I've left blogdom for awhile now. The truth is that I've been writing so much at work that I don't even want to construct another sentence in my free time. I thought that by now, I would have grown to love writing....but I still dread thinking about the piles of articles waiting for me to be written. FYI - I interview Wawasan Open University students and have them featured in the Education Supplements in almost all major newspapers.

The interviewing and taking pictures part were my favourites but when it comes to writing the story...I'll procrastinate, dilly dally, listen to Podacsts, write random notes and make phone calls to Joshua. Eeeps! Hai... and working in Wawasan has become more complicated than what I've thought it would be.

What bugs me the most is that my Department (Communications) seems to be falling apart. Office politics. Disgruntled colleagues. Scheming bosses. Discouraged and dissapearing lady boss who might quit soon.

Even amidst this, God has given me several opportunities to share His love. I genuinely feel concern for some of my colleagues here. And especially for my boss. I do hope she comes back. In the meantime, I have resorted to hiding in the store room once awhile to do my writing drafts or to pray sometimes. Working life can really tie you down, but my Spirit's not giving up yet. I believe God is much bigger than my circumstances and this is part of learning in life :)

God bless!

Just to reassure myself again:

" My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness" 2 Cor 12:9

This is the first time I hung so long in the NET, in THE OFFICE!
*Gasp*
Better make this quick.
Some quick updates here.

FAQ

1. So, how's work? What do you do anyway?- I'm a Communications Executive in Wawasan Open University. The main bulk of my work include: Taking pics of Uni Events, taking video with their amateurish handycam, and most of all, WRITING for a mock-up newsletter called WawasanLink aimed to be a quarterly issue for internal+public circulation. I also do design work. Work is quite good. I get a lot of freedom to come up with the whole newsletter by my self. The NOT very fun part is that IT'S ALL BY MYSELF...Been in work for more than a month liao...whooo hooo...very friendly colleagues of all ages and personalities. I find them fascinating.Oh yeah, I have a lovely lady boss.
   
2. Where are you staying now?- Here's my add: M-6-4, Desa Permai Indah. I'm staying with Siao Ping and Wai Kuan. Both working girls. Siao Ping's in Plexus as an engineer and Wai Kuan's with Kanita, a counsellor. So far, I love my room. Very spacious and neat. Let's hope the NEAT part stays long...Will post a pic up soon,
3. Church? Haven't settle down on one yet. Been following Joshua to Sg. Ara Gospel Hall lately.
4. Misc- I just permed my hair!

That's all. Gotta seriously get back to work. Adios!
Last but not least : Happy Deeparaya ( yeah, I know, it's late but it's the thought that counts, hyuk hyuk)
Take care all and may God's peace and grace be with each one of you while you celebrate, or having your long hols!
USMers, all the best in your coming exams :)

1. Assistant Producer in TV3 - First time setting foot in TV3, felt like a "Kampung Girl". I remembered sitting at the parlour staring at 4 lovely (and heavily made-up) Malay girls primping themselves. Heart went boppity-bop and hands turned clammy. The interview was rather informal. The Head of the Content just wanted to have a chat to know whether I have TV experience. The Producer was there. Went semi-mute and gave a "goreng" version of what I'll do if I'm asked to produce a Kid's Programme. Knew I blew it instantly. Left to Ipoh the next day. Head of Content was very nice in rejecting me in the e-mail. *Phew*
2. Newsreader for Fly FM- 2nd time in the station, TV3, I mean. More familiar now. Joshua accompanied me there this time. I did my thing while he jalan-jalan in 1 Utama. Waited for ages at the office. Observed many interesting things: Most of them were rather young, 20s and looking hip in Jeans, talked and joked as if they're in college, Kartini (host of 3R) walked around and finally sat down to discuss about cooking oysters with personal asistant (I assumed). After about 45mins, I was asked to translate several news items from BM to English. Did it in 15 mins. Was led to a recording room, and I recorded my news reading digitally. Thank God, I was just healed from sore throat that day. If not, my voice would be "sexier",hehe. Was told that I would be notified if the guys in Fly like my voice. Apparently, my voice tak sampai standard, hehe, since no news came after that.
3. NECED Computer Tutor- Went up North to Penang for this. Joshua drove me there, got lost, asked an Apek, got more lost. Finally, Joshua got down at the shop lots and hunted; it was right in front of his eyes. Was almost late. Filled in form while he ronda outside. Interview with the founder went quite well. I even asked him how he started the company 'cos was surprised that he looked so young! Hopes were high. Was informed that the 2nd interview would be scheduled the following week by a colleague in Ipoh. Planning to do freelance designing in Ipoh too. Hopes dashed when the following week ended without any phone calls..
4. Kumon Learning Centre, Assistant Instructor- Just 10 minutes away from home in Ipoh, I drove there expecting to turn down the offer because I applied for the position intending it to be just a back-up when I'm looking for jobs. Application was a month back. Was pleasantly surprised when Uncle Kenny interviewed me. Soft spoken, articulate, and small sized, Uncle Kenny passionately explained the Kumon system of self development. Kids are disciplined to do Maths and English worksheets progressively according to their own pace, with the assistance of the instructor. Very impressive results. Became a Kumon convert, and was rather keen on taking the job. Uncle Kenny liked my character and offered the job right at the end of interview. Informed him regretfully that I can't give a definite answer until I attended another interview (2 actually) in Penang. Pay was quite good considering that I'll save lots being at home.
   
