I am not asking for much. I need money.
Well, everyone needs money at different levels for different priorities. Some need money to buy titles. Many need money to get what they think define their materialistic lives. Others need money for various reasons from health to death.
For my family at this point in time, we need the funds to send my sister abroad. It would be a quarter million at the very least for her to complete her professional qualification.
Yet, if no scholarship or financial aid is forthcoming, our wallets will be considerably tightened. Worst, my sister may feel burdened by the financial strain.
Hmm...where may I find people with money to spare?
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
A matter of bail
My original plan was to blog everything (well, almost) that happened during my recent trip to Kota Kinabalu. Yet, seeing the lapse of time that managed to creep in between entries made me think that the full KK story needs to wait longer.
Anyway, it's not wrong to write about other stuff along the way, yeah?
I was in Petaling Jaya Magistrates Court today for a bail application. Client was nervous and I was too. It could be because boss sent sms at 7 a.m. wishing me luck. Haha. I told boss that I'm all prepared but that didn't stop the butterflies from wreaking havoc. Worst, I had to assure my nervous client that everything will work out fine. So, I spent my time chatting with them while my cases were left unattended (and not read) on the table.
The PO finally came and by the time he arrived, there was only two other prosecuting officers from JPJ and LHDN left in Court. I approached the Tuan concerned and asked him about the bail amount which he will propose to Court. The Tuan was a nice and polite gentleman (believe me, some officers I had to deal with do not exactly understand that there is such thing as politeness) who said that I'm free to ask for a lower amount than what he will be proposing. I told him I will do just that.
Somehow, the interpreter butted in and told me that it's much easier for everyone if client pays the fine. Well, that advice may work on others but not for my client on my time. Paying the fine is tantamount to admitting that client has committed an offence which he did not. I said firmly but politely that client will not plead guilty and I will apply for bail. After all, client's surety is already present in Court so why not go for the whole nine yards?
The Magistrate finally re-entered the Court and we introduced ourselves. Ok, remember about the two prosecuting officers present? Well, they must have thought I was a Chinese because as soon as I introduced myself twice (for the Magistrate's benefit), one of the gentlemen did what I think was a pretty funny thing. He may have thought that I could not hear him but this was what he said to his neighbour.
"Aku serius ingat dia Cina".
Hahaha...if not for the fact that I was asked by the Magistrate to repeat my name, I would have responded to that statement. And the funnier thing was that both guys turned their heads toward me and did not attempt to try to cover their surprise.
Anyway, before parties could even argue on the amount of bail to be deposited, the Magistrate released my client on a personal bond (or in the local slang, jamin mulut) and set trial sometime next year. So much for my grand submission on bail!
Kota Kinabalu, 20 November 2009
Woke up early and headed to the nearby Fook Yuen shop for my breakfast. Although I was not keen to eat hotel food (at the rate of RM9 for standard breakfast set), I ended up spending more at Fook Yen. The reason? Instead of choosing simple toast with kaya for RM1 plus, I just had to buy myself fish and chips. Along with my iced Milo (I have to confess…their Milo could possibly be the best I’ve ever tasted), breakfast set me back by RM10 plus or so.
This was also the day of JJ’s church wedding to Rachel. Ariel had said that he’ll pick me up around 11 and we’ll go to the church together. Seeing that I have ample time, I walked to Centrepoint Sabah for the initial test run. I’m proud to say that I did not buy anything despite the big SALE posters and PRICES MARKDOWN everywhere in the mall. Well, the fact that I don’t like to shop while feeling that I’m being rushed is another good reason for me not to buy anything.
Ariel swung by around 5 mins to 11 and once I entered the car, he nonchalantly said that the wedding should be starting anytime soon. I was like ‘Really? I don’t like the idea of being in a bridal procession or worst, entering the church after the bride’. Luckily, the Sacred Heart Church was not that far away and by the time we parked the car, we could see the bride was getting ready to enter the main hall.
We snuck in, threw a wave at the waiting groom and waited. Oddly enough, I don’t think there was anyone else from MU in that church. Suffice to say, the hall was packed with relatives of the happy couple. I was very happy to have had the chance of attending a Christian wedding service because although I profess a different religion, I found the service to be beautiful. It was solemn but at the same time, joyful. The only part I found rather amusing was that guests were provided with a detailed programme book which was akin to the script. Well, I enjoyed it because as a non-Christian, I got to anticipate what was to happen next.
