*Office*

Okey, as promised, I'll show you the end product of my labour last nite. My husband remarked that I hated the gifts so much, I actually had written about it 5 times in my previous blogs. Yep. Finally, something constructive done!

The hated item...

Some sweet stuff, you can get this for RM5.79 at local Tesco Stores for 70 pcs...


Wrapping papers.. shiny ones...

Tadaa.. but I havent got the time to buy the ribbon for this, so use this one first..

Finally! All 6 of them...

So, be creative! :-)

I have another 8 sets to work with.. my target date? The end of the week.. then off these go to my sister's party next week.. yiehakkk...

...what you give.. you get back.. then you regift..

*blur...*

Slept late last night. Woke up to my mobile phone alarm, just to switch it off and slipped back under the thick, cosy comforter. Eh wait, haven't pray yet. Better pray first, then can go back to sleep. ZzzzZzZzzz..

Anyway, the reason for the candle-burning night is not as kinky as I hope it should be. Sorry to disappoint (you pervvv...). Last night, it was Audit Night. One more time!

You remember I wrote about not being an organized freak. Yep, in that sense, when it comes to work. But looking into my closet, and you will see a compulsive, obsessive freak written all over it. Even worse. My garments are arranged into types of garment; blouse to the left, baju kurung on the right. By color. Different hanger for different outfit; red for baju kurung, black for my cocktail tops and shirts, white for my casual tops.

Last night it was my kitchen cabinet's turn. You see, I have been keeping all my wedding gifts, thinking that one day, ONE day, I will be able to use them for dinner parties, or Hari Raya.. etc. Hey. That, my friends, is a BIG mistake. You will never use your wedding gifts. Because, let's be honest, those people who actually purchase it for you don't even intend to get it for themselves. Like, hell, I am not going to use this, but it's a great gift because:

1) It's practical.. (the newly-weds sure needs all these tumblers, corningware-wannabees stuff. A lot of it!)
2) It comes in a big box (hey, if I come with this big box of mug and hangers sets, they sure love it! The bigger the better!)
3) Well.. for whatever reason, I think they might need this hideous set of tea set.

I mean, yeah, the intention behind the gifts is good. But the gifts suck. Big time.

So what did I do with the gift? What else? I re-gift! But not the whole stack.. I'm not that 'keji'... Unpack it individually. Put some candies in. Wrap in wrapping plastic, put ribbon on top. Taadaaaaa!! Perfect for any parties, as doorgift, as parting gifts. I'll show you the end result tomorrow. ;-)

Now that I have more space in my kitchen cabinet, I can definitely buy that original corningware set... *wink wink*

...momma.. I lap you...

*morning*

Ola!

Today is going to be a great day...NOT!

*Groan*. I had to literally drag myself from the bed this morning. Last night was entertaining night. In-laws came for a surprise visit. 'Surprise! We brought something for you guys!' Smile... smile.. Not that I have something against visiting in-laws (as surprising as it always be), but sometimes how I wish I can spend my weekend afternoon and night alone, after all the house chores are done, watching TV.. *sigh*.. hey, at least my husband has to bear the same if MY parents come to visit...which is pretty soon.. he he...

Now, we always have this one stereotype against our in-laws. Mother-in-laws to be exact. Some people think that mom-in-laws can be quite... condescending, and experience varies from one in-law to another. Yeah I know. But surprisingly, my mom-in-law is not quite what I have expected before I got married. Well, I expect her to be... like my mom. My mom IS the typical mom-in-law. Ask any one of my bro-in-laws, even if they do not want to admit it to me, I know secretly that they harbour that same feelings.. heh.

My mom-in-law, or Ibu, never once criticize me for not able to cook for my husband, let alone cook for her family when she comes to visit (she cooked when she came over). We are more like friends, its very easy to talk to her, and she has this infectious giggle whenever she shares some amusing tales of her neighbours. And after 4 years of childless marriage, never once did she pressures me to 'go get pregnant, girl'. Not even a hint.

So when one day I decided to bring my mom-in-law back with me to Johor to visit my parents, to go 'jalan-jalan', I was taken aback with my friends' reaction to that. "What?".."Serious?" Like, it's the strangest thing in the world to do. What, people don't do that with their in-laws? What's wrong? Am I not normal..?

Hm...

..sing-a-long with me...

*Layan mp3*

Aku memang kaki dengar music. Macam2 genre aku layan, ikut mood. Kadang2 aku layan pop, ada masa aku layan rock kangkang. Bila aku marah, aku layan lagu yang gendang dia bisa bikin gegendang telinga aku melayang. Heh. Bila aku rasa mellow, aku layan balada. Ada juga masa bila tengah beringat tu, aku layan la nasyid. Hm.

