ppl, and are getting married. Woohoo!

It’s coming closer now, the inevitable, the unavoidable and really, the undeniable fact that a close female friend is getting married soon. We’re talking about next few weeks soon, baby, yeah!

A tiny voice in my head squeaks “You know the old saying, dearie, three times a bride’s maid, never a bride.”

Well, fortunately this Pat is getting married in both Malay and Chinese style, both of which don’t require the presence of bride’s maids. Haha! I beat that old wives tale. (Why do old wives make tales anyway? Maybe they can’t have sex anymore? *ack!* Don’t be so mean! But then again…maybe it’s true?)

The other morning, I happened to watch on Oprah as to why 90% women in America have post marriage depression. Well, Oprah, that’s America, here in Brunei, an unhappy wife doesn’t have post marriage depression. They either have two things, credit cards or an affair with someone that has credit cards.

It’s sad, I know, but true. I’ve seen it happen countless of times. But seriously, though, doesn’t marriage mean anything to these people?

This however will never happen to Pat and Ham because I've never seen two love bunnies so...so in TUNE with each other. Pat talk, Ham listen. Ham cook, Pat eat. See? It's a match made in heaven.

Besides, both of them have credit cards.

But I digress. Back to Patricia’s wedding.

Wedding planning is no easy thing. People would tend to think of silk, satin, lace and veils. In reality, we’re talking about decisions, decisions and more decisions. Silver or gold? Pink or purple? Long or short? Up or down? Abalone or shark fin? Or both?

I have trouble even deciding what t shoes to wear sometimes, so I can’t imagine how it would be like to actually make final decisions on a wedding gown, a chapel and list of guests.

However, Patricia is a great girl and somehow manages to pull it off. Now she only has a few more adjustments to settle. This is how she’s like now.

Normal conversation with the bride to be:

Pat: “I’m getting married!”
Me: “Shikin, what u want to eat?"
Pat: ”In less than 3 weeks!”
Me: “I hear the butter chicken here not bad.”
Pat: “I got butterflies in my stomach...”
Me: ”Pat? What are u having?”
Pat: ”Did I book the rooms already?”
Shikin: ”Ooh, I like ur skirt, Pat.”
Pat: ”Oh no! The rooms! The rooms!”

*whips out her mini notebook to jot down wedding notes and to-dos.

Shikin & Me: *sigh*

Saturday, October 29, 2005

It’s been a while since I last blogged anything. I blame it entirely on Ragnarok…and work…well…just Ragnarok then. *Haha*



I just got my salary yesterday but after paying all my bills, I find I’m broke again. Only this time I’m broke with more credibility. -_-“

Early happy Halloween to all those celebrating this interesting western holiday, where everyone dress up and gets free candy for it. Well, for the kids anyway.



I remember when I was 12 and living in the Panaga Area, I once dress up as a crippled hunchback (pillow stuffed at my back and a plank taped to my leg), my best friend Rana was a mummy (the toiler paper kept falling off her), my brother was a bleeding zombie (blue and green make up and tomato sauce on an old t shirt) and his best friend Patrick was a vampire. Our collection for that night was one apple, two lollies, strepsils and small but brightly wrapped candy.

It wasn’t the candy that I remember most about that night. It was the time we toilet papered a house whose owner shooed us away (we did say “TRICK or treat.” How much fun it was roaming around the neighbourhood, meeting up other kids and staying up past our bedtime.

Raya is coming up just around the corner, kiddies, are you ready for it? I am, haha, planning to go around visiting all my malay friends and my malay staff on the 1st day of Raya. Gonna hunt for kek batik and green ang pow. (Aren’t you a bit too old for ang pow, red OR green? XD …No!) I even have my baju kurung all ready and waiting. Hehehe, it’s gonna be fun cuz this is the 1st Raya for me in my hometown after 4 years living in the capital. Plus, most of my friends are back from Uni overseas. It’s gonna be uber fun.

But it will not as much fun as I will have during Chinese New Year. (duh! You’re Chinese, of course, you’ll have more fun!) I can’t wait! XD

Then let’s not forget Christmas…



Wait! ROFL! I almost forgot my birthday! It’s coming on the 30th December! How old am I this year? Well…okay, I’ll tell you since I’m not ashamed of my age (yet). I’m turning 25yrs old this year. Isn’t that lovely? It’s a very lovely number. I’m at the prime of my life and it’s gonna get better! Woohoo!

Kek batik, green ang pow, Christmas cards and birthday pressies are most welcome! Hahaha.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Today I checked on my friend's blog and saw she took an animal personality test.

I tried it out and the results are...

Horse
What Is Your Animal Personality?

brought to you by Quizilla

TADA!