We took pictures with the newlyweds and Ariel dropped me off at the hotel before rushing off to office. I could have chosen to stay in my room but decided not to. Instead, I made up my mind to see what Centrepoint Sabah has to offer and probably take a stroll along Warisan Courtyard.
Stomach was feeling hungry so I headed to McDonalds along Jalan Api-api for a quick lunch. I then got a phone call from Auz saying that the three of them were nearby and asked whether I wanted to lepak with them. I replied yes and not long after, I was joined by Auz, Wan and Pozi. I persuaded them to go for a stroll along Warisan Courtyard and managed to have a quick spin in the Filipino Market (I made a mental note to return another day for shopping. Alas, that will never happen). If the guys had their way, it would be another day spent in CC (cyber café for short).
This was also the day of JJ’s church wedding to Rachel. Ariel had said that he’ll pick me up around 11 and we’ll go to the church together. Seeing that I have ample time, I walked to Centrepoint Sabah for the initial test run. I’m proud to say that I did not buy anything despite the big SALE posters and PRICES MARKDOWN everywhere in the mall. Well, the fact that I don’t like to shop while feeling that I’m being rushed is another good reason for me not to buy anything.
Ariel swung by around 5 mins to 11 and once I entered the car, he nonchalantly said that the wedding should be starting anytime soon. I was like ‘Really? I don’t like the idea of being in a bridal procession or worst, entering the church after the bride’. Luckily, the Sacred Heart Church was not that far away and by the time we parked the car, we could see the bride was getting ready to enter the main hall.
We snuck in, threw a wave at the waiting groom and waited. Oddly enough, I don’t think there was anyone else from MU in that church. Suffice to say, the hall was packed with relatives of the happy couple. I was very happy to have had the chance of attending a Christian wedding service because although I profess a different religion, I found the service to be beautiful. It was solemn but at the same time, joyful. The only part I found rather amusing was that guests were provided with a detailed programme book which was akin to the script. Well, I enjoyed it because as a non-Christian, I got to anticipate what was to happen next.
We took pictures with the newlyweds and Ariel dropped me off at the hotel before rushing off to office. I could have chosen to stay in my room but decided not to. Instead, I made up my mind to see what Centrepoint Sabah has to offer and probably take a stroll along Warisan Courtyard.
Stomach was feeling hungry so I headed to McDonalds along Jalan Api-api for a quick lunch. I then got a phone call from Auz saying that the three of them were nearby and asked whether I wanted to lepak with them. I replied yes and not long after, I was joined by Auz, Wan and Pozi. I persuaded them to go for a stroll along Warisan Courtyard and managed to have a quick spin in the Filipino Market (I made a mental note to return another day for shopping. Alas, that will never happen). If the guys had their way, it would be another day spent in CC (cyber café for short).
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Kota Kinabalu 19-23 November 2009, a recap.
While we were still studying in UM, my close-knit girlfriends and I made a promise (or what resembled it) that we’ll visit Sabah together upon our graduation. We have since graduated, years passed and that plan unfortunately never materialized for one reason or the other. I thought ‘Well, that’s it. I don’t think I’ll ever reach Kota Kinabalu!”
But hey, a friend cum senior’s wedding invitation changed that. His happy day became a good reason for us to finally see the land beneath the wind. Or so I thought.
Anyway, I grabbed the chance of having a good holiday in Sabah (and of course, attending the wedding reception) by buying my air ticket through a MAS travel fair which was considerably cheaper than its usual fare. Think it was somewhere in August 2009. I knew a short holiday is a waste so why not stay longer than the customary two nights to make the trip worthwhile? With that in mind, I opted to fly on 19th November 2009 and to remain in KK until 23rd November 2009. To me, it was a brilliant plan. We would have time to do some sightseeing, island hopping and attend my friend’s church service and wedding reception.
At that point in time, my gal pals wanted to wait for cheaper tickets so they didn’t buy. I tried to persuade them but they insisted that they could get better deals later. But three other guy friends were equally gung ho about flying to Sabah and they too bought return tickets from 19-23 November 2009. Later, I found out that another girl friend who is currently living in Penang will also be flying off to Sabah around the same time as we are. Counting on my girl friends to purchase their flight tickets in the coming months, it was set to be a fun group outing to Sabah.
Months flew and my girl friends somehow couldn’t manage to buy the flight tickets. The tickets became too expensive (no surprises there) and eventually, the discussions on our grand holiday to Sabah drew to a stop. I was disheartened but felt relieved that at least, one other girl friend is definitely going to Sabah since she has bought her flight ticket even earlier than us. Worse case scenario means we can get a twin sharing accommodation instead of renting the whole apartment.
