Melaka One Day Trip

Melaka – full with characters and stories... will definitely visit again for more photos moment! But have to choose non-public holidays to avoid the massive traffic.

Love the arch walkway. I've waited for no people passing by to grab this shot

 

The old school coffee shop, where we rested while it rained and enjoyed our tea break. This is the same coffee shop where I had my breakfast few years ago – visiting Melaka for the first time with ex-colleagues

 

The simple pleasure of life... toasted tuna and sardine sandwiches to munch away while sipping hot coffee on a drizzling day

 

There were lots of people, but I waited and managed to grab this clean photo with just the family with the colorful umbrella!

 

Colorful trishaws, colorful shirt with bargaining in the process

 

Display lamp in one of the shops along Jonker Street... added one of my favorite quotes :)

 

Colorful building + colorful people = so many stories to tell

 

Nice architecture and details

 

Old/past story waiting to be told to any faithful listener

 

This uncle really mesmerize me... he seems to have so many stories to share... and I salute his patience and perseverance

 

Lanterns and hats for sale

 

Love this cafe's look, but too bad it was closed that day. Will definitely visit one day and try the food there and check out the interior

 

I like this building! I jumped with joy when saw this and made Weng to stand there for me to snap photo. Well, the attention is not on him... but the orang utan :)

 

Passing by the same coffee shop (where we had our tea break)... on our way back to get our car as dusk setting in

 

 

 

The famous chicken rice ball restaurant. We had our dinner there before proceed to get our car and starts our journey back home

 

Our simple dinner which we ate very fast (guess we were very hungry with all the walking)

How I wish...

Everyone has their own share of stories and problems. Well, I'm not excluded. Off late, I've been thinking lots and feel uneasy. For the first time since my decision in February, I felt uneasy. I keep on thinking whether my decision is correct or not. Is it because I need to wait too long, thus I'm having mix feelings along the way? Oh gosh... these feelings are killing me!!

Today, I had a conversation with KN... sharing with her what's been bothering me. Well, decision has been made, I should keep to it. But, part of me is fearing about the future.... more on financial part. At one point, I feel I want to try everything, even including working in Singapore! I've told her my crazy idea, and how stupid I was for not bringing this up before quitting. Well, she advised me it's still not late and it's OK to bring it up NOW. I truly appreciate her faith and trust on me... As much as I wanted to be part of Singapore team, I want to come clean as well... sigh. What's happening to me!! I hate being like this...so indecisive and being all gloomy.

Part of me wanted to chase my dream, part of me fear of the financial... I want to make BIG money!! I've been working hard since I started joining the workforce. Looking back, I can say I'm quite proud with what I've achieved so far... but all these don't come easy. But somehow, I feel rather tired already, been slower nowadays. Can I enjoy life for a moment... pleaseee? How I wish I'm financially free and no need to worry about every single thing! How I wish I have enough money that I can do whatever I like without being worried I don't have enough money la, I rather keep the money for something else, etc. Even sometimes wanted to eat good food also I have to think twice! At 30, I still haven't experience fine dining. Sad huh...

Hubby been supportive with whatever decisions I'm making. Good? I don't know. I don't know if he's been really listening to me and helped me to weigh the good and bad before jumping into agreeing everything with me. I also need someone to help me analyze, share my fears, and even scold me and wake me up from reality.... if needed to. How I wish his paycheck is big enough that I don't need to fear about money.... sigh

How I wish.... in real life, I can't have so many wishes. This is REALITY, wake up! But deep inside my heart, I'm wishing life... please don't be too hard on me.... please...

Experimenting Photoshop

All these while, I thought all those nice photos were achieved from photographing using super cool DSLR cameras. Oh boy I was so naive! Yes, we will get nice sharp photos from DSLR, but those super cool effects were actually born through post processing! There are tons of post processing tutorials online, which I find very useful and also an eye opening, haha. Welcome to the power of Photoshop! While I prefer originality, I can't deny the magic of Photoshop, even if its just a pinch only yet photos will definitely look different.

Here's what I've achieved as a starter. Left: original photo, right: after Photoshop. Photos were taken around my condo at night.

Notice how mood of photo is totally changed! The rows of swings? (no idea what they are called) seems so peaceful, like resting for the night after children were playing with them during the day.

I don't know why but I really like B&W photos! B&W is so classic and I will never get bored looking at B&W photos! Minimal in colors, yet so powerful and unique.

I'm just attracted to the bench beside the lamp post, and reflection of lights against the tree.