5. Communications Officer in Wawasan Open University College- The Marcom(Marketing & Communication) Director, Sabrina personally called me to ask about my job experiences on Sat. HR scheduled an interview on Tues afternoon. Joshua drove me to Menara BHL, accompanied me up to Wawasan's office, and sat at the lounge SMS-ing while I was ambushed by 3 interviewers! Was quite intimidated fielding questions from 3 different people. Thank God, I did it calmly, one at a time. Interviwers were impressed with my portfolio (last-minute-printed-out works of previous projects- ranging from writings, articles, design work to video and film shooting scripts) Sabrina took me into her office to clariy my job scopes just in case I got the wrong idea (was asked to come up with a Roadshow plan in 2 minutes in one of the questions. The whole process took 1and-half-hour. Got the offer the next day. Collected the appointment letter the day after that. Starting this Monday!
   * Personally went back to Kumon yesterday to decline uncle Kenny's offer. He was very understanding and wished me the best in this new job*
6. Concept Communications- Had an informative talk with Ian Barbosa,senior colleague of Chien Seng (former coursemate who's working there) and a veteran in the media scene in Penang. Was told that I'll be given a hand in his "new media" projects if he needs help. Good prospects of learning new skills under him. Ad-hoc, freelance stuff. Can do in free time after work.

This ends my job hunt chronicles . An experience full of uncertainties, some disappointments, and always in anticipation. It has taught me to fully rely in God's timing while I wait. And to trust in Him, knowing full well that He'll provide the best for me according to His time even though nothing seems to be happening! How wonderful it turned out to be in the end! All glory to Him again!

Oh no, so much to prepare before I start work on Monday.

Gotta pack things to bawak over to Penang, reject a job offer in Ipoh, print out pics for Shades colleagues, design side signboard for Maria's Cafe, have some bonding time with family, (this is so sudden) attend Wake Service and funeral of a church friend's mum who just passed away (God bless her soul..), buy some esential office wear and bag, buy Thank you cards, and arrgghhh...do ALL this in 2 days!

One at a time, one at a time. Lord, please direct my steps...

I'm so excited! Like an eager beaver and a happy puppy. Why...cos I've got my first real job! Whoo hooo! I'm just gonna copy bulat-bulat from my darling, Joshua's most recent blog about my job. I'm sure he won't mind. Thank you dear. You're God sent. Wouldn't have made it through all those times of waiting and uncertainties without you by my side

Have You Heard Of Wawasan Open University College?

Mei Yee finally got a job! She is now a Communications Officer (cool name) for Wawasan Open University College, Penang. Where is that? What is that? Haaa… That’s where she comes in. Her job is to make it known to you, and to the ends of the earth.

