Its been months since i blogged...a lot has happened since then...in a nutshell, the past 9 months have been absolutely crazy for me! Its been work, work, work, and work, think im seriously under threat of becoming a workaholic! Anyway, now that the resort is up, open and running, i hope to be blogging more often...

Its been a swell opportunity to have been part of the very foundation of Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives! From setting up operating procedures, to writing policies, setting up the entire training department from scratch, implementing systems and work processes - that was my primary responsibility, to being given opportunities to develop in other areas of HR, such as recruitment, disciplinary, employee relations and staff accommodation tasks, to training staff, running the operations and the final leg - organising and overseeing the entire resort simulations! 26 July-09, we finally opened our doors to the world! Phew!, Im tired!Im burnt out! I need a massive break! :D

I'll let the photos below speak for itself, so you know how our lil atoll and island has developed over the past 1.5 years i have been here! Its amazing to see how in such a "short" span of time, my company has brought about such development even to the people and community around us!

Katak keluar tempurung...

It's been about 9 months away from home. In the past 9 months, i have gone through a dengue attack, lived like a nomad - out of suitcases, in 2 different inns before finally settling into an apartment on our soon-to-be opened island resort. It has indeed been an exciting, and enriching 9 months.
"Katak keluar tempurung" (frog-came-out-of-coconut-shell...hehe...direct translation) is a malay idiom that refers to a person who has finally come out of his/her shell...which in this case, "katak" (frog)is yours truly! :) Having never left Malaysia and in fact family for all my life...taking this step and moving out on my own, was a big step. Naturally, my family freaked out...their youngest baby bird, finally flying out of the nest to chase her dreams...hehe...think they never expected that from me....ya maybe KL, or back to Sabah...but never really out of th ecountry altogether...moreso since im pretty much a homebody.
Anyway, this whole move was indeed a very big thing for me. SO many thoughts crossed my mind...i even felt like an "anak derhaka" for leaving my parents when they are so much older and forgetful and all. So many times, i felt i should go back and be looking after them...i mean, afterall, they sacrified so much for my sis and i, to give us everything we needed and wanted! But after sometime here, reality sets into me. Im no longer the little bird, and after all the sacrifices my family has made for me, i should strive to soar the greatest heights possible....
Living on my own has really been value-add for my personal development. Its nice to have the time to be on your own, to face challenges on your own, to make decisions and take risks alone, the fear of not having family or close friends nearby to lean on or depend on...it all comes in a very enriching package. THough its only been 9 months...i honestly see the difference in myself.

Maldives is officially Sindhu :)

I have finally gone diving in maldivian waters, thus christening the turquoise blue waters of the indian ocean! It was truly an amazing experience to just sail to the middle of nowhere, and just jump off the boat with nothing but our swim gear.
Huge corals lined the sea bed...assorted colors and designs...it was breath taking...err..i mean breath holding *grin*. Corals the colour of the rainbow...i never realised how beautiful the underwater world could be till i came here. Torn between being bitten by a shark, and actually seeing one, i chose to stay on...saw some baby sharks...and an enormous sea turtle! God! I felt like i was one of those explorers in National Georgaphy! Only thing missing would have been my divers license that gives the green light for deeper waters and an oxygen tank ;)
It is with this snorkelling trip to the undiscovered Addu, that i got to know my colleagues and their spouses at a more personal level. It was fun seeing everyone let loose and be free...no formalities, just plain kick back and relax! We went island hopping to discover what other interesting sites Addu had to offer to our prospective customers...something like unique selling points of the Resort.
Huhudhoo and Meedhoo islands hardly had any people. But while crusading the jungles, we did come across a watermelon farm, papaya plantation, maldivian chilli plantation and maldivian tomatoe plantations. The beach on these islands are really nothing spectacular. ALthough there was a stretch of beach that was infested with red crabs crawling everywhere!
Firaz, our guide took us to his home and served us typical home cooked maldivian dishes. I have forgotten the names, but the food was really tasty...assorted preparations of tuna and onion leaves.

Im officially Maldivian now!

I have been in the Maldives now for nearly 3 months...and today, i was christened into being Maldivian! :) No i did not elope and get married here...yet :P ...i was mistaken to be the shopkeeper of 3D-mart, the sundry store near my office. So now that im officially maldivian, let me begin my story...

I had ordered some cutlery from the storekeeper a couple of days ago, for Rajesh, a nepalese who makes excellent cha...and had gone to collect it. While the storekeeper ran home to check if my cutlery had arrived, i stayed on in the store alone, with Aashu, my trainee. Suddenly in comes this maldivian guy, and talks in dhivehi to me. I figured he must be asking for a phone card, cos when i gave him a blank look, he repeated himself and said phone-dunno-what and continued to look intently at me. I indicated im not the storekeeper, and yet, this maldivian guy goes on to ask me in dhivehi, where the storekeeper went. God knows what i answered him, but he seemed to understand and waited quietly till the storekeeper came back. :) Aashu my young, energetic maldivian trainee aged 18 yrs, burst out laughing the minute we got out of the store...her grand conclusion; i should marry a maldivian, and settle down here, since i already blend in well with the local community! hahaha...

