Happy Independance Day

I was initially going to post today's entry in Malay, but then I realised that my Malay was certainly "manyak men-chia-lat-kan" (horrendous, so to speak), so I'm not even going to bother trying.

My beloved country achieves 48 years of independance today. In my years of life, I have been to many countries, and stayed in a few for a longer period of time than just mere holidays. As much as I enjoyed myself overseas, I cannot help but feel a swell of pride and belonging everytime I come home.

Malaysia is a land of opportunities, and what we call "tanah bertuah" (that's "lucky land", in Malay). Someone once told me, in jest, that if he were to spit watermelon seeds anywhere on Malaysian soil, that's where the watermelons will grow. I can't help but think that it is true. We are spared from major natural disasters (of course, I shall not go into the haze situation in Malaysia; after all, I'm supposed to sing praises about my country today ;)), we have lovely beaches, and most of all, we have the best food any other country can offer.

Here's to you, Malaysia Tanahair-ku, to 48 years of glorious independance, and to many more years to come. Of good things. Of cabbages and kings (sorry, I couldn't help it *grin*).

Selamat Hari Merdeka.

Going Down Memory Lane

This song was introduced to me in 1998. I have not heard it in a long, long time. I recently came upon the song, and whilst playing it, it brought back a lot of memories. Even though this song no longer means anything more to me than a distant bittersweet memory, I'll share it here, for old times' sake.

めぐり逢い (Meguriai by Chage & Aska)

この願い　誰かこの願い
いつまでも　鍵が掛からない

いいさこの出逢い　こんなめぐり逢い
今度ばかりは　傷も扉をくぐった

差し出す指に君は指でかえした

恋で泣かした人と　恋で泣かされた人
同じ罪を振り分けてもいいね　いいね

この手離さない(ふたりは)　星の地図はない(迷わない)
言葉じゃもう　引き返せない

そして最後に(この瞳を)　許されるなら(終わるなら)
思い出すなら　最後に君がいい

すべてにはぐれても　ふたりひとつ

乗り遅れたバスを　見送る人を見よう
ふたりここで　揺られながら

どんなに暖めても　孵化りそこないの勇気がある
形にならない美しさは　夢から覚めれば切なくて

乗り遅れたバスを(恋を)　見送る人を見よう(渡ろう)
ふたりここで(めぐり逢いに)　揺られながら(ふたりここで)

恋で泣かした人と　恋で泣かされた人
同じ罪を振り分けてもいいね　いいね　いいね

この願い　誰かこの願い
いいさこの出逢い　こんなめぐり逢い‥‥

Click here to listen.

Forgiveness

I never did understand why Elton John thought that "sorry seems to be the hardest word", when "I forgive you" is so much more difficult to say ... and mean.

Patience Is A Virtue

I learnt a very valuable lesson on patience today. Someone once said, "good things come to those who wait". No thanks to my impatience, I (almost) lost something very precious to me.

If only I have waited. A damning lesson to learn indeed :-(

To you whom I have hurt due to my thoughtlessness, I'm sorry. No words can express my deepest regret. I wish, evermore, that things were as before.

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering you own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew. - St Francis de Sales

Quote Me Not (4)

We like because, we love although

The Price of Beauty

I just spent 4 hours in the hair salon; I had my hair straightened. Granted, my hair's been coloured, permed, straightened, recoloured...you get the picture. I'm not all that bothered about the quality of my hair anymore, not after the first hair colour job. Y'know, there is something about gettin' your hair coloured for the first time ... hmmm ...

Ahh...but I digress. The point was that I was on my bum the entire time my hair was subjected to the hair straightener. Not to mention my scalp had been burnt several times with the iron too. Of course, I come out of the salon with my hair in a better shape than it was before I walked into the salon.

This got me thinking ... what is the price of beauty we women endlessly pay in order to look good? Albeit a hefty sum, what I paid for my hair job is trivial compared to what other women have paid to look good. And it's not just a matter of money when it comes to cosmetic makeovers; it's the time and energy these women invest in order to keep their skin tight, bust firm, skin cellulite-free, etc. Botox (cow poison??), nip 'n' tuck, liposuction, collagen injections, etc ... are they all worth it? At the end of the day, why are we so worked up about how we look? Are we simply subjecting ourselves to such a plight to impress the opposite sex? Although I must admit, the confidence of a woman does improve when she looks good (or even thinks that she looks good).

