I was 23... 24 now

Happy Birthday!

I took leave yesterday giving myself my own space spending my birthday at home the whole day!

Something different again this year for my birthday. No fancy 'woohaa' birthday celebration. Only me myself at home enjoying the peaceful moment.

My colleagues had held my birthday celebration last Friday together with another birthday girl, Panacie in "Gai Dai Fun Hei" (皆大欢喜） and they bought us a mango-delighted cake from Secret Recipe! Yummy! It was delicious! Later at night we went to sing ktv. It was fun!

Then next day (Saturday) I need to do an on-site support at HSBC. Feeling bored, I called up Sook Siah to go for ktv again. Then she also asked Koon Poh to join us. That night I witnessed Lee Hom signing autograph for the fans at Sg. Wang. Gosh! It was my first time to be so near a super-star.

Sook Siah and I enjoyed very much singing ktv together. Perhaps we have the same concept of singing ktv. Too bad Koon Poh came late and didn't really have much time to sing many songs as we did. Anyway, we all did have a good time. We went for a tea time after that and chat awhile.

Sunday I missed RC usual morning practice. Chamber choir practice was cancelled as most of us couldn't make it. Well, another day spent at home enjoying my "Desperate Housewives" drama series. Then in the evening I went for a Buffet Dinner at Legend Hotel. It was great. I guess it was my first time having buffet dinner with Mr. Chew. Yeah he invited some of us there. Gosh I ate a lot. Well, it's a buffet. I shouldn't eat too little.

Well... nothing much changed from a 23 y/o person to 24y/o. Somehow the number 24 seems a little strange to me. Gosh I am 24 y/o. Sounds so old! Well, never mind. I am surrounded by people who are older than me. :p

Random Updates

Life in year 2007 has been good so far. At least I am enjoying every little bit of it. However I received a not-so-shocking news last two days - My senior has submitted his resign letter and gonna leave the company soon. I knew that he will be leaving the company someday. Well, the day will come soon. So I am preparing myself to be alone and independent.

By the way, today is Chao Learn last day in the company. Hmm... will have a farewell luncheon later at IZZI Restaurant. I am not very close to him. But we do have lunch together and it's fun to chat and talk to him. He is very sarcastic guy and is very good at 'bombing' people. King Chung and him have taught me well in being sarcastic! Hahahaha... Well, I'll wish him all the best in his coming future. He told me he might go to Australia to further his study in everything goes well. Else, he'll look for another job.

I haven't started practising my piano exam pieces. So not good! Been giving myself lotsa excuses! Must think of something to push myself to the piano and play.

Oh, I gained some weight. 2.5kgs! That's something good!

I attended the YMD discussion meet this month. So I've won. But I noticed I missed a lot of choir practices. Gosh... must start to arrange my timetable. This coming Sunday RC chamber will have another performance for the opening ceremony of another painting exhibition. There'll be an extra practice tonight at BK. Hmm... it should be exciting!

It's Friday!!

Happy Birthday, mom! I love you always!

The Soka Spirit (Part 1)

As usual, I have dinner together with my family on this normal Sunday evening. The only different was that my sister and brother were not there. Sister just got back home from Pangkor and my brother was still with his girl friend at Muar. So only my parents and I.

Having only three of us won't stop us from chatting or talking over our daily life. As long as my mom is there, we will talk. I must admit she is the dialogue expert in our family. She will talk whenever possible. I wonder if every mother is like that. I guess every female loves to talk. They were born to talk. Hahahaha... Anyway, I am glad my mother like to talk. And when she talks, I always learn. And each time, even though it is the same topic, I will learn something new. And in this dinner we talk about Soka Spirit.

Realising that I have limited time on blogging, and there a lot to introduce about, I guess I will need to seperate this entry into a few parts.

What's Soka Spirit?

A lifetime of creating value (创造价值的人生）, that's soka spirit. It may sound simple. But do we really practice that in our daily life? I doubt so.

I was born in a Soka family. Following my parents, I practice Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism since young. Never really understand what is the Buddhism all aboutback then, I just follow what was told and just be a part of Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM). I attended most of the discussion meet, study meet and other cultural activities. No doubt I was an active member of SGM back then when I was still in Kelantan.

I witnessed the growth and progression of SGM in Kelantan. Yes, last time there were only few members there. But the meetings were always very joyful and happy. Before we have any venue to hold a meeting, most of the meeting were held at my house. My parents would have to start the preparation for the meeting few hours before the meeting start.

My parents would chant first to pray that the meeting will go smoothly and successfully. After chanting, they will start clean up the house including sweeping floor, moving all the chairs, sofa, table, carpet to the store room. Carrying out the white board and marker pen. Then sometimes mom would prepare food for refreshment. All this would take I think about one to two hours. After everything is done, they would then excitedly wait for the arrival of the guest, oops, I mean the member. My house gate door would've opened widely.

