A whole new world

I have tonnes and tonnes of pending job-to-be-done now that I have just joint an environmental consultancy group here in my faculty. Currently, I'm suppose to handle the editting part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on a development of a thermal treatment plant in Kamunting, Perak, which is already at its final stage. Of course I am suppose to be packed with my Phd activity but I couldn't resist the offer from the consultant group leader. People say 'when opportunity knocks, the least you can do is open your door'. Well that's more or less what I am trying to do.

My phd seems to move in a very slow pace nowadays but of course the last thing I would do is to neglect it, although they're quite a handful to juggle. I have to really restrict myself and manage my time in the office carefully and the victim might be this blog. I may not have much time updating it but I'll try my best to still do whenever I am able to.

Next monday, we will be having a meeting with our next client, TNB, who's planning to develop a hydroelectric plant in Ulu Jelai, Cameron Highlands. This particular EIA will cost me a headache and a tremendous time to be spent and it's just kicking off (Terms of Reference approval) at this particular meeting I am attending in KL. I think I'll be incharged of it's project description and editting the whole report as well as the excecutive summary. I am more than excited to be able to join this group but I know I have to work like a horse to meet deadlines as we are dealing with gigantic corporate clients. Hopefully this will be a wonderful and fruitful experience for me as consultation will be a very important criteria in applying for a promotion in my university.

It's a whole new experience for me and hopefully I am now heading towards the right direction on my way of climbing the career ladder in the university. Wish me luck.

Tax time..

It's April again and all of us, the human resources of Malaysia has to go through the mental exhausting task of filling up our tax form. This is a task that I have to carry out every year, mine and my husband's. He's never bothered about it and always says that he trusted me for this excruciating task that he doesn't want to do. How clever huh...

This year, I opt for e-filing. Instead of filling up the BE form in hard copies, I'm filling it up online. Hopefully this method would be easier than the previous manual hard copy tax calculation and the application can do an automatic calculation instead of us punching on the calculator. I haven't completed it yet so I wouldn't know how efficient the system is. Fingers crossed.

What a day..

Before we knew it, it has already been nearly a year that bibik (my maid) came into Malaysia and work for us (she’s an Indonesian). It was a blessing to have her around. She’s genuinely very loving towards my kids and my kids adore her. Maybe there are some chores that she can’t do perfectly here and there, but I believe we have to be grateful to have someone that really loves our kids working for us. Maybe God was testing us when He fated that we have to go through an excruciating agony to find one good maid. We’ve tried 10 maids before her and all of them had their own issues. This post would be way too long if I want to cover all those issues.

So today I have to go to Fomema in order to carry out bibik’s medical check up to renew her work permit. I wish I can go with my husband, but you know, he’s always busy. It seems so hard nowadays for him to get off once in a while to cater to my needs, especially during weekdays. But it’s okay. I think I have to understand his job and his strict boss, and also thankful for the time he always spends with us during the weekends. I enjoyed the movie you took me to last weekend, dear.

Anyway, luck was not on my side when there were a series of mishaps occurred to me today on the way to Fomema. It begins with my bad luck at the ATM machine for the cash I need to make a money order to pay for it. Out of all the four ATM machines available, only one was working and the lines was unacceptably long. I have to go to another bank but that ATM machine won’t accept my bankcard. What a bummer!! I had to take some of my savings from another account then. I was lucky that nothing really cause a delay in making the money order I needed though.

I asked my friend N to accompany me there so we have to send her girl to the nursery first. Driving a car that’s not really my car is something that I don’t really like to do though. The workshop where our Kancil is in lends me a Satria. I should be happy but the Satria is too lowered that it gives me trouble at bumpers and hill. The road to the nursery is quite hilly so I ran into a curb at one of its corner because I can’t really see the curb while climbing and cornering. Ahh…I wonder why do they have to cut the spring shorter had it lowered. Despite the stability, it’s a nuisance going on bumpers and rocky roads.

The car felt really funny but we just ignored it, thinking that the lowered thing makes it feel that way. All the roads felt really bumpy and it made funny sounds. We kept ignoring it until a guy in a lorry point a finger to my back right tyre and said that it’s flat. Alamak..why does it has to happen to me!! We had to drive quite a few kilometres until we reach a petrol station to find help (it smells funny already because of the friction of the flat tyre rubber with the road – hangit). I’ve never changed a tyre a before and I can try but we don’t have a jack in the car. The petrol station also didn’t have one. Suddenly a Bread Truck stopped and offered us to use theirs but it can’t fit under it because the car is too low. Damn it, again I wonder why do they want to have it lowered. There was no solution and I have to hurry before Fomema closes down and I have no choice but to drive to the nearest workshop in a flat-tyred car. It’s not something I was very happy to do but I had to. Luckily it was not that far and they changed it just in a matter of minutes. And it cost me just a few ringgit for the trouble, RM5 actually.

