Changing Mindset...Is it really difficult?

2008 is coming to an end and new chapter is beginning. I was reminiscing the year 2008 in search of anything significant events to share with readers of my blog. It is truly a challenging year for my career as I explore the new territory that will determine the destiny of my future in Distribution. I keep on asking myself if I am now ready to assume new roles and responsibilities? Many questions arise as I think about my bleak future, one thing for sure, I have yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whatever it is, I am mentally and physically prepared for the battle and I swear that I will never give up until the very last breath!

It is all abut changing mindset and the capability of turning threats to become opportunities. It is about being as objective as possible even when dealing with nonsensicality. It is about being positive, and believe that nobody could change the way I think except myself. I am the biggest enemy of myself. Have you ever wondered why people choose to be reclusive when dealing with unfamiliar situation. I think, it is a sign of inferiority complex due to the inability to adapt to the new surrounding. The mind shuts off automatically and vision confines to only things that you want to see irrespective of the opportunities available to be explored.

I too are not spared from the disease but I acknowledge the deficiency and try to overcome by facing the challenges. For those of you my friends who are suffering from the same anomaly, I have few tips that may help you to overcome your shortcomings :

1. Always move away from your comfort zone.
2. Keep on challenging yourself to achieve the impossible
3. Open your mind to embrace changes
4. Never close your door to new opportunities
5. Be objective and weigh the pros and cons before making any decision
6. Always remember that you are not any less than anybody else
7. Allah is always there to help you

So, for 2009, I will not retreat and I will face the challenges like the Spartans!

Merry Xmas Ho ho ho........

I had just come back from a Xmas party thrown by my Departmental Secretary. She is converted though, but the brother came to visit from the US. I suppose, since the brother is still celebrating Xmas, she has decided to make them as comfortable as she possibly could by hosting a Christmas Dinner for them and friends. Malaysian Hoispitality I would say.

There were lots of food from Nasi Minyak, ayam masak merah, fish sambal, dalca to Grilled Lamb, salad, garlic bread, satay, desserts, cakes and I am so bloody full. It is not even funny! Seriously! It is a good celebration and I have the opportunity to meet my former Boss plus few other old friends. Damn! The bread pudding tasted so good that I could finish off the whole serving....Plus the cookies and home made fruit cakes....So yummy that whoever declined the invitation had missed what you call GOOD FOOD! ha ha ha!

Really, it is not so much of Xmas celebration, it is the spirit of living harmoniously in a land full of diversity. Truly, I am proud to be Malaysian, where people live in peace and harmony. As the clock strikes 12 midnight, I wish everybody who celebrates Xmas....Merry Christmas, to Muslim - Salam Maal hijrah and to everybody - Happy New Year 2009. May next year will keep your spirit high and you will be blessed with Love (Mok) and happiness.....Adios!

Zoo Negara

A lonely leopard...I think it is a leopard...

The Bujang Senang of Zoo negara..waiting for preys...

A huge tortoise......

I want to be a peacock..............

This is one hell of a huge snake and beautiful as well....Looks like Anaconda though....

I was amazed by the snakes in the Zoo, making it my favourite spot as I enjoy watching them slithering their ways through the human made rocks....

Another one resting peacefully even my presence was not felt by this cute creature....

New year Resolutions!

2008 is coming to an end and I need new resolutions. I am really tired of carrying the same resolutions every year! It has become predictable and I know I would not be able to achieve much knowing my past behaviour.

I will turn 41 next year and it is high time that I seriously consider my destiny in this dog-eat-dog corporate world. Afterall, age is not on my side and I am like a woman whose biological clock is ticking vigorously fast. I better do something before I am expired!

Looking back, I can proudly say that I have achieved the goals that I have set on the day I joined MAS. Considering that I am not so politically inclined in the corporate world, I reckon that I am doing extraordinary well compared to the rest of my colleagues who are still stuck here! However, one's perseverance has a limit and I think there are other hidden opportunities which I have yet to discover in the other world!

My only wish in 2009 is to venture into an unchartered territory and who knows I may be the next person to enter Forbes 50 Richest people of the world....

Obama Won and I Miss London!

It was such an historic event last night when Obama won the race and become the President-elect for the USA. I was one of those people who got excited over the winning simply because I have so much hope for better things to come.


Instable domestic political landscape, countries in war, rising fuel cost, financial crunch....It seems that the world is in peril. Uncertainty is everywhere! When Obama won, I look back to his promises made during campaigning ~ with regards to his foreign policies and his promise to review and mend the ties with Muslim countries which show us some lights at the end of the tunnel. I also wish that the stimulus package to salvage the ever declining economy state of the USA will help to keep recession at bay so at least country like Malaysia, which relies heavily on bilateral trade with the USA can minimise the impact of the economy crisis!


While watching BBC that night on Obama historic winning, my attention suddenly caught the city of London at the background. Suddenly, I miss London so greatly! The last time I was there was last year in Summer. Normally, London will be my annual ritual, I have never missed going to London since 2003. I remember strolling the Oxford Street, Marble Arch and walking like a mad man in London since I normally have only one day to buy all the stuff in my list. I also remember visiting my favourite Malaysian Restaurant at Mara Building where I can get a complete meal comprising of rice, meat and vege at GBP5.....

Well, I seldom travel now and if plan to do so, London will definitely be high on the list as the conversion of MYR to GBP is very favourable now.

4 Nov 2008

The date is so significant as it is the USA Presidential Election. Well, technically it is yet 4 Nov in the USA due to the time difference.

It will be an interesting election as I watch it closely. So whose gonna win? Obama or McCain? Why is it so important? To me, it will affect not only the world political landscape, but also the world economy. Obviously, if Obama wins, there would be policies change, for the better, I hope. We have been living in such an instable worldwith wars, financial crisis, pollution, I am just getting fed up!

