Work - Year 2011

I am still in the office now. Unbelievable, right? This ungodly hour... I am supposed to be home at this time now, having taken my dinner and bath, and relaxing on the couch now. Too bad, fantasies don't always translate into reality... =)

The office is very quiet now.. only me and my music. I thought.. "Why not I pen down my thoughts on what 2011 means to me?".. Here I am.

Year 2011 is probably the scariest roller-coaster ride I've ever had, yet. The number of times I had to endure the extreme ups and downs were so many, that I've lost count. They were so mentally-and-emotionally exhausting. " Are your sacrifices worth it?". "Why do you not stand up for yourself and demand for some attention which you deserve?". These questions never cease to circle my mind, the way vultures do when they chance upon their food.

Each time I get home, the sun has set ages ago. Even the "tai chow" restaurants are already closed for the day. I was struggling like hell, trying to adapt to new ways of working, new environment, new colleagues, new busiess, new ways of evaluation, and eveything else. 24 hours never seem to be enough. And, the work culture does not encourage you to shout for help, when you need one. You will get killer alien stares from your colleagues who are probably irritated with your whiny act. I had no choice, but to do it on my own.

Lots of hard knocks on the head. Bandages are never sufficient. As time goes by, I guess I was emotionally-immunised. Nothing seems to faze me anymore. Roadblocks? Oh well, just work around it. If you fail to work around it, be prepared for your business's wrath. What goes in the right ear, comes out from the left.
Can't get the access to some folder or system? Log a ticket with the IT team, and wait for them to attend to your request. May take up to a week just to resolve an issue. Trust me.... it took a lot of restraint on my part, to make sure I do not end up cussing, without me realising.

Lingo management - This is one of the toughest part to deal with. It still is hard, and I don't foresee it improving, It might get even tougher.. as you are dealing with people from different businesses. Why do I say it's difficult? I'll share a story... I was in a call with another colleague discussing on some work issues. That was when I said "But it's compulsory". All I got as a response was pure silence. That was when I thought to myself "Ooops, did I disconnect the call unaccidentally?". I checked the line, we are still connected to one another. That's when realization hit me hard. "Compulsory is not an approved-lingo.. No wonder you got no response". I immediately switched the word with "Mandatory" and the call turn alive again. *Roll eyes* These are the little things which frustrates and embarasses you till no end, because it's so simple, yet it's effect is so lethal.

Colleagues - 8 of us joined the company at the same time, and it does make life at work more bearable. Because you can bitch with one another about how stupid things are, how ineffiicient systems are, how irritating who-and-who can be, how "Upside" or 'Backside" it can be, etc. Our lunch sessions are always the best time to vent and bitch about stuffs. I consider our group very creative.. we can bitch about everything, from nothing to something... Haha. It makes you snap out of work, at least for that one meagre hour and relax a little. I've come to realised that the support group is really essential to ensuring your sanity..... Thank you guys for having never failed to brighten my day, during lunch... =)

My wish for Work - Year 2011 is that:
- After all the sweat, tears, and hard work, my only hope is that these little things do not go unnoticed, and a simple acknowledgement on a job well done, is good enough to warm my heart, and make me not lose faith in the people working in this company.

*A job upgrade with a high pay is not too much to ask for too...* << All I want for Christmas

Iceberg

The tip of an iceberg is not reflective of huge chunk of ice which is hidden beneath the calm waters. I can now start to understand the concept of this statement. I just got served with a new piece of demand, and the more I dig, the murkier it becomes. Also, the fact that this concept is so alien to me, it makes it even tougher for me to piece things up together.

This new demand is what we call the "blue sea" concept - The unexplored territories. This new piece of demand apparently is so popular in US and Europe, that there is interest to hop onto this trend and push forward in Asia. The concept is really interesting, but the challenge here is to search for companies with regional presence, and with a really huge non-exhaustive list of products and services.

I am now starting to understand KK's frustrations when KK is required to be creative and always think-out-of-the-box. Time is hardly on my side... A sordid plan with full details should be ready by 1st week of January 2012.

No Christmas and New Year holidays for me....

Have you ever?

Have you ever encountered such feelings?
Unhappy, disappointed, disgusted, crushed?

Did your breathing turn shallow?

Did your throat start to constrict?

Did your hands start turning numb?

Did the chilliness of your bone shocked you to consciousness?

Did your mouth turned so dry, that you can start peeling the dry skin off your lips?