Peeking through the leaves! I love those lines! Me weird huh? :)

 

Chasing your dreams

Today's Breakfast Talk was an inspiring one, and I guess the timing is just nice for me. Presented by Sharon, she shared a story about Walt Disney, whom against all odds and difficulties, emerged as one of the most successful and well known person. Walt Disney believed and chased his dream!

4Cs that I've learned from today's session were:
- Curiosity
- Courage
- Confidence
- Constant

We have dreams, sometimes crazy ones because we're curious. When we're curious, we need to have courage to start or chase what we're looking for. Coupled with confidence and constant, we could, (hopefully) achieve our dreams! Like how Walt Disney put it:
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

So, I shall pursue my dreams! Slowly but surely!

Life is short. With the recent earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, they triggered me of how fragile life could be. My heart ached and my eyes were teary watching footage and photos of the disaster, tearing apart homes, buildings, roads, etc. We never know what will happen tomorrow. Thus, I shall start living and must live life to the fullest! I must start doing things for myself!

I wish the people of New Zealand and Japan to continue stay strong throughout these hardships. I admire and salute the courage shown. God bless!

My little dream

Last Saturday, my 'sifu' asked me if I'm interested to take over a flower shop in Kota Damansara. The owner is labeling the price at a whopping RM45,000! I'm not sure if that's the market price, but that figure is pretty HUGE for me. The shop is half of a shop lot, monthly rental RM2,500, with 2 fridges, air-conditioners and basic stuff for running a flower shop. Sounds good to be true, I don't think I have the guts to take and run a shop on my own yet.... not now....... not that soon.

Yes.... my dream is to own a flower shop, running my little business out of my passion. The saying says: If we're doing things that we like and passionate about, we won't feel it's a work. I also have this crazy dream of having a flower shop like in a countryside setting, say like New Zealand or Perth, where the weather is so different from here, have huge area filled with lovely grass against a crystal clear blue sky! Aahhh..... I can smell the lovely scent of grass and flowers filling the air! Bliss!

I hope I can really own a flower shop one day, say in 5 years or more down the road. My plan now is to work as a florist, learning as much as I can and gaining the necessary skills. I hope I can meet a good boss who will teach and guide me on becoming a successful florist, or perhaps become business partners ha!

By the way, read an article in The Star last week, baker and floral assistant are among the few popular jobs for retiree. Wow! I never knew this..... but lucky enough I have interest in these 2 jobs!

This year will be a year where I need to fulfill things that I wanted to do and try for so long. Besides finishing my flower course soon, I'm eyeing on baking (special interest on bread) and photography classes as well. Ahhh, not to forget to watch my spending – need to save for Perth trip coming October. Ohh, can I just stay on in Perth and no need to fly back? How I wish I can do so!

22.2.2011

I should remember this date man. Coincidence with the date and month, 2 great things happened on this day.

1) After much thinking over the weekend, I've decided not to take the PT offer. Yea, and today I've informed her, and everything went smoothly, thank goodness! I have few more months to go until June arrives.

2) We finally ARE going to Australia for REAL! Yahoooo. After been trying so many times, and with the jamming of AirAsia website and even server was down, hubby finally managed to book air tickets to Perth. Yeah yeahh. We're going in October, so we have few more months for planning and saving every single bit of money. We're going for one week, although I felt that I would like to stay on longer, do some real backpacking – hopping from one city to another, and try to cover all parts of Australia as much as possible. Guess that with backpacking style also would need lots of money, so I shall be contented with one week. We shall make the one week in Perth as great as possible :)

I'm so relieved!

Yahooooooooooooooooo!!! I'm so gonna scream to the whole world, hahaha. Gosh, I felt so so relieved after finally telling what's been bothering my mind! Never imagine that the feeling is that great. For an instance, I felt myself so light and carefree! I can't help giggling, laughing, doing all the silly remarks and telling close friends what I've done, hahaha. I hope I did the right thing and didn't say anything wrong. Now 2nd part is, to consider whether I want to accept the offer or not. Hhhmmm, somemore thinking to do. But at least I've taken the very first step :) Need to properly analyze first. Good luck to me.

How it's like being drunk?

I have this weird curiosity of wanting to know how it's like being drunk. I'm not a hardcore drinker, but I really wanted to feel how it felt being drunk ha!

Last Sunday, it suddenly striked me to open a bottle of wine. No, it's not any special occasion, no it's not Valentine's Day, which is 2 days away, but I just have this craving of drinking wine that day. I'm also thinking of having wine will help me sleep better! Of late, I've been thinking too much (bout work) and I wanted to get an escape.

