Leaving On A Jet Plane

It’s finally confirmed. I’ll be leaving for Japan on 6 March. Received my money and air tickets today. This time I’ll not be there for the usual 2 months, but a long and weary 11 weeks. I’m all numb and unfeeling now. The dread of going to Japan for such a long period has built to such a stage where I don’t even know whether to laugh or to cry. It’s inevitable, but the thought of it has always been pushed to the back of my mind lest it bums me out when I do think of it.

I won’t even begin to tell of how much I’m going to miss home. I guess there are things which I just cannot simply let go. Yet this time, I have a feeling it wouldn't be so bad. In fact, it will be good. Because I said so.

Eleven weeks. Taking it a day at a time. This too, shall pass.

Still No Car

That's right.

Still. No. Car. I called the car dealer again today, who actually had the cheek to sound pissed at me for pestering him about my car. WTF? His voice was dripping with sarcasm when he told me that since I want the car so badly, he'll deliver the car to my house. Sure, I can keep it, but I sure as hell can't drive it around without any registration plates. Does he have crap for brains or what? Anyways, he suggested that I call his boss to speed things up, since I obviously cannot accept his pathetic explanations. I called his boss so many times, but no one picked up the phone. I knew that he had the phone with him, since the line was engaged for about 5 minutes before I finally got through to him. I'm sure that the car dealer has already informed the boss about me, because he was really apprehensive when he picked up the phone, because he kept asking who I was.

Anyways, I complained a great deal to him. With no luck, I might add. I'd only be getting the car next Monday. He guaranteed it. I should have asked him to lay down RM1000 if he doesn't deliver as promised.

Let this be a lesson to all of us. NEVER pay everything before finally getting your car. Once the car dealers received the full payment (bank loan, insurance, the works) of the car, the ball is totally in their court, and it'd be YOU pestering them from then on.

Buggers.

Bloody Proton Car Dealer

I am SO pissed off today.

I finally paid the car downpayment to the Proton car dealer yesterday. He had been pestering me day after day for it, even though I told him that I will not pay him until I see the car. Then he gave me a whole lot of bullshit about not being able to release the car without the full payment.

Fine. Whatever. So I gave him a cheque for a LOT of money yesterday, and I told him that we can go to JPJ to get the car registered, so that I can get the registration number for my car. Then he started to give me a whole lotta crap, about me pressuring him, and rushing him EVEN though he promised to deliver the car tomorrow. WTF?! I was so mad; I complained a great deal (pretty loud too; a lot of people at the office heard, which was rather embarrassing).

If I don't get the car tomorrow, someone's gonna get hurt real bad. SOMEONE!!

Grr!

What We Believe In

Funny, just the other day
I was walking down the street
Stopped into that place
You know, the one where we used to meet
Thought I heard you call my name
And I whispered on the wind
And I remember you were going,
Never coming back again

But if love is what we believe in
I'll see you in heaven's first bright star
If seeing is believing
I look into the skies and there you are
You're not that far
'Cause love is what we believe in

Looking through some photographs
From not so long ago
Right now, I'd give anything
If I had only known
I would never touch you, hold you
Or kiss your face
Feel your arms around me
Or fall in your embrace

Now love will break your heart
When you say goodbye
But love is worth the pain
And all the tears you cry

And if seeing is believing
I look into the skies and there you are
You're not that far
'Cause love is what we believe in
And you are in my heart
And our love is what I believe in.

- Jim Brickman, Destiny

My New Car

So I finally signed the papers with the bank for my new car today. Oh yeah, I'm finally getting a car of my own. It's a grey Proton Waja. I know, I know, I shouldn't have bought a Proton, but the bloody waiting list for the Perodua Myvi is a year (totally stupid). I can't afford an imported car anyway, no thanks to the bloody goverment who wouldn't lower the prices of imported cars due to promotion of our "wonderful" Malaysian-made cars. Anyways, I settled for something a little (I hope!) better than the average Proton cars available.

Another step to financial independance!

Not-too-late-a-Valentine

Barth, thanks for the lovely roses on Valentine's. I love 'em.

Always on my mind too.

Blogging On Blogging

As I read the past entries of my blog, I am filled with a sense of poignancy. There were entries which tugged at my heartstrings, which still wrenches my heart when I read them again, as I recall of the past. I actually have another blog, which I told no one about. It was a very private one, in which I wrote to pour my heart to. I stopped updating that blog last year, as I didn’t think there was any point in continuing as things were never going to be as I have hoped for. Looking back, reading all those entries once again … I believe it’s time for a closure. I shall not delete that blog, as it will always be a bittersweet memory to me.