Men are not spared from the need of cosmetic makeovers. They are seemingly interested in getting their fair share of the scalpel and needle too. I guess crow's feet do not avoid the men too, huh?

I sometimes wonder, if I have that amount of money to spare, would I get a cosmetic makeover? A smaller nose, smaller hips, or a bigger bust? Sounds tempting, huh? Still, I'd prefer to age gracefully rather than end up another Joan Rivers.

Having said all that, I have to say, I only spent 4 hours at the salon today, which is little, compared to the previous times I was at the salon (record time was 8 hours). Call me shallow, but I came out of the salon feeling pretty good, despite having to nurse a sore rear.

Heh.

40 Things I'd Like To Say Out Loud At Work

1. "I can see your point, but I still think you're full of s**t."

2. "I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce."

3. "How about never? Is never good for you?"

4. "I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public."

5. "I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way."

6. "I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

7. "I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message."

8. "I don't work here. I'm a consultant."

9. "It sounds like English, but I can't understand a damn word you're saying."

10. "Ahhh...I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again."

11. "I like you. You remind me of myself when I was young and stupid."

12. "You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers."

13. "I have plenty of talent and vision. I just don't give a damn."

14. "I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth."

15. "I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you."

16. "Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view."

17. "The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist."

18. "Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental."

19. "What am I? Flypaper for freaks!?"

20. "I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant."

21. "It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of Karma to burn off."

22. "Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial."

23. "And your crybaby whiny-assed opinion would be...?"

24. "Do I look like a people person?"

25. "This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting."

26. "I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left."

27. "Sarcasm is just one more service we offer."

28. "If I throw a stick, will you leave?"

29. "Errors have been made. Others will be blamed."

30. "Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed."

31. "I'm trying to imagine you with a personality."

32. "A cubicle is just a padded cell without a door."

33. "Can I trade this job for what's behind door #1?"

34. "Too many freaks, not enough circuses."

35. "Nice perfume. Must you marinate in it?"

36. "Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done."

37. "How do I set a laser printer to stun?"

38. "I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted a salary."

39. "Who lit the fuse on your tampon?"

40. "Oh I get it... like humour... but different!"

Upcoming Family Day

The place where I'm working at is having a Family Day next Sunday. Apparently the last time the company had had such an event was five years ago. I thought the tradition died as time went by. I wonder what brought it back.

I could vaguely remember the last time I went to such an event. I was about 5 years old. Remembered tagging alongside my parents, hiding behind Mumsy's leg, shy to everyone else. I couldn't recall much of what happened that day, except that there were a lot of kids running about, pushing it each other, crying when they "lost" their parents in the crowd. Oh yes, I also had to call my parents' friends "Aunty" and "Uncle" the entire event. Not a whole lot of fun, if you ask me.

What's with the idea of even having a Family Day? A day of interaction with other colleagues and their families outside of the office? (a pretty silly concept, really, since the event will still be held at company premises) Or simply an event to show the company's "softer" side? Either way, I got suckered to get involved. The whole department did. Still, it's going to be a sight, seeing the "halo-ed" managers get down and dirty with the games and all *grin*.

Family Day. It could be fun this time. I shall remain optimistic ;)

Bad Traffic

The traffic home from work today was absolutely horrendous. What normally takes me 20 minutes or so to get home, took me 45 minutes today! Plus, the teeny cars and motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic did NOT make it any easier for my building frustrations, stuck in my car, on the road. ARGH!

The government recently came out with an advertisement, requesting the public (who drives) to give way to the motorists on the road. Its slogan was “We Want to Get Home Too” (or something along this context).

Hell, so do we. Is it so difficult to just get OUT of the way?!

Geez.

Creationism vs. Evolution vs. Contradictionism (II)

Ah, more parodies of the Bible.

Creationism vs. Evolution vs. Contradictionism: The Secret Untold Story II

Stay tuned for Part III.

Book Baton

I've been given the book baton via Friendster; thought I'd pass it here instead.

Total Amount of Books:

Oooh ... this is a toughie. I have a LOT of books, dating back to my childhood days. I must have over a hundred books! Too precious to me to give away.