OK, since i have begun my story, let me go on to tell you a little bit more about the Maldives. Maldives or known as "Mal Divpa" in sanskrit, means a thousand garlands. There are about 1190 islands formed on Atolls, that are spread out all over the Maldives. The Atolls in Maldives are made of coral reefs that grew from submerged volcanic ridges. Each atoll has several islands, some reaching upto 30 islands. Addu Atoll, which is the atoll im living at, has got 9 islands: - Villingili, Gan, Feydhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo, Maradhoo, Hithadhoo, Hulhudoo, Meedhoo, Hulhu-Meedhoo. I live on Gan island, and currently work on Feydhoo island. The first 5 islands i mentioned, are linked with a coastal road, so i usually walk around, or bike around.
The Maldivian lifestyle down south in Addu is very laidback. Simple people with simple minds and simple living...no aires whatsoever! Thats what i like about this place. Maldivians look like indians, but have Melanesian features with Austronesian hair. Dhivehi, the language they speak, is spoken fast and is not romanised. The writing, looks like a jawi. The whole of Maldives, is an Islamic Republic, and this religion is practised rather staunchly. Resort's need a licence to run bars, and alcohol is not available anywhere else. Free time here is spent spear fishing or chewing 'paan', betel nut :) a hobby i have taken to, when i hang with the guys...

Since life is so very laidback in Addu, Maldivians, and majority of my colleagues spend the weekends drinking, sun tanning and getting laid...some of us on the other hand, chit chat the night away, play board games and go snorkelling...

its been a week, and yet...

A week has gone by...not a day passed, without me thinking of him. I know i have to let go...but i just cant stop the tears that well my eyes when i drive to work, or the tears that well my eyes suddenly when im at work. Its not like im depressed or moaning my loss or anything like that. i can laugh, and joke and have fun and all...but somehow, suddenly my eyes tear.

I think i havent come to terms with his demise. I called my aunt up, to check how she was, and how our babies were. My lil cousin, Manish, did the cremation for his father. At the tender age of 5, my lil Manish picked up the remains of my uncle and put it away in a jar...according to my aunt, Manish told her, he saw his acha fly up, and when he asked acha where he was going, acha told him, the other lil boy in the sky didnt have an acha. So Manish gave his acha to the other lil boy in the sky.

How we were shocked to hear lil Manish who seldom talks, tell us what his acha told him. On another occasion, our lil girl, Sharaneya, stops playing, looks at the photograph of my uncle, and says, acha is here with us...he is watching me play.....freaky? No, i believe its true. Its the innocence...

My uncle was a man who celebrated life. Never one to dwell on the past and live in regrets, although he's had his share of problems. He was full of wit and always got away with words. He could difuse a tense situation just by saying something so funny, that everyone would forget what the tension was all about..that was Unni Chetta.

Part of me doesnt want to let him go. Im scared ill forget him. Im scared ill forget all the good memories with him. Im scared ill lose touch with everything unni-iey. He is so dear, that i cant imagine not having him around to bug. We were supposed to make a swap in June...he takes my computer, and i take his kelisa. I got the better end of the bargain, but he insisted he did. It was gonna be my computer that he will use to teach Manish and Sharaneya.

I dont know how to let go. I dont want to let go? I want him to stay with us forever. I want to be selfish. I pray that he will come back into our family, and our paths will cross in all our next lives. I cannot lose him. He has to be part of our lives in spirit. He just has to. 26.02.08.

February 26, 2008

in loving memory of unni chetta

today i lost my favourite uncle - unni chettan. he was the only uncle i could ever open up to...the only one i trusted well enough to open up to, and share my joy, love, happiness, worry, fear, sadness...everything...he knew me well enough to know how i was just by merely looking. when there was good news, he was the first to know. when there was bad news, he was the first to know. he lifted my spirits and gave me 101% encouragement to achieve my dreams. had it not been for his belief in me, i doubt id be where i am today. he was the one motivator, encourager, inspirer who dared me not to dream, but to achieve my dreams. he knew my passion for kids and teaching. he was the only one who told me i was not ridiculous for wanting to work in an orphanage someday. when i go backpacking, instead lecturing us about the dangers, he'd ask us what naughty things we did, and what we learnt.

unlike many "uncles", unni chetta was a buddy...a buddy to both my sis and i. he bought me my first sofball bat, and taught me to play the game when i was a kid...i went on to learn the game and play it in school, and then in uni..actually winning the gold medal in the last game i played. he made me realise the beauty of words, through reading story books. having no younger siblings of my own, he made me a big sister with his 2 adorable babies..sharenya and manish. though he was tucked away in kerteh, far from us all, he was always there for us...always just a phone call away. it seems like only yesterday, one month ago, when i drove back after christmas, with him and his family. he gave me the pep talk about relationships and marriage, and i told him all about the blurr cows in my life...we had a heart-to-heart talk about them, and we concluded that life was too short to waste over men who play games. i told him about double P and he said if things were to be, my life would be filled with music. i told him about the cute artist at work, and he told me i've always known how to appreciate beauty at its best. i told him about my best friend of 10 yrs, who i never met till last month, and he said if things were meant to be, they will be. i told him about the similarity between my farmer boy and my best friend and how they both confused me, and he said, men will be men - they never realise what they have, till they lose them. we laughed about the blurr cows in my life and agreed that since divorce rates were on the rise, we would leave marriage in the hands of god, and not worry too much about it.

there were times i wanted to just pack up and leave...but he would tell me, that god tests those HE loved...he would remind me of my duties and obligations to those i loved...he told me that running away never solves the problem. he taught me to face problems head-on, and strive to overcome them. today, when i got the call, telling me he passed away, i asked god, why HE had the heart to take such a gem away from me. i asked god, why HE takes good people in the cruelest of ways. i asked god, what would become of my uncle's 5-year old boy and 3-year old daughter. i asked god, why HE took a good person, when there were so many bad people he could choose from. i asked god why. whatever it is, my favourite uncle is gone. i know unni chetta is looking down on us from heaven...i just know it. and he will always be in loving memory. 18.02.08.