I can't remember I helped my parents to do all the preparation. But I do remember that normally I would happily wait for the arrival of my friends. Yeah some member's children. Once a member arrive, my parents would happily greet them from a far and welcomed them with open arms. I will always remember the smile on my parents face. Sincere and sweet. Yes, the warmth. The warm feeling that will cast away all your fears and sorrows.

As usual, every meeting start with Gongyo and Daimoku, sing some songs, meeting and then guidance and then Sansho to end the meet. Then refreshment. Members will chit-chat while having the refreshment. By then we all the children will be sweating after playing. Yeah, we children have lotsa things to play then. Hide and seek, chasing around, "Ji Gong Pak", 205 etc. Not gonna mention all of them here. But everyone will be very happy and left my house with a smile on their face.

Time goes by, the number of members increased. We started to have Sokahan and Byakuren. These people will arrived earlier to welcome the members, similarly, with the smile on their faces. Of course I will have more friends to come over to my house and play. Hahahaha... And it'll be like having party in my house where all the members there and laughing and chit-chatting after meeting. Especially during some special event like SGM anniversaries etc.

One thing for sure, everybody comes and goes happily. The joy and laughter will be with them after the meeting.

RC Chamber First Performance in Year 2007

This is RC Chamber first performance in year 2007. The performance was the first item for the opening ceremony for the Deng Nai Rong Painting Exhibition. We sang 我的花儿 (My Flower) and it was good. Not the best, but good enough.

Here are a few shots :

The group photo taken right before the performance.

From left : Woon, Yee Lin, Sook Siah, Grace, Koon Hoe,
Koon Poh, David, Ngan Meng, Merina, Tion Wee and me.

Sook Siah and I

Way to go, comrades! It's a good start though for year 2007!!!

Catch RYAN live in concert!!!

Poster designed by : Grace

The Funny Mistake

I promised my sister to write the entry. So here you go...

T'was the 30th December 2006. Everyone was busy planning the new year countdown celebration - how the year 2006 should go and how year 2007 should arrive. As for me, I will celebrate the arrival of new year in Koon Poh's new house. That's the plan. But for my sister, she was planning to enjoy the new year eve count down celebration with her friends at the Float Party which was held at National Aquatic Centre, Bukit Jalil. But before that, she needed to buy the ticket, for her friends and also herself.

Since her boyfriend was coming back from campus to join her for the float party, we needed to pick him up at One Utama. Beside there's one Axcess Counter where we could get the ticket. So we went to One Utama around 2:30pm. By the time we found a place to park our car, it was 3pm++ when we finally got into the shopping mall and look for the Axcess Ticket counter. My sister boyfriend, Hui reached there around that time too and we started to search for the counter together. Gosh, it was so difficult to find that stupid counter. We search from new wing to old wing, and then from the old wing back to the new wing again. We spent around an hour to finally figure out that the counter is located right below the center court at floor B1.

Well, at least we found the counter. Unfortunately, nobody's there. The counter was left open there without anyone and we approached the counter and found a note on the computer keyboard. The note stated something as follow :

=========================

Gone out for lunch??!!

I will be back around 4:30pm.
Please call me at 012 - *******
(Mr. Rashid)

=========================

Without any hesitation, I called the number to look for Mr. Rashid.

"Hello, Mr. Rashid! I am right at the Axcess Counter. When will you be back?"

"Oh oh, I am having my lunch now. Can you give me another 15 to 30 minutes?!"

It was already 4:15pm. So I continued "I thought you said you'll be back 4:30pm?! So how long is it gonna be? Can you come now?!"

"No, I am in the middle of having my lunch. I'll be there in another 15 minutes?"

"Alright then, I'll see you later then!"

So, feeling hungry, we went to have our tea break (lunch for Hui) at Secret Recipe. We ordered our food and drink. Then suddenly Rashid called.

"Hey! I am there in the office already! Where are you?!"

"Oh ok! Ermm.. just wanna ask you what's the price for tomorrow float party?!"

"What?!"

"You know tomorrow there will be a float party at Bukit Jalil?! I want to know the price?"

"What I don't know?!"

I thought he couldn't hear me as it was quite noisy then. So I spoke louder, "I want to know the ticket price for the float party. Do you know what is the ticket price?"

"No, I don't know!"

"What?! You don't know?!"

"How should I know?!"

"Huh?! How can you not know?! Are you the staff for Axcess?!"

"When are you coming to the office?!"

I was a bit annoyed. Then my sister and the boyfriend went back to the counter to try to get the ticket. Few minutes passed by and Mr. Rashid called me again.

"Hello! Where are you?!"