Well, I spoke too soon. Days before our flight departure, I found out from her that her big boss (and I mean, BIG BOSS) is coming to Penang during that particular weekend! Big boss coming meant that she has to miss the trip. I was like “WTH!!!” I was not angry at her (obviously, she has to be disappointed for missing the trip too) but was indescribably furious at the sheer timing of her boss’ state visit and the way the planets are working. She can’t go and the maths couldn’t become any clearer. I was going. Alone. With 3 Guys.
Honestly, I was seriously contemplating whether I should forfeit the flight ticket (in view of the obviously lacking female companions) or do what is the only thing left to do – join the guys. The latter option was strongly supported by me considering that since I’ve told my friend that I will be attending the reception, he would have made the necessary reservations which will be a waste if I don’t turn up. I asked one of the guys who is going about it and his view was frustratingly simple -"Sure, they ffk-ed you. Pergi aje". I then told my parents about it and asked for their opinion. My parents being the open-minded people that they are were okay with me going alone. They knew I’ve bought the flight ticket and not to go because others are not going, in their words, is just plain dumb. Accommodation issue? No problem. Flash that credit card and I would have a hotel room for myself.
In the end, I flew to KK alone with the slight trepidation at the turn of events. At this point in time, there was no guarantee what other twists are in store for the rest of my trip.
[To be continued]
But hey, a friend cum senior’s wedding invitation changed that. His happy day became a good reason for us to finally see the land beneath the wind. Or so I thought.
Anyway, I grabbed the chance of having a good holiday in Sabah (and of course, attending the wedding reception) by buying my air ticket through a MAS travel fair which was considerably cheaper than its usual fare. Think it was somewhere in August 2009. I knew a short holiday is a waste so why not stay longer than the customary two nights to make the trip worthwhile? With that in mind, I opted to fly on 19th November 2009 and to remain in KK until 23rd November 2009. To me, it was a brilliant plan. We would have time to do some sightseeing, island hopping and attend my friend’s church service and wedding reception.
At that point in time, my gal pals wanted to wait for cheaper tickets so they didn’t buy. I tried to persuade them but they insisted that they could get better deals later. But three other guy friends were equally gung ho about flying to Sabah and they too bought return tickets from 19-23 November 2009. Later, I found out that another girl friend who is currently living in Penang will also be flying off to Sabah around the same time as we are. Counting on my girl friends to purchase their flight tickets in the coming months, it was set to be a fun group outing to Sabah.
Months flew and my girl friends somehow couldn’t manage to buy the flight tickets. The tickets became too expensive (no surprises there) and eventually, the discussions on our grand holiday to Sabah drew to a stop. I was disheartened but felt relieved that at least, one other girl friend is definitely going to Sabah since she has bought her flight ticket even earlier than us. Worse case scenario means we can get a twin sharing accommodation instead of renting the whole apartment.
Well, I spoke too soon. Days before our flight departure, I found out from her that her big boss (and I mean, BIG BOSS) is coming to Penang during that particular weekend! Big boss coming meant that she has to miss the trip. I was like “WTH!!!” I was not angry at her (obviously, she has to be disappointed for missing the trip too) but was indescribably furious at the sheer timing of her boss’ state visit and the way the planets are working. She can’t go and the maths couldn’t become any clearer. I was going. Alone. With 3 Guys.
Honestly, I was seriously contemplating whether I should forfeit the flight ticket (in view of the obviously lacking female companions) or do what is the only thing left to do – join the guys. The latter option was strongly supported by me considering that since I’ve told my friend that I will be attending the reception, he would have made the necessary reservations which will be a waste if I don’t turn up. I asked one of the guys who is going about it and his view was frustratingly simple -"Sure, they ffk-ed you. Pergi aje". I then told my parents about it and asked for their opinion. My parents being the open-minded people that they are were okay with me going alone. They knew I’ve bought the flight ticket and not to go because others are not going, in their words, is just plain dumb. Accommodation issue? No problem. Flash that credit card and I would have a hotel room for myself.
In the end, I flew to KK alone with the slight trepidation at the turn of events. At this point in time, there was no guarantee what other twists are in store for the rest of my trip.