Masa aku kecik, abah ada a few catridges (dia rupanya cam oversize cassette). Aku tak berapa ingat la lagu apa, tapi yang aku tau, catridge tu besar! Macam peanut butter sandwich saiznye, hahahaha.. Then dia pernah bagi aku dengar kaset P. Ramlee dia, pakai walkman Sony kebanggaan dia tu. (Kebanggaan sebab dia dapat hadiah walkman tu dari Kedutaan Jepun @Malaysia, panjang citernye, nanti la post lain aku cerita). Ada jugak lagu Dato' Shake. Aku minat Dato' Shake. "Dari kegagalan, satu percintaan ku alami.."

Bila aku sekolah rendah, masa tu tengah kemuncak rock melayu. Aku boleh hafal lagu Search, Wings, Satria, Ekamatra, Kris, Bumiputera Rockers.. to name a few la. Bayang la, budak darjah satu nyanyi lagu "Sejati". Itu la aku.

Lepas tu bila aku darjah 5-6, tiba tiba datang pulak zaman Rap. Zaman Fiona 4u2c. Zaman pakai CD kat leher. Aku tak berapa suka sangat zaman rap and hip hop. Pada aku lagu rap lagu membazir, buat gubahan lagu tapi last last bercakap. Tak ke penat?

Then come high school, and the Eddie Hamid's songs seems to be the hype! Ya Rabbi, tangkap leleh belaka! Data, EYE, SCOIN, ape ke mende nama tu, Spoon? That is also the year of boy bands - BSB, N-Sync, dan yang seboy-band dengannya... Nick Carter... cute nye... *sigh*

And of course, Siti Nurhaliza. Seb baik masa tu ada Siti Nurhaliza, aku boleh survive la, plus aku minat Siti masa tu. Hehe.. Punya la aku minat Siti, aku ada full collection cassette dia dari first album, sampai la ke yang terbaru sekali. Even tho sekarang aku dah tak berkenan dengan dia, surprisingly aku masih beli CD dia. Yang ori! Hell.

So bila dah keje sekarang ni, aku dah tak berapa follow la. Ape, Miley Cirus? Tu bukan umo aku. The Jonah Bro? Jauh la sekali. Hip hop aku memang tak suka langsung. Penat dengar orang bercakap.. So aku layan lagu2 yang disumbangkan oleh laki aku, dia rajin donlod. Makanye sekarang ni dia tgh gile donlod lagu Indonesia, sikit tahun lagi aku dah boleh ber'ngomongin' dengan dia. Heh. Pak.. sudah kamu donlod lagu nya? Best bangett.. dengarin sambil minum es bandrekk.. hahahahahah.. gile gile..

Ciao dulu. Aku nak pi makan malam.. adios...

...Love Don't Cost A Thing?

Weekend.

Woke up. Hm. Empty bed. Can hear typing sounds from the office. Dang. He's awake. And working? *sigh*

My husband has two jobs. One, his official job in IBM. The second one is his part-time job, which he operates from home. I helped him setup a home office where he can have all the privacy he wants to do his work. Hell, it is a library, an office, his sanctuary. All in one.

Yeah, we need the money. We have dreams. He wants a brand new car. I want to go for my annual vacation at a pricey resort in Redang. I work very hard on my commission. He works day and night for that extra cash so that we can live like we wished for during college.

When we first got married, it was quite a challenge for us. We were both 23, just starting out with our career. Our combined salary can barely cover our operation cost, which means, come mid month, we'll be pulling the purse string tighter than ever. We stayed at my parents' house, just to make ends meet. We have loans to pay, car tank to fill. To put foods on the table. But we were happy. Hey, we have each other... besides, we save on rent!

But living with parents do have it downsides. We have curfews (believe it). It's definitely not private (you have your parents sleeping next to your room, for god sake!). And at that age, we were still being patronized by our parents. That put a lot of strain in the relationship, so we decided to move out. Instead of renting, we decided to buy! Wow. At a tender age of 25, we were both a proud owner of a 3-bedroom apartment. Location? 15 minutes from Kota Damansara, 20 minutes from KL...

However, buying an apartment put another strain in the relationship. Yes, you have a house to call your own. BUT, then came the bill(s). You have monthly installment to settle (1K plus mind you), maintenance bill, utility bills, tax. That, to name a few.

Sometimes I am envious of my friends. Those who just got married. I felt that they have more time to accumulate more, so that they do have a better life after the wedding ceremony is over. They get to plan bigger and nicer wedding reception. They get to buy bigger cars. They get to buy bigger house. They even get to buy better furniture for their homes, unlike us who had to rely on IKEA for our stuffs. Not that we are not well-off, but I think I don't get to choose much.

But I always forget to count our blessings. Yes, we can only afford a small apartment, but we still have a roof on top of our heads. We can afford to eat out more than before. We still have our annual vacation. We have traveled extensively all over the country in my husband's national-brand car...

So my friends, yes, marriage is a blissful thing. You share your life with someone, for better or for worse. You learn how to accept your life no matter how difficult it is. You share responsibilities, you take accountability. And you learn one thing, even if your life might not paint a pretty scenery as your peers', and definitely not as pretty as you initially thought it should be, it is still yours, and yours only to see.