So off we go..hoping that no trouble will be on our way anymore and we reached there safely. I was elated to find out that the process at Fomema took me not more that half an hour. We drove back and not far from out office gate, while we chat, a car simply crossed the road (at a crossing) just inches in front of my car and I have to sway my car to the left to avoid us from crashing into it. The weird thing is the lady driving the car doesn’t even realise that she has done a stupid move and nearly cost us our lives. I was thankful that I managed to avoid the collision even if my tyres were already screeching in order to make us stop. It was scary. Anyway, we reached our office safely and I’m thankful that I’m okay and my friend is okay and we are still alive and kicking, breathing the air. What a day….

A glimpse of Oprah

Today I had lunch with my close friend in the office at her home. She said she cooked 'sambal sotong' (squid) last night and she has plenty of leftover. She also said she cooked good 'sambal sotong' and I decided to give it try.

While waiting for the rice to cook, I watched the TV while crunching on some of her biscuits to shut my tummy from announcing to the world that it's empty. There was nothing really interesting on except for Diari Akademi Fantasia (one of the hottest reality shows in Malaysia) with some coverage on what the students do during their classes. It was a bit boring and I didn't really watch it. Before I knew it, the rice was ready and lunch was on the way with some pan fried vegetables and an ommelete. It was nice, thanks to my friend, N.

It was already half past 1 and N has to get her daughter ready for nursery. She hace to race against time for she has to attend the department meeting at 2.30. While waiting for her to give the little girl a quick bath and for herself to perform her Zuhur prayer (I am temporarily unable to), I once again turned to the TV set for some entertainment. After browsing on every channel available, I finally came to channel 70 (Star World) and I was elated to see Oprah Winfrey on her show. It was already halfway through but can still serve the purpose of feeding me with information and entainment.

In the show, there was a pretty faced man, quite handsome and not ugly at all. The weird thing is, whenever he looked into the mirror, he cannot help but think that he's an ugly monster. I personally think he's handsome. Who wouldn't if he is this tall guy with quite an attractive built plus straight silky smooth hair (a little less than shoulder length).

Apparently, he has a mental/psikology problem called Body Dysmorphic Disorder. According to the doctor, Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder, which involves a disturbed body image. It is generally diagnosed in those who are extremely critical of their physique or self image, despite the fact there may be no noticeable disfigurement or defect.

It was sad seeing this guy trying to cope with his disorder and the world and it was heartbreaking to see his family struggle with him to make the world understands. He's lucky because he has such a supportive family.

Another case of BDD shown today was a lady addicted to plastic surgery. She was a beautiful young girl at the age of 28. Unfortunately, the surgeries she put herself through in the end make her look like a monster. She looks like a distorted, mutated Pamela Anderson with lips that is noticeable from a mile. That's how bad she looks. I pity her for doing this to herself and I pity her for not seeking help while she can. Like Oprah, I also curse the doctor who performed the surgeries for not telling her really that she has a disorder that she has to take care off. It's sad that somethimes money is more important to the doctors than their etiquette.

This is new to me. I've never heard of such a disorder before and that's why I like to watch Oprah. Despite of the entertainment she provides with all her glamorous hot shot celebrities and the makeover shows that she loves to do, she does care for her country and the world in her own way. She likes to highlight issues that is sometimes totally remote to most of us and alerted the whole nation.

Before I can finish my Oprah, N was ready to go out and I have to be pulled way from the TV. We have to hurry to make it on time back to our office. Bye bye Oprah....

It has been a long time...

It seems like I have abandoned this blog isn't it. No...I would never do that. It has been quite a long time since I last posted anything here. . I was just busy attending to my daily job and settling problems rooted from my husband's accident. All his documents has to be replaced and we have to find another car for him to commute to his workplace. Luckily the workshop that's repairing the car lend us a Satria to be used temporarily. So that problem solved.

Anyway, I have promised to share the picture of the accident, haven't I? We got it already and they can be seen in my husband's blog. It is all there.

A terrible tragedy

Last wednesday, I was cooking for my dear hubby that requested me to cook chicken rice. In the middle of getting the soup ready, at 5.20pm I received a phone call from a number that is not at all familiar. The voice on the other end was familiar though, it was my husband..... calling for help!! He was in a terrible car accident, and he said his car is in a river somewhere in Senai. His mobile phone and all his possessions that is always in the car were washed away by the current or still in the car if his lucky. I was teribbly shocked and paralysed for a few seconds and then it occured to me that he must be alright because he's the one who made the call with someone else's phone.

I rushed to the accident site which took me more than an hour because of the heavy traffic at peak time (end of office hours) and it was raining so damn heavy. I was in tears fearing for my husband's condition. What worried me was how he is doing. He might be able to call me even if he's injured. Maybe he was just trying to comfort me by saying that he's alright. I cursed the traffics and pardon me for that. Upon arriving to the site, I saw my husband who was soaking wet and rushed to him. I inspected his body and there is not even a single drop of blood. That made me feel a little bit easier but still I was worried. Maybe the injuries are internal. I wanted to bring him to the hospital but he refused. He took me to the river bank and I can see his car crushed in between a tree and a pile of big rocks.