I’m so excited and happy for her! I asked her, “Are you gonna blog about it? If you don’t then I will!” She probably won’t be as quick-fingered as I am. And since my blog has a bigger readership than hers (ranging from acquaintances to former students to friends to friends’ mums), I’m gonna steal her thunder and just do it :)

I feel so glad for her, as if I got the job myself! Maybe it’s because I’ve been with her throughout her job-hunt journey. I’ve been to every interview with her (except for the TV3 one) from Penang to Ipoh to KL and back. I dunno what kind of things people will think I am, following her around everywhere she goes, and hanging around until she’s done. So many people did double takes on me as I waited for her interviews. I can be so easily passed off as a convict who just escaped from jail, who kidnapped her and is now holding her hostage, but letting her go out once in a while to do her thing, as long as I get my ransom sooner or later. Or a possessive, obsessive, paranoid boyfriend who wants to keep her on a leash wherever she goes, whatever she does, and whoever she is with. Or a retarded cousin :)

I’m so proud of her! She finally found a job that she likes (mass comm line), in which she has a talent for (involving media skills, events management, writing, etc), in a learning institution (a field that I highly approve of), that functions as a non-profit institution (a cause that she believes in), that pays well (RM1xxx), for a steady Monday – Friday (she’ll still have her weekends to go back to Ipoh), 9-5 job (she will still have a life), in Penang (the best place to be)! There, I said it all in once sentence. Mei Yee always says that I can be a very good copywriter.

Plus, she gets to stay with her university friend (Siao Ping) at her apartment, she gets to drive one of the old cars from my father’s collection (transportation taken care of), traveling to her workplace takes only 15 minutes (along the Jelutong Expressway), her friends work nearby (Kimberley Chong and Jonathan Chen), working in Penang has a lower cost of living and a better, safer, cleaner environment (compared to KL), she gets to do something related to her field (how many people get a job of their choice nowadays), without virtually losing your life in it (like in full-fledged production houses), while working towards an honorable cause in mind (providing educational opportunities to underprivileged people), which will keep her from losing a sense of purpose in what she does everyday (unlike typical production houses, who are only out to churn money all day).

Furthermore, she has a superior that likes her (her resume was personally hand-picked by her superior among 200 others), her job gives her opportunities to further enrich her skills either on-the-job or during her free time (such as freelancing for Ian “Captain” Barbosa if she gets projects thrown her way), this will help equip her towards the direction of her long term goal (to take Masters in Mass Communication), so she can continually deepen her skills in learning something that she has a passion for (through real-life experience, or academic paper chase), and open up possibilities for different job opportunities in the future (such as making a career change to lecturing, perhaps).

Taking all those factors into consideration, coupled the splendid timing of the company that just employed her (Wawasan Open University College is just about to venture into a new, exciting phase this month), I can only think of one word to sum it all up: Perfect.

God be praised for the way that things are falling in place for her! Indeed, God is gracious and good! This is not something you call coincidence. It is providence.

She starts on Monday. A new Communications Officer is in the house!

“So, what is Mei Yee doing now?”

“Oh, she’s got a job already. She is now the Communications Officer for Wawasan Open University College.”

“Wow, that’s great! Where is that? What is that?”

"Haaa… That’s where she comes in. Her job is to make it known to you, and to the ends of the earth…”

So, what I want to add is that God is wonderful in His timing. All glory to Him as I embark in this new phase of life! I just hope that I don't disappoint my employers.

I'm currently reading Tuesdays With Morrie (among many other books as well). This is a gem! Very insightful and thought provoking in its simplicity about life's complexity. Here's the synopsis of the book:

"Tuesdays With Morrie" is the heartwarming story of Albom's relationship with his college mentor, Morrie Schwartz, with whom Albom has lost touch for 16 years. Upon seeing him on the "Nightline" program - talking to Ted Koppel about what it was like to die from Lou Gehrig's disease - Albom was both horrified and ashamed. He called his old teacher, flew to Boston for a reunion, and began a series of weekly visits, rekindling their loving teacher-student relationship while tackling a larger subject in their final "class": the meaning of life.

Tuesdays With Morrie details those Tuesday visits, and the shared reflections on love, work, marriage, envy, children, forgiveness, community and aging, all seen though the eyes of a wise old man who was down to his last days."

I've jotted down some of the reflections in my personal journal, and would love to share some with you.
2 responses that I predict will be generated:
1) You'll feel uncomfortable  because  you don't see these insights reflected in your life OR
2) You'll rejoice because you see the  wisdom in these words and are in the  midst of living it out

I have a mixture of both...

"The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it."

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

" The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."
" Let it come in. We think we don't deserve love, we think if we let it in, we'll become too soft. But a wise man named Levine said it right- He said 'Love is the only rational act.'"

"Why are we embarrassed by silence? What comfort do we find in all the noise?"

"Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you ever going to have other people to trust you, you must feel that you can trust them too-even when you're in the dark. Even when you're falling."

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." - Henry Adams

This is my favourite quote:

" Learn how to die, and you learn how to live."


I'm halfway through the book now. For those who loves reading, do checkout this book. You will not regret it! I wish I met Morrie in real life.

I didn't really share much about my experience in IVTMT '06 (mission trip in collecting data Kota Bharu). Nevertheless, the trip has left quite a lasting effect on me and my faith. Here's the article I wrote after the trip- a personal glimpse of how KB has impacted itself on me during the 3 days stay. Enjoy!

Land of Smiles

            Images of a backward town, oppressed religiously with fanatical Muslims ruling over the place seemed to spring into my imagination every time I hear the name of any town in the East Coast being mentioned in a conversation. Least of all, Kota Bharu, a PAS stronghold. Hailing from the West Coast, I admit that I have preconceived ideas of the town, and even participated in numerous distasteful jokes (I only realize that now), laughing away at how silly the state government was in closing down a cinema theatre due to some indecent couples being indiscreet in their affections.

After experiencing first-hand the town itself, I found that these and many more were just baseless assumptions. To my surprise, Kota Bharu and it occupants have its share of unique peculiarities, very distinctively Malay yet not at all “as bad as everybody thinks,” quipped Han Nee, a Primary School teacher who grew up in this town.

                One thing I must agree, after numerous citations from our interviewees and my personal observations was that the people here were very friendly and open. A smile, a look of kindness, and a gentle word of acknowledgement preclude any interaction with anyone in the streets ranging from the women market sellers, the trishaw riders, the taxi drivers and shop assistants.

Once, I wanted to try out nasi kerabu (a local delicacy consisted of blue-tinged rice with fish crackers and chopped fragrant daun ulam) and our team got lost trying to locate the exact place. Stopping a trishaw rider, I asked where I can get to my destination. The middle-aged Malay man tried his best giving us the directions, and even offered to take us there in his vehicle which we politely refused. Sensing our confusion, the helpful man suggested that we could find the delicacy at the 2^nd floor above a market near where we were at the moment. Needless to say, we located the stall and had a tasty, typically Kelantanese lunch thanks to him.

  Indeed, it was a pleasant experience purchasing goods from the famous Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah as the sellers always smile and try to give the best bargains when they sell their wares. A strong smell with a mixture of damp mustiness, fish and rotten vegetables seemed to hit me when I entered the domed business hub vibrant with numerous business transactions.

Malay women sitting in the middle of their respective stalls lined neatly next to each other, and brimming with vegetables of all hues from the vibrant reds of tomatoes to all shades of green, yellow and orange, handled the transactions with ease. The whole scene looked like a colorful postcard. I noticed the usual wares were various types of rice, fresh lekor, dodol, packets of keropok ikan and cendol packets. One can find a wide range of batik on the higher floor. After about an hour in the market, I can feel sweat trickling down my back, my jeans stuck to my thigh like overheated glue. It was getting suffocating.  

This brings me to my next point that Kota Bharu was a sunny and humid town. My first impression when I just arrived in the town was that it looked very much like Ipoh, with an air of history hanging in mid-air because of its old buildings on the dusty main streets. Various traditional coffee shops operated by Chinese with Malay workers dotted the town, and here, I could see Malay and Chinese co-mingling with each other as they sip their cup of coffees over charcoal-toasted bread or packets of nasi dagang with salted fish early in the morning. It was a scene that I had never encountered before in my years of growing up in a West Coast town, since most of the coffee shops were shunned by Muslims. Here, it was even a norm to have Malays frequenting Chinese Restaurants (Halal ones).

Another contrasting element present in the town was the evidence of modernization in the midst of backwardness. Signs of consumerism can be found in the form of 7 Eleven shops, Mc Donald’s Fast Food Restaurants, Pizza Hut and the recently built KB Mall. The traffic here was surprisingly congested due to the increasing vehicles on roads that were still narrow. Scaffoldings of construction sites stuck out like a sore thumb with a backdrop of “wooden floating houses” constructed illegally on the river bank of Sungai Kelantan. It’s as if old and new collide or it can be seen in the light of the town being “in the brink of change”, quoted one of my team members.  

