Year 2014 - ch3's take

Even though I have been missing (a lot) for the past 363 days from my blog - I figure I still want to end the year with a post. 2014 was a year of firsts - as I have mentioned here.

First time joining a kickboxing class (and sticking to it for the past 6 months!), first time doing a fun run/walk (only 10 km but still an achievement!), first time travelling to Hangzhou, China and parts of Europe (both without signing up tours) ... the year was dotted with many more first times. It was also a year with lots of ups and downs, of laughter and tears - I have attended a couple of weddings, celebrated a handful new births and also a few more wake services.

Highlights of the year (amongst many more memorable moments):

Clockwise from top left: Doraemon Expo - introducing mum to Doraemon, Hangzhou trip - beautiful place,  Melaka food trip with buddies - burp!, Port Dickson retreat - a gift from a dear friend, Europe (Netherlands, Belgium & Germany) - thumbs up, my (annual) Singapore trip to visit bestie.

Clockwise from top left: PESS (alma mater) 100 years celebration fun run, Chinese New Year celebration with family, church camp in Taiping with mum tagging along, my farewell party with the office people (after 5 years, it was a difficult decision), road trip up north to Penang and Perak with guest from HK, celebration dinner enjoying KL sunset view.

Malaysia, as a nation, went through a trying year - with 3 unforgettable aviation-related mishaps, most serious flood in 20 years. Of course, there were triumphant moments which we should not write off. All these made part of our history, part of who we are. Let the happy moments teach us to be grateful for what we have and let the sad ones teach us to be strong and courageous.

Came across these words of Anna Quindlen just a while ago:

Knowledge of our own mortality is the greatest gift God ever gives us because unless you know the clock is ticking, it is so easy to waste our days, our lives.

Cherish life.

Cheers
ch3ryl

The 3 Ps

I seriously need to relook at how I can control my emotions better, right now I think my EQ is almost zero, if not negative. Someone once said whenever you are angry, your IQ becomes zero (人愤怒的那一瞬间，智商是零，过一分钟后恢复正常。).

Trying hard to control my anger and emotions at the workplace today, I failed miserably. Two separate episodes today.

First episode in the morning was still controllable, breathe harder, breathe deeper...

Second episode - my hands were shaking from the wrath. Someone once asked me why I have the patience to teach children but not adults. I guess the difference lies in the attitude of the learner. I do not mind knowledge sharing but if the person (especially adults!) is not keen to learn - it just gets to me. 'I don't know' is not the reason we are unable to accomplish a task, it is an excuse to not try. Everyone has to start somewhere, I am not born with it either.

You know what Benjamin Franklin once said - Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.

Anyway, for now I am going to consistently remind myself the 3 Ps - POSITIVE, PATIENT and PERSISTENT. Made this doodle this morning and put it right in front of me at my work station.

It's a beautiful time

as it's getting Christmasy in the office.

Thankful that even though I have shifted to a smaller cubicle (due to change of role at work), I still have my little corner to add colours to.

P/s: 1st time blogging from my mobile, not quite sure how/whether this works.

Note: Mobile blogging works except for images cannot be resized or arranged nicely.

(A)musing Finds - Serenity & Strength

Few Saturdays ago - I thought I had some time in the morning before I go to class (I teach Malay language in a children's home on Saturday evenings) so I decided to drive around the neighbourhood.

Lo and behold, I did not know there is this one stretch of road, not very long, maybe a little short of 200m, quite near home. As soon as I (randomly) turned into this road - I was mesmerized by the sight before me. So much so, I have to quickly (and safely) stopped my car by the road and took a shot.

It started to drizzle when I stopped my car but as soon as I started my drive again, it began to pour. Just in time, and if you look closely you may spot some raindrops on the windscreen.

I love roads like these - so calming and serene. I wish more roads in KL are like these. I felt better after the drive, cleared my mind a little.

I had recently been handed an entirely new portfolio at work - everything seems so foreign to me. The unit is new, even the unit's head (my boss) is new, the system is new (to me - but according to my boss, not many people out there understands or knows how to use it any way), the lingo is new, the seating is new (how I missed my old cubicle). It is a real challenge, and I was feeling frustrated and angry with myself as I can't seem to pick up these new things as fast as I anticipated - aging?