He was damn lucky...I could have lost him if he's not. I believe God watched over him. His car could have smashed on top of the rocks with the wheels upside down and that's it. It fears me seeing the condition of the car.

Apparently, a puddle of water from the heavy rain forced my husband to slow down his car. A blue van which was in quite an unacceptable speed during a rainy day crashed into the back of his car which skidded his car onto the grass beside the road. Once on the grass, the car was totally uncontrollable and he crashed into the river far aside the road. He skidded for nearly 100m because of the high speed of the van crashing into him before he toppled into the river. The river banks was so steep and high (approximately 5-7m high) and made him topple twice or three times. His head bumped into something and left bruises on both side of his forehead. Once landed, water rushed into the car and he had to get out as soon as he can, he left all his belonging in there. Luckily the river was not too deep to cover the top of the car, the current was fast enough to take the car with it but luckily it was in between the tree and the rocks. Other than the bruises on the forehead, he's alright, thank God, Alhamdulillah.

It took the crane about one hour to get the car out of the river because of the steep riverbank. I didn't bring our camera to the scene so I can't put the pictures of in this post. I was rushing, who can think of getting the camera after receiving such a bad news. Spectators of the scene kept increasing and luckily the guy who's supposed to handle the case braught a camera. So I'll attach the pictures in the future.

So, that was the story. I almost lost him that day. How grateful I am that he's alright and came out of it without even a scratch. These past two days he is still exhausted from the ordeal and busy with replacing all his identity documents including his I/C, driving licence, bank cards and credit cards. He's so tired and could not write any post in his blogs. I will link all his blogs to this post so that the readers are not wondering why there is no new posts in there. So guys, that's the story.

Books that inspire me

How I wish I have the time to read my favourite author's book nowadays. It seems like the time is running too fast and I can’t catch up anymore. My days are hectic with the research work at the office and my evenings are spent with my husband and kids. There are tonnes and tonnes of chores to be done eventhough bibik is always there to help. I made sure that my own responsibilities should still be carried out by myself. Cooking for instance has never been appointed to be done by bibik. My husband has never even taste a sip of drink made by her. She just takes care of the kids and the house when I’m not around, and do the basic cleaning, laundry and tidying up.

By the time I went to bed, I was exhausted hoping that my three little rascals are tired enough to go straight to bed. There is no more energy to be drained out of me, what more to relish a book I truly love.

There seems to be a pattern in the type of books I like with the progression of my age. In high school, I used to love reading Judith McNaught’s romance novels. My first was Whitney, My Love. I was fully indulged in reading the novel, my friends have to pull it away from me to have me go with them to the dining hall come lunch or dinner time. Her language is always as beautiful as it can be and I can’t help but imagine all the people and places she describes in her writings. The characters are always so unique and appealing and most of the settings are always in the past Victorian ages when the cultures are so different from today. I hopped from one after another, books to books of hers including Once and Always, Something Wonderful, A Kingdom of Dreams and Until You. Unfortunately, I don’t get to read them anymore after I finished my highschool for all the novels I’ve read were not mine. They were my friends’, I didn’t have the luxury of buying even food that I like at that time, what more buying novels.

When I go to college, I found another alternative to cater my love of novels, the library. Unfortunately, schools do not provide Judith Mcnaught’s romance novels on the shelves. Then I introduced myself to Danielle Steel. The first that I read was titled “Star”, a love story between a Hollywood singer and a lawyer. I like her writing style but after sometimes in can be monotanous. That’s the only book from her that I truly love anyway. I tried to read Jewels but I’ve never finished it. I don’t read Danielle Steel anymore.

My all time favourite author is Sydney Sheldon. I don’t even remember how I got to read my first Sydney Sheldon’s work but I do remember which one, ‘If Tomorrow Comes’. It was about a woman prisoner who can’t wait to get out to take a revenge on the killer of her family and she managed to do in an appealingly shrewd way. I got to learn of how the prison system is and the life of a prisoner. After that introduction to Sheldon, I can’t wait to finish all the book written by him.

Sydney Sheldon’s books were always articulately and lucratively written and most of the main characters are women (at least the ones that I’ve read). His way of picturing and describing people, places and events are so vivid, we can imagine ourselves being there. I love the twists, the mysteries and the stories. The list of Sydney Sheldon’s books that I have read so far is:

The Best Laid Plans
Nothing Lasts Forever
The Stars Shine Down
The Doomsday Conspiracy
Memories of Midnight
The Sands of Time
Windmills of the Gods
If Tomorrow Comes
Master of the Game
Rage of Angels
A Stranger in the Mirror
The Other Side of Midnight.

I learnt a lot from Sydney Sheldon, from the prison system, doctors life, diamond pursuer, a nun, a builder, a senator to the alien conspiracy among all. My Favourite Sydney Sheldon's though is The Stars Shine Down. The name of the main character, Lara Cameron, still linger in my mind till today and I always dream to be like her. One day I might get the chance to build my own building like her

**I also like a Jefry Archer's "As The Crow Flies'. What about you guys out there? Care to share?