30 June 2008

I am sure you have watched a lot of romantic flicks and read some novels about lovey dovey couples.

To a certain extent, some of these stories do not capture a happily-ever-after ending and for me, I would feel like strangling the author or the script-writer for destroying the plot.

Isn’t it lovely to share laughter with your love? (Image Source)

I was watching an old English film and it triggered me to cry at the ending.

This young lady, Olivia was diagnosed with Ovary Cancer and she was spared with only 3 more months to live. At first, she hesitated to reveal the truth to her boyfriend. She didn’t want to yoke him with this unbearable fact of her dying so soon. With thoughts of disappearing from her town, Olivia left a note for her beloved Mark, asking him to forget her for good before she fled to Surrey.

Mark, on the other hand, read the message the moment he came home, dashed to search for Olivia.

*To cut the story short*

Mark finally found her in Surrey. Knowing that Olivia’s days were numbered, Mark knelt on his knees as soon as he saw her. With his assuring words that he would never leave her and he took out a ring from his pocket. “Even if you have two weeks left, I would still want to marry you.” That was the exact words blurted by Mark which moved my heart.

And of course, Mark stood by her side day by day, fighting the cancer and his love was just simply overflowing for Olivia till her very last day. The saddest part was Olivia breathed her last breath while watching the scenic sunset with Mark, and her head was resting on his shoulder peacefully.

Imagine this was Olivia’s final hour with Mark (Image Source)

I am dazzled by Mark’s sacrificial and unconditional love for Olivia.

But if I were to face such situation, I would definitely go all out to support my love without any hesitation. I would love him even more as I know our days are ticking away.

Are there any man today who could be like Mark? If you found out that your girlfriend is dying soon, would you still marry her? Would you still love her as much as she was very healthy before? What would you do?

I don’t know, I am not a man.

Maybe you could tell me more!

29 June 2008

I am now in a foreign land. Not too faraway from home though.

This time, I travel not for leisure, but was sent by my company to Singapore for training. I haven’t stepped into to this kiasuland country since 17 years ago. Serious, I am not joking. The last time I was here, I was only 7 years old. I can’t remember much except for the Sentosa Island Theme Park.

Singapore Flyer

I managed to capture this shot when I was on the way to my hotel just now. The city centre is not too far away from the airport. Maybe it was the taxi-driver who was speeding away and it only took me 20 minutes to reach my hotel.

I present you the right view from perch of my hotel room balcony. A modern touch of the city skyline which I have yet to see completely.

Is it me or what? I find that there are more trees in Singapore than KL.

Turning to the left, there are less skyscrapers. But I’m mesmerized with the cleanliness of the streets in Singapore.

Thinking of the streets in Malaysia, hmmm…….

Perhaps, we should learn from the Singaporeans and be more KIA-dirty!!

28 June 2008

If you are sleeping on a queen-sized or a king-sized bed, how often would you sleep in one position only? A few of us might be, and there would be some rolling all over to sleep on every inch of the bed.

Let me introduce you some sleeping positions when you have a big bed!!

#1. An L-shaped position

It will be good to stretch your limbs.

#2. Wide-Opened position

If you want to spread yourself all over the bed.

#3. Praying Position

If you are that holy when you are asleep!!

#4. Get Someone to Sit On You

If you are afraid to fall off the bed, you get someone to sit on you. You never know if you roll too much on the bed.

What are other sleeping positions do you have when you have a big bed?

25 June 2008

Today, I am going to go personal with some emotional manifestation poured for this piece of entry. I apologize for being lengthy.

In my point of view, I just have an aversion to people who look down on me or my family members. To tell you the truth, some people do it because they think that my family has failed in their lives due to their financial crisis. Who wouldn’t fail in business? Businessmen are risk-takers. There will be risks of failing anytime. In any case, some might even think that their dependants would be affected because of their difficulties in monetary matters. Most importantly, it is how the dependants turn the crisis around and learn from it.

So don’t tell me that even though my parents faced a crisis, I can’t enjoy. I helped my parents too. My mummy and my brother are staying with me. I bet many people would choose to run away or even commit suicide. Nevertheless, I am proud that my parents faced the crisis. And their situation does not affect me because my parents stood up on their feet firmly and faced the hardship.