I'm a horse! Hahahaaha! Are you guys ready for this? I wasn't. E-to... let's see, shall we?

Caring, free-spirited and full of compassion. [Me love everybodee! Muah muah!]

You are well loved and for all the right reasons. [My boobs? Well, they are pretty nice I guess... Maybe I should run for president one day...only in brunei there are no presidents, damn.]

You enjoy the company of others & try to keep them happy, making you a 1st class friend. [Ppl, hear dat? Me 1st class fren eh, no some low class chabo. Woot!]

"Me 1st class, me enjoy keeping you company, keep you happy long time. Ok?" ROFL! [Not like that! Aiyah! What you thinking oh? I dunno eh.]

You want a warm place to call home, but you always have the urge to escape. [Totally right, i just want to go home and cook mee goreng, but when i see my mom's car home, i kia to the nearest mee mamak stall. Can't stand my mom nagging me 24/7, esp when i cook mee goreng for some reason...]

So there ya go.

Click here for your Animal Personality Quiz!

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Ore wa hitore ja nai... (I am not alone)



You know there are always times when it’s bad or depressing. When the one you are fond of most isn’t with you anymore. Perhaps you feel alone even when you are in a crowded room. Or maybe when you are in bed, staring into the darkness, and thinking about what happened in the day time or wondering what dreams you might have when you sleep.

Suddenly you feel heavy deep within, as if someone poured in cement to harden your heart and seal your soul.

But it’s not as simple as it seems. The human heart and soul is not easily sealed as long as you have others, other people who have their faith in you, who believe in you, who trust you. It doesn’t matter if you deserve it or not. It doesn’t matter if they are not around or if they don’t exist in this world anymore.



The main thing is that they are attached to you. The string of your faith is woven in the complex cloth of life. One string may not make much of a difference, but with many strings, it creates a beautiful design. If one string is cut, then that piece of cloth becomes less beautiful, a little bare.

So today, smile and know that you have people’s faith in you. Your teacher put faith in you to pass your class, your boss counts on you to do your work and your parents hope the best for you. Although sometimes crap happens, it’s true, there’s no way to avoid the unavoidable.

Still...

I believe there’s a reason for everyone to be here. Even if we don’t know what that reason might be, and might never know until we die, but it’s there. No one is brought into this world without a reason to live. Everyone has a purpose.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Something Smells Fishy…

Today I went to ODGC again in attempt to download the latest RO patch. I didn’t manage to download it all and here I explain why. I spoke about the dangers of the koi pond before in my ‘Big Band Demand’ entry in the ‘Sweet L33t’ blog. Take a look at these latest pictures. Live baby!



A few visitors didn’t take notice the sign and they ended up so.



I was too busy taking pics to help them... may they rest in peace.

After the feasts of human flesh they still wanted more as they swam around in large schools. Notice their patterns are predatory like. Their beady little eyes watching me hungrily.



But then, watching all that I got hungry myself. Dinner time. Went home and had Maki Zushi (rolled sushi) for dinner.



What goes around, comes around, I guess.

Saturday, October 01, 2005

I Survived

Today is Saturday and the worst part of the week is over. Now I can relax and enjoy my monthly pay. Well, enjoy that I have some money at least. For the better part of last week I have been scraping the bottom hole of my kitty bank to pay for parking space tickets.




First, a rant on yesterday’s crappy happenings. I got to work as normal only to be given the message that my boss will be coming down at 11am NOT 12pm as planned. So our executive had the courtesy to let us know at the bloody last minute (10am) and added, “Please, finish up the stock inventory by the time they arrive.”

Gawd damn.

I can tell you my staff and I rushed through it. Thing is, (I should fire my staff for this or something) my exec also instruct us to help each other writing in the figures from our own lists to the main list BUT my staff forgot that little fact. So then my other staff was left alone with finishing up her list of figures.

Okay, I know we should help up since it needed to be done fast but we have a rule of helping out other staff in their own stock count. In the past we had cases where when one staff is helping the other, if a problem comes up, a wrong figure or expiration date, they would start playing the blaming/finger pointing game. So this is why we didn’t help out.

When my exec arrived with my boss’s right hand woman (oh, my boss couldn’t make it), she blasted me right in front of everyone. Not even a “Good morning, girls.”

Shit.

She flamed me with questions as why the main list isn’t complete and why aren’t we helping the last staff out. She TOLD us to help. This is happening when the staff who took the message via phone was in the restroom.

I was flabbergasted. I told her I didn’t know what she is talking about and reminded her about our rule of solitary stock count and record it in. She then barked at the staff to pass the rest of the stock take to me. I can actually feel my face go BLACK. I mean it’s alright if I actually did something wrong, but to be blamed for something I didn’t know I should be doing, then flamed in front of my staff and the boss’s right hand woman, THEN be barked an order like that. I can tell you I was not a happy lady.