February 18, 2008

The lights in my life...

I love kids. From toddlers to young adults. Maybe its the exposure i gained when i was involved in projects related to child welfare and development..from treating children during medical camps in the jungles of sabah, to organising welfare projects in the jungles of sarawak, to conducting activity & tuition classes for orphans, to teen youth classes for BRATs :) , to human value classes for children, to teambuildings for young adults...anything related to kids.

Its truly amusing to see how cheeky my kids can get, and at times, play along with them. Its rewarding to see them grow into useful adults who serve other humanitarian bodies such as UNDP, ILO, Red Cross, etc. I suppose its that sense of satisfaction i get when i see them becme useful, caring citizens. I feel that's the least i can do to play my part in making the world a better place - to guide and grow a group of kids into young sensible adults, who will in turn, spread the message of love someday.

The challenge in dealing with kids, really lies in dealing with the misguided ones - the ones who have been abused, the ones from broken homes, the ones who are influenced with drugs & alcohol, the ones who, due to no fault of theirs but the circumstances in their life, fell onto the wrong path in life.

These are the kids who always have a special place in my heart...whom i will always keep reaching out to..for I believe, no kid is born bad and all these kids need is the right care and attention. Someone to pat him on his back, for the one good thing he did, despite the 10 bad things he may have done. Someone to share the joy of 1 small achievement, so that he will strive to achieve 10 more. Being an indian myself, and from a family who believes in the horoscope horror-scope, i tell you, no horoscope should tell you what is to become of a child from the time he is born. We are all the results of the circumstances we grow up in, the choices we make in life.

I suppose its the 'feel good factor' i get when i see all my kids grow to be good, independant, creative & capable adults is what motivates me to continue to work along this path of shild development. Further inspired by my troubled, misguided kids. And so...the dream to run an orphanage of sorts still lives on...veer zara...hehehe...

Some of the kids who light up my life...

29 December, 2007

If a man wants you...

A close friend sent me this recently, and i felt it was perfect for sharing with everyone, especially my gal-pals who mean so much to me! So, here's a little motivation, and inspiration, and something worth sharing for everyone whose hearts have been broken before...may we meet men who truly deserve to have us, and not any lesser!

If a man wants you

If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
If he doesn’t want you, nothing can make him stay.
Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior.
Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.
Stop trying to change yourselves for a relationship that’s not meant to be.

Slower is better.
Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.
If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve
then heck no, you can’t “be friends.” A friend wouldn’t mistreat a friend.
Don’t settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.
Don’t stay because you think “it will get better.” You’ll be mad at yourself
a year later for staying when things are not better.

The only person you can control in a relationship is you.
Avoid men who’ve got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women.
He didn’t marry them when he got them pregnant,
Why would he treat you any differently?
Always have your own set of friends separate from his.
Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you.
If something bothers you, speak up.

Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.
You cannot change a man’s behavior. Change comes from within.
Don’t EVER make him feel he is more important than you are…even if he has
more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god.
He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
Never let a man define who you are.
Never borrow someone else’s man.

Oh Lord! If he cheated with you, he’ll cheat on you.
A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.
All men are NOT dogs.
You should not be the one doing all the bending…compromise is a two-way street.
You need time to heal between relationships…there is nothing cute about
baggage… deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship

You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you…a relationship consists
of two WHOLE individuals…look for someone complimentary…not supplementary.
Dating is fun…even if he doesn’t turn out to be Mr. Right.
Make him miss you sometimes…when a man always know where you are, and
your always readily available to him- he takes it for granted.
Don’t fully commit to a man who doesn’t give you everything that you need.
Keep him in your radar but get to know others.


BY THE WAY, THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A MAN, SO TAKE A HINT…………..
“Courage is the art of being the only one who knows

you’re scared to death.”
~ Earl Wilson

6 August 2007

Beautiful Liar

Contradicting the norms and beliefs of society today, i really have to admit, lying has become an art. It's amazing to see how someone can pull a fast one with such skill...such suave movements...such heartfelt confessions...such attachments...such emotions...such deception. Even more amazing would be their ability to do so with no remorse...no guilt...no apology.

While i cease to be amazed by such beautiful liars, i also realise they could be so beautiful, that they could sweep us off our feet, and when the siesta is over, and the whopping truth prevails, we are just dashed to the ground and left to disintegrate to pieces.

To my friends and family, if you catch a beautiful liar in your life, accept them for who they are, forgive them for what they made of themselves, and move on in life, knowing that beautiful liars exists.

To the beautiful liars i know, here's a song dedicated to ya'll :) Love ya anyway...

(Ay)
(Ay)
(Ay, Nobody likes being played)

Oh, Beyonce, Beyonce
Oh, Shakira, Shakira (Hey)

He said, I’m worth it, his one desire
I know things about him that you wouldn’t

want to read about
He kissed me, his one and only
(Yes) Beautiful ( not beatiful) Liar
Tell me how you tolerate the things
You just found out about him

You never know
Why are we the ones who suffer
Have to let go
He won’t be the one to cry

(Ay) Let’s not kill the Karma

(Ay) Let’s not start a fight
(Ay) It’s not worth the drama
For a Beautiful Liar

(Oh) Can’t we laugh about it (ha ha ha)

(Oh) It’s not worth our time
(Oh) We can live without him
Just a Beautiful Liar

I trusted him

But when I followed you

I saw you together
I didn’t know about you then, till I saw you with him again
I walked in on your love scene
slow dancing
You stole everything
How can you say I did you wrong

