Because of you .....

If we really want something, we will strive hard to get it ...especially when we can see the carrots dangling in front of our very eyes...so, because of you, i did just that....yea, i wont be bothered to get up any other day as early as this...nor would i willingly run around after you ...like i did today ...i was tired and i was furious, but i know i dont want to let you go ....

Fear not, my friends, I am not talking about a person ...i am talking about my day ..running rounds several post offices just to get my petrol rebate! Since the dateline for claiming the rebate is appraching soon (14th if i am not mistaken) and I need the extra cash to cover for my unplanned expenses, i decided that i will get my rebate today - no matter what ...went out at 9 and went to Post Office at 11th Miles ...turned out, they are not giving out rebate money, and the nearest Post Office is at 7th Miles ...so, i went there ...went in and saw a lot of people cramming into the tiny space ...i got no.97 and that's when i heard the teller calling out the number ...to my absolute disappointment, she caled no.62 ...meaning that there was more than 30 peoples in front of me in the queue ....would i wait??? will it be THAT long???

I was still debating whether to wait when i suddenly remembered my boss telling me, when we were in KK, that he got his rebate at Post Office located Simpang Tiga (Bangunan Sultan Iskandar) ...he said that post office was normally deserted - at most there will be 7-10 people in the queue ...hehehe feeling smug (and cocky) i left the post office...could't help thinking that vall these people will have a long wait ahead of them ...suckers!!!! hehehehe

So, i went to Simpang Tiga, about 15 mins drive ..my heart was leaping with joy coz I can see that the Post Office was deserted ....hehehe thought I was the cleaver one ...little did i know that nobody was in the post office coz they have computer malfunction ....yea, serves me right for being cocky ...hahahah ...i was told to go to Kenyalang Park Post Office, meaning that i will get a new number and that there is a very high possibility that the queue will be very long as well...that's it...decided to go back to Mile 7, and use my number ...and hoping fervantly that they are yet to call number 97 ...so, with the speed like those driving in Amazing Race, I reached the Post Office to to sound of the teller calling out number 93 hehehehe i was lucky ....and less than 10 minutes later, i left with my rebate ....

Because of that rebate, i spent 3 hours running round from one post office to another ...huh , i would definitely wont do this for anything that doesn't bring me any incentive..but this time RM650 is a nice incentive indeed!

Sunset ...

Four years ago, I made a list of 10 things that I would like to do before I am 35 …at that time I was thinking about starting afresh ..re-evaluating my achievement, my life, what I have done and what I still haven’t achieve …emmm, maybe I should do this re-evaluation annually…it can be a motivational move to get me off my butt! or it can be a wet blanket for my entire month/year????

One of the items on my “wish list’is to take time out of my (then) super-busy life that seemed to fall apart was to enjoy watching a sunset …and I have done that….i remembered one particular sunset, where I was in a boatride enjoying the scenery at Loagan Bu’nut National Park… that was in 2007 …the view was breathtaking…

Here are some more pics of sunset ….taken a few weeks ago when I was on a fieldwork in Meludam/Kabong area …these pics were taken during my ferry ride across Batang Saribas …

And some nice pics of sunset in Kota Kinabalu (taken in Oct 2008) from the poolside of Marina Court Apartment ...

Roses, anyone?

I was just browsing the internet, looking for information on Cameron Highlands. I will be going to Cameron Highland in less than 3 weeks with my family …our first holiday together in a very long time! Would be glad if anyone have any suggestions on places of interests that I should visit when I am there…

Anyway, I found a site describing roses and the symbolic meaning behind the colours. Here goes, the symbolic meaning that I got from the website as well as my two cents opinion:

1. The runaway favourite has always been red roses…often the number one choice for Valentine Day’s gift, during proposal or any romantic gestures …the symbolic meaning: Red Rose signifies love and respect …but you all know that, right?
2. Yellow roses – I love yellow roses. I bought a cutting of yellow rose for my mum in Serikin a few years back – and she planted it at our kampong. Now it has grown and flowers quite often …anyway, yellow rose signifies socialibility, friendship and gladness ..yellow is after all a cheery colour…
3. Pink roses – is associated with admiration and appreciation…so guys, don’t fret if you were given a bunch of pink roses, when you are expecting a red rose …but some people also signifies light pink roses with sympathy…perhaps it it because of its calming, pastel colour..a-not-in-your-face type of colour that can offend people who are, for instance, in mourning or in need of consolation…
4. People also associate white roses with reverence…perhaps because white is always considered as clean, innocence…so, befitting the symbols for reverence and worship (admiration and respect)…but certain quarters also said white rose could mean humility …humbleness, modesty…being unassuming …
5. Orange – I have seen orange rose before…but the one that I saw at Alnwick Garden wasn’t that beautiful …hehehe compared to other roses there…maybe it’s that particular variety/species. Anyway, orange rose signifies passion, desire and enthusiasm …guys, please take note …hehehee

So, there you go … but don’t fret if you got roses of certain colours …the giver may not know the symbolic meanings associated with the colours – it’s not as if it is set in stone anyway – so, one should be forgiven for not knowing this….or maybe the giver choose a certain colour coz it held special meaning for him/her ….plus, it’s just a symbol … the meaning determined by human ….