Later when she cooled down (the other staff was also questioned and told her yes, she forgot.) she then instructed the other staff to help out and then we finally finished the list. I was too busy helping the right hand woman to really care. I didn’t speak to her much after that. She talked to me about the write off in previous months as normal and I answered just as normal.

I can’t pretend it didn’t happen, but I know she’s smart enough to know that she did wrong. Well, it’s because when she makes a mistake, she would gloss over it and try to make amends with us the staff. I’m not saying it’s fair but she’s in charge of us, so yeah, have to give her SOME face.

So after that, they left as soon as they finished printing the reports from our cash register CPU. I blew a sigh of frustrated relief. I now have put the matter aside and promptly named my exec the ‘Puffer Fish’, whenever a puffer fish gets excited or senses danger or gets angry, they blow up and are full of poison but looks comical at the same time.



Can we say ‘FUGU’?

Thursday, September 29, 2005


End of September


THINGS TO DO:

1. stock inventory check
2. buy electronic gaming monthly
3. relish the fact that I have $$ in my bank account again
4. use the $$ and get me broadband. [Finally!]
5. get ready the master stock list, VIP list, write off form, shop supplement FOC, RQ and PO for the accountants.
6. gear up to put a brave front when ‘da boss’ when she drops by.

I have been working here for the last 9 months and she never dropped by. Why she has decided to do so now is beyond me. I dunno but whenever I heard her name and the word ‘visit’ in the same sentence, I get the chills. The world will freeze over, I get flashes of the last visit and my mind will go ‘hang’ for a minute.

She’s a pretty nice person really which is why all the more deadly. She’s this nice lady who talks to you, asks how are you and do you need her advice in anything or do you have any questions for her but while this is going on, in your own mind, “She has the power to fire my tiny little pathetic ass if I so as much as step [accidentally] on her Prada shoes.”

I just admire women of power like that. Scary, but admirable.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005


Last Sunday my friends were baking a Lemon Cream Cake. I happen to pop by hoping for sample before I get back to work again. Unfortunately my timing wasn’t all that great. They only just started mixing the ingredients and by the time the cake was done in the oven, I was already on my way to work.

My friends decided to leave me some to taste when I visit them after my shift. It tasted good enough, a bit too dry on the side for my taste but one of my friends liked it that way which is why she left it in the oven a little longer than usual. I thought it was a cheese cake because they mixed cream cheese into it but the recipe was called Lemon Cream Cake. The lemon smell of the cake was good. Nice touch to an afternoon tea break.

It scored a few more marks for being an easy recipe without fuss, just mix everything in one bowl and pop it into the oven. Perfect for those who wish to entertain but no time to make impressive cakes yet don’t want to serve guests with store bought semi-fresh ones. Whip up some fresh cream, strawberries and kiwi on top plus in the middle of the cake and you’re set.

Overall verdict: 6.5/10

Lemon Cream Cake
125g butter
125g cream cheese
3 teaspoon lemon rind
1 cup (220g) castor sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour
½ cup (75g) plain flour

Grease pan. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl of electric mixer, beat on low speed until all ingredients are combines. Then beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth and changed in colour. Spoon and spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake in moderately slow oven about 55 minutes. Stand few minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool. Dust cold cake with sifted icing sugar if desired.

Monday, September 19, 2005


Pathetic Actually

I made the mistake of watching ‘Love Actually’ just now. Being an easily influenced person such as I (especially when having drunk a bit of red wine), of course, I grew weepy, sappy and all around depressive.

Those who have watched the movie knows what I’m talking about, those who haven’t probably can figure the content out from the title itself.

People can and do say a lot of things in their own defense.

“I’m happy being by myself.”
“Really, what’s the big deal? I got my friends and family.”
“I am just not looking at the moment.”
“Who needs the fuss of courting and romancing and loving? I don’t.”

Pfff, please. People need other people or otherwise everyone can be naked hermits living off nature in the mountains, like bears. Just meet and fuck every spring (or mating season) and run off. Leave the female to give birth alone, to teach how to hunt and survive. Then come next spring, back to square. At least monkeys are smarter. They live in groups and socialize. Maybe the apes will rule the earth one day.

“Tick grooming anyone?”

I am young, I am single and dammit, I hate being so. I would like to have someone at the other end of the phone saying, “Hey, how’s work? The boys and I won the game today. Too bad you had to miss it. Peter and Alice said hi and send their regards. I’ve missed you today. How about dinner later at that new restaurant near that boutique you hated?”

Seriously, is that too hard to ask?