Devil Of Greediness

I was walking with my mum to a neighbour's house to feed her fishes, as the house owner is away for a period of 6 months. My mum has been entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that the fishes are well fed and that they remain alive and healthy when the owner returns. You might be thinking "Wow.. your mum would have to clean the tank, and all sorts then". Well, the owner actually breed fishes in this huge flower pot which houses a lotus-flower like plant... For aesthetic purpose, and also to ensure that no worms, or germs, or even mosquitoes will breed in the pot, as these fishes feed on anything.

It was a sunny-cum-cloudy morning.. As i squat by the pot looking at the fishes clamouring for the fish feed, I realise it's always the survival of the fittest, or rather "May the best one wins". You would notice that the bigger and more agressive fishes will always win the upper hand, as they will be the first to rush to the food source, and practically devour everything before the other fishes even get a whiff of the fish feed.

This is indeed a mirror of what is happening with people nowadays. Everyone is always always dreaming of new and innovative ways to find more, do more, and gain more. This is regardless of its application towards one's personal life or working life. It's not wrong voicing what you want and fighting tooth-and-nail to get it, because your needs is all that matters.

But, has it ever crossed your mind that sometimes, we, humans are just plain greedy? That we are sometimes so aggressive, that it turns out to be a zero-sum game... It's your survival against the others.

How do you justify that XXX is enough for me, and that I should leave the balance to others?
Or should I just grab hold of everything in my line of sight; just because I think I deserve it?

How do I know if I am crossing the line towards the dark side... the Devil of Greediness

For this one time, I wished that there is a SOP..

Balance

It is difficult to strike a balance, especially when your interest is at stake. I am expected to act ignorant to certain misalignment in this balance; even though my interest is clearly jeopardized. My question is: Why should I do this when other people are already having the upper hand, and I'm obviously at the losing end?

It's too hard for me to swallow the "just close one eye and you'll be fine" excuse. And when I kick up a fuss over such misalignment, I am accused of being too calculative.Why should I be subjected to such treatment, when everyone is supposed to be treated equally?

I am not asking to be showered in Van Cleef & Arpel jewelleries, Hermes Birkin bags, Manolo Blahnik's heels, a designer-exclusive wardrobe which changes with every season.

I only want to be treated FAIRLY.

Why so complicated??

Technologies are supposed to make things simple for people to see, to understand, to decipher.. .Sadly, the reverse is practised. Never have I been so confused with my documentations, and it's shocking to know that it's not a reliable document for you to rely on. Why? That's because the document is customised in a way that it benefits only the organization and not the staffs.

You are supposed to be vigilant and do your monthly due diligence; as the organization does not think that it's important enough to provide a format which is beneficial to both parties.

What is wrong??

What to do for the weekend?

I have a long list of overdue things which MUST be accomplished by this weekend:

1) Get a haircut
- I missed my deadline to get a haircut, and its length now is sufficient to drive me up the wall every morning. I have to struggle to comb my hair, and to make it look presentable enough to walk on the streets without being called a "crazy lady"
- Updates: Got it cut... I am hugely relieved... now, I do not have to worry when a gust of wind blows.. Cos I don't have to start raking my fingers through my hair, in order to keep it looking presentable
2) Facial
- I have been wanting to do an egg white mask on my face, but never seem to get around doing that. Yes, it's slimy, and it takes ages to dry up, but for the sake of whipping my skin into a better state... egg white, here I come!
- Updates: Did not have enough time to perform the egg white facial. But, I did manage to stick on the Watsons brand-blackhead-remover nose sticker

3) Bag
- I sent my bag for repair, and was told that the turnaround time for repair is 3 months. I was already doing a countdown to D-Day when I will get my hands on the bag. But, I got a pleasant surprise today, when they notified me via SMS that the bag has been repaired, and it's ready for collection. Yippee... Will head over to the outlet to pick my bag up tomorrow =)
- Updates: Got it back from the shop.. Looks as good as brand new and the zipper is working fine.. yiiippeeee!

4) Scour the shopping malls
- It's the Mega Sales season now.. The best time to a shopping marathon... just to check out what are the good deals in the market. Even if I end up with no purchases, it would be good exercise for my legs
- Updates: Ho Ho Ho.. I finally managed to buy 2 pairs of black pants.. And i specificaly emphasized on the number: 2 because I don't usually go berserk with my purchase and buy more tha one pants in the same color. I have been scouring the malls for past 2 years trying to get one which fits as the sizes are usually either too big or too small for me (Ie. If the waist fits, the legs don't and vice-versa). Hence, I enarly leapt in joy, when I finally found 2 pairs which fitted me like a pair of gloves.. woohoo!