We never know

When the pain and heartbreak’s over
We have to let go

The innocence is gone

(Ay) Let’s not kill the Karma
(Ay) Let’s not start a fight
(Ay) It’s not worth the drama
For a Beautiful Liar

(Oh) Can’t we laugh about it (ha ha ha)
(Oh) It’s not worth our time
(Oh) We can live without him
Just a beautiful liar

Tell me how to forgive you,(ooh)
When it’s me who’s ashamed? (oh)
And I wish I could free you
Of the hurt and the pain
But the answer is simple
He’s the one to blame

(Background, also optional)
Ay, Beyoncé, Beyoncé
Oh, Shakira, Shakira
Ay, Beyoncé, Beyoncé

Oh, Shakira, Shakira

(Ay) Let’s not kill the Karma
(Ay) Let’s not start a fight
(Ay) It’s not worth the drama
For a Beautiful Liar

(Oh) Can’t we laugh about it (ha ha ha)
(Oh) It’s not worth our time
(Oh) We can live without him
Just a beautiful liar

June 25, 2007

Bloody KIASU drivers in Penang !#@*

Note: This blog contains words that may be deemed vulgar and crude by certain parties.
DO NOT READ if you are under 18 years of age.
...heck, if you do, who the hell cares??!

Penang is full of bloody KIASU drivers. I really don't know what satisfaction people get from cutting traffic ques and sticking their "arses" (car's butt) right in front of you. Who the hell do they think they are la? Everyone ques patiently, and often times, if you see what causes the que, its these bloody KIASU drivers who wedge their way through at road dividers, setting a precedence for other bloody KIASU drivers to follow, and cause traffic to slow to a bumper-to-bumper crawl.
I will use today's example. All Penangites know jolly well that the road branching off Macalister road adjoining Scotland road is a 2-lane road. Towards the Western Rd-Scotland rd junction, pedestrians either take the left fork to get on to Scotland Rd, or the right fork to get on to Western Rd (Jln. Utama) after the Penang Sports Club.
Despite quite an obvious divider in the road separating both lanes, we still have to deal with these bloody KIASU drivers, who drive on the right lane all the way, and then towards the fork dividers, cut into the left lane, as tough it was their bloody right of way, to get onto Scotland Rd! Now you tell me...won't you be bloody pissed?
Decent drivers que up patiently, while these handful KIASU drivers screw the roads with little or no guilt whatsoever by their que cutting and worse still, inching towards decent driver cars, forcing them to the curb of the road.
Cutting lanes, jumping ques, beating traffic lights...these are all symptoms of road bullies. KIASU drivers who think only of themselves, and of getting their way everywhere and everytime...you can imagine what they are like just by seeing their perangai sial on the road.
I was so pissed while driving today, i actually called the No. Aduan LPKP on a bus and taxi, that shoved their arse right into my face at that particular junction. Guess what the response? "Nombor yang anda dial, tiada dalam perkhidmatan". Crap! Why the hell put up those signs on commercial vehicles, when the freakin line is not active???
Sitting in my car, fury, reaching boiling point, i actually started to write down number plates of cars who jumped the que and tried squeezing their way onto the correct lane, by pushing others out. I sure as hell had a good mind to send a letter to the newspaper, with those number plates, asking them to publish the car plates.
I know, i know, i am over reacting. But hey, how can you expect me to stay as cool as a cucumber, when these KIASU Kongs (as in KIASU King Kongs) get away with it ALL THE TIME? Sorry la brader...if you think i'm this docile female creature who would just sit back and be patient all the time...sorry la...my patience wears extremely thin when it comes to racism, favourtism and kiasu-ism.
I mean, how many of us choose to keep quiet and accept the fact there are kiasu kongs out there? We give in and give in and give in ALL THE TIME. What kind of example are we setting for the yonger generation? Both parties i mean...
KIASU Kongs are setting a terribly bad example for the younger generation...it infuriates me further, when i see the KIASU Kong driver actually has kids in his/her car!!! What are they portraying to their kids??? As for drivers like me who silently curse and swear at KIASU Kongs, honk and glare at them, what benefits do we get from that? Nothing...its still boils down to giving in!
20 years of drilling through the education system...call it whatever you may...civic conscious classes, moral classes, human value classes...all down the drain, the moment a precendence for KIASU driving is set on the road, by these bloody KIASU Kongs. I can't blame the educaion system alone...i have to point out the kind of upbringing of these KIASU Kongs.
As crude as i may sound, i dare say, for me, KIASU Kongs are totally brainless, takdak akal, bodoh bahlul creatures who are obviously not educated (altough highly educated) creatures who just kill the living daylights out of decent, educated pedestrians. No point earning so much money and parading around in a Merc, Beamer, Nissan, Toyota, 4WD, etc...if you are not courteous and decent on the road. Having said that, i must admit that these days, Kiasu Kongs are not limited to luxurious imported cars, but also the economical local cars as well...from bikes to trucks...
At the end of the day, it all boils down to upbringing and character. Its really a sad state of affairs to see what kind of world the younger generation is growing up in. Sorry, correction: It's really a sad state of affairs to see what kind of world WE are bringing up the younger generation in.
Okay, now that i have let out all the steam boiling in me, what say, you and i make a pact? Let's strive to be decent courteous drivers on the road, and do what little we can, to practise road ethics as best as we can. And by that, the next time i catch any of you (my dear friends) having traits of a KIASU Kong, you sure as hell can be sure of getting a glare and pinch from me...and depending on the severity of the kiasu-ism, a long lecture on road ethics. And, you can bet your arse, on me, doing just that!