[To be continued]
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Hits and misses of 2009
Before I even dare to list out my resolutions for year 2010 (which by the way, should not be fundamentally different from previous years), I think I should review my personal hits and misses of the past 12 months before closure of 2009. It’s my own list based on personal events and matters in general so please –
(a) don’t go into a tirade if some of my ‘misses’ were actually your ‘hits’; and
(b) bear in mind that this entry could be painfully long and boring.
Read at your own peril =)
[Kunming, China]
Ok, so the year started off with a bang. Won a free trip (flight and accommodation) to Kunming, China for two, courtesy of MAS. I went with my mum, this being the first trip to China for both of us. Mum was not that keen (she’s a true London aficionado. Never gotten bored of London despite various trips. Perhaps she’s waiting for the invitation from Buckingham) but since it’s free, what the heck. It was a definite go. However, the trip nearly did not materialize as MAS at that point in time, cancelled their direct flights to Kunming. Worse, they only had the cheek to inform us of the flight cancellation a week before take-off. I was absolutely furious. Wouldn’t you be the same if you’re in my position?
The powers that be were originally adamant that we could not fly to Kunming at the chosen time because they would have to place us with other airlines (read: extra expenses for them than originally thought). We stood our ground. In the end (and after countless polite calls to them), we got to fly to Kunming albeit with a slight twist. Far from the original itinerary, we were now scheduled to fly MAS to Beijing followed by a flight on China Northern Airlines (that’s the name, I think) to Kunming. As for the return flight, we will depart Kunming for Hong Kong vide China Southern Airlines before taking MAS.
That was the flight itinerary. Thank god there was no problem with the hotel. We stayed in Grand Park Kunming which was a fantastic hotel overlooking the Green Lake. Further plus point, it’s a stone throw away from the shopping district. Haha…I need not elaborate how I did extensive damage to my wallet. Oh, but I do need to point out that China has a different system when it comes to credit cards. Over here, all we need to do is swipe the card, sign the bill and we’re off right? Well, China requires every credit card holder to key in their personal code before a transaction may get approved. Mum and I spent quite some time trying to figure out our ‘personal code’ before we gave up and ended up withdrawing the yuans using our credit cards.
Food (which we thought was not a problem as Kunming supposedly has many Chinese Muslims around) became a BIG problem. We did not bring any food at all and to our horror, the Chinese Muslim restaurants are all located at the outskirts of town. The thought of travelling all the way for food didn’t appeal to our rapidly diminishing yuans and we ended up on a self-imposed diet of hotel food and stuff from a nearby Muslim bakery.
The lack of meat intake caused me to become crazy when we finally spotted a stall selling halal Chinese-styled satays. Without regard to the usual advice of being weary of local delicacies, I whacked around 9 sticks of Chinese-muslim satay the night before our departure. Mum only had 1 stick and I finished her portion as well. There’s no point in wasting, especially when one’s hungry. Everything was well until I found myself in the loo almost the entire night after we reached Malaysia. It was then that I discovered I may have become the first victim of ‘Kunming Belly’. Food poisoning led me to miss work for an additional 2 days. Talk about a good ending for a holiday!
[Marriages, kids and death]
2009 also saw 1 cousin getting hitched, 2 cousins getting engaged, 2 cousins and 2 friends becoming parents and the sudden death of a close relative. Let’s talk about my cousin’s marriage first. Hmm…I need to be extra careful here because while what I write is my personal opinion, the contents may just find their way to the unintended parties’ knowledge.
Cousin’s wedding reception was rather grand (probably because it was the first time for my aunt’s family) with a blue theme for family members. As I missed his wife’s reception in Kuching due to work demands, I was obliged to help out with my cousin’s reception. Well, let me put it this way. Weddings can be both a dream affair or a nightmare if meticulous attention is not given to the details. One needs to take care of the dais arrangements, procession of the bride and groom, seating of guests, food to be served, gifts for guests, entertainment, ushers and the list goes on and on and on. On that day, thanks to careful maneuvering on my part, I was merely the girl by the dais in charge of handing out tokens to those who had taken part in the ‘merenjis’ ceremony. Believe me, this job was way easier than that of an emcee. I was cajoled into becoming an emcee for another cousin’s wedding earlier and that experience is well, not worth repeating.
Anyway, everybody in the family including yours truly was dressed in various shades of blue in accordance with the theme. This trend of having a coloured theme wedding seems to be catching on nowadays. While it’s understandable for immediate family members to be dressed in one colour to help guests identify who are the hosts, workers and fellow guests, I do not find logic when the dais and even the bride and groom are decked in the same colour! Come on, the whole point of having a wedding reception is to be the stars of your own special day. Just look at photographs taken from such weddings. Instead of getting the proper attention, the bride and groom are lost among family members with the dais as the background. Perhaps some people like it but not me for sure. There is beauty in a sea of colours.