5) Hit the road
- I've not been jogging for quite sometime, Will need to put in the extra effort to hunt for my exercise gear and go pound the pavement. With the hot and hazy weather, I've had very good excuse to not go for a jog. But, the tightness at my legs when I try to fit into my favorite jeans tells me otherwise... OMG.. I've put on weight!! =(
- Updates - No, I did not have a chance to do that.. Got back home late in the afternoon, and by the time I got to the mall, it was nearing evening.. (after navigating through the horrendous traffic, picking up my bag). And by the time I'm done with my shopping errands, the sun is starting to set, as I spent a great deal of time, trying to locate my parking lot, in the maze-like building)
Of course, I don't run my errands alone.. I always do it with my beloved Sister who is ever so accomodating with all the near-impossible requests and demands which I have...

J.. Thank you OH-SO-VERY-MUCH.. Love ya, sis.... =)
 Oh well, seems like a busy week, but am really looking forward to it...

How do you feel to be accused?

How would you feel if you are accused of doing something without informing all those involved; even though you have been instructed to keep quiet on this planned event?
Would you stay still, plaster a smile on your face, and graciously accept the blame being heaped on you; even though you did no wrong?
Would you back off into a corner when someone complains that you reply too long to a superior's email; even though you feel it's necessary to make an explanation?

This was what happened to me today, in the evening. And please, even if you are unhappy with the way things are being done, I don't think there's a need to make accusations and try to push the blame onto me. And, there's no need to compare past practice against the current practice. No point harping on that, as that is not how the company operates right now.

Trying to show as if I am so not knowledgable about my own role; and that the previous PIC is more superior than me AND to air the dirty laundry in public...Come on... if you had calmly pulled me aside and asked for a private 1-to-1 clarification, I would have gladly agreed to it. But the moment you crossed the line of professionalism, sorry.... I am not the spineless kind of person who would just swallow whatever shoved to me. I have done no wrong, and would not back down.

What is wrong with these people? Can't they even try to understand things from a different perspective? Different point of view?

Am I socially inept?

Anything wrong with being an introvert? You cannot equate an introvert = socially incapacitated.

 I stutter, I stammer, I am shy around people, I do not display aggressiveness among people I am not familiar with, I prefer reading to talking, I prefer staying home to going out, I prefer solitude to noise...

I am a natural introvert and have always try to improve my less-to-be-desired social skills. I thought I have improved... but the situations and glances tells me otherwise.

What is happening to me??

Good vs. Evil

I'ev always love to read and watch movies which has the angel vs. Devil element as the storyline. Movies like Constantine, Legion, and many more which I no longer remember the titles. Series like Criminal Minds, CSI: Las Vegas, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Navy NCIS, Bones, Lie to Me, Supernatural.. and more. These series never fail to fascinate me and it keeps me so addicted to watching them. Miss one episode and I feel like a drug addict suffering from the withdrawing symptom.

They keep me inspired and hopeful; that despite so many bad things happening around the world, goodness will always prevail and we should keep the faith and never give up on humanity. When things get me down, I hold steadfast to these principles; as what goes around; comes around. Do unto others, how you want others to do unto you.

Unfortunately, I can feel it is starting to slip away from me... inch by inch...

I was very idealistic then. Am I still that idealistic now?

I have my share bitching about life..so, NO...  I am no longer that idealistic anymore... perhaps, cynical

*Looks like the angel will have to whisper louder than what the Devil is whispering in my ears now...*

Value of money

A short nagging which I got over the weekend triggered this question in my mind. Why is it that the older generation and the younger generation are always at odds when it comes to this prickly issue? I have never been able to place a finger on the pulse of this matter.

It was last weekend when me and my parents went out for dinner at our favorite wantan mee stall. We ordered 2 bowls of dry wantan mee (Medium) and 1 small bowl. The bill came up to be RM10. This means 1 bowl of medium-size wantan mee is RM 3.50. That got my dad really fired up.. going on and on about how expensive it is, and the increase in price is not justified as the portion remains the same, and etc. Dad was talking about it for 15 minutes and that just got me so worked up. I told dad... "the RM 3.50 is well spent and it fills you up to the brim, and it is a real wantan mee. It's not like you are eating wantan mee without the wantan filling, and it has no BBQ pork". But, he was still going on and on about it.

