drops of snofleks - 雪片の物語

that flash mob

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:14:00 +0000

I don't remember having any problems while flying with our national carrier. Some people may wish the prices of their flights were cheaper, but once you understand the business model of supposedly low-cost carriers, you might prefer to go with full service airlines with more reliable service and flexible options.

My flights back home via MAS while I was in Japan were rather pleasant, though I think the food could have been improved somehow. So even though regionally their competitors like CX and SQ fare better in various areas, hearing cases of bias treatment towards non-Asians, and after being disappointed by the local underdog, I still think it's worth supporting our national airlines for what it's worth.

Too bad I reached Malaysia a few days earlier, if not would have been a delightful surprise to get this on arrival.

For what they've gone through and what they've been called because they're a GLC and had its fair share of criticisms, at least they're trying to re-brand themselves and improve on their services. Since it's not always a bad thing to have some competition in the field, which customers like us are the beneficiaries of, I hope they do continue to be better at what they do just so we can all enjoy a higher quality of service in this country.

smudge and blow

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:44:00 +0000

Going on a trip with pro photographers have somehow taught me quite a bit, especially on this recent Middle Eastern tour. Them having taken prolly millions of shots by now, having upgraded their tools multiple times and boasting of pictures that garner instant likes on fb; it's quite a privilege indirectly learning from them.

The types of pictures to take, what to look out for, different angles to take shots from. Also, tools of the trade which are a must.

Since Jordan can be dusty, whatwith about 75% of it being desert, I saw both of them taking out 2 black tools many a time. They seemed to be dusting and blowing away what would be fine sand off the filters and lenses. Even the nooks and crevices around the camera itself.

Being curious, I asked to try out and realised how useful these were. Feeling a bit paiseh that I had to keep borrowing theirs everyday, I determined to get one myself when I came back home.

Well, I didn't have to wait long, because we saw and bought some at our stopover at Dubai.

So now I have 2 additions to my D5000 - the lenspen and blower.

I know that once I started this hobby, I'd have to eventually spend more $ on the accessories and tools. Not to mention upgrades and other "necessary" stuff later. >.<

transitioning between the years

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0000

It feels quite strange to be back. It felt like I didn't really close off 2011 properly before coming into 2012. Perhaps it's because I was "trapped" in the desert during that transition and wasn't amidst the cheering crowds in big cities all over the world with the fireworks and lots of drinks and revelry. Nor at church at thanksgiving services with everyone else sharing their testimonies of how God has blessed them through the year.

I flew to Jordan and the UAE right after Christmas, making that a total of 5 countries traveled last year. 4 new ones, and I'd like to make the Middle East a new region visited, nevermind that it's not a continent of its own!

When I started 2011, I only had eyes for the trip I paid for the previous year, Bangkok. USA was not entirely confirmed then, given that project needs had the possibility of derailing that opportunity. Bali was quite a last minute project treat, and the Middle East was an idea by a colleague.

I must admit, I'm still feeling a bit surreal looking back at all those traveling I did last year, even though it was the busiest working year for me. This is something I have to thank God for.

Not all were smooth sailing though; I almost lost my luggage during the transit at San Francisco and was struggling with training and work at the same time, the flight to Bali got delayed, and there were some personality clashes this last trip.

But I'm glad I left and came back safely, there were no real lost of belongings and more importantly no bodily injury. I'm still grateful for all those opportunities to travel abroad, especially in today's circumstances. I'd like to believe God provided in various ways, even though it will be a long while before I make another long trip again.

Since I'm off projects for now, and am having a bit of down time, I'm taking it easy before the madness begins all over again. It's been a good time of reflection, and thinking through about what has happened last year, and how I'd like to do things better this year.

I know I have almost given up on making resolutions, preferring to practice continuous improvement (that's a jargon from my line of work!) instead. That way, they're more manageable, broken down into chunks at various times through the year, instead of having a long list that may need need constant monitoring to ensure its success.

More importantly, I'd like to start by thanking God for the year that has been, despite the peaks and troughs, and especially for seeing me through more than I realised. And because of these lessons learnt (oops, another one!), I have to try to at least make things better in some of these areas one way or the other, so that I don't make the same mistakes this year.