The aforesaid engagements and births were definitely hits of 2009. Engagements hopefully lead to happily ever afters and births produce what parents hope as beautiful and smart toddlers. Wait, let me rephrase that. Hits ONLY for the ones getting engaged or becoming parents. To me, it became bullets for well-meaning (I’m not sure how well though) people to spurt ridiculous (but expected) questions and comments. Soon enough, I heard strings of ‘when is your turn’ or ‘who’s the (un)lucky guy’ directed towards me. Obviously I had to reply to those queries lest they think I’m hiding sensational news. When I did reply along the lines of ‘Not now’ or ‘No one yet’, I did not find refuge. Instead, it led to a soft but disapproving murmurs of ‘Don’t be too picky la’ or ‘You’re not looking properly’. Hey, may I just add that we make our own choices in life? Just because some choose to marry young and have kids early does not mean that I have to follow suit.
There was also an unexpected death of a close relative. My aunt (Mum’s cousin) was fine right up until the last day before her death. We had a family gathering the night before and I remembered how my aunt sang enthusiastically. She was a good singer and she seemed to be enjoying herself very much. All of that disappeared when we received a phone call the next day. Apparently, my aunt complained of fatigue and passed away while being taken to the hospital. It was too sudden, leaving everyone reeling in the wake.
[Turning 26]
Obviously, nothing much has changed since I turned 26. Yes, it’s another year etched in my life calendar but apart from that, nothing earth shattering to be disclosed here. I’ve tried keeping the few friends that I have, tried maintaining the couple of acquaintances that I know and that’s that.
If any, one notable difference when I turned 26 is that Mum has stopped commenting how she got married to Dad when she was 25. You see, Mum would always tell my siblings and I how she never had a boyfriend during school days and yet, ended up with a better guy than the rest (haha, this is a compliment to you, Abah!). And everytime someone asked me on why I’m still single, Mum would say that she herself never had any boyfriend but still got married at the age of 25. Well, that line worked pretty well in silencing the lips before I turned 26. Until now, my parents have never actually pressured me to settle down but recently, I sensed the slight (or subtle) changes in their nuances.
It’s another a couple of months before I hit 2-7 so perhaps, I should have better things to share about in the coming months.
[Work]
Hmm…in a blink of an eye, I’m reaching the end of my second year in private practice. Frankly, I still find myself in disbelief at the thought of leaving law school in one piece and sanity intact. I can’t say life’s a bed of roses (although I can’t complain about the pay and experience) but I can say that the learning process continues. Clichéd but true. Monday blues is felt most keenly after a good weekend and when the workload gets too hectic, I could only wish that Friday night comes sooner. There were times when I felt that I should have pursued a degree in something other than law. English literature comes to mind and yet, I could never imagine myself as a school ma’am teaching a bunch of kids what Blake had in mind when he wrote the Age of Innocence or what Austen was trying to say when she made Darcy the way he is.
I’ve also made a personal choice of not entering service or judiciary. While I have the highest if not the best regards for those who opted to serve, I do not think my character goes hand-in-hand with the said professions. Having said that, I do suffer from that occasional (quite often) bouts of frustration especially when learned people use their professional position to make personal attacks. I’m bound to still address them by their honorifics but that does not stop me from uttering those words through gritted teeth while the mind runs wild with expletives. As they say, the legal fraternity is indeed a really small world. One encounter with a fellow lawyer today may turn into an appearance before the Judge the next day.
[Travel]
This is definitely a big miss for year 2009. I had originally planned for a great getaway to the UK for the later half of December 2009. My dream was to fly to London, return to Cardiff, check out Paris and if the Euro stretches long enough, to experience Amsterdam or Brussels. I had even told my firm’s partner that I intend to take a long leave for the sojourn. Alas, I did not calculate the mind of an exceptionally eager Judge who took it upon himself to steal the holiday mood of lawyers and fixed a matter for trial between Christmas and New Year. Unbelievable. The icing of the cake definitely has to be the Judge’s reply when he was informed that the last 2 weeks of December is the annual Court’s vacation. In his words (though not verbatim and not in English) – “I have nothing to do during those 2 weeks. Do you expect me to sit around?” Err… how does one respond to that? I could only stare at the Judge, speechless because whatever that I will say will only fall on deaf ears.