Last Book Purchased:
The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn

Last 5 Books Read:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K Rowling
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend
Do You Remember The First Time by Jenny Colgan
The Money Book

Reading Right Now:
Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less by Jeffery Archer

Passing The Book Baton To:
Cousin B
Cousin K
Cousin J
Adrian

When Things Change

Lately, I've been going through a turmoil of emotions, which I cannot control. Call me hormonal and paranoid even, but somehow, I feel that things around me have changed. The people around me has changed, circumstances are different. The warmth I used to feel is gone, which leaves me in a ball of confusion. I just don't understand.

And then I started to think, was it me who changed? Did I bring upon these changes? Or, is everyone and everything else just the same? What did I do wrong? Why the sudden feelings of insecurity?

Day after day, I feel the walls closing in on me. I wake up to the world in a facade, which is exhausting. In the depths of the night, in the comfort of my room, I remove the mask.

And all I see is an empty shell.

I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar

40 Reasons Why It's Wonderful To Be A Woman

1. When a ship sinks, women (and children) get off first.
2. A woman can hug her best friend without worrying she'll think she's gay.
3. Women can talk to attractive members of the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.
4. A woman can never be blamed if it's wet on the floor around the toilet bowl.
5. If a woman cheats on her spouse everyone will assume it's because she was being emotionally neglected.
6. Women are capable of doing at least two different things to a passable standard at the same time.
7. Women live longer than men.
8. Women know how to cover up spots and other facial blemishes.
9. If a woman inexplicably disappears for two weeks, one of her friends will notice.
10. Women mature earlier than men (some men never mature at all).
11. There are times when chocolate is really the answer to all woman's problems.
12. Women don't feel uncomfortable with gay waiters or hairdressers.
13. A woman can fully assess a person just by looking at their shoes.
14. Women know the truth about whether size matters...
15. A woman can take a drive without trying to beat her best time.
16. If a woman forgets to shave, no-one has to know.
17. Women are capable of going longer than five minutes without thinking about either sex or football.
18. Women never lust after a cartoon character or the central figure in a computer game.
19. Women can be groupies. Male groupies are stalkers.
20. Women can cry and get off a speeding ticket.
21. A woman can get a whole new lease on life just by changing her lipstick.
22. A woman can congratulate her team-mate without ever touching her rear.
23. Women don't have to worry about catching anything important in their zipper.
24. If a woman says something stupid, most men will just think she's cute.
25. Women can admit to others when they've made a mistake
26. If a woman cries, she's sensitive; if a man cries, he's a wimp.
27. Women know who their children are without having a DNA test.
28. It's cool to be a daddy's girl. It's sad to be a mummy's boy.
29. Women can wear platforms - which is why there is no such thing as a short woman's complex.
30. Women can watch one TV channel at a time without getting bored.
31. Women have total control over their eyebrows.
32. Women can get drunk quicker and cheaper than men.
33. A woman's friend won't try to persuade her to get a tattoo while she's drunk.
34. A woman won't drive to Hell and back before she asks for directions.
35. Women aren't covered with hair like shag carpeting.
36. Woman don't feel threatened if their partner earns more than they do.
37. For women, a new season means a whole new wardrobe.
38. Women know exactly what buttons to push to get exactly what they want.
39. Women don't think reading the manual is a betrayal of all their species stands for.
40. Women can keep pot plants alive for more than a week.

Nip & Tuck, Anyone?

Gives a whole new meaning to Botox, eh?

Weekend At KL

Had a great weekend in KL. Even though I didn't manage to get what I wanted in KL (a couple of dresses and a pair of shoes for a friend's wedding), I still managed to bleed quite a lot of money. Had lots of fun with my cousins. Methinks I'm getting old; I couldn't even last no more than a few hours of shopping! Sigh. Plus I think I may have put on an extra kilo or two, given the amount of food I had during the weekend. Double sigh.

Didn't buy much stuff this time, compared to my last trip to KL last year (I went with a bag, and came back with an extra box!). Bought a few tops (Mid Valley), a book (MPH), bedlinen and miscellaneous items (IKEA). Guess I'll feel the pain when the credit card statement arrives next month, eh? *ouch*

Went to a club in KL where a live jazz band was playing. The music was fabulous, the drinks were good (my Cosmopolitan and Long Island Iced Tea did not go in too well; I came back pretty wasted), and the atmosphere was fantastic. We were dressed to kill that night *wink*.