 There was even a point at time that I nearly wanted to give up but I made a promise (to myself) that I will stick it out, hang around, persevere, give it my best shot, fail and try again and fail and try again... 2 years - that is the timeline that I have set and if in 2 years I do not achieve what I set out to do or justify my HOD's faith in offering me the portfolio, then I may really have to consider to make a move.

All these frustrations had been building up for a while. (It still does now) But I know I can make it, just have to continuously build my strength day by day, step by step. And perhaps, when I become too tired to tough it out, which is very likely happen to recur in the next 2 years - I just need to take a drive down the beautiful road again, that I may find STRENGTH in SERENITY.

You know what they say:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. --Reinhold Niebuhr

Earlier (A)musing Finds:
Water-powered clock
Butter knife
Optical illusion
Women
Maeklong Railway Market

My blogger still doesn't work on Google Chrome (how do you guys do it?) - am using Mozilla now.

Something Good

Wow, my last post was more than 2 months ago!

I have been having problems to access my own blog. My page on Google Chrome just does not display the sign in link - and I couldn't figure out the way, except if I blog via my mobile or like now, I use another explorer. Yet I still have a footnote down on the left corner that says 'Error on page'. So keeping my fingers crossed, I hope this gets posted in the end.

I have been up to quite a bit of stuffs lately - more in the line of reflecting about my life - past, present, future. Contemplating on what I want to do and/or to be and checking my current standing to see how far off I am. Basically just lots of thinking.

So, for the time being, I may blog less (also due to demands in the workplace plus some year end plans which will keep me occupied) but I am still around, striving my best to be the best I can.

To all who read my page, thanks for hanging around and I wish you well.

Shalom

Ending with a photo I took recently, while driving home from work (it is not often I could go home while the sun is still hanging around)

Beautiful

Even when life is not all smooth and easy, if we keep trying, we can finish strong.

Beautiful...especially when we know which direction to look - upwards.

Inspired by this video on Nick Vujicic on finishing strong -

Salam Merdeka

31st August - the day Federation of Malaya declared her independence from the then British colonial rule in the year of 1957. (Later on 16th September 1963, Malaysia was formed by Federation of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.)

Despite all, in spite all, I am proud to be a Malaysian. Saya anak bangsa Malaysia :)

We were taught to sing the national anthem since young - and each time now, I sing it again, I could feel tears well up - because of the Malaysian pride.

Negaraku
Tanah tumpahnya darahku
Rakyat hidup, bersatu dan maju
Rahmat bahagia, Tuhan kurniakan
Raja kita selamat bertakhta

(My translation below)
My country
My native land
The people live in unity and progress
God grants blessings and mercy
Our King rules in sovereignty

Video of the national anthem - performed with a nice twist; video made 2 years ago, hence the 54th year credit message at the end.

As it says for our theme this year - Malaysiaku Berdaulat, Tanah Tumpahnya Darahku (My Sovereign Malaysia, My Native Land).

Girls on Cruise

Long overdue post of the cruise holiday I took with mom almost 2 months ago.

Note: Could be photo-intensive post. There would have been more if I had had my camera with me. 

It was the first time both of us go on a cruise. Mom had mentioned to me a couple of times before that she heard it is a lot of fun going on one. As much as I wasn't convinced, I figured it could be a great holiday choice for her - as she is not able to walk for long distance, she does not really enjoy relaxing by the beach, she detests shopping (except for groceries perhaps, but still she can't walk for long before complaining of leg pain).

I got a pretty good deal, a buy-one-free-one package so it was about MYR2600 for the two of us with our choice of the Ocean View Stateroom. The package also comes with return coach transfer between KL and Penang, which is a plus point. I do not mind driving to Penang, but would prefer to have at least another capable driver. The journey on the road takes about 6 hours one way.

So off we go...