We opened a red wine, which we got for our house warming back in 2007. The wine was dated 2005 (6 years old already!) Tasted very smooth after being kept for quite long, and it was not very strong (being Merlot). Out of a bottle, hubby drank 3 glasses only (half glass each) and the rest I sapu :) I didn't have proper dinner that night as I don't have appetite for food, but have craving for wine! Weird.

I went to bed straight, with stomach full with wine. My head was heavy, and I was not walking straight. Ohhh, so that's how it felt being drunk! I was still conscious, just not walking straight only. Is that called drunk? I don't know after how long, I started to throw up, 3 times if I'm not mistaken. Mostly red liquid, as I didn't eat much. After that, I felt much better and my tummy didn't feel bloated with gas. Then, I was falling asleep fast on our cozy sofa, while hubby was playing games on his laptop. That sleep on the sofa that night in the living room, was the best sleep I can ever have! That was a deep sleep, no worries, no nightmares, just deep sleep. I don't know what time, hubby woke me up and walked me to our room to continue sleeping.... on bed this time.

The next day, I need to work... arrgghhhh, I felt so lazy and with a little bit of hangover. How I wish I don't need to work. That morning, hubby made me to drive instead of himself. Wow, not bad la me, with a bit of hangover, I'm still driving to work. I guess this way is also helping me to force my eyes wide opened.

So, at last I get to feel how it's like being drunk! Although I want to say that, that's not a serious drunk! OK, experiment done, better don't be too hook up with drinking and messing with my health :)

Outcast

Tuesday. I'm feeling like an outcast here. It's always been hard to 'gel' in with them. By the way, they also don't give a heck what I've been doing all these while. If they don't care, I shall learn not to care as well. Oh well, it must be the SIGN. No point hanging on to someone that don't appreciate you, your true self.

On same day, I've received a very sad news. It really saddened me so great that my heart ache and my vision went blurry. How can she commented such thing without even knowing what I've been through, the challenges, the difficulties. It's always easier to condemn rather than saying nice words. After so much of sacrifices, to you, they are nothing and worthless. So, I should stop this! Thanks to your cruelty, I've made up my mind without any doubt!

Something I realized, it's true but it's a sad fact as well. 'Fake' people will get more attention, as well as people who are good at talking. I'm nothing near that, so that's why I've been outcast, misjudged and not appreciated. Sad... but that's life. However, I'm still sticking to my true self, one that's realistic and telling the truth. I wear NO mask.

"Never accept words meant to hurt. Turn them back because they are the responsibility of the speaker. When you are caught off guard, hold the emotions in silence for a moment and tell them to be still. It takes longer to forget than it does to forgive – and time heals when we give it the power."
- Joyce Sequichie Hifler (author, columnist, speaker and philosopher)

Lesson learnt

Two days had passed, yet I'm still feeling crappy and uneasy. The conversation we had really making me feeling stupid! I must learn NOT to trust people so easily and DON'T be so honest! You didn't speak to me afterward, making me feeling even crappier and stupider! Haih, what to do, what has been said is said, what has been done is done, I can't turn things around. What I can do is to be more careful in future. YES! Be more careful! I really MUST remind myself this. And to you, thank you for making me feeling stupid, uneasy and crappy! You've made me learned a lesson.

I also need to remind myself this:
IGNORE + ZEN = PEACE OF MIND

I need to practice this in order to go through rough days ahead. Good luck to me!

2011 and me

Twenty eleven...

1. I'm hitting the BIG 3
2. I'm not the type of writing down a list of what I want to do, but don't know why I feel that I have to do this. Is it because I'm already 30?
3. Proud owner of Canon EOS 60D, yahoooooooo! So happy hubby also interested (shared prop) and it's good we can do things that we enjoy together-gether
4. To continue and enhance my skills in flowers arrangement
5. Learn new skill – photography for the soul
6. Learn new skill – baking especially bread! Ohh I love bread. Bread for the soul
7. Backpacking to Australia, before I become a mom :)

* to be continued...*

et cetera, why?

et cetera will be my second blog after think flowers. I'm not a hardcore blogger, yet I'm slowly finding comfort in blogging *deep breathing*. I feel that I need a place where I can share my thoughts, share my likes (besides flowers), vent my disappointment etc, thus the name et cetera. Sometimes, writing down is so much relieving rather than saying out loud.

11 days into new year, the days seem to pass by so slowly for me. Maybe because I've been so tired since last year that I no longer have the momentum to push forward. Lots that I've been through (@ work), I wonder how I survived last year! I can't wait for my little break in early February, where hubby and I are going to spend our quality time together, celebrating our postponed 1st year wedding anniversary + 2nd year ROM anniversary. We're so gonna bringing wine with us! Really looking forward to that. February February!! Please come soon!!