Yes, I will tell you how I survived and how my life was bitter-sweetly written with God’s grace.

Back in 2002 when I was studying South Australian Matriculation (SAM) in Taylor’s College, my parents struggled to defend their business and to pay for my tuition fees. I knew it would be daunting for my parents to provide solid education at that crucial point, yet my daddy said that I deserved the best education. I sailed through the 12 months of SAM, passed with an above-average result to qualify for Monash University’s Bachelor of Biotechnology.

I can still freshly recall how my daddy decided to ask UOB Bank for an education loan, in order for me to pursue the course of my dreams. I have been always yearning for a Biotechnology degree since young and my daddy just wanted my dreams to come true.

Being naïve and I thought that my parent’s business will somehow turn okay, I went on with my registration for the Biotech course in Monash, Sunway. It’s not going to be cheap to live in Sunway. The rental per month was priced at RM450 for twin-sharing. I have not included the cost of eating and miscellaneous items.

After the first 10 days in Monash, I pondered deeply. I realized I am draining away my parent’s reserved resources and knowingly that my younger brother deserved it more than me. I wrote a letter in Chinese to my mum, telling her that I will withdraw from Monash immediately. I even called up UOB Bank, and told them not to release the first semester payment to the university.

The next morning, I drove a friend’s car all the way to Nilai to browse for cheaper alternatives. I chose Nilai College over Inti College due to the difference of almost RM1,000 in the tuition fees. In Nilai, the fees was 3 times cheaper than Monash. Without hesitation, I signed up for Nilai’s (3+0) La Trobe University Australia Bachelor of Business,majoring in Marketing. Even though it wasn’t a course of my dreams, it is still a degree after all.

God’s presence was with me. Within 2 weeks, my PTPTN loan was approved and I could diminish my parent’s burden from the tuition fees. How did I survive in paying rent and food? Good question. My mum paid for the first two months. Eventually, I got a part-time job in the college as the Accommodation Office Student Assistant. It was sufficient to pay for my cost of living in the ghost town of Nilai.

As the cost of living began to rise, I needed more cash for books and some personal care stuffs. I started tutoring a 7-year old boy in the nearby neighbourhood in the evenings and “jaga kedai” for a TVB rental shop. You must be thinking that I was crazy to deal with 3 jobs and a full-time study. Thank God that He has mercy on me, I was transferred from Accommodation Office to Business Development unit to spearhead the college newsletter. At the same time, I was paid RM500 to work only for 15 hours a week. With that substantial amount, I quit the job from the TVB shop.

Life went on as usual. I have my weekly Christian Fellowship activities, I was the Australian Degree Council President. I had 2 jobs and many assignments to follow up. In the final semester, I quit tutoring to work as a part-time telemarketer in California Fitness Mid Valley. Despite having 2 major jobs, I persevered through. I survived. In the end I graduated with a proud heart. And I was only 21 years old.

With only 3 days after my final paper, I was a full-time staff with California Fitness as a junior marketing executive. I seized my chances and I performed. Enough to pay my rent and car loan installments for a Proton Iswara. 4 months later, I was offered a job with MSD, the top notch pharmaceutical company. I knew it was tough to be a medical representative, begging for sales around hospitals under my territory, but it was worth all the hard work when I see the incentives rolling into my bank account. Of course, I continued my private tutoring after office hours for side income.

I am not boasting. I managed to place a down-payment for a condo worth RM165,000 by the end of 9 months working with MSD. Now tell me, who can own a house and a car by the age of 22? Can you?

With my performance and God’s guidance in the workplace, I knew I deserve the best. I worked my ass off day and night, to pay for the things that I desire. I worked my ass of in order to travel with my friends.

I am only 24 years old this year. I have travelled to Hanoi, Bangkok, Manila, Baguio and Middle East (Israel & Jordan) for the past 2 years. I worked my ass off to deserve these trips.

At the age of 24, I am earning more than most people of my age are earning.

Thank God for opening doors of opportunities and I am happy in Becton Dickinson now.

So, please take your pair of unscrupulous and ruthless eyes away from me. If you look down on my family and myself, I will show no respect for you too.

I know how to write my life. I know how God will guide me through as long as my faith is planted firmly on His will.