Happy 51th Birthday, Malaysia!

She just made it to the second half of a century.

She must be aching all over inside soon, with all the internal power struggle going on. Yeah, Permatang Pauh is just the beginning.

Her immune system is getting weaker as days go by, with her inhabitants' long hidden disposals seem to resurface and overflow in her body, even after prescribed with the "ACA" pills.

In addition, she seems to be getting poorer these days. No, her Budget 2009 doesn't fabricate that well!

Despite all that, I still wish her Happy Birthday.

无题

Lagoon near Krabi
Originally uploaded by aushee

最近又失眠了
突然很想念
那碧海蓝天
那咸涩的海风
那摇曳着的树叶
那悠悠的独木舟
那让人自在的陌生感
那让人缅怀的欢笑声

一个月前的假期
已经跟不上我的步伐
离我好远好远
混杂的思绪
已让我忘却
心旷神怡的真实

心里其实并不向往
只是单纯的怀念
冀望这些回忆
能拨开密布我脑袋的乌云
重见光明

Preview: Budget 2009

The buzz of the announcement of Budget 2008 earlier today had made me suddenly realise one thing -- Shucks! I'm eligible to be a taxpayer starting from next year!

Each year I saw the budget being announced but I couldn't careless. However, starting from this year, it's gonna be affecting me greatly!

Is the increase of personal tax deduction from RM350 to RM400 gonna do me enough good? (My taxable income falls in that category, fortunately) How is Self Assessent being done? What are the deductible source of income? GOSH, I am so embarassed for the fact that I had actually studied all that before! (Sorry Miss Jen, all the knowledge went down the drain!)

Gotta search for that "Tax Bible" written by the infamous Chong Kwai Fatt.

Oh no, it's in my hometown!

Shall ask my sis then, at least I could rely on another accountant.

Oh shoot! Someone just told me through msn that one pays tax only when their monthly salary reaches RM3000......

Hmmm, I've decided to get hold of a copy of The Star tomorrow to read about Budget 2009 in detail.

P/S: I shall also confirm from reliable sources whether or not I'm eligible to pay tax next year.

Bridge to Terabithia

Not sure why I had a sudden urge to take a pic of this pedastrian bridge linking KLCC area to Pavilion KL, when I was on it about 8.15am this morning.

I had the earliest job interview of my life this morning at Suria KLCC food court. It was actually scheduled at 7.45am, what an ungodly hour! It has been a while since I had to wake up so early in the morning, felt like I was in secondary school again! Anyways, the interview was with a headhunter (didnt expect two turned up, conducted over breakfast on the table), so I wasn't expecting much out of the session.

As expected, the session ended briefly after 20 minutes. Didnt want to harbour any hope just yet as, as I had learnt my lesson well. Besides I still have no idea who my potiential employer is, only knowing that they are some top ten public listed property developer. (I guess these are the most attractive adjectives to describe that company as that was what I only got to hear throughout the session)

Leaving my headhunters at 8.05am, I still had plenty of time to kill before I clock in to work at 9. Having nothing in mind, the only thing I could do was to take an unusually slow stroll back to my office (apparently it was still faster than some peeps!). It was a very rare occassion for as the usual morning rush for work has become part and parcel of my life. I was actually half enjoying it, and the half was amazed by the fact that I had to adjust myself to adapt to such simple pleasures. Thought were flowing in my mind, but they were slow and scattered. All I could summarise from the pieces was the yearning for a change in career and subsequent changes that lead from one to another.

I saw KLCC Aquaria, Wisma UOA and Novotel passed me by, before I finally reached the foot of the aforementioned bridge. There was a sudden surge of emotions, recognising the bridge as a transition, to crossover from an unfamiliar yet pleasantly comfortable ground, to somewhere I should belong, somewhere familiarly unpleasant.

The escalator carried my heavy foot up the bridge slowly, but it wasn't slow enough. I looked at my Swatch, the needles are no where near forming a right angle. Then I glanced around, over the sides and beyond the other end. The serenity of a notoriously busy spot in KL was too much for me to absorb, well, in a good way. Wanting to immortalise this weird concoction of feelings, I decided that I need to take a picture!