Cousins dear, I had a great time during the weekend. Let's do this again soon *grin*

Quote Me Not (3)

To someone I know:

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

;)

Something to Share

I came across this blog when I was blog-surfing. Waiterrant tells of his tales as a waiter at a bistro in New Jersey. Witty and hilarious.

Check it out.

Off to KL

I'm off to see my cousins in KL tonight. Will be there for the weekend. You know what that means.

Shopping, baby!!

Lord, please save me from IKEA. Amen.

Blog Addict

Uh-oh ... this could be telling me something.

Hmmm.

Magic Pill

A new pill to help cope with the stresses of modern life *wink*

Winds of Change - Haze in Penang

Wowee for KL residents as the hazey condition there is finally improving.

Unfortunately, the winds have blown the haze up to Penang, and it's really bad up here now. It's affecting me badly too; my eyes are red and watery, no thanks to the smog, parched throat and itchy nose. It doesn't really help to stay indoors in an air-conditioned area because one can still smell the smoke. Protective masks are selling like hot cakes at pharmacies. I have not gotten mine yet though.

Guess this entire weekend will be spent indoors.

Sigh.

Creationism vs. Evolution vs. Contradictionism (I)

Try explaining the Bible this way.

Creationism vs. Evolution vs. Contradictionism: The Secret Untold Story I


Stay tuned for Part II.

To the USA, With Love

In light of my previous post, here's a joke to share.

To the citizens of the United States of America:

In the light of your failure to elect a proper President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy.

Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair, MP for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a minister for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up "aluminium". Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how incorrect your pronunciation has been. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour', skipping the letter 'U" is nothing more than laziness on your part. Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters.

You will end your love affair with the letter 'Z' (pronounced 'zed' not 'zee') and the suffix "ize" will be replaced by the suffix "ise". You will learn that the suffix ”burgh” is pronounced “burra”, as in Edinburgh. You are welcome to re-spell Pittsburgh as 'Pittsberg' if you can't cope with correct pronunciation.

Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary". Using the same twenty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. Look up "interspersed". There will be no more 'bleeps' in the Jerry Springer show. If you're not old enough to cope with bad language then you shouldn't have chat shows. When you learn to develop your vocabulary then you won't have to use bad language as often.

2. There is no such thing as "US English". We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of "-ize".

3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard. English accents are not limited to Cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier).

You will also have to learn how to understand regional accents - Scottish dramas such as "Taggart" will no longer be broadcast with subtitles. While we're talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is "Devon". If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become "shires" e.g. Texasshire, Floridashire, Louisianashire etc..

4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the good guys. Hollywood will be required to cast English actors to play English characters.
British sit-coms such as "Men Behaving Badly" or "Red Dwarf" will not be re-cast and watered down for a wishy-washy American audience who can't cope with the humour of occasional political incorrectness.

5. You should relearn your original national anthem, "God Save The Queen", but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get confused and give up half way through.

6. You should stop playing American "football". There is only one kind of football. What you refer to as American "football" is not a very good game.

The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays "American" football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like nonces). We are hoping to get together at least a US rugby sevens side by 2005.

You should stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the 'World Series' for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.15% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls' game called "rounders" which is baseball without fancy team strip, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.

7. You should declare war on Quebec and France, using nuclear weapons if they give you any merde. The 97.85% of you who were not aware that there is a world outside your borders should count yourselves lucky. The Russians have never been the bad guys. "Merde" is French for "****".

You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because we don’t believe you are sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you will require a permit if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

8. July 4th is no longer a public holiday. November 2nd will be a new national holiday, but only in England. It will be called "Indecisive Day".

9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.

All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts. You will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips. Fries aren't even French; they are Belgian though 97.85% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium.

Those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called "crisps". Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat. Waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.

11. As a sign of penance 5 grams of sea salt per cup will be added to all tea made within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this quantity to be doubled for tea made within the city of Boston itself.

12. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all, it is lager. From November 1st only proper British Bitter will be referred to as "beer", and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as "Lager".

The substances formerly known as "American Beer" will henceforth be referred to as "Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine", with the exception of the product of the American Budweiser company whose product will be referred to as "Weak Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine". This will allow true Budweiser (as manufactured for the last 1000 years in Pilsen, Czech Republic) to be sold without risk of confusion.