When I start to think about it, there is truth to his grumbling. To the older generation (ie. our parents, uncles, aunties), RM 3.50 is indeed a huge amount. Back in the good ol' days, perhaps 30 - 40 years back, you can get a bowl of steaming hot wantan mee, delivered to your doorstep only at the price of 30 cents. And, once you are done with your food, you will only need to leave it at the doorstep and the man will come and collect it (That is the BEST example of excellent customer service!) RM 3.50 would have been able to feed a family of few (you can buy rice, vegetables and maybe an egg with that measly sum)

To the younger generation nowadays, even a 7-year old kid would scorn at being given a RM 3 angpau. I noticed when kids starts to pester their parents to buy something expensive worth RM 80 or more and their parents try to persuade them by saying it's expensive, the kids make remark such as "It's only RM80... it's very cheap, every month daddy and mummy gets a lot more money, why can't you buy this for me?" And, these remarks will be accompanied by watery eyes, and the next you know, they start bawling...

Scenarios like this are getting more and more common, if only one just chooses to open their eyes and ears wide enough when walking in the shopping centres. I find it apalling that kids right now take for granted the value of money; and instead make such careless remarks. Funny thing is, the parents just ignore them. If it were for my mum or dad, the first thing I'd get is probably a stern warning followed by caning at home.

I used to get excited when I see shillings on the floor; ie. those unaccidentally dropped by people. The first instinct to do is to pick them up and keep it in my piggy bank. Finders keepers.

Fast-forward to the present... Poeple will not bat an eyelid even if they see someone dropped a 10-cent shilling on the ground.

What is our society turning into?

Ambitions

Ambitions.. I am certain everyone; irregardless of age would have at least one, since the day we get ourselves interviewed by our teachers "What would you like to be when you grow up?". I do still remember some of my choices..  a doctor, a lawyer, a nurse, a policewoman (Surprising, huh?), a teacher, a manager and etc. Ambitions change as you grow up as our thinking gets influenced by many external factors. The books we read, the dramas and movies we watch, the people we live and connect with, the topics of conversation, the environment which you grew up in, the people you look up to.

One cannot deny the influence of these external factors in shaping your ambitions. Also, not forgetting is how you picture yourself climbing up the career ladder. Is it going to be at the expense of other people, or you climb the ladder through sheer hard work and taking challenges head-on or by apple-polishing your way up?

I live by the motto that "There's a price to pay for everything". Hence, if you choose to step on the toes of people along the way for your own benefit, you have to pay the price for it. Which means, you will never have true friends and acquaintances. You will always live with scepticism and view things and people in a suspicious manner. Why live way in such a sad manner??

I am fortunate that I have been brought up in an environment that irregardless of how much you desire for success, you should never do that at the expense of someone else. If you feel you are worthy of the level of the success, so, make sure you put in your effort and work your way up by your own virtue, instead of resorting to other measures. That way, once you have reached the position which you desired, there will be no question to your credibility and integrity. Even if there is, at least you know you are true to yourself and that is all that matters. (You got there by your own ability!)

Perhaps it's because that I hold firm to such principles in life, hence I am being mistaken as someone who is unambitious. Ambitions should commensurate with your current capability! No point in trying to hit the sky when your current capability only allows you to hit the 5ft wall... right?

Baker King, Kim Tak Goo

My sister bought a new Korean-drama DVD. Name of the show is Kim Tak-Goo, the Baker King.
I was quite sceptical in the first place, cos the premise seems like the run-of-the-mill kind.
Man, I was surprised when I sat down and watch the first few episodes. It was really GOOD...

I got so addicted to the show, that I finished 9 episodes in one day (from noon to evening, with a break at night, and I continued wathcing it until 5.30 am).

The kid actors were so good, and their acting skils were unbelievable. Some scenes (I think they jsut made it so heart-wrenching), that tears flowed down my cheeks without me realising it. I noticed even my mum and my 7-yr old niece teared too... Hahaha

Of course, even the adult actors are so good-looking and polished. Even a punk with blood-shot eyes, wounds on face and body still looks so good...

Good-looking cast, heart-wrenching storyline, awesome outfits, gorgeous scenery.. What can be better than watching K-dramas to while your stress away??

http://co2r.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/kbs10baker-king-kim-tak-goo/

Gold in your mouth?