                 Of course, the Malays, constituting 95% of the population here, were the main bulk of the town that lived mainly in the numerous kampungs situated at the outskirts of the town. Many Malay youths here seemed to idle their time away “lepaking” in front of the shopping centers, fast-food restaurants or pavements beside shops. Another phenomenon that truly was an eye-opener to me was when I witnessed youths clad in Baju Melayu racing their motorcycles recklessly down the main road in front of the mosque right after their Friday prayers! Locals here were accustomed to this sight including the haphazardly and thoughtlessly parked vehicles blocking the traffic during the prayer times from 12:00pm to 2:30pm. Shops ceased their business during prayer times.

                The prevalence of Islam, being the major religion practiced in this town, seep into many areas of living in the town. Kota Bharu itself was declared an “Islam City”. Signboards above shops have a Jawi equivalent printed above or below its original name, and Muslims here are devout practitioners of their faith.

Even though most Malays in the town are Muslims, many Malays in the rural areas surrounding the town have very strong cultic practices stemming from their animistic beliefs. It was believed that bomohs still play a very important role as spiritual leaders in the kampong community and are very sought after to heal illnesses, to drive out evil spirits, to give advice on spiritual matters and to cast spells on enemies.

                “If someone falls sick, the first person the family members will seek for help will be the kampong bomoh. They will only bring the sick to the hospital if he is going to die. Worse still, if the sick dies in the hospital, they will blame the hospital and said that they should have let the bomoh continue treating him!” shared Pastor Rodney, equally bemused with the mentality of “these” people.

                In contrast with the popular misconception that religious tolerance here in the town are very low, each person was allowed to practice their believes. Other religious buildings such as churches and temples can be seen. Christians, small in number and in different denominations, were able to organize numerous Christian events amidst a predominantly Muslim town such as this.

                All in all, what I would likely retain in my memory out of my experience in Kota Bharu were the smiles of the people I’ve encountered. A smile is a gift. It goes a long way in welcoming a stranger. Thus, it had drawn my heart nearer to this town because of these priceless gifts. Most of all, I see God’s hand already working here.

 

               

I'm currently working in Shades, a retail shop in Jaya Jusco, Ipoh selling all sorts of sunglasses. Branded ones too, like Ray Ban, Oakley, Adidas, Gucci, Georgio Armani and brandless ones, codenamed "Taiwan" by the staff. It's just a temporary job til Sunday. This was my second day. Feet aching, back gonna break, thighs rather wobbly, hehe. Guess I'm not as fit as I used to be when I was a promoter back then. I remembered working in shopping centres for 10 hours straight, gila...Dunno how I could stand it.

This job's not much different from my promoter stint. Lotsa standing around, serving customers, picking out fanciful shades while exclaiming "Oooh, aah..this suits your face perfectly" The consolation is I get to stare at almost 600+ different types of sunglasses. Wah lau,man. Never knew there were such a variety until I was assigned to wipe each pair (cos customers try them on and leave fingerprints). There are...diff shapes: Round, Oval, Square, Triagularish, Square, Rectange...diff frames: Inside lens, full frame, half-frame, rim-less...diff details: One piece (looks like a whole piece of glass in front of the face), double bar (two bands above the nose ridge), upside down...diff colours: Black, Pink, Brown, Orange, Green, Purple, Blue, Red, Violet...so on and so forth.

If I'm the customer, I'll surely be so mata rambang. Tried a few when there's no one around and did some posing too,hehe. Very nice chatty colleagues too. I think I've heard so many personal details from them just after TWO days. I'm amazed at how open they can be. Or maybe I ask a lot of questions.

This is a way of earning some pocket money before I get through to interviews. But boy...money ain't that easy to earn :) I'm not complaining though. Just a little worried that I might be wasting my time away sometimes. But I know, in all that I do, I do it for God and not for man. And even when I serve, I must humble myself and give my best service.

I remembered a friend of mine told me that a mutual friend of ours refused to work as a sales girl after obtaining a Diploma because she's so afraid of losing her face if any of her friends saw her as a sales girl. It came back to me this time. Then, I asked myself, am I ashamed to let people see that I'm selling sunglasses even after studying Uni? (of course, bearing in mind, this is just a temporary job) NO, of course not! It's another honest way of earning some pocket money. What's so wrong about that.