One surprising hit was my trip to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from 19-23 November 2009. It was initially planned as a group outing to coincide with a friend’s wedding. What was planned as an outing with fellow girlfriends did not exactly turn out the way as expected. For one reason of another, none of my girlfriends could fly to KK and I was torn between forfeiting my flight ticket or going to KK alone. As the rest of the story deserves an entry of its own, I shall stop here.
This has been a really really looonnnggg entry (even by my standard). I’m sure there were other things I have missed in which there will be a Part 2, if necessary. But just in case I do not manage to blog another entry before 2010 appears, here’s wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year!
(a) don’t go into a tirade if some of my ‘misses’ were actually your ‘hits’; and
(b) bear in mind that this entry could be painfully long and boring.
Read at your own peril =)
[Kunming, China]
Ok, so the year started off with a bang. Won a free trip (flight and accommodation) to Kunming, China for two, courtesy of MAS. I went with my mum, this being the first trip to China for both of us. Mum was not that keen (she’s a true London aficionado. Never gotten bored of London despite various trips. Perhaps she’s waiting for the invitation from Buckingham) but since it’s free, what the heck. It was a definite go. However, the trip nearly did not materialize as MAS at that point in time, cancelled their direct flights to Kunming. Worse, they only had the cheek to inform us of the flight cancellation a week before take-off. I was absolutely furious. Wouldn’t you be the same if you’re in my position?
The powers that be were originally adamant that we could not fly to Kunming at the chosen time because they would have to place us with other airlines (read: extra expenses for them than originally thought). We stood our ground. In the end (and after countless polite calls to them), we got to fly to Kunming albeit with a slight twist. Far from the original itinerary, we were now scheduled to fly MAS to Beijing followed by a flight on China Northern Airlines (that’s the name, I think) to Kunming. As for the return flight, we will depart Kunming for Hong Kong vide China Southern Airlines before taking MAS.
That was the flight itinerary. Thank god there was no problem with the hotel. We stayed in Grand Park Kunming which was a fantastic hotel overlooking the Green Lake. Further plus point, it’s a stone throw away from the shopping district. Haha…I need not elaborate how I did extensive damage to my wallet. Oh, but I do need to point out that China has a different system when it comes to credit cards. Over here, all we need to do is swipe the card, sign the bill and we’re off right? Well, China requires every credit card holder to key in their personal code before a transaction may get approved. Mum and I spent quite some time trying to figure out our ‘personal code’ before we gave up and ended up withdrawing the yuans using our credit cards.
Food (which we thought was not a problem as Kunming supposedly has many Chinese Muslims around) became a BIG problem. We did not bring any food at all and to our horror, the Chinese Muslim restaurants are all located at the outskirts of town. The thought of travelling all the way for food didn’t appeal to our rapidly diminishing yuans and we ended up on a self-imposed diet of hotel food and stuff from a nearby Muslim bakery.
The lack of meat intake caused me to become crazy when we finally spotted a stall selling halal Chinese-styled satays. Without regard to the usual advice of being weary of local delicacies, I whacked around 9 sticks of Chinese-muslim satay the night before our departure. Mum only had 1 stick and I finished her portion as well. There’s no point in wasting, especially when one’s hungry. Everything was well until I found myself in the loo almost the entire night after we reached Malaysia. It was then that I discovered I may have become the first victim of ‘Kunming Belly’. Food poisoning led me to miss work for an additional 2 days. Talk about a good ending for a holiday!
[Marriages, kids and death]
2009 also saw 1 cousin getting hitched, 2 cousins getting engaged, 2 cousins and 2 friends becoming parents and the sudden death of a close relative. Let’s talk about my cousin’s marriage first. Hmm…I need to be extra careful here because while what I write is my personal opinion, the contents may just find their way to the unintended parties’ knowledge.
Cousin’s wedding reception was rather grand (probably because it was the first time for my aunt’s family) with a blue theme for family members. As I missed his wife’s reception in Kuching due to work demands, I was obliged to help out with my cousin’s reception. Well, let me put it this way. Weddings can be both a dream affair or a nightmare if meticulous attention is not given to the details. One needs to take care of the dais arrangements, procession of the bride and groom, seating of guests, food to be served, gifts for guests, entertainment, ushers and the list goes on and on and on. On that day, thanks to careful maneuvering on my part, I was merely the girl by the dais in charge of handing out tokens to those who had taken part in the ‘merenjis’ ceremony. Believe me, this job was way easier than that of an emcee. I was cajoled into becoming an emcee for another cousin’s wedding earlier and that experience is well, not worth repeating.