I haven't had a feel of how 2012 will be, but by setting the right expectations and learning to wholly depend on Him who has brought me through 2012, I'm learning that the journey would be more bearable and more meaningful.

uncle tony, indeed

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:40:00 +0000

I almost never forward jokes via emails, nor put them up as content in the blog but I thought this just about expressed what I've always thought about our budget airlines. Especially after that little flight annoyance on my trip to Bali, and since I may not have time to blog about it properly, thought this would be apt for now.

Spare a thought for Uncle Tony F, Chief Executive of 'Air Asia"......

Arriving in a hotel in KL Sentral he went to the bar and asked for a pint of draught Guinness. The barman nodded and said, "That will be one Ringgit please, Uncle Tony."

Somewhat taken aback, Uncle Tony replied, "That's very cheap," and handed over his money.

"Well, we try to stay ahead of the competition", said the barman. "And we are serving free pints every Wednesday evening from 6 until 8. We have the cheapest draught in Asia"

"That is remarkable value" Uncle Tony comments

"I see you don't seem to have a glass, so you'll probably need one of ours. That will be 3 Ringgit please."

Uncle Tony scowled, but paid up. He took his drink and walked towards a seat. "Ah, you want to sit down?" said the barman. "That'll be an extra 2 Ringgit. You could have pre-book the seat, and it would have only cost you a Ringgit"

"I think you may to be too big for the seat sir, can I ask you to sit in this frame please" Uncle Tony attempts to sit down but the frame is too small and when he can't squeeze in he complains "Nobody would fit in that little frame".

"I'm afraid if you can't fit in the frame you'll have to pay an extra surcharge of RM 4 for your seat sir"

Tony swore to himself, but paid up. "I see that you have brought your laptop with you" added the barman. "And since that wasn't pre-booked either, that will be another 3 Ringgit" Uncle Tony was so annoyed that he walked back to the bar, slammed his drink on the counter, and yelled, "This is ridiculous, I want to speak to the manager".

"Ah, I see you want to use the counter," says the barman, "that will be 2 Ringgit please." Uncle's face was red with rage. "Do you know who I am?" "Of course I do Mr Fernandes" I've had enough, What sort of Hotel is this? I come in for a quiet drink and you treat me like this. I insist on speaking to a manager!"

"Here is his E mail address, or if you wish, you can contact him between 9 and 9.10 every morning, Monday to Tuesday at this free phone number. Calls are free, until they are answered, then there is a talking charge of only 10 sen per second provided you use Tune Talk using other mobile carriers would incur our normal charges of 30 Sen per second

"I will never use this bar again"

"OK Uncle , but remember, we are the only bar in Asia selling pints for one Ringgit...so that Now everyone can drink"

consulting work

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:34:00 +0000

When I received this in the mail, I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it.

No wonder we had those late nights at the office, multiple re-do's and inadvertently more white hair, just because of a mismatch in expectations!

rolling off

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:30:00 +0000

I've just sent off what should hopefully be the last email with regards to the project I have rolled off from last week. Even though the official roll off date was last Fri, 16 Dec, it sure didn't feel like it was my last day.

Out of the many things on my to-do list, there were still some outstanding. Not very urgent, but mostly last minute requests. The rest were basically administrative like downloading files from the project SharePoint, writing thank you emails, shredding documents and goodbyes+hugs.

Even though we were supposed to be ramping down during the last few weeks, it seemed like one of the busiest periods ever as we rushed to tie up loose ends. With a client that you've been with for just a little over 2 years, it's difficult to handover everything in less than 2 weeks.

Out of all the projects I've been involved for them, this one has definitely left quite an impression, both professionally and personally. Looking back, those late night crunches, learning everything new on the fly, weekend catch up's and figuring our clients out have been a series of learning experiences.

Sometimes it felt like I was about to give up, having had enough of the lack of work life balance. Sometimes I tell myself to just push through a little bit more, I've come so far. It's the li'l thing which we call being responsible.