This is one of my favorite Chinese sayings, which is usually applied when one refuses to givea proper answer / reply when asked. The elderly uses this phrase on kids, when the kid refuses to give a proper answer to questions asked. Never have I expected that this saying is also applicable now that I am an adult now.

There is this saying: Ask, and you shall receive. I beg to differ. This is because, I tried and it doesn't work.
It's either that these people are treating you like a fool or they are just plain selfish.  How can one claim to be not aware of your industry's core knowledge, when you have been in the line for ages?

This smacks of pure ignorance, or they are just trying to pull the wool over my eyes. I am so frustrated because I can't believe that even my own colelagues are not being forthcoming with their information and all. I had to resort to the most unconventional method to get the information.

My Brother. He doesn't know much, but at least he helped me to ask his colleague about this, since he is also in the construction industry, even though he's only been there for a year.

That is all that I am asking for. Advice from the people -who-knows-it-better-than -I -Do.
Oh well, I guess this is one of their sneaky ways to make me be accountable for the decision I make.
(But I'm asking this for everyone's benefit.. .guess this people don't have much of gray cells in their brains)

Why can't everyone agree to something without disputing it every single second? Must the decision-making always be at the expense of someone else? A zero-sum game?

Arrgghh.. i will never understand that.

Quirky

Quirky.. I have never thought of using this word to describe myself until recently. I have always think of myself as a weirdo.. I was and still really different from my other friends.

At one point of time, I was so upset with myself for my inability to blend in with the crowd. Why, why , why.. Is it because I am a geek, is it because I am neither here not there (my struggle between English and the chinese dialects), or is it because I am just born to be socially-awkward and to never fit into the circles of the rich and pretty?

I found out that those are no longer important. (Not the language part, though). One should never ever under-estimate the hidden undercurrents of peer pressure. It can eat up your confidence; the way a huge piece of rock that gets eroded by the slow but consistent waves in the sea.

Individuality is much lauded now and why should one succumb to the pressure of trying to look like every other so-called ideal female outlook...

If quirkiness is what defines a person, I would rather be quirky, than to be lumped under the general "pretty girls" category...

Tanned

I am considered quite tanned for a Chinese.. i am quite hitam-manis. Not sure if I take after my mum or dad, but I doubt it's from either of them...So, I have always been mistaken as being a Nyonya or Malay (the extreme ones), but I have never taken that to heart. To me, it's more of the case of a mistaken identity.... Well, this case of mistaken identity happened quite some time ago. I have to admit, I was quite tanned then, probably because I had to walk in the afternoon hot sun, and was quite a fitness freak then.

Well, had a 180 degrees change in lifestyle subsequently after that, and I started to take care of my skin. Religiously applying whitening and anti-darkening lotion, and using the umbrella when walking under the sun. Being religious about it meant my efforts would have resulted in an improvement in my tanned skin.

Surprisingly, just last week, someone was asking me if am I a Nyonya... I was a bit surprised, because I thought that i am way fairer now, than I was back then. It bristled me a bit, but on the brighter side, it's been proven that the chances to get skin cancer is lower for the tanned skin ones, than the fairer skin ones...

Guess it's a blessing in disguise..

True to oneself

Is there anything wrong if one were to be true to ownself? Defending your own against the multiple abuses and demenaning criticisms against yourself?

I don't see any wrong with it. In fact, I have been brought up to not keep quiet if such injustice happens to befall on you. Therefore, I will always ensure that I speak out, but not rudely. I mean, everyone has to be given an opportunity to show that they themselves are right, at least for once.

Unfortunately, yesterday, i was reprimanded by my boss; which really pisses me off. I was trying to do numbering for my list, when i tried to drag down the list in Excel, and click "Fill Series". My boss intervened and kept on insisting that my way would not work well, and instead hers work. Out of due respect to her, i tried, but it didn't happen. I tried doing it my own way, but she was so irritated with my inability to follow her orders. She said out LOUD (in the conference call) that i was STUBBORN.

I was utterly dumb-founded!Generally, we call someone stubborn because they don't know what are they doing, and yet refuse to listen to someone else who can do it better. In my case, my way works and trying to demonstrate that to her but she just dismiss me off.

TACT is definitely not a common practice here...

Never ever judge a book by its cover.. that is for sure

Weekends at home

I love my weekends. Saturdays and Sundays are spent staying at home, talking to my family about everything under the sun, dipping biscuits into the freshly brewed coffee, savouring mum's home-cooked food, observing my niece's antics, watch movies, dramas, take an afternoon nap.. all within the comforts of my home.