Anyway, everybody in the family including yours truly was dressed in various shades of blue in accordance with the theme. This trend of having a coloured theme wedding seems to be catching on nowadays. While it’s understandable for immediate family members to be dressed in one colour to help guests identify who are the hosts, workers and fellow guests, I do not find logic when the dais and even the bride and groom are decked in the same colour! Come on, the whole point of having a wedding reception is to be the stars of your own special day. Just look at photographs taken from such weddings. Instead of getting the proper attention, the bride and groom are lost among family members with the dais as the background. Perhaps some people like it but not me for sure. There is beauty in a sea of colours.
The aforesaid engagements and births were definitely hits of 2009. Engagements hopefully lead to happily ever afters and births produce what parents hope as beautiful and smart toddlers. Wait, let me rephrase that. Hits ONLY for the ones getting engaged or becoming parents. To me, it became bullets for well-meaning (I’m not sure how well though) people to spurt ridiculous (but expected) questions and comments. Soon enough, I heard strings of ‘when is your turn’ or ‘who’s the (un)lucky guy’ directed towards me. Obviously I had to reply to those queries lest they think I’m hiding sensational news. When I did reply along the lines of ‘Not now’ or ‘No one yet’, I did not find refuge. Instead, it led to a soft but disapproving murmurs of ‘Don’t be too picky la’ or ‘You’re not looking properly’. Hey, may I just add that we make our own choices in life? Just because some choose to marry young and have kids early does not mean that I have to follow suit.
There was also an unexpected death of a close relative. My aunt (Mum’s cousin) was fine right up until the last day before her death. We had a family gathering the night before and I remembered how my aunt sang enthusiastically. She was a good singer and she seemed to be enjoying herself very much. All of that disappeared when we received a phone call the next day. Apparently, my aunt complained of fatigue and passed away while being taken to the hospital. It was too sudden, leaving everyone reeling in the wake.
[Turning 26]
Obviously, nothing much has changed since I turned 26. Yes, it’s another year etched in my life calendar but apart from that, nothing earth shattering to be disclosed here. I’ve tried keeping the few friends that I have, tried maintaining the couple of acquaintances that I know and that’s that.
If any, one notable difference when I turned 26 is that Mum has stopped commenting how she got married to Dad when she was 25. You see, Mum would always tell my siblings and I how she never had a boyfriend during school days and yet, ended up with a better guy than the rest (haha, this is a compliment to you, Abah!). And everytime someone asked me on why I’m still single, Mum would say that she herself never had any boyfriend but still got married at the age of 25. Well, that line worked pretty well in silencing the lips before I turned 26. Until now, my parents have never actually pressured me to settle down but recently, I sensed the slight (or subtle) changes in their nuances.
It’s another a couple of months before I hit 2-7 so perhaps, I should have better things to share about in the coming months.
[Work]
Hmm…in a blink of an eye, I’m reaching the end of my second year in private practice. Frankly, I still find myself in disbelief at the thought of leaving law school in one piece and sanity intact. I can’t say life’s a bed of roses (although I can’t complain about the pay and experience) but I can say that the learning process continues. Clichéd but true. Monday blues is felt most keenly after a good weekend and when the workload gets too hectic, I could only wish that Friday night comes sooner. There were times when I felt that I should have pursued a degree in something other than law. English literature comes to mind and yet, I could never imagine myself as a school ma’am teaching a bunch of kids what Blake had in mind when he wrote the Age of Innocence or what Austen was trying to say when she made Darcy the way he is.
I’ve also made a personal choice of not entering service or judiciary. While I have the highest if not the best regards for those who opted to serve, I do not think my character goes hand-in-hand with the said professions. Having said that, I do suffer from that occasional (quite often) bouts of frustration especially when learned people use their professional position to make personal attacks. I’m bound to still address them by their honorifics but that does not stop me from uttering those words through gritted teeth while the mind runs wild with expletives. As they say, the legal fraternity is indeed a really small world. One encounter with a fellow lawyer today may turn into an appearance before the Judge the next day.