Being a sanguine, I'm not naturally prone to finishing what I start. In fact, it takes tonnes of discipline for me to even finish a book! Hence, I have many lying around half-read, all started with good intentions; either to arm myself with better financial planning knowledge, learning how to take delight in our Father, or to deal with difficult people.

I'm quite surprised myself at how much I've pushed myself despite all the challenges and difficulties. At least I can say I've given the best given the odds, and have accomplished what I had set out to do.

I may not be able to see the fruits of my labour, but I'm sure those colleagues who are staying on would be able to update me later. Or at least looking at the notes I've been getting, I should take comfort that my work has received recognition and is being appreciated.

Now, if only I could "work" this hard and be more "active" in the works that are more eternal in substance and value. Now that I know I'm capable of "sacrificing" so much for something I may not necessarily believe in, I should feel ashamed for not giving up even more for Him who gave His only begotten Son.

Before I forget and not post up anything before Christmas, here's some themed cupcakes wishing you a Blessed Christmas, Buon Natale, Joyeux Noël, メリークリスマス、สุขสันต์วันคริสมาสต์, Selamat Hari Natal and عيد ميلاد مجيد.

2 years already?

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:14:00 +0000

i just celebrated my 2nd anniversary with this client. can't believe i just said that, as if it's like a birthday to look forward to, or a special event that needs to be marked in the calendar.

while a lot of consulting projects end within a few months, it's not unusual for clients to extend the tenure of their consultants. my previous supervisor did say it's a sign of trust. either that, or they're just comfortable with you and makes it easier to continue with the same resources.

i guess it means a little more than just a project because there was quite a bit of effort put into it in the initial stages, and i see the fruits of our labour. we helped set up the shared service centre from scratch with really no background in this sort of work (don't tell that to the client!), and today it's filled up on 2 floors, with IT professionals in niche skills you'd wish you had studied for.

it feels a little like a mum giving birth after those months of care, nourishment and attention. the kids are the new people joining us every month, whom i know better than my own colleagues sometimes! not surprisingly, i identify more with the client and its culture than with my own company.

well, we just had confirmation that i, together with most in the team, will be rolling off in less than a month. i don't know how to feel. i guess it's like giving your kids away to adopted parents after all that months of work and labour.

there's a mix of feelings i suppose. quite delighted that there's a bit of closure to some of the work that i've been doing. abit apprehensive about the next client because as my previous supervisor said "better the devil you know". definitely also sad because i think this is one of the better clients we have.

i shall miss the views i have from my privileged seat - the view of the lake gardens is a sight for sore eyes, and i wished i had done less work and more day dreaming!

i shall miss the people i've come to call my friends - though i've always had this thing about drawing the line between work and personal.

i shall miss the supply of food in the pantry and the occasional treats from the client - they're from a more prosperous industry.

i don't know what the next client will be like, but i hope they be kind to me!

november already?

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:49:00 +0000

Can't believe it's November already! I suppose I should be glad that the project is reaching its end, and yet it doesn't feel like it's ramping down. On the contrary, there's still a steady stream of activities to keep my team busy until the very last few days, and I suspect, this may turn into more work as we have yet to find proper owners to handover to.

It's very strange that I'm getting used to working long hours and even on weekends. Though I wish I could go back to those days where I could leave the laptop in the office and switch the mind off work without having to go through a mental list of to-do's all the time.

It's very true then the recent report about Malaysians are too hardworking - I am guilty of being one of them.

I used to agree with people who say there will always be another day to finish up work, and work will always pile up, so no point rushing to finish what you have. Well, now I beg to differ, more so because of the industry I'm in.

Lessons learnt, I hope if I get to be on another client, this should be something I have to change. If not, some thing's gotta give.

For now, let me go get my sleep because accumulated sleep deprivation has proven to be quite disastrous in many ways. I shall not elaborate, because my bed is calling!

Oh, a side note because it is good news after all : The AA cheque finally cleared (after 1 month!) so I hope that kinda covers the astronomical phone bill I had and all the unnecessary expenses for not getting my luggage back on time. It's a small relief, but nevertheless clears that nagging item on the to-do list.

the technical pains

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:57:00 +0000

Problem 1:
Keyboard that spews out numbers when characters are typed, and vice versa.