13. From December 1st the UK will harmonise petrol (or "Gasoline" as you will be permitted to keep calling it until April 1st 2005) prices with the former USA. The UK will harmonise its prices to those of the former USA and the Former USA will, in return, adopt UK petrol prices (roughly $6/US gallon - get used to it).

14. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.

15. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.

Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).

Thank you for your cooperation.

No Brits nor Americans were harmed in the making of this joke.

All Things British

It's a slow and quiet afternoon. Thought I'd post something lest lethargy hits me in full swing and I fall asleep on my desk. By the way, NEVER listen to classical music in the afternoon. It's a surefire method to send you off to dreamland (not too good if your boss is around, eh?).

It's been a rather quiet week for me, both at work and home. No plans for the weekend either. It'll probably be another lazy weekend for me. A couch potato, perhaps? I have run out of shows to watch though. Sigh.

I've been scouring the shops to find good British comedies or sitcoms, but to no avail. Sadly, people are just soaked in too much American culture to appreciate the dry humour and satire of the British. You like the sitcom FRIENDS? Try Coupling. I watched an episode on the plane from Japan bound for home. Let's just say, the person who sat next to me wasn't at all pleased at my shaking with mirth, trying hard not to laugh out loud. Another sitcom to recommend would be My Family, which will make you fall off your seat laughing (I sure did!). And who could forget Black Adder? Simply hilarious!

Anyone out there who has any of these, who can graciously lend me shall be properly rewarded.

TGIF, people.

Reasons to Quit Dieting

Ladies, we can finally stop torturing ourselves.

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Dieting Forever


Haagen Daz anyone?

Quote Me Not (2)

It's hard to soar like an eagle when you're working with turkeys - Jerry Dey

I Feel Blue

It's that time of the month again.

Ever Wondered ...

... if Robin Hood takes from the rich and give to the poor...then wouldn't that make the rich the poor and the poor the rich and then he would have to steal from the rich (who were poor at first) and give to the poor (who were the rich at first)?

Hmmm ...

Before Your Love

I'm currently listening to this song (I am now a Kelly Clarkson fan, thanks to cousin B who kept putting up her songs on her blogs, which got me hooked on the songs ever since I bought the Breakaway album :p)


I wonder how I ever made it through a day
How did I settle for a world in shades of gray
When you go in circles all the scenery looks the same
And you don't know why and I looked into your eyes
Where the world stretched out in front of me and I realized

I never lived before your love
I never felt before your touch
I never needed anyone to make me feel alive
But then again, I wasn't really living
I never lived, before your love

I wanted more than just an ordinary life
All of my dreams seemed like castles in the sky
I stand before you and my heart is in your hands
And I don't know how I survived without your kiss
'Cause you've given me a reason to exist

And I don't know why
Why the sun decides to shine
But you breathed your love into me just in time

-Kelly Clarkson

Click here to listen.

Of Teacups and Dishpans

Read this somewhere ...

I know you little,

I love you lots,

my love for you could fill ten pots;

fifteen buckets,

sixteen cans,

three teacups,

and four dishpans.

Nothing says "I love you" more than a couple of cling-clang pots and pans, eh?

My Office Desk

Cousin B complained that I have not been updating my blog. Since I don't have anything remotely interesting to write about (I DO have quite a boring life), and that I'm at work now, I guess I'll write this.

Items on my work desk:

1. Desktop computer, with headphones hanging off the CPU
2. A manky mousepad
3. Stationery holder, with bits of pens and pencils sticking out
4. Floppy disks (passe, but still useful for transfer of teeny files)
5. Clorets mints
6. Two desk calendars (an ugly one given by a vendor, and a cute one with pictures of puppies on it) - for the love of me, I don't know why I need two calendars
7. Post-Its - used for sticking reminders all over my monitor, and also for taking messages for my colleagues (for you lot reading this, I AM NOT YOUR SECRETARY!!)
8. Two scientific calculators - I was given a fancypants one, which unfortunately, I have no idea how to use
9. Small teddy bear, a gift from someone very dear to me
10. Big handheld fan, brought back from Japan
11. Files and documents
12. A small pink thingamajig that resembles a small purse, which I hang in front of me, (a souvenir from an ex-colleague who went to Hadyai)
13. Small box of tissues which has Looney Tunes characters on it.
14. Mobile phone
15. Thumbdrive
16. Stack of my business cards.
17. Business card holder

Not very imaginative, eh?