Besides, I got to know some really hardworking people during my term as a promoter or even now. People that tried their best to bring in income to support their families, even when they do not have that much chance to further their studies. It made me appreciate my education all the more, and made me strive to seek a job that enable me to contribute back to my parents. I had my Almighty to thank for too, of course. Without Him, I am nothing, of course.
I am humbled by this experience.

I'm currently working in Shades, a retail shop in Jaya Jusco, Ipoh selling all sorts of sunglasses. Branded ones too, like Ray Ban, Oakley, Adidas, Gucci, Georgio Armani and brandless ones, codenamed "Taiwan" by the staff. It's just a temporary job til Sunday. This was my second day. Feet aching, back gonna break, thighs rather wobbly, hehe. Guess I'm not as fit as I used to be when I was a promoter back then. I remembered working in shopping centres for 10 hours straight, gila...Dunno how I could stand it.

This job's not much different from my promoter stint. Lotsa standing around, serving customers, picking out fanciful shades while exclaiming "Oooh, aah..this suits your face perfectly" The consolation is I get to stare at almost 600+ different types of sunglasses. Wah lau,man. Never knew there were such a variety until I was assigned to wipe each pair (cos customers try them on and leave fingerprints). There are...diff shapes: Round, Oval, Square, Triagularish, Square, Rectange...diff frames: Inside lens, full frame, half-frame, rim-less...diff details: One piece (looks like a whole piece of glass in front of the face), double bar (two bands above the nose ridge), upside down...diff colours: Black, Pink, Brown, Orange, Green, Purple, Blue, Red, Violet...so on and so forth.

If I'm the customer, I'll surely be so mata rambang. Tried a few when there's no one around and did some posing too,hehe. Very nice chatty colleagues too. I think I've heard so many personal details from them just after TWO days. I'm amazed at how open they can be. Or maybe I ask a lot of questions.

This is a way of earning some pocket money before I get through to interviews. But boy...money ain't that easy to earn :) I'm not complaining though. Just a little worried that I might be wasting my time away sometimes. But I know, in all that I do, I do it for God and not for man. And even when I serve, I must humble myself and give my best service.

I remembered a friend of mine told me that a mutual friend of ours refused to work as a sales girl after obtaining a Diploma because she's so afraid of losing her face if any of her friends saw her as a sales girl. It came back to me this time. Then, I asked myself, am I ashamed to let people see that I'm selling sunglasses even after studying Uni? (of course, bearing in mind, this is just a temporary job) NO, of course not! It's another honest way of earning some pocket money. What's so wrong about that.

Besides, I got to know some really hardworking people during my term as a promoter or even now. People that tried their best to bring in income to support their families, even when they do not have that much chance to further their studies. It made me appreciate my education all the more, and made me strive to seek a job that enable me to contribute back to my parents. I had my Almighty to thank for too, of course. Without Him, I am nothing, of course.

Oh my goodness!
You just have to check this out. It's a series of How-To's ranging from "How to drink from a packet drink" to "How to cook Maggi Mee". Superbly hilarious. I doubled over laughing over "How to wear shoe". Really, the net brings wonders like this...

Facts about me in a list. I will add if I can think of more, or YOU can add too. I'll verify and edit if it's DEAD wrong. Read on if you know me personally, you might discover something new about me. Don't read if I make a boring subject,hehe. Anyway it's just an exercise in quantifying myself.

1. I'm a Christian.
2. I have 2 pariah Pinscher dogs (Yoki and Happy) and a cat ( Hau Poh).
3. I have a younger brother studing Communications Engineering in International Islamc University. I don't know why he chose that Uni.
4. I'm scared stiff of CICAK. I think they's yucky.
   
5. I love cats, of all kinds, domesticated or wild.
6. I think I'm an activist at heart.
7. I am disorganized.( I don't write that in my resume)
   