Root Cause :
Water spilt accidentally onto keyboard ~~while trying to work on the floor at my cousin's place in Chicago and trying to grab the water from the table above~~

Impact :
Many hours wasted trying to delete extra numbers when characters are typed, and vice versa
Unnecessary stress due to loss of productivity and having to catch up with work causing more stress

Solution :
Managed to finally get the Dell technician to come on site to replace with a new keyboard. Now I can bring the laptop to meetings and not be embarrassed when I type with the projector on, and having to explain why I have a keyboard that spews out numbers when characters are typed, and vice versa.

Problem 2 :
Erratic wifi at the client site

Root Cause :
2 wifi devices installed in the company laptop

Impact :
Many hours wasted trying to copy and paste IM conversations with client and colleagues
Many hours wasted trying to wait for emails to be sent out, giving the impression of lack of timely responses
Unnecessary stress due to loss of productivity and having to introduce other tasks while waiting for wifi to be up again, throwing original schedule off balance causing more stress

Solution :
Managed to get Remote Support from Dalian who speaks with an American accent to take control of my laptop, figured out the root cause, uninstalled the extra wifi device. Now I have almost uninterrupted wifi at the office and don't have to feel frustrated having to explain why I'm offline all the time.

Problem 3 :
Having to plug in all cables (external monitor, external keyboard, power plug and mouse) manually

Root Cause :
Not docking station installed at my cubicle

Impact :
Many minutes wasted trying to plug and unplug cables when there's up to 6-8 meetings in a day to be attended
Unnecessary stress due to loss of productivity

Solution :
Managed to get approval from the client to get their Helpdesk to install a docking station for me. Now I can easily dock the laptop and get started on work immediately, or vice versa when I need to dash off for meetings with the laptop.

Benefits of solving the above :
I think I can safely say that even though the above seem very minor on their own, they did add considerable stress because when I finally had all of the above sorted out (in various stages throughout the past few weeks), I could breathe a sigh of relief.

Yes I could have thought of those solutions earlier, and made some time to solve them, but just didn't think of them when I'm swamped with work. Note to self : To fix the leaking roof before the roof collapses and cause even worse damage and stress!

starry

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:19:00 +0000

If you know me, I don't have sweet tooth. In fact, I count dessert as a rare indulgence. I usually eat it when I'm reminded there's dessert on the menu, or when someone else asks if I'd like to share in a dessert.

However, these stars were too irresistible. Even though they were too sweet for my liking, but because stars are also my fav shapes, I ordered them from the lady who was scooping ice cream for those in the buffet line.

If you are a fan of buffet meals, they say Le Meridien offers one of the better spreads. Plus, you get stars on your ice-cream.

lantern festival

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:02:00 +0000

The Mid-Autumn Festival has come and gone, but I still have that lantern we made together with the kids the Friday before the Festival.

I don't even remember the last time I actually "celebrated" the Festival. That's because we stopped playing with lanterns after we grew up! What used to be wire frames covered in glass papers of various colours and lit up by candles have now given way to battery-operated modern contraptions.

Lanterns are not difficult to make. In fact, when you have the right materials coupled with other adults as enthusiastic as making these together with the kids, it brings back glimpses of a childhood filled with simple pleasures.

the intern

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Butterfly had to say goodbye to the Intern who had to return to London to finish his studies. He had been a good help, more than what she had expected. Maybe because she didn't have much expectations to begin with, except that the team's load would be better balanced with him in it.

When Butterfly tried to request for a replacement (intern), the Top People told her not to expect anything like the Intern. He was "unique", they said.

Butterfly had to agree. She had prior experiences with a few other interns from The Slick Side, and couldn't help but agree that he was unique.

All Butterfly had to do was just give a single sentence of request, and he would be able to comprehend and digest it almost immediately, and come back with exactly (and sometimes more) than what she had requested. In fact, the Intern had brains of his own, so was able to provide input that was constructive to whatever requests or discussion that were at hand.