Airasia - everyone can fly (even idiots!!!)

I had a bad experience during my recent trip to KK. It is not Airasia that I am complaining about, but the passenger who caused the trouble to everyone else. When I arrive at KIA, the queue for the KK flight was already quite long, and there was only one check-in counter operating at the time for that particular flight...fair enough coz it is still early ...and to be fair, the service was smooth...

Smooth and quick ...until this family (who, by the way is only 2 position up from me) took their turn..they had 4 trolleys full of luggages and boxes ...what's in there, who knows ...that was not the problem...everyone who has ever travel by plane knows that there is a thing call "luggage allowance" ..and that regardless of the airlines, you would have to pay extra if you exceed the luggage allowance ...i thought everyone knows that ...but not this @$%!# idiot ...he held up the queue for nearly 25 minutes - coz he was arguing with the check-in staff and refused to pay his excess baggage fees ...claimed that he is travelling in a group of 6 ..and that airasia should not be charging him bla bla bla ...from a distance i thought the fee was such a huge amounts ...it turns out he was asked to pay RM60 for his excess luggage ...i felt like strangling the moron for that ...but thankfully, before I made a fool of myself, the guy in front of him, shouted at him to hurry up and just paid ...his words "kalau tak nak bayar, jangan naik kapalterbang ..." and someone else asked how much was the refuted fee ...when the guy (also an airasia staff - on the next check-in counter) said RM60 je ..i couldn't help myself, and join in the "shouting match" ..hehehe my dialog was "RM60??? Do you want me to pay for you just to speed up this queue???" Like magic, the idiot just paid up and left ..while complaining to his wife .....

Yes, Tony Fernandes did a great job with airasia...now everyone can fly ...unfortunately that includes idiots like that moronic guy...i pray to God I wont be in the same flight with him ever again ...Amin

What I did this weekend ...OVERSPENDING!

Since I already submitted my report earlier in the week, I am enjoying a free-ish weekend (I mean free-ish coz I still have to so something to update the report but I was not so urgent and I can relax a bit).

Dad has been pressing me to go shopping with him since last week, but knowing I was busy he said he would wait till I am free. Since I'll be going for a field work next week (to Meludam and beyond ...again) and the following week (to KK...yipee... again), this is my only free weekend...so, today, me and my dad went shopping ...the intention is looking for a new electric grass-cutter (the one we have is on the verge of a breakdown - macam tuannya kot!), looking for something for Bujang Kecik (for his buaian), washing machine cover for mum (she has been asking me and dad for this since January!), as well as browsing through a few galleries to look for another painting for the house (and to get a frame for a painting that I bought in Bandung).

Well, the result was that we ONLY managed to get the thingy for Bujang Kecik ... the galleries were either too crowded or closed...went to 3 different places and couldn't find the grass cutter ...i, however, went back with a trunk-full of items (down feather Friven pillows, candle holder with multi-colored glass and copper design, picture frames - different sizes and designs and other home decor items)...things that were not in the list ...but i buy them anyway coz of the 50% off labels attached to them! Ended up spending a lot on things I don't really need ...and now, as I am writing this, the feeling of regret is creeping in ......typical isn't it ....but can't say I won't do it again - coz it has become a force of habit with me!

KL Trip - Food, Food, Food

Like i said in my previous posting - my KL trip was hectic. But i also had had fun ....

When we landed at the airport, Lina said she want to have satay kajang before we leave. My sister agreed to take us to Taman Melati - and we had dinner at the Haji Samuri's outlet there. Wan went with us as well ....maybe coz it was already late (bearing in mind we spent a lot of time at Arkib earlier and meeting at the hotel), i found that I was quite full ...i didn't do justice to the food ....but we sure had great time - catching up with Wan's news....and mengimbas kenangan lama!

I also ordered mee bandung - I love mee bandung, and the one in Sarawak is not the same as the one that can be found in Semenanjung. But this one was not as good as i hope it would ...maybe my expectation is too high!

This was after dinner...hehehehe..this the the part where Lina mentioned that she want to see a midnite movie ...though we scrapped the plans afterwards for reasons I couldn't disclosed here...

And the following day, my sister took me to Amcorp Mall - to buy books. But since it was already past noon, we decided to have lunch there. I was keen on Subway, but she wanted to go for Kenny Rogers....so, since she was driving, I had to follow her :( ...but my food was ok. Much better than I expected! I had a jacket potato with cheesy chicken filling..yummy!!!

and after lunch, we rushed back to Setapak ...before going out, yet again, for dinner - this time at Seoul Garden Restaurant, before meeting Fendu for a quick coffee at Ampang Point...which I will cover in the next posting. I haven't downloaded the photos yet!

See: the chocolate muffin is history!!!