Now, if only I can coax my husband to buy me that brand new... hm...

...the number you have dialled has been disconnected...

..morning..

I hate KL pedestrian. Even though I am one. Can I run down one with my car? Would I be arrested? Hm. Don't think so.

*office*

"Good morning, XYZ company."
"Hallo, I thought you want to come over yesterday?"

Shit. How can I forgot?

"Alamak, sorry la. I was called for a discussion.. bla bla bla.."

You know, it really suck if you missed an appointment. What does that shows you? An incompetent person and a liar. Hahahahaah... wow, that is some kind of a reputation to live up to!
Truth is, I don't have a organizer. Funny, for a sales person like me not to have an organizer. But I hate organizer. I am not an organized freak. I don't jot down appointments, I keep it in my head. And when I forget one, I will start banging my head. Because, it's not working, you see? Dang...

Why not putting it up on my blog..? Hmm... not a bad idea..

11 am - DRC Meeting with T.M.L (Menara Citibank)
12.30 noon - Lunch Appt with H.E.S (KLCC)
3.00 pm - Collect SLG Agreement from T.C.P.B (Jalan Riong, Bangsar)
4.00 pm - Discussion on MPLS with B.P.M.B (Jalan Sultan Ismail)

Fuh! One whole day... by the time of my last appointment I sure look like belacan. Smelly, but still tasty... :P *guffaw*

Busy busy busy. Answering phone calls. Entertaining. Fighting. All sorts of things.

Case 1:
"Hey.. I think there is a problem with my phone line."
"Why?"
"I tried calling for MAS hotline number but no one pick up."
....
"Dearie, can you still hear the tone when you pick up your phone?"
"Errr.. yes."
"When you dial, can you hear the dialing tone?"
"Yep..."

(Dalam hati : THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR PHONE ITS THE DAMN MAS AIRLINES IVR WHICH IS NOT WORKING!!!)

"I see... I think there is a problem with MAS number lah dear.." Smile.. Smile..
"Oh.. is it...OK Thanks!"

Crap.. *smacking head with phone receiver*

Case 2:
"Hello, I think my fax line is not working."
"Okey, can it receive incoming fax?"
"Yep."
"Outgoing?"
"Nope."
"I am now checking your account. OK, clear, not suspended..so, have you reported to our call centre?"
"Oh, kena report?"
....
"Okey try like this, try plugging the jack to a phone and try making outbound call. If it is not working, please call my call centre."
"Eh, fax line and phone line same meh?"

(TAKLAH, LAIN, FAX LINE BOLEH KUAR KERTAS HITAM PUTIHHHHH, PHONE LINE BOLEH KUAR SORE, GARAU KE, MERDU KE.. AAARGHH.. SAMA LA...)

".. sama dearie.. try dulu and give me a call after this.."

...toot toot toot...

So between meeting clients, I do a lot of other things as well. All for FREE. You want to try? Call my direct number now. :) You'll see...

...Houston, we got a problem...

*back in the office*

'Toot.. toot.'

"Hi, this is you-know-who. Please leave a you-know-what, you-know-when."

Life's like that. When you need something, it sure gets the kick of not giving it to you.

We are pre-conditioned to obey. To follow the trend. Since the beginning of mankind. Man, hunt. Woman, whatever it is beside hunting. It's normal to condone to such stereotypes. To go against the norm is like going to the mall without wearing your undies. Hold up. Wrong connotation. Without having both your undies AND your pants on. Hm.

There is an expectation to be met in life:

If you are a wife, you are expected to be submissive. (All hail husband!) Not doing so will cost you your after-life to be forever doomed in purgatory. Bad prospect.

If you are an employee, you are expected to perform. Sometimes, at the cost of your life. Cost of your future, cost of your feelings. Cost of your mental health (in my case).

If you are a friend, you are expected to be nice to them. That is why we keep on receiving those "send-this-to-10-friends-or-forever-be-an-outcast" emails. Oh, that .jpeg image of the dancing bear is nice anyway. Spitting image of you, you moron!

If you are a co-worker, you are expected to be cordial to your colleagues. Hm. (Maybe I am not. Since I am always left out during lunch). Go figure. Must be because I did not forward that 'friends forever' emails.

If you are a daughter, you are expected to follow what your parents says. "I know best. Now, take that scholarship and off you go! Oh, I will not cover your expenses now that you are covered. By the way, take IT please. That'll get you a good job with this company."

So, where do all of this put you? Nowhere? Why are we not trained to be selfish? To stand up for what you believe in? To go against the norm and do whatever you pleased? To learn from your mistakes and move forward on your own?

Why do we have all these expectations? Why do we have to conform to these unseen rules? Why do we let other people jam all these crap down your throat and force you to swallow? And why, oh why, when we finally have the strength to stand up and say "Hell with that!", society deems us misfits and left us out in the cold?

Aren't we entitled to our own feelings?