8. I used to conteng walls with crayon when I'm young especially before I was 7 years old.
9. I love to smell fried garlic and CK Be and my boyfriend's perfume ( I dunno what's the brand)
10. I lived in Klang for the first 6 years of my life.
11. I used to have a hot temper...now, much milder.
12. I like to watch unheard of movies (Indies)
13. I'm a sucker for action-packed movies too.
14. I have a very hunky boyfriend (that's MY opinion) and I love him very much
15. I had a crush on 2 Malay guys in my teens
16. I like drummers.
17. I had a best friend when I was six. She's called Alina.
18. I walked to Primary School accompanied by two brown dogs ( Mommy and Son) every morning.
19. I was chased by dogs twice.
20. I love chocolates (don't most girls?) and my favourite is Kit Kat Chunky.
21. I like to lead Bible study in an "organic" way.
22. I love to spend time with God.
23. I dream a lot, they're very vivid and graphic.
24. I want to work in an NGO in future.
25. I had 2 previous boyfriends. One, a high-school sweetheart for 4 years and another, a Dutch guy.
26. I don't eat junk food but I like Super Ring.
27. I believe in the existence of Jesus Christ and His work.
28. I have the most unusual bunch of housemates which I love and miss very much.
29. I think I'm unusual (but it might only be a sad delusion cos everyone thinks they're unusual which means I'm just like everyone else)
30. I like going to the beach at night.
31. I miss Finland. I was there for 4 glorious months of my life.
32. I do not have a repertoire of jokes but I have a sense of humour.
33. I like making lists.
34. I have a boyfriend that loves me.
35. I have short and chubby parents (they're very cute together)
36. I'm a bad singer, I don't have a nice singing *la la la* voice.
37. I laugh out loud and cry in the cinema.
38. I can't do cart wheels.
39. I don't play sports.
40. I was a Girl Guide, a Ranger and a half- Girl Scout ( I quit halfway)
41. I dislike doing Maths.
42. I read too much Romance junk when I was young.
43. I attended numerous Christian Camps while growing up.
44. I am a bit vain.
45. I name my soft toys.
46. I'm quite a scatterbrain (forgetful).
47. I have a soft spot for old people.
48. I adore babies.
49. I love carrots. I put carrots in almost anything I cook/salads or plain raw.
50. I don't watch a lot of TV.
51. I think Johny Depp is absolutely gorgeous.
52. I have a tidy room now!
53. I used to have a room that's so messy, the whole floor's practically covered with things.
54. I'm a Star Wars fan. Not keen in Star Trek.
55. I can stay up late and still function normally. Only for 3 consecutive days, then, I'm zombi-fied.
56. I want to paint my room Lime-Green.
57. I used to carry Takeshi Kaneshiro's and Aaron Kwok's pic in my wallet.
58. I carry pics of my boyfriend, parents and brother in my wallet now.
59. I drink coffee too much.
60. I had 2 major surgeries and 2 stitches.

...will be continued

Stumbled upon an online comic. Pretty amusing stuff! And I personally think cows are cute.
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/1634/cscoop.html

Just in case you can't read the print (it IS rather blurry,sorry)
Cow 1: Holistic thinkers look at patterns and relationships.
           But linear thinking people want to quantify everything.
Cow 2: On a scale with one being all linear, and ten being all holistic, where would you rate me?

(*Duh...)

I rate my self as 8 , pretty holistic. Hah!

I took a digital one and here it is!
Dad: You look better wearing your specs.
Mum: Nola, look like old aunty. Good thing, you tied your hair back, more 'fresh'
I think I look professional . But the smile looks kinda faked *blegh* Now...to clip them on my resumes.

It is really mind-numbing to:
1. Keep improving my resume so that I can at least start with a decent job in the area I've studied for 4 years- Broadcasting
2. Looking at job search websites
3. Doing nothing but the above.

Just a grouchy post. Other than that, I'm thankful for the amount of time I get to do anything I like. I'm stuck to the PC these past days. Time for a breather *phew*

After 3 days of being drugged senseless by a concoction of colourful pills and cough syrup, I'm finally functioning normally. So, I set about finishing my half-hearted attempt on producing a resume of decent quality. Not as easy as I thought. Why can't resumes come in a specific prototype and we just fill in the details? Why are there so many different types of resumes?

Googled up tips on writing resumes. Never knew there were so many pantang larang involved in producing such a life-determining document. Asked for comments. Answers range from:

"You should only write one-page"
"Max 2 pages"
"No, no, you must make it outstanding, one page too brief"
"Personal particulars...no needla, who wants to know woh?"
"You must...it's important, your employers would wanna know"
"Write specifics, in numerics"

And lots more. Aiyo, pening la. If being drugged and feeling floaty aren't bad enough, I'm having a headache coming up with a paper to promote myself to future employers. Dear Lord, I need Your guidance in this.

If you'd noticed, I mentioned "half-hearted attempt". Yeah, don't know why, I just don't have the motivation to get down and finish it when I could have done it the past week. Blamed it on the meds. Blamed it on the weather. Balik-balik, I malas la..