A simple bridge could carry the most fundamental worth for bringing you closer from one place to another, but it could also mean so much more to others. Both consciously and subconsciously. It could be a real transitional space, or it could be symbolically a linkage to two worlds with great disparity. From the Golden Gate, to Bridge Under Trouble Water. Not forgetting also Bridge to Terabithia


After lingering at the bridge for a while, and continued snapping some photos along the way, I finally reached my destination.

It was still 20 minutes early.


P/S: I had never watched the movie entitled "Bridge to Terabithia".

Fusion Haven

It was a day that went off uneventful and seemingly pleasant at first. Working at a comfortable pace for the first half of the day, then exchanged little gossips (not much!)and future career plans with 2 colleagues over at lunch in Food Republic @ Pavilion. Then it came a bomb towards the time to knock. My dear boss blasted me for some information that has not been properly passed down by my ex-colleague, which to her was not acceptable because I was supposed to know-it-all. At first of course I had a shocked now-then-I-know expression all written on my face, but right after a short while of about 10 seconds, I took it all in stride and started thinking ways to resolve the issues, knowing that was one of the more effective ways to deal with Ibu, even deep down I realised, with my limited authority and power in the organisation, this could be quite a challenge. Well that really sets the tone for the rest of the day!

Fortunately, Fusion Haven saved me! (not forgetting a virtual peck from you also, dear!) Tweety who hails from Penang decided to stay in town for another day or two (by buying her own medical leave)called up for a drink. It ended up as my late dinner with Isaac and Tweety at this restaurant in Sri Petaling called Fusion Haven. I had nicely garnished grilled duck with rice, while Tweety and Isaac had some meat ball with rice and vege and Kimuchi korean style rice with sausage respectively. Then we shared a dessert which is something like brownie served with vanilla ice cream. (Sorry I'm really bad with names!)Well my duck was not bad, not sure about the rest though, but it was the company that saved my day. Never mind what we have discussed and bantered throughout the late dinner (I shall keep that to myself hehe!), but the point is,I couldn't have asked for more than having company like that over a meal! We actually sat till we were the last ones to leave, and the boss had to bid us thank you to shoo us out with courtesy!

I wish I had the freedom to enjoy these moments as and when I like or need, given that the circumstances are allowing. Well, for starters, having my own transport would solve half the problem as people won't shudder to have the idea of inviting me for dinner or for a drink, thinking that they would need to send me home thereafter as part of the deal, not to mention the petrol price hike worsens thing up!

That all boils down to one thing...I need a new job!

I'm back!

I could not believe myself. After more than 3 years and 4 months, I decided to start posting in "my blog"(inverted commas because I don't think it would want to declare myself as its rightful owner after having to abandon it for sooo long)again. Why? Maybe it's time to once again pen down the recollection of my thoughts and events happening in my life. Once again? It is as though I'd been doing this for a very long time. Haha! I must be kidding myself! Browsing through my long forgotten blog, I only had like 4 or 5 pathetic postings!

Thanks to my soon-to-due research paper for my degree, which made me subscribed to a lousy mobile broadband called U Mobile (well, it's cheap!), and of course having the convenience of VP's Vaio laptop with me(of course I won't forget your contribution, dear!), I'm back to blogging!

So much had happened during this hiatus. Moved back to my hometown Ipoh from Singapore for a year, then shifted to KL to end up where I am now. From an unfinished arhitecture degree program, to pursuing accounting professional qualification. From a full-time student to a full-time "labourer" who still studies. I must say A LOT has happened! But then again, whose life could possibly go uneventful in the course of 3 years or so? Well, I shall put all those behind, not wanting to recollect all of them for the sake of gracing a page in this blog. To draw from my previous posting, it is excrutiating and tiring to rewind my thoughts to the past! So, using one of my favourite quotes these days, let this be the beginning of a new chapter!