PS: Some of you might be shocked at the so-called vulgarity and crude language used in this blog...but like i mentioned earlier, racism, favourtism and KIASU-ISM gets on my nerves, and when it reaches boiling point, all hell breaks loose! :) Have a good day folks!

21 March 2007

Innocently Clueless...

He sat motionless staring into space…saliva dropping off the curls of his mouth. I watched as the other kids teased and taunted him. Almost everyone made fun of him. The kids his age, disturbed him, pulled at his shirt, playfully whacked his head, mimicked the way he laughed, and yet, this little boy, sat there, clueless. In his innocence, he thought the other kids were playing with him. But when he reacted, he easily got the brunt of the kids’ noise – the adults would reprimand him for being a nuisance.

Was he a slow learner? Was he autistic? Was he mentally challenged? What was wrong with this child, I used to wonder. If he was, then why wasn’t he placed in a special school? A school that could cater to his special needs? How could the adults be so impatient with such a child? My heart went out to him…and I told myself, I will make a difference in this little boy’s life.

I observed him with the passing of time…I was quick to scold the other kids who taunted him and got him into trouble, I selfishly kept him with me all the time…worried that others would scold him and taunt him and tease him. I flew into a silent rage, whenever the adults reprimanded him and punished him for things he did not do, but couldn’t speak out to defend himself. And, my innocent boy would only return a teething smile to the demons who punished him.

How could mature, sensible, adults be so heartless? They knew his problem, why couldn’t they be more patient with him? How could they punish such a special child who had very little control over his motor skills??? The more and more I watched this little boy grow, I began to wonder…what happens when he goes to school? He is at an innocent age now…what would happen when he grows older, into his teens and see the young lads his age run around freely, speak with no hesitation, dress themselves to look smart? What about when he is a little older? When he reaches the girl chasing age? Wouldn’t he want more attention? Wouldn’t feelings develop in his tender little heart?

I watched on as the years went by…I saw his playmates move on to higher levels while he remained at the first level, year-in and year-out. I didn’t know what to feel, how to feel and why I felt this way. But this little boy found a special place in my heart. Thus began an inexpressible bond between this little boy and I. Slowly, he began to open up…and it is this reaction, this difference in the way he reacted to me, and to the others, that made me realize, he too, had feelings…tough he cant express it in words, he knew! He began to behave himself whenever I told him to, he was more attentive when I was around…he constantly wanted my attention, he never wanted to sit with other groups…while my children changed every week, he remained a constant.

One day, we did coloring…that was the first time I ever saw him working with deep concentration…hell, he couldn’t careless if I was there or not! And only when he was done, he came to me, with a picture-perfect piece of art work…my heart melted looking at him hold his little piece of paper, grinning from ear to ear…color coordination all completely berserk, but, all within the picture frame. “you, akka”, he said indicating that he did that piece for me. How sweet…my little boy who couldn’t speak English for me to understand, and to whom I couldn’t speak Tamil to talk to, did the best he could, for ME!!!

And that is the story of Mohin Raj, my special little boy. He made me realize how important it is to treat everyone right…to have time for people, no matter how young, or how old, or how challenged or how special they are…humans have feelings. Heck, even animals do too!!! While is it so easy for us to express feelings to those who can hear what we say, can understand our speech, and respond accordingly? Yet, why do most of us withhold or find it hard to share such expressions of love to those who are mentally challenged, vocally challenged, or in other words, special?

Today, I know several special people, just because of the lesson Mohin taught me. From reaching out to special colleagues, whom people often shy away from, simple because they cannot understand what is being said, to special strangers…I have overcome that shyness to reach out and make conversation. Yes, its difficult at first, yes, It can be embarrassing, especially so when everyone stops for a while to stare…but look on the bright side. Someone special feels cared for…and that someone would feel alive again..even if it was only for a few seconds. Overtime, when we take the first step, slowly, others realize and they reach out too.

Thank you, Mohin. I love you too!

19 February 2007

S.U.M.O.

Recently, i learned SUMO. And i just have to share it with the world :) How many of us know how to SUMO? How many of us actually practise SUMO?

S.U.M.O - Shut Up, Move On. This study, researched and illustrated by Paul McGee, has much to offer everyone of us. Its a very simple, and practical guide for laymen to read, understand and apply in life. In simple terms, SUMO is all about finding how we can contribute to life, and make life better, instead of waiting for other people to do something about the shortcomings that come our way.

I was so taken up by this book, that i have decided to try a bit of SUMO myself! :) If there is one thing thats gonna change in me in Year 2007, it will have to be the wrestler in me, doing a little SUMO and the lamb in me breaking the social, spiritual and emotional boundries within.

For those of you who like reading motivational books, i strongly recommend SUMO.

31 January 2007

y = mx + c

It's 1.30am, and though i am dead tired, so totally not well, and have a paintball match at 8.00am, i found the energy to stay up, just to chat with a very close friend who is miles away from me. Many people walk in and out of our lives, some leave painful scars, some bring light, some are a source of joy, but very few come with all three and really stay.

I have been blessed with all four types of people...those who left scars reminded me that i am afterall human, therefore fallible, those who brought light reminded me that angels do exist, those who were a source of joy reminded me that "hey, life's a game, play it!".

Now let me tell you bout the few who have come into my life with these basic three if not more, and have remained thus far. If i were to equate my life to algebra then y = my life; m = the different people who have come in and out of my life; x = me; and c = the constants who are in my life; y = mx + c.

Today, i feel like talking, saluting and sending my love to all the 'C's in my life, for without them, god knows what would have become of me! Cs are just there. I have known the Cs in my life for as long back as primary school to as late as working in Agilent. In fact, this chatterbox friend is the one C in my life, whom i know like the back of my hand, and who probably knows me like the back of his hand, yet, fate has never had it that we met...even when we were living just 8 hours apart! haha...fate...fate and her games...life's a game, play it!