I've done half, another half to go. You can do it, Mei Yee!

I like to read blogs because...
1. It's like reading another person's diary
2. You "know" the person without even meeting him/her in person
3. It's addictive

There. *guilty*

I can't believe it! It's finally done! My last paper on Sunday. This is it, the next phase of my life.

Tentative plans: Go back Ipoh, get some money for my mission trip (IVTMT), go IVTMT from 9-18 May 2006, plan to go Bangkok, back to Ipoh again to spend some time with my parents (maybe get a part time job too) and hopefully, get employed in Penang temporarily...

I can only lift all this up to God and wait on His direction from there. Praying that He'll bless my plans and show me more when the time comes

Yesterday, I had just finished packing most of my heavy stuff, and got them transported to an uncle in Butterworth so that he can help me transport them back to Ipoh. Phew! Thank God, I had Joshua to help me pack, couldn't have done it in a day if it wasn't for him. Dunnola, I'm not as disciplined as him. It's as if he has this innate ability to systematically categorise things and pack them neatly in boxes, using all the available space as much as possible. If I'm left to do the packing myself, I'll probably be sitting in the middle of a pile of things, getting exasperated, torn between what to keep and what to throw away, and be downright haphazard, trying to cram everything in. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad but I'm sure the ordeal will take much longer if he wasn't around. I was so thankful that God had provided a nice uncle who were willing to transport my stuff home too!  

Then, today, lepak-ed a lot. Ah....haven't felt so free for such a long time. Much changes ahead. Expecting it with excitement with what God has in store for me!

I just thought of an analogy. Chewah...hehe. I've packed my things in boxes, sealed them and 'shipped' them home. These boxes, in a sense, represent my past. They contain a large part of me throughout the 4 years I had in Penang. I want to keep some while I might throw some away. Then, now I'm going to open new boxes. Containers of new experiences, new relationships, new plans. And God has prepared all this waiting for me to discover them when the time is right. Isn't it exciting? It's like opening up presents in Christmas day! No doubt, not ALL boxes are pleasant but it's still something that I'm sure God will use in His ultimate plan to mold me to be more like Him  I admit, it's not easy to say goodbye to the familiarity of my uni life especially to those friends, brothers and sisters that I've grown to love and cherish. Yet, a big part of me is ready to move on and am just excitedly looking ahead. I pray that I've ran the race well here in uni and if I haven't, I ask for His grace and mercy.

To those who are packing, all the best. To those who are still sitting for papers, all the best too. To those who are merdeka already, hip hip hurray! We can do the jiggy together, hehe. Take care and may God prosper your plans ahead as you look to Him for guidance in your future. Do not waver but be steadfast. I'm saying this to myself too.

This is one of my favourite prayers. I personally find encouragement from it when I'm involved in any unresolved conflicts. Especially when there are times when I feel like giving an eye-to-eye sort of response. Yet, in the simplicity of this prayer, it reminds me to carry God's gracious love even in times when I'd rather give in to my 'stake my claim, I don't care' attitude.Yes, I know it's not easy to swallow your pride and take the blow of 'mistreatment' but when I think about how Jesus had given His all to me, His very life, I am humbled and know for a fact that He did it all for me. He will avenge for me (if indeed, I was in the wrong). All I need to do is to be giving just as He had. Not easy but very much by God's grace. Be blessed!

Prayer of St. Francis

 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

"Sometimes Christians are called to turn the world upside down. To bring the exact opposite of what we find in our world. St. Francis' prayer is a bold one, asking for strength to give of ourselves to meet the needs of others. He recognises that it "is in giving that we receive", that as we give of ourselves, we receive the peace and blessing of our risen Lord Jesus. We cannot earn eternal life, but that we are pardoned from the sins that block our claim on it."

- excerpted from the web page I got the prayer from. 

 

Just a survey

Would you do a French kiss right in front of everyone after exchanging your wedding vows?

I was quite taken aback when one of my housemates said :"Why not? I've waited a long time for my first kiss. I want to make this special too"

Another said: "Yeah, man. I don't care what the crowd thinks but I don't mind doing it French in my wedding."

It started off with me asking, "If you look at a couple exchanging their wedding kiss, where would you imagine it to be? Lip to lip or lip to cheeks?"

So, what say you?