On the coach, heading to Penang

Crossing the Penang Bridge

Here we go

Our room

Just relaxing

Being on-board the ship, we didn't do much besides eating, sleeping, chilling at the pool deck, watching shows at night... we practically did nothing except to just relax. I even had time to catch up on my reading.

Just enjoying the breeze on the pool deck

The acrobatic show on the 2nd night

We did pretty well on the first day - but when we awoke the next day, we started to feel a little seasick. Thinking it was not serious, we just put medical plaster on our belly buttons. I learned this trick whilst on a trip to Jogjakarta some years ago, shared by our local guide which had helped my friends curb their motion sickness. My mom claimed she had heard of it too. We did just that but few hours later we still felt uneasy. We had no choice but to take the anti-motion sickness tablets. Thankfully I managed to get it at the eleventh hour.

Spotted in Phuket

Krabi town centre - iconic traffic lights 

Enjoying our seafood tomyam at one of the local restaurants in Krabi

We got off the ship on the 2nd and 3rd day at Phuket and Krabi. As I have said, mom don't do beaches or related water activities, so I have planned for us to go to town these two days, to just take our own sweet time to check out the places. Managed to sneak in a superb and relaxing (yes! this word again!) Thai massage session in Patong town, Phuket. In Krabi town, we found the local morning/wet market and bought lots of fruits from there. Prices were reasonable and the fruits fresh. We had mangosteens, lychees, rambutans and pomelo! We had a feast.

Disembarked, leaving the jetty on the coach - and it rained for the first time during our trip

Overall it was a good trip, spent quality time with mom. I know I may not have spent much time with her, except for those grocery shopping weekends. I am I have this chance to travel with her, to bring her to see the world outside her own little space. I know how hard her childhood had been (she was born in the midst of World War 2), how she had  and I told her before I will give her a better life the best I can.

Oh, with the cruise package, we actually got a free 5D-4N trip to Hangzhou too! We just have to buy our flight tickets, wonderful as Hangzhou is a place I had wanted to visit in China. As the Chinese says, "Paradise above, Suzhou-Hangzhou below 上有天堂，下有蘇杭". Am keeping an eye on cheap airfare.

Meet Tom

First we had Tim.

Now we have Tom (the Googly Eyed Grabber)...

Who do you think my next new friend will be?

For the benefit of my non-Malaysian readers - these toys inspired by the recently screened (and screening still) animation "Despicable Me 2" were given free when one purchases a set of McDonalds kid's meal (Happy Meal). The toys are released in batches and they sold like hot bananas cakes!

So overwhelming were the fans/collectors that the toys sold out before end of the first day of the batch launch. So many hearts were broken, so many souls were disappointed - Happy Meals had become Sad Meals boo hoo hoo.

Congrats to those who managed to grab one or two or three (how can you get them so fast and how to eat so many Happy Meals???). To those who missed out, well...

Keep calm. It's only a plastic toy.

Our days are numbered

Some things came up, a bit out of the blue and I have somehow be thrown off my track. Hence, the promised-but-delayed post on my recent trip, which has somehow become not so 'recent'!

Anyway, as I was still stuck in the office today, finishing some work, the view outside got my attention ...

After I the took photo above, I continued with my work and the next moment when I looked out the window again, the nice hues of the twilight moment were gone, the sun has set. While on the drive home, I was pondering about life, about my life... you know how these things go. You are going through the routines of life and suddenly you are 'inspired' to think about these things.

This reminds me how our days are numbered; how life could be so short that when we are too busy rushing about we do not stop often enough to smell the flowers (or take nice photos of the beautiful sky!). I am feeling more lifted now that I have thought it through, it's like getting a new lease of life. Yup, the problems are still there, the complications are still apparent, the solutions not yet in sight but life's much more than that, surely. Life is about being, about making it all worthwhile.

Ending this post with these verses from Psalms (I have not been a disciplined Bible reader but these verses will be what I am going to meditate on for the next few days at least):

As I stood there in silence — not even speaking of good things — the turmoil within me grew worse…We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We make our pile, and then we leave it.
Psalms 39: 2,6

P/s: Though the tone of this post sounds a little downbeat, but I am actually feeling most liberated.