The thing about Cs are, the connection, the wavelength, the telepathic feeling of knowing that they will always be there no matter what, gives me an affectionate sense of security. And these feelings are of course reciprocated! We could be miles apart, yet we would be on each others minds and know/feel whats going on in each others lives....and then suddenly, out of the blue, at our weakest moments in life, they pop-up, catch us/pick us up if we have fallen, hug us tightly, motivate us to rise again, stand behind as a pillar in case we relapse, and when we are strong enough to stand strong with the world, they go back and life goes on...but we..me...i am left with realization, comfort and security of knowing that in life, its the Cs that really count. And as a wise old man told me, "darling, the Cs in your life, you will be able to count with your fingers", i so totaly agree with him!

To the Cs in my life, CHEERS! Be assured that your happiness, success and bliss are always in my prayers. Here's to an even longer life filled with memories, good and bad, to make our journey thru life, one that is worth looking back at! Love ya guys lots! :) *Muaks*

11 August 2006

Kong Xi Kong Xi Kong Xi Nie

This Chinese New Year was different. I did not do my usual routine of visiting friends 'n family to collect my angpows, or collect taxes from my gambling buddies who played the traditional 'mahjong'. Being the Year of the Dog, i started my Chinese Lunar New Year, sniffing around! :)

Day One - sniffing clorox, courtesy of a service project

Day Two - sniffing adventure, courtesy of new found territory

Day Three - sniffing dust, courtesy of open windows

Day Four - sniffing at work, courtesy of my sinuses

Having snuffed my first few days of CNY, i plan to run around wagging my tail throughout the year...in malayalam, tail = valle = naughtiness :)

GONG XI FA CAI, folks! :>

2 February 2006

Once an islander, always an islander...

The past few days have been terrible for me...there was something lacking...something that made me feel terribly down...today was the worst...i have never spent an entire day chatting at work! I had half the mind to just take emergency leave and do a disappearing act for the day...just needed to be alone. But as i am planing a 2 week break mid year, i decided that i needed to survive the day...so, when the clock finally struck 5pm, i packed my bag, and left work.

Ever since school days, nature has always offered solace to me...i find myself escaping to the beach or going hiking everytime my hormones act up, or i get all emotional, or even when i find my monkey mind jumping around in a frenzy...and after time out on my own, i come back to the world feeling great and with a crystal clear mind! :)

Today was one such day. Feeling like a rebel without a cause, i headed for balik pulau after leaving office. I just needed time alone to think things over and get things into perspective. So there i was, cruisading the lonely, deserted, precarious, land slid roads that linked urban Penang Driving through the backwaters of Penang, was a trip down memory lane. Little boys cycling non-chalantly, as if they owned the road, little girls taking their teddy bears and bunny bears for evening walks, aunties and uncles walking back to their kampung houses with bundles of paddy, grannies and granpas' chewing bettle nut on hand made hammocks...it was typical kampung scenery...far behind what has become of most urban districts in Penang. I wondered how they could look so happy, contented, satisfied. Pulau Betong, one of the villages i drove thru is one of the poorest villages in Penang. The main economy in this village, is fishing, and little vegetable farming. This was one village that was badly hit by the tsunami on 26 Dec 2004. These people are SURVIVORS...everyday they face the test of survival in a world filled with poverty. I was amazed how the villagers have picked themselves up and carried on with life. The sorrow of having lost everything - family, friends, belongings, their rice bowls destroyed, having to start life again from scratch - that would not have been easy? Yet, they looked happy...who knows what sorrow they bleed from inside??? My thoughts came back to myself...here i am...one bad week, and i am a concoction of emotions!!!...stress i call it? haha,sindhu girl, you ain't seen the world yet!

Passing the balik pulau stretch, i found myself winding around hills of dense rainforest. It was truly breath taking! What stood before my eyes, was plain greenery...as far as the eye could see, with a blotch of light here and there - obviously more homes that deep in the jungle - inaccessible by road. Then i came across the famous Titi Kerawang waterfall, and durian plantation stalls. All closed - couldn't stop to buy durians! As tempted as i was to park and climb the waterfalls, i reminded myself that i had no bodyguards that day, and it was getting dark! Driving on, i finally approached the teluk bahang end of the island. After driving through jungle, what greeted me was picturesque - the horizon where earth met sky. Nature was at its best as i saw its round ball of fire sink slowly into the sea!

Upon reaching Teluk Bahang, i knew my round the island trip was nearly over. As i made my way back home, i realised how miraculous that trip round the island was for me. I felt so much better - mentally, emotionally, and physically! All the jumbled thoughts which clouded my mind earlier int he day, were now distinctively clear. I knew what i had to do, what needed to be done, and how i could get it all sorted out. I am thankful and proud to be an islander! Many of my friends, the-out-of-towners, say Penang is a boring place, no life, nothing to do, yada, yada, yada...i feel, they have yet to taste Penang. Once an islander, always an islander.

24 January 2006

What a Merry Christmas!