语带双关

慵懒的星期天，不知怎的，突然有一股想重新开启这已被我荒废了接近三年半之久的部落的冲动。我想，是时候时刻整理自己的思绪，记载当下的心情。

晃了一整天，翻阅了一些部落，才发觉用中文书写的部落是最能贴近自己的。突然，灵机一动，曾受中文教育的我，何不来个双语的部落，善用双语不同之处，记载及衬托出不同的心情写照。

好久好久没有用中文书写些什么了，手指敲着电脑键盘的同时，才发觉自己的中文退化不少，而且用电脑书写中文也相当耗时与力（毕竟我甚少使用啊！）。看来，必须趁着这次的决心 （希望不是三分钟热度！），好好的重新地掌握我的中文。

一个满满汉字的部落，指日可待！

Crazy nite

Dear bloggie,
I did something crazy last nite. Not really crazy but something worth writing. It was after maths thinking paper. Though I still have one more paper, but it's in a week's time so I've decided to have early celebration by watching a movie with JH, ZY, WL, JJ and Paul. It was the last paper for some of them so they joined. We watched "The Intepreter" starred by Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn at Lido. I really enjoyed it a lot.
But the crazy thing was after the show when it was too late for me, JH, and ZY to take the last train. We decided to share a cab back, but I've suggested to hang out for a while in Orchard. So we did. Then I saw the chance coming to drink, haha! I've always wanted to test my threshold before I get drunk, so this is the chance! (well it's just an excuse to drink i guess hehe). Therefore we went to this 7-11 and bought drinks. Thanks to ZY's recommendation, I got myself a sucky vodka green apple while he got himself this cough syrup-like vodka raspberry. Eeeww! Then we went to this 24-hour food court besides cuppage and began our talking-cock session. I've kinda enjoyed it since I hardly do that with archi people. Suddenly they decided to stay out until 6 am and take the first bus/train home. The rationale behind - to save money without cabbing home!! It's crazy but I didn't mind because to me spending time with friends is always not enough, so i agreed. We ended up chatting at the table while watching this tennis match on tv. Then we went to another 7-11 to get more beer and stopped at kopitiam in Bras Basah to share a plate of char kuey tiao. Then we continued walking until we reached Fullerton. We stayed in the basement level of fullerton until we got chased out by security. Then we headed to "the pigeon" in front of UOB Plaza and sat on a bench there until it was time for us to take the morning train back. I wanted to have breakfast first before going back but the two just couldnt take it anymore so we skipped breakfast and took the train back . The above series of events took place between 12 am to 6 am. It was crazy but I really didnt mind because it enriches the memory of my new circle of friends besides doing archi stuff and being in studio together. I think I would really treasure this.
Ya, maybe I shouid write something like this more often to help me remember the interesting events that had happened in my life. Blame me for my poor memory and forgetfulness, sigh!