Perhaps it was the fact that he had good upbringing, or the fact that he was analytical and intelligent enough for the tasks asked of him. Or perhaps his humility and initiative to learn endeared him to many.

Whatever it was, everyone who worked with the Intern had positive things to say. Even though he had not yet graduated, but The Slick Side (not the Company that hired him) were prepared to engage him even when he's back in London studying.

As Butterfly flew home that evening after a week (that felt very long) at work without the Intern, she felt grateful that he was around for a bit. She even wished there were more interns like him.

Butterfly started to wish she had been given opportunities such as presented to the Intern. But even if she were, would she be as competent and well-liked as the Intern? Would she have been able to face questions posed by The Slick Side as confident as he did?

This brought Butterfly to memories of her first job. Really, the circumstances were vastly different, and could not even be compared. All that remained in her memory of that first job was how laidback the working environment was, and how dumbed down she felt as she knew she was capable for more.

Indeed, sometimes Butterfly cannot control what environment she ends up in, or what opportunities come her way, but what Butterfly can do is how she manages her reaction and her next steps. No one said life was fair, but Butterfly makes do and is thankful for what she has.

*Any resemblance to real-life characters is purely coincidental. Excerpts from this story may be reproduced by acknowledging the writer.

the american cheque

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:17:00 +0000

So a mail arrived from my cousin whom I had bunked in with in Chicago. It contained 2 items, a cheque and letter from American Airlines.

You would think I'd be ecstatic they finally responded with some form of compensation after all the anguish and trouble I went through with the luggage incident.

I just took a few look and set it aside, cynical if I would even be able to cash it.

Either that, or I've become numbed with exhaustion from past months' events and don't know how to feel properly.

Help! I think I've become used to expecting negativity that I've lost the ability to be glad for some good news.

a bit

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 12:47:00 +0000

i've been able to have better meal cycles lately. a bit more appetite over the weekend. finally, one long weekend where i had more time for myself and friends. still can't escape from catching up with work tonight though. baby steps, trying to see the bright side of things. let's hope and pray for a better tomorrow, a little at a time.

japan cuteness p2

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:38:00 +0000

One of the little delights I missed about Japan was trying out the foods there. It's always a pleasure to find something new in the supermarket when I do my groceries.

Like trying out this Kraft cheese triangles with bits of white peach in 'em. I try to get these stuff into the fridge so I have something to treat myself from time to time.

Was surprised to find After Eight's, came in dark rum cream insides.

I started using schedulers in Japan, just can't resist because they're so cute!

Even though I may not understand French, but it's the cuteness that counts. You will find a lot of these stuff in Japan in foreign language that a lot of times don't make sense. I know this because I had a French colleague.

But this is where schedulers come in handy - they provide pages of very useful train and subway networks. And this is just for Tokyo.

With something this cute for a cup of Honey Milk tea, it's hard not to resist. Also, I saved this for a treat during the winter days.

When I saw another version many months after that, the Strawberry Milk tea ended up in my fridge for a summer treat.

Some may think I have not gotten over Japan yet, but with so many other interesting pictures in my archives still not shared, and it being one very memorable phase in my life, I find it difficult to not reminisce once in awhile.

Looking back, I can't help but be thankful for that period, with all its ups and downs. I may not fully comprehend why they all happened, but I'd like to think that those events provided some important life lessons.

japan cuteness p1

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 15:36:00 +0000

Was trying to explain tatami to Miss Barbie when I ended up digging out pictures from my Japan days. Was feeling a bit nostalgic looking through them, and realised I never really posted some of them here.

Most were taken randomly because I thought they were so Japanese! Agree with her that I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to live in Japan where the culture is rich and so many things can be made cute and/or pretty.

Electricity bill comes printed with chick-like silhouettes. Maybe to cushion the amount you'd have to pay to the Tohoku Electric Power Co. Inc.

But then, since it was my first notice, the statement was more to tell me when they will be coming over to check my usage.