Tim Giggling

Got me a new friend - Tim Giggling. Got him today to cheer myself.

Been a very trying week at work. The last few days, I can't count the times that I almost lost it and thisclose to give up; but I know I gotta grit my teeth and carry on.

Better times will come. Friday's almost here. Hopefully I will get the time to write that now-overdue post of my trip. Stay tuned and I hope your week was better, if not, it will be.

Cheers

Bittersweet

Life's bittersweetness is like this glass of 4-layer tea, one's incomplete without the other, ccomplementing one another.  To enjoy my rainbow, I need to experience the rain, and even perhaps go through a storm like the stirring of the drink. It will be a sweet ending nevertheless, once I get over the bitterness. And I will be okay.

Just came back from the first step of settling the big task I mentioned about yesterday - spent about half an hour crying my heart out and chatting with bestie, took a nice long shower, and here I am. I feel better now. I know the road ahead may not be all smooth and straight, but I am prepared - anywhere worth going is worth the journey. And I know I am heading to the right direction. A leap over the hurdle, a skip to escape the mud, a climb up the tough slope... soon I will be there, as long as I don't give up and I won't.

To cheer myself up, went for a hair cut this morning.

Before - my last haircut was half a year ago

After - with shorter bangs and more layered sides & back. Sorry if I scared you with those dark eyed circles, didn't sleep too well last night.

The stylist suggested that I do a setting perm - but I guess I will only do that later. May need some more hair-venly therapy later, if the going gets tough or otherwise to celebrate. Hmmm...maybe I'd just go with the idea to give myself a birthday present 3 months down the road :)

Will be back soon to share about my recent trip, stay tuned!

I am back

I am back and clear skies followed :)

The haze seems to have cleared for now, it was bad earlier in the week, so much so schools were called off - if not mistaken, worst in 16 years! Am glad that the timing of my trip was just right on dot - the places I was in were hot and sunny, haze-free.

More to come later about my recent getaway.

Right now, I have to concentrate and pick up where I left off before I went away.

A great task coming up tomorrow (one of my resolutions this year - didn't accomplish it last year, so it was postponed to this year). In fact, it had been postponed for almost 5 years now! I am a procrastinator, I admit; but this task I want to do take all of my guts and courage. It's not easy, not difficult, just overwhelmingly emotion straining.

My earlier FB status summed it all:

Please if you pray, pray with me that it will work out the best way. If you don't, cross all your fingers and toes and whatever-you-can-cross for me. Thanks much.

Packed!

Well...almost. Gotta run out and get some anti-motion sickness meds...just in case.

I can't see clearly now

The haze season is back. With a vengeance. Thankfully the last two days were quite breezy, so the air index in Klang Valley improved compared to over the last weekend. Johore and our southern neighbour, Singapore are having it much worst.

To those who may not know, it has been years now - that at this time of the year, due to the direction of the wind - smoke from forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia, will cause air pollution to hit unhealthy levels in several places on the Malaysian peninsula.

Though it is less hazy these few days, I can feel the dryness in my throat and my eyes feel so dry (plus the fact of I am working extra hard staring at my work PC for at least 10 hours a day, due to overwhelming work load and also because I will be away soon).

I have got a cute mask which I am definitely gonna use if I am outdoor. Cute, no? My friend got it for us during our trip to Bali some years ago as we were supposed to visit a volcanic area. The masks help to filter out the terrible sulphuric odour.

I have got the pink one!

Hmm...maybe I should it match it with a nice eye mask

Anyway, am really feeling kinda stressed out with things at work. That and also slightly demotivated over some Management's decision. Oh, well... can't exactly 'take-it-or-leave-it' so gotta live with it.

My day was brightened by a simple note from fellow colleague/friend. Thank God for placing people like these around me.

Took a photo, edited it and sent it back to her

Also 'helping' myself destress by thinking up of creative out-of-office auto replies, sent it to someone who commented "Nice one, Cheryl. But you are gonna get it from your boss when you are back, so don't try it!"

