Changing views

After seven years, I exchanged this view from my balcony:

to this view from another balcony:











one sunset:

to another sunset:

A thousand things on my mind

Elison asked why I didn't update my blog? I said to her that I have a thousand things on my mind, but just didn't know where to begin.

Sometimes, I meet interesting characters and there seemed to be so much I wanted to write about them. But then, I realised that they are like onions...I need to wait patiently for the layers to peel off so that I can glimpse more.

Sometimes, I visit places and I wanted to tell friends about it but ended up writing short emails and didn't have the mood to blog anymore.

Sometimes, I just couldn't string a single sentence from the thousand things on my mind!

Early Retirement

Can I say that 2009 started well? Somehow knowing that one is going to "retires" from the company doesn't bode well. How can I explain my slacking at work for those many months?

Anyway, I learned from colleagues what FB is and how to be a virtual farmer, virtual ghost buster, mouse trapper and a darn good fisherman! It helps in putting some excitement in the job, flicking my cursor from report writing to harvesting juicy pumpkins or catching Casper in some old musty castle in England.

And so, I whiled away 9 months in some kind of limbo at work. Stranger still when management said I was not performing, hence no salary increment, but I received a big bonus. Hey, who am I to complain? Just said thank you for their generosity, right?

After a few months of impromptu meetings, suspense, feet-dragging, fight-for-your-rights incidences, I was dismissed. Praise God, for the provision in the form of VSS. It helps to settle my mortgages and now I found myself in the Land Downunder.

To go into details would probably requires that I begin with another blog, another story. Suffice to say that I think I should begin to tell my tales from now henceforth. Should I recall some incidences of the past worth mentioning later, I may give it some room in this blog.

I also think a story should not be restricted to dates of entry or in chronological order of happenings. It is after all, a kind of diary to record my thoughts . Who knows, as they say, my two-cents worth of grey-cells-exercise may entertain someone out there...

Trying to close the gap

What happened to the rest of my 2008?

Well, busy with work...there was the DujiangYan earthquake, which generated much work for moi.
Also a time to learn that certain questions may seemed innocent to me, but offensive to some characters (especially when it is regarding safety and the local authorities! ); not only to the point of non-communicado but also bad mouthing me to all. And to think that we actually started on very good footing from day one.
Suffice to say, Matthew 5:23 helps me to move on. Come to think of it, if I had 100% moved on, I shouldn't even be recording this. I really need to close this subject!

Travels filled my diary in 2008. My first trip to Hanoi and the discovery of a fishing village, which to my mind is what I would envision a "pirate's cove" would be. The setting, the misty day...perfect! ( I am still searching my archive for that picture).

This was also the year when I thought a building in Iligan would fall down (it is still standing as I wrote this) and sent everyone on a panic run. My "reward" one and a half years later was a piece of paper saying I had the best safety alert...at a farewell dinner, to close the department and I was to be VSS-ed.

I also took time off to watch the kids explore Hong Kong and Macau, and dragged the grown ups along with me. It was a tiring week, but absolutely enjoyable. Not the good food and hotel in Disneyland, but the characters of the kids that slowly emerged.

The boss' conduct during year end appraisal was a sign of imminent doom. Somehow expected, still the impact surprised me. Bad report card.

Good news and bad news came and went...death, sickness, birth, visa approval, etc.

Weddings...always a good end to a story. One of them ; Kok Heong's was such a memorable wedding dinner. Young and vibrant, lots of love and hope to look forward to a fruitful future. Amen.

It's the New Year 2008!

I bet this year there will be another baby boom..especially among the Chinese. They like the number 8 too much. Oh well, at least its not 666 so it should be OK.

This year, well I thought I better embark on new things. Think less of myself and more of others...like my family, my friends, my colleagues, maybe even strangers.

On the stranger bit, my cousin-bro-in-law (what a mouthfull-title) happened to mention the other day about some TV adverts concerning strangers. The adverts used to be about good Samaritans helping others in need, be courteous to strangers, show our smile, our famous Malaysian warmth,etc. Now, the adverts are about "be very wary of strangers"..don't talk to them if you don't know them, don't smile, don't help if they ask for directions. What is happening to our society? Is it because the world is coming and mingling with our society?

I guess, it is better to be careful than sorry.

Back to my aim to do something new this year....mmm, its hard to imagine what I should do. After so many years of new year resolutions (mostly get repeated every year) not materialising, I am stopping the list and just go with the flow this year. I hope that thought counts as a "new" thing.

Its been a quiet day today. Except the news from Nickie that her Coffee died. Poor woman. Hope she gets over it quickly. Maybe a new puppy to cheer her up?

Time flies and I've been left behind!

I was reading Furient's blog and wanted to comment about his "shit" story. Was wondering that maybe I was having my "senior moment", because I tried my username and password but just couldn't log in!

Didn't know how I did it, but was informed the system changed to googles. Sigh, I am so not internet savvy and am so ancient...so left behind!

Anyway, there's no stories to update Furient. Maybe just some nice pictures.

There are just so many websites to put up photos. I uploaded some pictures on the photobucket but have not invited anyone to view yet. Oh well, another time then.

Sunset from my balcony...its beautiful, isn't it? I was told the original concept of housing like this came from the Hakka village. It is quite peaceful to sit at the balcony on evenings like this...just quietly viewing God's painting of the sky.

Mmm, what a boring piece and a poor attempt at writing. I guess I better stick to my Hakka traits then...menial work out in the fields, not a comfy seat in front of the computer!

Sure is one ancient square peg

Boy, am I outdated! If another Hakka read my posting, I'll surely get a whack on my Hakka head. Luckily it didn't happen yet. I was just being curious today & so typed 'Hakka People' in Googles. I found the Hakka Jackpot, so to speak. There's 27,000websites about the Hakka Clan.
I thought I better changed the description in my heading...but then I thought, never mind. I was lost, but now am found. This sentence sure has a profound meaning for me! I just wished that I had found it earlier, so that I could share this knowledge with my dad before he "chorn tong sarn". At least we would have a great time learning about our roots. I could've brought him to one of the Hakka Conference too. Oh well, it's all water under the bridge now.
But all is not lost. I'm going to start speaking Hakka to my nephew (like most Malaysian Chinese, the rest of his family members are trying to train him to breathe, eat & sleep Mandarin...why?) from now on, besides English. That way we can retain our nomadic "everyone's guest" life, and live globally yet retain our language roots. Heck, I've got to learn Chinese Characters next!
So, it may take a while to post more sites as I'll be busy reclaiming my roots. Good timing as well, since I have plan to trek the Silk Road soon. This knowledge will help to re-adjust my usually jaundice sight!

Have to Start Somewhere...

Guess I have to keep myself up to date, if I want to be a cool aunt. If I'm to be judged by today's kids, I'm Godzilla's aunt. That's how ancient I am.

Being an ancient aunt (my friend's nickname for me: cube, though sounds pleasant...still means square in the Malaysian term), I have all the right characteristics...long winded, speak my mind (more like putting my foot in my mouth at times)...just being a pain in the neck.

So, here I am with my reading glasses perched on my flat nose, arthritis fingers tapping...if nobody reads it's fine by me. At least I may keep alzheimer at bay.