Ok ok i know, its been nearly a week since Christmas...but hey..."tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la..." plus, according to tradition, i still have "...till the twelfth day of christmas, my true love sent to me..." :) Christmas this year was different. After our centre annual carolling and santa claus-do, i went to church for midnight mass. Well, initially i thought i was going for the play viv was singing in...but then, i got caught up in the pastor's sermon and the hymns sung, which btw were in english and malay!!!...and i decided, that from now on, midnight mass at church is gonna be an annual affair for me...even if it means i have to brace the traffic jams, parking spaces and rowdy midnight party dwellers! :)

The sermon i heard reiterated some things my curly haired man has been telling me/us?! Yes, the Pastor spoke about love,beng the fundamental value in everyone's life. And how from love, everything else starts....ok ok, i am not about to give you a sermon now.....back to the story...after church, a friend and i went over to tanjung bungah, met up with yet another few friends and we went to lepak by the beach....its been aeons since i loafed at the beach till the wee hours of the morning! Came home early...in the morning! ;)

Christmas day....what goes around comes around...after turning my pockets dry with Christmas gifts for some friends, i received a very nice, thoughtful and meaningful Christmas gift...one that i will cherish. We shall not go into details here....soback to Christmas day...spent the day at home, satisfied with how my weekend actually turned up...

And so..now i am looking forward to the New Year...full of happiness, resolutions (as usual!), and simple thoughts for big plans to carry out for Year 2006....all that will be in my next blog...:) when i am not feeling malas or sleepy... :)

30 December 2005

The Penang Jazz Festival

The Penang Jazz Festival...i've been hearing quite a bit about it for the past one year...last year, it was held smack in the middle of my project presentation week so i didn't get a chance to witness what the big hu-ha was. This year, however, it came around just nice..a week after my finals!!! :) Viv and i made our way upto Bayview Beach Resort where the festival was held last saturday evening, armed with our beach bags, and viv's mat. Though not being much of a music buff, i welcomed the idea of chillin' out with music by the beach!!!

Initially, i did a bit of people-watching...it was amazing to see so many malaysians and foreigners spread themselves across Bayview's garden relaxing on mats and enjoying the various performances. The crowd - families spanning three generations, tourists, and then of course, the yuppies who are literally everywhere these days! After awhile, i got attracted to the music being played...the so called jazz music which some of my friends are crazy about! And you know what, hey, it's not that bad!!! The bands that night was a good blend of local and foreign...one very interesting jazz piece played, was Shanon Shah's "Jurutera". "Jurutera" is a song composed by Shanon, expressing how he abhored studying engineering, and finally found the guts to call it quits, to pursue his passion in music. That piece really struck me...i mean, how many of us have the guts to call it quits? To brave the consequences of quitting? To put a stop, and not worry about regrets??? To pursue our dreams, without thinking of its financial returns??? After Shanon's inspiring piece, i was all ears for jazz...and hey, i think i like it now!!! :) And then of course, i should not forget Ruby Rozells...gosh! Her voice is just so good!...She sang a number of oldies which really drew my attention, as i simply love english oldies! Other bands that performed included the Penang Areca Jazz Ensemble, Sufiah Noor, Zailan Razak Project, and international bands - Steve White (US), Greg Lyons Nonet and Saharadja (Indonesia). Now lemme tell ya about Saharadja...this band was really cekap la! The had did a fusion of the percussion, the tabla, the sitar, the keyboard, electric violin and guitar, saxaphone, and some long pipe thingy from australia. Now Saharadja's performance, being the finale to the entire night, was so good, that literally everyone was up on their feet dancing away!!! Can you imagine...scottish folk tunes, being played with the electric violin??? wow! It was so like Vanessa Mae...hhaaiii....why did i ever give up playing the violin?!

After the finale, viv and i scouted around the various booths which had items on sale...viv got sahara's cd, and we waited for them to come out to get it autographed by them...reached home at about 2am. The one and only other concert i have bene for, was Linkin Park's concert in KL in Yr 2003...Now this year, its the Penang Jazz Festival...a concert i must admit i truely enjoyed...my kind of music, my kind of atmosphere, my kind of chilling out! :) Wonder what my next concert will be! :) To everyone reading this, i really encourage you guys to come for the next Jazz Festival in Penang...we will go together-gether....if not for the music, then at least to witness the typical Penangite kinda fun! :)

6 December 2005

The weekend that was...

Aaahhh...what a fruitful weekend! After not having a life for the past few months; kononya studying kan...but we all know how much of that i actually did! :> i think i simply went beserk this weekend! Came home from work on thursday to find out my uncle and his family would be spending friday and saturday night with us before going back to KL. Knowing so well that my aunty-in-law has never really had the chance to loaf around penang, i quickly arranged for a ladies night out with another aunty on friday, and got daddy dearest to babysit the kids! Hence the begining of my fantastic weekend! we ladies drove up to batu feringghi around 930pm, had a quick dinner, and started our market walk..haha...yes, the ever so famous batu feringghi night walk was definately something we all enjoyed...cracking jokes and laughing like a bunch of lunatics....i could tell both my aunties hadn't had this much fun for sometime! :> Can't blame them...they are dedicated career moms who always put their family first. We came home close to midnight that day, and continued chatting till nearly 1am. Unable to fall asleep, i went online for awhile, and then dozed off about 4am.

