laid bare

Had a wonderful bbq for my bro's 21st birthday on Saturday evening. Sunday morning, at 6.20 am I was already at KGPA for the Piala Sallehuddin tournament. Honestly, the most events I've ever been involved in while working here are golf tournaments. Oh, and AGMs. I like the former better. Hahah. No press conferences, no media kits to hand out. Pure unadulterated casual fun with males over the age of 50. More Hahah.

On a gloomier note, I really hope none of you ever have to lodge a police report on domestic violence. It sucks. Well it didnt suck that bad, the policeman who took my report was actually "mesra, cepat (not so cepatlah) dan betul". But the policeguy who attended to me earlier was so young and inexperienced his jaw literally dropped when i said, "Nak buat report, I kena pukul dengan suami". He turned to his colleagues who were munching on some really nice-looking goreng pisang (heheh.. kalau kat US donuts kan?) and said, "Kena pukul." And I was like, YEAH TELL THE WHOLE WORLD WHY DON'T YOU.

Then an elderly policeman attended to me and thank you Mr IGP Musa Hassan, the guy was gentlemanly, discreet and very helpful. Then why am I complaining? Because the whole ordeal is unpleasant. You verbalize what you've experienced to a complete stranger, it's so mengaibkan, it's humiliating and you feel so exposed and vulnerable. It's the act of unveiling your deepest and darkets secret to an unknown person. It was deathly scary for me. And oh, may I suggest some sort of cubicle Mr IGP so that there's a bit of privacy when lodging reports? Strangely, at the end of it there's a sense of fulfillment...

And tomorrow will be a better day, God willing.

note to self: must...get...BLOND...streaks...before... big...stf-sdar-star...dinner...next week...

sheer randomness

Like a kid, I can't wait for:

1. Next week - am getting my blond streaks!!!! (yeay! I hope Ayu's sticking to the decision we made at Starbucks!) I don't care if it's out of vogue or whatever, but I WANT IT!!!! I've done everything from burgundy to copper to what-have-you, I've done the Posh Spice (accidentally ok, I hate them BECKS - what is the big f*C*ng deal with them? You play soccer... AND????) and the J-Pop look and now this!

2. Organize the poolside BBQ cookout for my bro's birthday on Saturday - sick, kan? But this hosting parties every weekend is becoming sort of a routine for me already. And he's also bringing over 8 Air Force dudes to eat. Yes, Kak Long will make the killer bbq wings, rosemary lamb chops and the Texas cowboy steaks. Just because you're turning 21 ok babykins! And oh, I'll get to meet his (latest) girlfriend for the very first time... haha!
(ps: if you're MY friend, you're most welcomed to crash. I'm paying for the party anyway!)

3. Tomorrow, so that I'll feel loved again :P (jangan jealous...)

Nitey nite, I'm putting up my feet but ladies and gents before I go, a l'il sum'thn sum'thn from the Manic Street Preachers "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" ...


Manic Street Preachers - Your Love Alone Is Not Enough lyrics

brain drain

Today has been a very productive and fruitful day. Why?

1) my boss is back from a more-than-a-week business trip so today he's offloading everything to me, then i have to finish everything sebab i nak tunjuk terrer macam Monica (of Friends)

2) last week only my right brain was in use, and finally

3) met up with a branding consultant to help us with the Brand Workshop (that I wanted to organise) and you know me when it gets to branding i will get so excited and hyper all of a sudden and this sentence suddenly becomes longer than it should be...

On Number 3 - my boss finally think that it's best to hire a consultant because I am so bogged down with work (i.e. annual report, website, editing, editing, editing, writing, ad nauseum etc..). At the meeting the brand consultant actually praised the "Branding Blocks" that I presented at our management retreat and my boss made a remark that the consultant should be paying me instead. (Kembang) And then my boss said he LIKED this edition of the Rapport (our company newsletter) because of how the Company is positioned (Double Kembang). My boss is NOT generous with praises OK, so whenever he says he LIKES something I feel like I just wanna dance on the boardroom table. Now wouldn't that be a sorry sight.

So I decided to enjoy this moment while it lasts... sebab tomorrow is the Annual Report reading day and I'm sure sparks will fly. Phooey.

And I found out that I'm a natural Right-Brainer. (nasib baik bukan no-brainer, tee hee)

You Are 20% Left Brained, 80% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

the bitter irony

It was one helluva Sunday. Went to Rawang for Daisy's wedding - thanks Yusmawatiliza (Yus) for taking us in your ever so spacious Citroen MPV. Paie, Hana and I got the privilege of being driven around by Yus the saudagar kereta. When we arrived at Daisy's house I was enthralled by the fact that 1) we didn't get lost 2) i am strangely attracted to the pink-white concept and no 3) i was actually moving to the groove of a 60's song (DAMMITTTTT!!! Too many Friday afternoon karaoke sessions!!!) And the only other person groovin to that 60's tune is one spastic guy who's sitting next to the band (OMG, adakah aku sudah menjadi spastic as well?)

When we got there Daisy was getting last minute touch ups by her mak andam so we hit the buffet line first. Hana and I were quite famished (makan kacang and sweets in the car). After that we went back to the house and LO AND BEHOLD! A row of faces that I haven't met since I was a puerile 17-year old - all lined up to be hugged and kissed on the cheeks. My mind was a plethora of mixed feelings - takut, happy, sad, surprised, saspen sebab takut tak ingat nama, tickled pink (biarlah rahsia), envious (some of them don't seem to age!) etc, etc.

On that rainy Sunday I was transported back to 1991 - when the days seem longer and we had so much to laugh about, so many stoopid things to do and friends that will stay with you till the end. Good to know - one of my STF friends well on her way to be a Plastic Surgeon. A sense of calmness developed, knowing that one day, if I ever need it, she's there. Haha.