"Oh my sister just went to the office! You didn't see anyone there?!"

"No, nobody's here! Where are you?!"

"I am having my tea break here in Secret Recipe! But my sister is going to your office already! Where are you?"

"I am right at the office! Nobody's here!"

"Your office is right at the B1 floor right?!"

"Yes, B1! Beside there has a florist."

"OK OK! My sister is on her way there. Just wait for awhile. I'll call her!"

Irritated, I called my sister.

"Hello, are you there at the office?"

"Yeah, we're there already. The ticket saler is still not there yet!"

"But he just called me and said that he's there already! Any flower shop nearby?"

"Yeah! But there's another customer here waiting for the ticket seller too!"

"That's weird! He just called me and said that he's there already! Why don't you call him!"

"OK ok."

Sitting alone in the secret recipe. The waiter brought the three drink we ordered and asked if those were for our table. He must be wondering how come a person ordered three drinks?! Be placed the drinks on the table anyway. Then the two cakes arrived. Feeling hungry and bored, I ate the cake first. Then few minutes later, my sister called.

"Heen ar, I think the Mr. Rashid you called just now is actually the customer here who is waiting for the ticket seller as well ler!"

"Huh! Really aar?! Shit! Hahahahaha..."

"Yeah, I think so!"

"OK OK. So the ticket seller still hasn't appeared?"

"Nope!"

"So how now?!"

"We'll wait for awhile then!"

What a shame!! Shame on me!! Gosh, that's so freaking funny! I laughed at myself for awhile and decided to call back Mr. Rashid.

"Hello, Mr. Rashid! Hahahahaha..."

"Yes?!"

"Hey Rashid, you're there to buy the ticket as well izzit?!

"Yeah!"

"Goodness! I am there to buy the ticket as well!! So you're a customer as well la?!"

"Yeah yeah!"

"Hahahahaa..... I thought you were the ticket seller!"

"Oh! Hahahahaha.... oh you're not the ticket seller! Hahahaha..."

"I am so sorry, Rashid! I thought you're the ticket seller! Hahahaha.... so the ticket seller is not there yet?!"

"Yeah not here yet! Hahahaha..."

"OK. Never mind! Let's just wait again!"

Feeling stupid yet funny! I continued my cakes and waited for my sister and Hui to be back. And when they're back, the still couldn't got the tickets. Rashid called up the Operation Manager and made a complain. We were asked to obtained the tickets from other outlets. That's stupid! But we have no choice.

We were a bit disappointed, but we kept laughing over the whole funny incident. It's such a cold jokes! We kept talking about it and laughed on how this could be happening. How mis-interpretation on the notes on the keyboard and how I communicate with Rashid. The whole things just made us want to laugh. LOL...

Anyway, they managed to get the ticket after that. The ticket seller finally was there. Thanks to my sister's and Hui's patience and the spirit of never give up. They kept on checking back the counter whenever possible and they got what they want - The tickets to FLOAT PARTY!

New Year 2007

Happy New Year 2007!!!

That's a good start. Something different for me right between the year 2006 and 2007. I never had a good reflection of year 2006 and never really got a resolution for year 2007.

"How can this be?!"

Well, frankly, I never really did a proper reflection nor resolution last few years. I didn't sit quietly and think back what I'd done and what I wanted to do in the coming future. I was normally too busy planning on how to celebrate the new year countdown or with other stuff. Reflection? Resolution? Hmm... I think I did it once in a while if not everyday.

I think I have had enough of thinking back. Thinking back doesn't help me to go anywhere nowadays. It drags me into the deeper valley where I would never ever want to be. Making resolution is not my talent. I am not a good planner but also a terrible improvisor I guess. So, resolution won't do me any good. It sometime makes me feel worse because most of them(target, mission, vision etc) I won't achieve.

I have taken a whole year of 2006 to recover from my devastating depression. And now I wouldn't say I am fully recovered. Perhaps it is the fear that has taken away my the "courageous" me. I won't force myself to be who I used to be anymore, although I was better last time with high spirit and full energy. But I will enjoy myself now perfecting myself from time to time. Yeah I will get better, but I will take my time. I have learnt that I am just a normal person trying to be better each day. I do realise that I have potential to be someone I want to be, but dreaming big is not for me now. I will take it slow... step by step... no hurry... just enjoy.

Anyway, knowing that I am a lazy bum and have thousand of excuse for me to procrastinate... eventhough I am not a good plan follower, I will still have to plan for myself for this new year 2007 :

1) Take my diploma solo piano examination by the end of the year
2) Improve the LASS system
3) Gain weight and be more than 65kgs by the end of the year
4) Attend at least one Gakkai activities each month (choir practice doesn't count)
5) Saving at least RM 200 each month

OK I've done that. Take a deep breath, here I go...