Saturday. The plan was to get up at 7am, and take aunty in-law to the famous Jelutong market...the market i spent my childhood clothes shopping in, simply because my mom thinks that markets are a good place to buy kids clothes, as kids are messy beings, who grow taller and wider everyday, and so, do not need expensive, branded wear investments...and honestly, having been official babysitter for my 3 devils, and many of my other cousins, i have begun to realise the truth in that thought! I get up at 7am, and the whole house is dead...so, my natural instinct is to join the dead right? ;> Suddenly, at 830am...dad's booming voice wakes me up, telling me im late and he goes on to give me the whole early to bed, early to rise, mumbo jumbo la...thankfully, aunty in-law comes to the rescue and tells him the plans changed while i was dead...the new plan is for him and her husband (my dearest uncle) to babysit the kids again, and we gals, take off for some shopping at the famous Chowrasta market...different market la this one...bigger, better, further...and so, 10am...we ladies scoot off to penang road...i tell you..seriously, what is it with women and shopping la??? Both my aunts literally went gila in Chowrasta market..and though not a shopping person myself, i must say, i was pretty amazed at the prices there! I ended up getting a nice batik skirt and halter neck blouse for my cousin...kononya to initiate her into teenagehood...and another cool raggae top for another cousin, as initiation into teen youth-hood :> After 3 hours of shopping we ended it by slurrrrpping penang's best ais kachang & chendol in that stall at the tiny weeny lane off penang road? Then sent my aunts off to yet another aunts place for lunch while i rushed back with lunch for dad.

Saturday afternoon. Some of you may already know the story of double P, well, after months of giving excuses and backing out from attempted dates by him, i finally gave in! Well, actually it all happened coincidently...he had called asking me out for a play, and since i was already going for it with a bunch of frens,and i had an extra free ticket, i actually invited him to join us! :> I thought nothing of it, until i realised that evening, how serious he took the invitation! The man actually dressed up, cleared his car so that he could pick my frens and i up, and came at 745pm on the dot! That kinda freaked me out, cos there was a last min change in the plan, and my frens said they would meet us there. Anyway, we met them and surprisingly, doubleP actually blended in pretty well! Now this is one side of doubleP i have NEVER seen...or maybe i was to paranoid to notice? In fact, all through the play, and dinner later, he captured the attention of all the ladies!!! And i mean all of us!!! I mean, this bunch of frens are into music, and the performing arts and all...but i never thought doubleP would be so well read about these things! My, my, hidden talents unveiled...and took me by surprise! After the play, we proceeded for dinner. We had a jolly good time chatting at Edelweiss...which btw ran overtime till we got chased out from the cafe...by aunty Theresa :> who was a gem cos she joined us in our chatting session as well! Oh ya, let me do a bit of promo for aunty theresa...she runs this cafe called Edelweiss which has damn good banana split with irish ice cream, and other delicious desserts...usually open till 10pm, but for us...an exception! :> haha...ok ok....after that was over, doubleP sent me home...and he had to take the longest possible route that ever existed...first, the bank.next baskin robbins ice cream...then, drove all the way back to island glades, from pulau tikus, by driving into georgetown again, and then back to scotland road and then finally greenlane!!!

DoubleP...hhhmmm...some of you have met him, and are pestering me to give him a chance...my sister being the No.1 PEST...but common la...we are two worlds apart! The only thing about music that interest me, would be singing hymns, and english oldies and maybe picking up the flute/guitar. Interest ends there. But he....he lives for music...i have heard him play, and he is damn good! When he plays, there is this intensity you can see...its as if he is playing out his feelings, his joys, his sorrows...music is like a communication toolkit for him...an avenue he expresses himself..and honestly, i have never seen anyone playing so passionately! So anyway, i think for now, doubleP and i should just remain platonic frens...i mean, i hardly know the guy...and there are lots more to learn about him, his culture, his religion, his language! What better way to learn about a person, than by being his/her fren, right?

Sunday. The day started out slow...uncle and aunty and kids all left in the wee hours of 4am..so house was quiet, with a fat lot of cleaning up to do, as kids being kids, had messed up my teddy bear collection, and my darling teddies were all over the place...sob!sob! Having cleared everything, and done some house keeping, i laid my butt to rest with the papers. I had got 4 free tickets to watch a ballroom dance competition tonight, and had planned to go for it with some frens who were down from KL. Unfortunately, at 3pm, these people decide that ballroom dancing would be a bore...how utterly untrue...but anyway, the plan changed and we decided to go hiking in botannicals and then to the batu feringghi night market (again!) for dinner. So, yours truly had to forgoe ballroom dancing for hiking..thank god i love hiking...so either way, i was happy! Had yet another gala night of chatting, joking, and fooling around.

Now that i am home and reminiscing the events of the past few days...i realised how much i had missed my life, on the pretext of finishing up my studies! I mean, whatever happened to balance??? My temple kids, my rose kids, hiking, plays, movies, loafing by the beach with a book/magazine, cathcing up with fresn over a cuppa...i stopped all these activities wanting to concentrate on my books, and now that its all hopefully, over, i realised that i missed out quite a bit! But i guess no point regretting...the thing to do, is to get back on my feet and move on huh? :> Life is what i make of it...and i sure as hell am gonna make mine a book worth reading! :>

27 November 2005

Alleluia people!!!

Aaaalleluia.alleluia.alleluia...(sing with Whoopi Goldberg's Sister Act tune, please)..marta-a-marta-inter-merata...santos, santos, stominus....hahaha...talk about stress relief!!! Exams are finally over...and yours truly feels like a wild elephant let loose from its chains!!!...the photo says it all, right? :> hehehe...not that i did that much studying la...Then of course, i have to pinch myself back to reality, remembering that the results will be out after a month or so, and this euphoric joy is bound to be short lived! :<>

Hhaaaiii...what a relief! And now...to officiate my blog....finally, the first step towards creating my own homepage..hahaha...yes, yes, big dreams as usual until the lazy bug hits me...then it will be see no homepage, hear no homepage, make no homepage!!! hahaha...lets hope that doesn't happen...i have been postponing so many things on my to-do list, just because i wanted to concentrate on clearing this last hurdle...java. Did i make it??? GOD knows!!! For now, i just want to sit back relax and read my life away till i find another new project to play around with...so till next time...adios amigo! :>
24 November 2005