On our way back, we had an additional friend riding in the MPV with us - and she just got out of a bad marriage. The pelahaps that we are, we stopped at the Sg Buloh R&R for coffee and fruit and root beer float and onion rings (and I desperately needed to fufu). So there we were, five women talking about bad marriages and divorces and shariah lawyers, etc etc. Percaya nggak? We just got back of a friends wedding. How ironic.

Daisy, I'm not gonna jinx your Big Day with this oh-so-blue entry. Bless you and your beloved hubby.

vincit omnia amor - love conquers all, yes it does ;)

food and friends - even better than sex... hahahah.. NOT!

See the smiles on their faces? Notice how they look hypnotically content? See
how they seem unable to move even an inch? Even the photo shows that the
photographer's hands were a bit shaky from trying to hold in a belly laugh...

Check out my MULTIPLY for more embarassing piccies...

Two wonderful events took place over the weekend - first it was the dinner get-together with my STF buddies at mi casa, as opposed to Micasa. Second, it was another STF friend's Wedding - Daisy. I used to copy her Math homework when we were in Form 3 because she was so damn good at it!!!!

Cheese seafood dip in the making...

The ladies had a great time (I hope!) hanging out at my apartment on Saturday evening till late. And Paie came along as well, for the first time (tak culture shock, kan?). As usual, the incessant kutuk-mengutuk session that knows no boundaries is the agenda of the nite. Then it's me slaving in the hot kitchen with my assistant Spena (who's SO GOOD at chopping up things at just the perfect size). And thank you girls for driving me to Cold Storage, GE - mesti korang menyampah dengar aku membebel pasal not having fresh basil... Heheheh!

Enough to drive any mum into the nuthouse...

Dalina brought his boy along, little Juan who has the most adorable 'fro a Malay boy can ever have. Paie brought his two boys - Ilyas and Yunus (yes, we both have our own Yunuses). It was sheer madness for a while until we locked them up in the master bedroom so that they can beat each other up while we bitch about every single thing in life. Unfortunaly, Paie's Yunus did a bit of a stunt thingy and hurt his head while doing so. Kesian you, Yunus - you will always have a story to tell though - "When I was 4, my mum were too engrossed gossiping with her dysfunctional friends she didn't even noticed I was bleeding from the head until my shirt looked like I just had a fist fight".

Marinating the chops with fresh rosemary.. Check out the fresh sweet basil leaves in the piccie too! I'm a happy puppy!

Gout patients will suffer in hell if they attend our get together - for appetizers we had Ritz crackers spread with cheese seafood dip, followed by Pasta Marinara and Lamb Chops and for dessert it was frozen durians from my dad's orchard. Scared that she might be bullied till there's no tomorrow, Mum brought two pieces of what seemed like kuih bakar heaven - sedap gila! Further into the night, we were suicidal enough to ask Hana to get some Poppers (the ice cream, mind you) and some cheaper stuff for the kids - Paddle Pop, Mat Kool and all that junk. See what selfless mothers we are "don't give Poppers to the boys, they're for us!!!"

Hana (assisted by Spena and Mumsy) did some homework for the multimedia presentation for the Tiga Serangkai dinner. I still can't get over that silly name. They were scanning some old STF photos that night - most of us cannot even pick ourselves out of group photos. I noticed I had so much hair back then. Thick, black locks. You wouldn't know what you have until they're all gone. Shite.

Dalina and yours truly (finally cured of my temporary insomnia)

While the whole week was way too long for me, Saturday nite made up for all those five crappy days. It even made me forget about the Wicked Witch of the East - I finally got a good night rest - dozed off as soon as I hit the pillows. It seems that she dissapeared with the rest of the unpleasantries that I'd blocked off from my memory bank.

I'm happy being the sleepyhead that I was (and still am now). Don't want anymore sleepless nites again. Hopefully never, no more.

yes, i am a recent insomniac

Insomnia???? Me???? That is a major contradiction in terms. I am this person who can just fall asleep anywhere as soon as I'm sleepy, and I need my 6-hours, or else someone will so geddit the next day.

It feels like shite not being able to fall asleep. I have panda eyes and it has made me crave for Iced Nescafe in the morning when I get to work.

For the past six nights I have been sleeping at 2 am, waking up at 4 am and going back to sleep again at 5 am only to be awakened at 630 am by my own biological alarm clock. (tapi kan, someone said I looked 'fresh' two days ago... haha! Or maybe he was being sarcastic...) I've never experienced insomnia before. I must be getting old, or hormonally imbalanced. Or maybe I just want to f*ck*ng vent out on this blog but I just don't know how to. I don't know where to start...

OK, I'm feeling a taddddd bit sleepy now. Good sign! YEAY!

I'm happy - tomorrow I will be slaving in the kitchen to feed my buddies, laughing our asses off, gossiping like there's no tomorrow and eating hi-calorie, hi-fat, hi-carb foods that will make us hi-strung! Heheh.

Wicked Witch of the East - F OFF, YOU! I wanna get some sleep! Please leave me alone!

taking five

It's almost lunchtime.

I'm still editing the CSR report and probably developed a few grey hairs while doing so.
Listening to my favourite Damien Rice track - "Volcano"

and what I am to you is not real

what I am to you, you do not need

what I am to you is not what you mean to me

you give me miles and miles of mountains

and I'll ask for the sea

Three reasons why it's been my fave for many moons already - the music is deathly haunting (the cello bit is brilliant), the lyrics show that it is a thinker's song and I love the way that it is sung - it makes you wanna curl up in your favourite pajamas and just chill. Check out the video at my Multiply.

what I really need is what makes me bleed

but like a new disease, Lord, she's still too young to treat

OK, back to the drawing table. When will this be annual report be over??????????!!!!!