Bank account cards, and these are not for kids. Ended up having a few accounts because they have local banks which may not have branches in other cities/prefectures. Since I moved a few times in Japan, ended up with at least 3 separate accounts.

First time receiving a gift wrapped in 風呂敷*, hence took me some time before I finally had to open it because I didn't want to spoil the wrapping.

Petite sweets to be savoured with green tea.

Received this when I loaned my car to a classmate. With most confectionery, they get seasonal, and this was the Winter Opera.

Sprinkled with gold flakes, almost couldn't bear to sink my teeth in 'em!

* 風呂敷【ふろしき】 (n) wrapping cloth; cloth wrapper;

a little hope today

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 07:32:00 +0000

I have yet to hear from American Airlines (AA) about my compensation. Due to long hectic hours spent at work, I had less time and energy to chase after an incompetent airline which caused me stress and anguish while I was in the US.

Living almost like a refugee is no fun. Not when I had to attend a company training on a location out of the city with no direct and easy access to a shopping mall.

You can imagine the frustration I had to go through upon landing and not having my luggage with me. What was to be a trip to explore a new continent turned to me wanting to take the next available flight back home.

Not only did I not have my luggage for almost the whole duration I was there, but due to situation at work I had to stay up late to catch up. I thought to myself, maybe it was a sign that I should not have made the trip in the first place.

Still, I reminded myself that it was still an opportunity that many would consider a luxury, especially in this times of economic turmoil. Finally, for the first time I was flying on company expense, nevermind that I was cramped up for no less than 24 hours of cramped economy seats with 2 transits.

I counted my blessings too for being able to make US my 2nd new country this year, and for having a cousin that I could turn to for temp clothes and shoes, nevermind that she was vegetarian and I lost all the weight I had gained while feasting on bacon and glorious American food during my training days.

Being in US gave me a peek into the once-mighty country of US, which the world looks up to to solve their problems. It was a good break, albeit not as how I would have imagined.

My cousin and her Indian husband encouraged me to try to find work in US, sharing their experiences about better work life balance and opportunities in the IT sector. As I listened to their stories and thought about the krazy hours I was working, it did sound very tempting.

But the lost luggage had marred my experience. I told everyone I'd be too traumatised to fly to US again, not counting the stricter immigration rules and inspections.

I was about to give up about hearing back from AA. That was until I received news from my company that our travel insurance (and not AA!) would be able to cover some of the loss.

A few weeks ago they emailed to say that delayed luggage more than 4 days is considered as loss luggage. Therefore I would be entitled to the maximum compensation of RM750. I received this email while I was drowning in work, and being a bit jaded by then, did not even feel a tinge of happiness.

So when I checked my account this morning and saw the cheque cleared for that amount, I could only manage a smile.

Yes, even though it's a little something to be thankful for, it's better than nothing. That, and maybe I'm just too tired to feel anything anymore.

jinx not my hope

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:45:00 +0000

a little hope coming my way. but i dare not rejoice until i see it with my own eyes. thus, i shall not jinx it by revealing anything at this point of time.

theatre of madness

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:21:00 +0000

It's been a string of negative feedback and criticisms for the past few months. As far as Butterfly could remember, she has not heard anything positive in a long time.

Whenever Butterfly sends out emails or documents to be reviewed, she braces herself for rework and having to answer some questions which sometimes make her feel she's not putting in enough effort or thought into her work.

Butterfly remembers last year as the total opposite. Having the Cream Supervisor to guide her and having to report to the Cream Client were just bliss. Butterfly had her share of learning curves, but they were mostly pleasant.

If anything, "excellent", "brilliant", and "wonderful" which became a staple vocab in exchange for work done, started to make Butterfly feel as if she was capable of a lot of things. Those motivated Butterfly to stay on.

This year everything seemed to have turned upside down for Butterfly. In a different project, Butterfly now had the Lemon Supervisor and the Lemon Client. Knowing the true colours of Lemon Client, even phrases like "very good" have started to lose its real meaning.

Seemed like Cream and Lemon represented different styles of working. Cream being cream, they were soft, fluffy and left an overall smooth aftertaste. Lemon always felt sour and made everyone cringe. Not everyone appreciated Lemon though Lemon being lemon had its usefulness.