The auto reply I had in mind was "Nope, I am not around. Yes, I am having FUN!!! while you are sending me this work email. Boo!"

So, can't do that and back to the same old boring non-creative polite auto reply: I am on leave and will be back XXXXXX. Your email will not be auto-forwarded. Meanwhile, should your matter requires immediate attention, please contact: XXXXXX. Have a nice day."

Totally random blog post...I know. Thanks for reading to the end.

How can I escape Your love?

In the space 4 days I have been to the hospital twice - to visit 2 of my friends' mothers who were warded for different reasons. Life is fragile - that is definite. Life is unpredictable - that is definite. Life is beyond our control - sometimes. Life is in His hands - always.

On the drive home from the hospital just now, an *old song (Your Love) keeps playing in my head:

Where can I go from Your Spirit? How can I escape in Your love?

Your love for me is deeper than the sea and higher than the heavens above

Where can I flee from Your presence, Now that You abide in my heart

My heart is Your home, Your temple, Your throne so what could ever keep us apart

Your love is higher than the heavens. Your love is deeper than the ocean

Nothing in creation can take me away from Your love

Your love, there is nothing greater. Your love there is nothing stronger

You came to me, gave Your life

So I could be free

*It's probably not that old but I first heard it almost 10 odd years ago, perhaps it is more recent, my memory fails me a fair bit these days.

Ending with an edited photo of today's morning sky

Even in the midst of life's fragility and unexpected turn of events (for better or worse in our eyes) - let us not forget who is truly in control. HOPE is alive. And every day, EVERYDAY there is a reason why we live - there is a reason why we can still face today, tomorrow...

Feel the heat!

Not sure what happened but for the past 1 week the air conditioning in the office kept malfunctioning - today it's really bad. So stuffy with dead air, I couldn't really pay attention to what I am working on.

Thank God I have a mini USB fan to keep me cool from fainting...

What would I do without you?

Dawn of a new era

Last weekend saw the nation entering into a new era. On 5 May 2013, Sunday, Malaysia held her 13th General Elections.

I shall not detail on things that happen but all I can say is that I have never realised how much I love the country until that moment last Sunday.

It was 5pm - the gates to the polling station was closed. Supporters from both coalitions gathered near the main entrance and sang the national anthem. It had been some time I had sung the 'Negaraku' with so many fellow Malaysians - I did not see people of different backgrounds, races, religions, cultures - I only saw Malaysians.

I love you, Malaysia, tanah tumpahnya darahku

The results of the 13th GE did not leave many people too happy. Since the results were announced, most (I'd say) friends' FB profile picture had turned black...

Meanwhile I had this up as my cover photo to encourage fellow Malaysians not to lose hope.

I have just changed it to a sunrise shot I took this morning. It is always darkest before dawn. Morning is here.

(A)musing Finds - Maeklong Railway Market

Amusing - where traders do their business by the railway track. Just before the train passes by, they will start to keep their stuffs and business resumes as usual once the train has gone by. The train passes the market 8 times daily. 


Other than that, nothing much to explore here...if only the market is on a longer stretch or a more scenic one.

Train's coming...coming... gone!

Some of the stuffs you can get from the market

To get there:
From Bangkok the train departs from Wong Wian Yai station. The nearest BTS Station is Wangwan Yai (20 minutes walk). From here you get the train to the end of the line at Mahachai.

This train takes about an hour. At Mahachai, exit left of the train, then turn right into the market street. It’s a fishing port so you will see seafood everywhere. Walk to the end of the street and on your left you will see the river and the ferry terminal.

You now catch the ferry across the river to Ban Laem. At Ban Laem walk through the market and at the street entrance, turn right. Keeping walking down this street for about 10 minutes and you will get to the station where you can take a train to go straight to Maeklong (1-hour long journey).

Source: PassportChop

We didn't want to go through all the hassle, so we hired a van for THB2000 (flat rate/car) + THB1000 (for petrol/gas) for the 3 of us. The half-day trip covers Amphawa Floating Market and a boat ride there.

Earlier (A)musing Finds:
Water-powered clock
Butter knife
Optical illusion
Women