If Obama wins, he will be the first African-American President for the USA. In a melting pot country like the USA, where the indigineous race are almost insignificant, I reckon that it is not an issue. Afterall, American civilization started long long time ago. So a first black president may gives the USA a different perspective in the way they see things. I am sincerely hoping that the bilateral relationship between Islamic and Western countries to improve. There will be lots of good things to come if this is achieved.

Back in my home country, Malaysia, the UMNO election is also significant as it will chart the ways how this country will be managed next year once the reigning Premier steps down in March 2009. I sincerely hope that these two significant event will provide a twist of changes to the current political and economy climate of the world.

The 80's That I know

I was listening to Hot FM on my way to the office this morning and the the DJs were reminiscing the 80's with loads of songs from that era. They even get calls from the people who grew up in 80's to relate stories and memories during that period.

To me, it as an emotional journey back to the 80's listening to all the songs that I was familiar with when I was growing up as a teenager. I almost drowned in a flood of emotions as each songs took me down that memory lane. Songs like Kepulangan - Razis Ismail, Jejaka Idaman - Raja Ema, Sekadar di pinggiran - Francisca Peters....They bring back those feeling of good old days when things are less complicated and pretentious.

Well, today I wish to highlight some of the important events that happened to me through the 80's :

1980 - My mother followed step dad to further his study in London and I stayed back with my Grandpa in Tawau. I remembered sending her off at the airport and cried hysterically when my mother boarded the aircraft. I was almost 12 then, and I remember that my grandpa resorted to cook me my favourite chicken meal just to pacify me. It was a terrifying incident and I was traumatised for almost a month! End of that year, I received a scholarship from the Sabah Foundation to continue my study in Kelantan. Surprisingly, my grandpa allowed me to further my study alone in a foreign land!

1981 - I went to Kelantan in early January together with hundredths of other Sabahan students and that was the first time I took a ride on the A300 of Malaysia Airlines. I quietly promised myself that I will strive to learn harder so I can get a job with MAS. It was a tough year for a 12 year old kid having to adapt in a foreign land as well as to compete with the creme de la creme in Kelantan. Well, I come from a small town in Sabah where there are hardly any competition to me in school apart from one Chinese girl that I could not topple from the no. 1 spot. By the way, I won a silver medal for the 4 X 100m where I was the 2nd runner in the team. I forgot to tell you that I was also the finalist of the 100m final for boy below 13 and I came out 5th or 6th, blame it on the gun. I was freaking out with the gun used by the referee.

1982 - I was in form 2 and I felt a bit older as I now have juniors in form 1 and I started to have penchant over English songs. I was listening to variety types of musics and the one that I remember the most was from Scorpions - When the smoke is going down. My other colleagues were listening to mostly metal rock songs which I found to be extremely loud, rebellious and could be anti-semantic. No wonder most of my friends who listen to this type of songs always end up in the Disciplinary Teacher's room. Well, I have no issues listening to those songs except the noise produced from the music exceeded the permissible decibel level that human being can tolerate. At least I thought so!

1983 - SRP year...I aimed to get the best ever results as I was making good progress in a tough boarding school environment. It was the year where Michael Jackson becoming an so popular that everybody wear that low hanging tight pants and dual colour shoes! I was listening to Thriller, Billy Jean, Beat it, David Bowie - Let's Dance, The Police - Synchronicity, Every Breath You Take, Nena - 99 Red Balloons (one hit wonder) and lots more. Despite my interest, I obtained 8As for my SRP - 5 A1 and 3 A2. Not bad for a boy from rural area. By the way, I was elected as the School Librarian - despite not being a nerd! How elusive it was!

1984 - I decided to enrol myself in the Science Stream and started learning Chemistry, Add Maths, Biology, Physics apart from the other compulsory subjects. That was the year the school constructed a computer lab and we get our first Apple computer! Study was so so and I try to be more relax after slogging myself out in 1983 with SRP books. After all boys also wanna have fun....That year was the introductory year to music from Madonna - Like a virgin, Cyndi Lauper, Whams & George Michael - Careless Whsipers. I listen more to top of the pop and I started to develop liking towards UK's musics. My favourite group was Duran Duran, New Orders, Spandau Ballet, Kajagoogoo, Ultravox, Rick Ashley, Lionel Ritchie - Hello and many more. By the way, I was awarded with the best student for Geography in 1983 SRP. That was an achievement! Not bad! I took Bahasa Arab for SRP although I was in form four and as I have predicted, I failed the subject - what do you expect when I was the first one to get out from the exam hall after 30 minutes and wrote the essay in BM although I wrote the in Jawi!

1985 - It was the SPM year - I have to slave myself again with books and notes. The subjects are getting harder and I also have to sit in for my 1119 English, a paper from the UK. I was quite sluggish in my study and I was also fighting with my inner feelings. Having live in Kelantan for several years, that was my last year before I enter college for higher learning. I knew that my time in Kelantan will be up after the SPM examination. I was battling with my emotions - I have to leave behind friends, foster family, brothers and sisters. I listened to less number of musics as I was behind in Add Maths and Physics. Then the big day came and I tried my best. The rest I leave it to God! By the way, I did well in the trial to be called for an interview by JPA for a scholarship to further my study abroad.

5 years of memorable experiences with blood, sweat, joy and fun in Kelantan. I will never ever forget those experience as it helps to shape up my career now. I ended my episodes in kelantan and continue my journey to the college in Shah Alam. by the way, I obtained 1st Grade for my SPM - 1 A1, 1 A2, 5 C3, 1 C4, 1 C5 (I obtained P7 for my 1119, pass but not outstanding). My next entry will talk about my years in the KPP/PPP and the USA.