dear bloggie,
Sorry that I forgot about you for almost 3 months!!! Can't believe myself!!! Actually I made a promise that I would speak up my mind but I didnt keep that. It's just too dreadful for me to recall all the events that happened coz I'm a great escapist, avoiding problems and conveniently forget (unhappy) things. Quite a lot had happened for the past three months, but the most dramatic one was my little unannounced "getaway" to Johor which caused an unexpected two-day search party in school earlier this month. Now I'm notorious in archi....nevermind, I know I should have talked more about this but that is not this entry is about.
The thing that prompted me to write an entry is this big suprise sms that I got from my sis. SHE IS GETTING MARRIED NEXT YEAR!!. Never such big event has happened in my family. Actually I had already sensed the changes in my family earlier on - my sis's relocation plan to KL with her boyfriend, my parents' plan to retire in USA with my big sis and bro, etc. As the family had been lacking in communication since forever, I would never see those coming. So I see all these as changes in the family rather than just normal events that are forthcoming. I felt really wierd about all this, but I dunno why. Maybe it's because we don't usually speak up among ourselves so sometimes the things that we say would be sort of final and least expected as we couldnt see them coming. (dunno what i'm talking but yeah).
So I was really excited when I received that message. Then I called her straight away. We had this long talk over the phone. It's really rare for us, ya know. To my surprise, her boyfriend had already proposed to her in Feb and my parents had known about it long ago. She messaged me only after they had confirmed the date and the place for wedding dinner. Why am I the LAST one to know about this??? Why didn't they tell me earlier???? That's the prob I have in my family, COMMUNICATION! What makes things worse is that, I feel that we can communicate even better when it's through the phone than I was back in Ipoh face-to-face with them. Isn't that VERY SAD?! But nobody has taken any proactive measures to correct this and this has happening since the family started I think!
All in all, I know that my sis's marriage will mark some changes in my family. I really hope that these changes are for the better. Back to the marriage, though I'm not that close with my future sis-in-law, but I know he is quite a good guy so I'm truly happy for her. Never felt that way for anyone in my family before. Really looking forward to this!
Guess it's enough for this entry. I really hope I would write here more often, but I guess it's really an ordeal or fear for me to recall every bit of my feelings and struggle that went in my head, and ask myself why. Or maybe I'm really fearful of knowing my true feelings deep down. Hmmm, I guess one way to improve this would be leaving my bloggie homepage on all the time so that I'm constantly reminded of its existence whenever I'm using my comp. Hope it works haha!

untitled

It's been almost one month since I updated my blog. As I should have known myself better, I am just too lazy to bother jotting down what has happened or what has gone through my mind in a day of my life. Sometimes too many things happen at the same time, to the extent that it is too much for my thoughts to place them orderly and make sense out of it. Call me lazy, I just do not have the time and energy to do that. I would rather free my mind from all these stuffs. It is just too complicated and overwhelming for me to handle. I always tell myself that I should lead a simple life - not just in terms of lifestyle, but also includes mind and soul. Isn't it very exhausting when things get complicated, especially when you make them so?
I've been really busy recently, working on my design assignment. Not that I am complaining, but it is actually the pressure and stress that drive me nuts. The design process was totally depressing especially when I spent the whole day squeezing my brain juice but still couldn't come out with anything! The thing that I realized about myself is that I am very very easily distracted when I am supposed to focus my thoughts, especially emotionally. Not that I didn't know it before that, but I never thought that it is this bad. In the end, I got so stressed out as time was runnin out that my friend thought that I was going to cry! Well, almost the same thing happened today, I was so stucked with my design that I had decided to come back early and get myself preoccupied by listening to music, watching tv and surning net. That is what I always do, to so-called free my mind. Sometimes I wonder, is that a healthy way to get away with my problems? Eventually I still have to face them, no matter what. Is that an act of running away from problems? Does that mean I am not brave enough to face? I think I know the answer, just that I didn't want to admit.

"Speak" Ur Mind!

What a "great" way to start a new semester and to fill in my first posting of my very first blog -- I LOST MY PHONE!!! Well what can I say, you and your back luck, KC! Oh well maybe it's just my carelessness again. Time and again, this stupid weakness of mine had cause me much trouble and lost. When will I get to learn from all these awful mistakes and be more careful? I still remember the terrible experience of me losing my wallet last semester, "luckily" someone picked it up at the bus stop and handed it to my faculty. And the worst part was I didn't even thank that "someone"! Slap yourself, KC!
OK so why start a blog? Well, this stupid incident of losing my phone had prompted me to start blogging, haha! Guess this would be a very good way to record the stuffs that I am going to lose in the future, haha! Slap yourself again, KC! That goes to show how easily I am affected by my temperaments. Come to think of it, this would also be a good way to jot down the thoughts running in my head as I am so not good at expressing them verbally. Not that I am good at writing stuffs (you know, my poor English!), but i thought this would be a good start to improve it and maybe would bring out the journalist in me, haha!! I guess it would also help in developing my character as archi requires lots of reflection on how you feel and what you think. So "Speak" Ur Mind, KC!

in pgp rm