[Travel]
This is definitely a big miss for year 2009. I had originally planned for a great getaway to the UK for the later half of December 2009. My dream was to fly to London, return to Cardiff, check out Paris and if the Euro stretches long enough, to experience Amsterdam or Brussels. I had even told my firm’s partner that I intend to take a long leave for the sojourn. Alas, I did not calculate the mind of an exceptionally eager Judge who took it upon himself to steal the holiday mood of lawyers and fixed a matter for trial between Christmas and New Year. Unbelievable. The icing of the cake definitely has to be the Judge’s reply when he was informed that the last 2 weeks of December is the annual Court’s vacation. In his words (though not verbatim and not in English) – “I have nothing to do during those 2 weeks. Do you expect me to sit around?” Err… how does one respond to that? I could only stare at the Judge, speechless because whatever that I will say will only fall on deaf ears.
One surprising hit was my trip to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from 19-23 November 2009. It was initially planned as a group outing to coincide with a friend’s wedding. What was planned as an outing with fellow girlfriends did not exactly turn out the way as expected. For one reason of another, none of my girlfriends could fly to KK and I was torn between forfeiting my flight ticket or going to KK alone. As the rest of the story deserves an entry of its own, I shall stop here.
This has been a really really looonnnggg entry (even by my standard). I’m sure there were other things I have missed in which there will be a Part 2, if necessary. But just in case I do not manage to blog another entry before 2010 appears, here’s wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year!
Beginning at the end
As my friend puts it, I’ve not blogged for eons. For those who actually read my friendster blog, they would know that my old blog is akin to a resting place without a tombstone, dead and forgotten (but just in case you are a new reader, I will try to link my old blog once I’m technologically fit to do so. In the meantime, I just have to rely on well-wishers’ kindness to show me the ‘how to’.)
Back to the issue at hand, I do not know how that happened. Honestly, I love to write. Writing gives me more pleasure than talking (if you’re my friend, you’ll believe this!). Talking is merely uttering words in fleeting moments while writing is capturing those words for eternity to be reflected and remembered. Aaah…can you just sense a ‘but’ is on the way? But unfortunately, I’ve been bitten by the lazy-bug syndrome far more often than I would have liked. There were many times when events happened and every single time, I would feel the urge to write about them. I wanted to remember things that made me happy, post pictures that captured certain moments in my life or rant about stuff that may be trivial to others but leaving me with a load of emotions I could not express. As you can see for yourself, that didn’t happen. At the same time, I would read (or stalk, as my sisters put it eloquently) other people’s blogs and glad (or envious) that while I was being lazy in watching life slipping by, some of us are seriously taking the effort to record snapshots of their youth and life.
With that in mind, I know we’re reaching the end of 2009. Initially, I thought of starting afresh with 2010 but then again, it may be like my previous resolutions, aimed but not achieved. So, why not start the beginning at the end? And I could do with a small but personal resolution that this blog (or entry) is certainly not the beginning of the end. It will take a considerable effort on my part but I hope I’ll be more conscientious in blogging (I am not however, claiming that I will be able to blog on a daily basis. Let us start with ‘weekly’, shall we?).
If I can’t share my life’s epic journeys (yeah, am in dreaming mode here) with you, I could at least try to give those who bother to read, a glimpse of snippets of my life.
Back to the issue at hand, I do not know how that happened. Honestly, I love to write. Writing gives me more pleasure than talking (if you’re my friend, you’ll believe this!). Talking is merely uttering words in fleeting moments while writing is capturing those words for eternity to be reflected and remembered. Aaah…can you just sense a ‘but’ is on the way? But unfortunately, I’ve been bitten by the lazy-bug syndrome far more often than I would have liked. There were many times when events happened and every single time, I would feel the urge to write about them. I wanted to remember things that made me happy, post pictures that captured certain moments in my life or rant about stuff that may be trivial to others but leaving me with a load of emotions I could not express. As you can see for yourself, that didn’t happen. At the same time, I would read (or stalk, as my sisters put it eloquently) other people’s blogs and glad (or envious) that while I was being lazy in watching life slipping by, some of us are seriously taking the effort to record snapshots of their youth and life.
With that in mind, I know we’re reaching the end of 2009. Initially, I thought of starting afresh with 2010 but then again, it may be like my previous resolutions, aimed but not achieved. So, why not start the beginning at the end? And I could do with a small but personal resolution that this blog (or entry) is certainly not the beginning of the end. It will take a considerable effort on my part but I hope I’ll be more conscientious in blogging (I am not however, claiming that I will be able to blog on a daily basis. Let us start with ‘weekly’, shall we?).
If I can’t share my life’s epic journeys (yeah, am in dreaming mode here) with you, I could at least try to give those who bother to read, a glimpse of snippets of my life.
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