Learning curves were now steeper, expectations higher and scope of work wider.
Not to mention power play on a theatre full of fantastic Actors and Actresses all eligible for the Oscars.

Every week the scene changes, with each Actor pushing himself to the front to show the Audience what he's capable of, with each Actress flashing her best smile to convince the Audience she deserves the role.

Butterfly just feels tired. Exhausted even. More and more around her wants to be on the stage. She gets caught in between, accused even of standing in their way when all she wants is to fly outdoors in the garden and smell the roses.

Away from the crowded stage, where the madness is, where masks have become a necessary accessory. But first Butterfly needs to figure her way out of that madness.

*Any resemblance to real-life characters is purely coincidental. Excerpts from this story may be reproduced by acknowledging the writer.

bird on the gate

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:22:00 +0000

It's interesting how God speaks when you least expect Him to. Especially after I've ranted about how He has been silent in the midst of my struggles.

To make sure I know He's listening and responding, yesterday's ODB reading was about doing good regardless. I was actually rushing to leave for work when a tiny prompt reminded me I have yet to do my Bible reading.

I couldn't help but be amused when the verses Luke 6:27-36 came to view on my Bible.

While I was getting into the car, the sight of the neighbourhood bird perched on the gate caught my attention. It was the first time I had noticed that, I took it as a little cheer-me-up from God to remind me that if He is able to feed the birds of the air, whatmore will He do to take care of my very needs.

lifeline

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:03:00 +0000

For a long while, it has been nothing but tears to accompany me to sleep, wishes of a better tomorrow and prayers for strength to survive another day.

I can't say that has subsided, nor has any of the issues fully resolved. Neither do I know why I'm going through all these.

The bitter lump is still in the throat. In fact, the waves continue to crash over me, fiery arrows fly from all directions without any sign of abating.

If anything, I'm challenged to trust and hope in a God that seems silent for most part of this struggle. There doesn't seem to be any (visible) light at the end of the tunnel, and I grab at whatever I can to support me.

For now, your prayers and encouragement have been my lifeline. At least I know I'm not alone in this.

letting go

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 05:15:00 +0000

It feels like a part of me has died.

We are as similar as we are dissimilar.

It pains me that I can't be with the one I love.

But I must learn to let you go.

g5 and h6

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 04:22:00 +0000

G%ood news : Lug5g5ag5e bag5 found. (^.^)

Not so g5ood news : Accidentally spilled water onto keyboard. Now my g5 and h6 are beh6aving5 funny. (T.T)

how can i not love you

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:32:00 +0000

windy city p5

noreply@blogger.com (§nóflèk) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 07:04:00 +0000

when i first read in our mail that we would get a ride from the airport in a limo, i thought it must be the kind of limo that we have in klia - just a glorified version of the normal cab.

you can imagine my skepticism because i made the call just after i filed a claims for my luggage. feeling really down all i wanted was to get some rest after the 20+ hour journey, and try to look for the luggage later. so the lady on the other line did mention a white stretch limo would be there just outside the luggage claim area.

i only believed it myself when i stepped out 10 minutes after that call was made to find a chauffeur coming out to greet me. it was a lady chauffeur, looking all professional with a uniform, cap and gloves. she was ready to take my luggage to the boot, but was surprised when i mentioned i didn't have any other than my hand carry.

i had the whole limo to myself - had to almost pinch myself to believe it.

kinda felt like a superstar for awhile! i thought they would've received this for large groups to make it worthwhile. oh well, since it was arranged for me, i might as well enjoy it while i can.

not cheap though, this cost me almost USD70 for one-way trip. would have been great if i had the mood to turn on the tv or blast the radio, or even have some bubblies waiting for me. was a good thing i had the sense to buy some hot chocolate from starbucks, so that sustained me a bit until i reached the training centre.

our small but functional rooms. just nice for a single occupant with almost everything you need. set my expectation low, so was pretty happy they even had toiletries and towels! oh well, better than nothing, so i'm quite thankful.