I couldn't think of any better and more fulfilling way to spend the weekends than the above...

=)

Working under a cloud of uncertainty?

I try to not say NO to every challenge that comes my way. I get satisfaction when I managed to prove these critics WRONG. I relish the challenges being thrown in my way; as I am not a firm believer in doing the same thing, over and over again for a long period of time.

Unfortunately, here, the challenges are so huge to handle. The rot is so deep inside that I think the only way to change it is to chop the whole tree down, and replant it from the start. It is so messy, so confusing, and the more you ask, the more questions you get at the end of the day.

It gets so frustrating and the progress of your work is so slow; because you keep on facing stupid unnecessary road blocks. People are not willing to share any information despite you asking nicely, and behaving humble. You end up knocking on all walls, only to be greeted by an icy cold stare; and a heartless remark. It is very upsetting, because no one appreciates what you are doing, and the time spent just to get to the root cause.

Customer service?

Have you ever experienced a situation whereby you have no say over an issue; which you are clearly in charge of? Instead, someone else is getting all over-reacted and starts making comments and remarks which are clearly undermining your authority.

I have, and it happened last week. I couldn't believe it when that person starts to act all important and over-bearing with comments such as "if you have the conscience to do so, go ahead", "We do not owe them an explanation", "they will still come back to us, if we call them in the next time". Comments of these do not help to solve the problem; and instead is only equivalent to trying to douse a fire with turpentine.

At the end of the day, it's all about managing relationship. And if you want to act all High-and-Mighty, don't come crawling back to me, and expect me to say a few good words to soothe people's hurt feeling. Money is not everything; and your misdemeanor will come back and haunt you.

Obviously, people do not understand; and expect others to just nod their head and agree with everything which is being said. Don't it just irritates you when one starts behaving in this manner?

Perhaps a backlash is what they need; in order to understand what it means to be humble and $$$ is not everything!

Gastric pains..

Never in my life have I experienced such pain and discomfort. It feels like there is someone twisting your intestines over and over again, and tightening their grip each time they twist it. All sorts of flipping and turnings (Acrobatic moves) can be felt, with each passing minute... =(

Lesson learnt: Always eat a filling lunch.

* Hmm.. what should I take for dinner?

Patience is a virtue

I find that the statement "Patience is a virtue" is so true, but in times like this, i feel it is testing my limits. I do not know how long more can my impatience be kept at bay. Things seems to be plodding along, at their own preferred pace, and it's driving me up the wall. I want to accelerate things, but there are so many things holding me back. Things which I have no say in as these are part of the pre-determined guidelines. You have to go through A, B, C, D and E, before i can even get started on my A....

I can't think of a better avenue to vent my frustration than to munch on chips or to jog. Imagine munching away all these restrictions and swallowing them. Or imagine stamping all your frustrations and anger into the ground as you hit the road. I wish i can do it now...

Unfortunately, I can only play out the images in my mind. Looks like I have to be contented with taking a deep breath, and wish everything will just turn out fine.... It's even more exhausting than having to mind a dozen of kids or even to cook for a dozen of hungry boys...

Aja fighting!!!

My First Love

I have always loved reading; ever since I could identify my ABC's. That was what my mum said. I am easily contented by flipping the picture dictionary over and over again; and I will not get bored. Well, i have to agree with her. I can still remember piecing my precious puzzles lovingly; which consists of words that start from A to Z, and I just (I repeat) will not get bored! I puckered my lips, when a piece of the puzzle went missing.

When I was in primary school, I will just starve myself and make sure that I finish my precious story book, before I even think of eating. So that used to incur my mum's wrath. Had to be sneaky about it, but of course, at times, I had to surrender, because my stomach growls so loud and my hands start to tremble; indicating a sign that my sugar level is lo

In school, I used to rush to be the first in line to borrow new books; especially the newly-wrapped ones. Gives you a sense of accomplishment, to see your name being the first; in the list of borrowers. =)
English and BM books... There was no preference over one language. I just read whatever which I have not read before. Same goes when I was in secondary school. Why differentiate?

Nowadays, it is disheartening to listen to people around, saying that how BM is useless, is not helpful, it's just there, for the sake of being there, redundant. Language is a beautiful and abstract subject. I don't believe we have the right to say one language is more superior and more useful compared to the other. Nothing in life is useless. It's only that we do not know how to utilise the advantage we have, and hence, we choose the easy way out and say it's useless.... Ego's at stake, perhaps...