Thus, I started this blog with the intention of just writing anything which comes to mind, yet still holding back the gory details (of course, it was also to keep up with the world who’s currently so into blogging, but that’s another story). I announced its presence on the Internet to a few close friends; however, it has become a little more public than I have hoped when the people whom I do not wish reading my blog, know of its existence. Also, it has become more of a shoutout session for me for birthdays, special occasions, holiday seasons, etc than anything else, which was not what it was supposed to be in the first place. I do not regret a single entry, but it’s time to return this blog to what it was supposed to be - a place to pen my thoughts, good or bad. A place to record happy memories. A place to bury sad ones. Also, a place to bitch about other people (so play nice *grin*). A place to rant. A place of my own.

I have a good mind to change the blog’s address to something else, but till I think of a good one, it shall remain as it is. This way, I will be able to blog without worrying about unwanted readers. Submitting its link to OneThousandBloggers was done out of a whim, which I now regret.

As a first step, I have disabled comments to this blog. I’m not sure if this erases all the previous comments left on my blog. If they are, I apologise in advance to those who have left comments on my blog – they were very much appreciated. I’m glad to have readers (especially my #1 fan – you know who you are *wink*). If you wish to comment on anything which I have written, please send me an email. You know where to reach me :)

To my readers, thanks for everything.

Friends Are Friends Forever

One of my dearest, bestest friends returns to Melbourne today. I woke up this morning, with a heavy heart and a great deal of sadness. It's not just because I'm going to miss her. The time during which she was back, I went out A LOT. Perhaps not in the frequency that other people would think (no, I did NOT go out everyday, nor party till the wee hours of the morning), but definitely a lot more than what I did the past couple of years. When we went out, just chatting, hanging out with other girlfriends whom I've either not seen in ages, or that I do not normally hang out with, it reminded me of how I used to be. Outgoing, lively, and most of all, happy. It was as though I was ME again. And I missed ME.

I missed the company of GIRLS. I've been hanging out with waaaay too many guys, most of which were my colleagues (Edit - by the way, if you're reading this right now, y'all know who y'all are, and this was not meant as an insult. I really appreciated your company. Always have, always will). I missed shopping with my girlfriends, bitching about other girls, moaning about our boyfriends, etc. I missed going out. I missed the strong, independant person whom I was two years ago. I missed the person in me who was always laughing and smiling.

To be honest, she dragged my pathetic ass out of the house to go out. If it's not because of her, I'd probably still be moping about in my room. And I thank her for that, because I finally realised how much I've changed and missed. I don't know if I'll have the strength to keep this up. But for my sake, I'll have to try. I'm not getting any younger. I'm done crying. I'm done moping. I'm done feeling sorry for myself, and for hating the cruel world. I'm just ... done.

May, the past month has been wonderful. Thanks so much. Gonna miss you a lot. I love you, and yes, you were, are and always will be my BESTEST friend in the whole wide world (except when I need a ride from Ah Siah; then ... err... the roles may change a bit. But just for a wee while, I promise! :p). All the best in Melbourne. See you in 2007, and hopefully, in Melbourne!

Oh Thank God!

Courtesy of Despair, Inc.

;)

Lovely Orchids

Received a very lovely surprise from a friend from Canada today. It was a huge bouquet of orchids! It was sent to my office. I was a tad embarrassed, but it was a very pleasant surprise. It's been quite a while since anyone's given me flowers (oops, maybe not such a good thing to reveal. Oh well :p)

Thanks, Wen, for the lovely gesture. Made my day ;)

Where's Tine?

I've finally taken a step out of anonymity and gotten myself a neat wee space at the OneThousandBloggers site. There are very few free spots left, so grab one, if you want, as soon as you can.

Can you guess where I am?

A New Look

Out with the old blog template,

In with the new!

Methinks it's time to make a few changes to the template. I'm rather sick of having to look at the putrid green background. Plus, it's easier to read black text on a white background, rather than white text on a green background. Blogger templates are rather boring, don't you think? Still, it's a lot better than some of the atrocious blog designs I've seen, especially those which use a cross as a cursor. That is bloody annoying.

I'm still thinking of maybe adding extra stuff on the site, but I don't want to clutter it. Time to scour the Internet for ideas.

Do let me know what you think.

Post-CNY 2006

So I'm back from the long CNY break (I took Thursday off too). Had a fantastic time with my cousins, albeit in boring ol' Seremban. We actually went shopping! It's not something we do at Seremban at all, but there was a new Jaya Jusco, so we thought, heck, we gotta get out of the house before we start to rot! Actually managed to get some pretty decent stuff (shoes, toiletries, etc). Oh yeah, and I bought a pair of dark red, plastic-framed spectacles. It's not something I'd normally wear, but since I could collect it within an hour (amazing, isn't it, that once, only photos were able to be ready in an hour), I thought, heck, why not? My biggest worry is that I'd look like a librarian. Or an aunt. So far, the comments had been forgiving *grin*.

The weather had been absolutely awful. In true Chinese New Year tradition, it was hot. And I mean, BLOODY hot. Five minutes after a shower, I'd want to take another one. Plus, I was food for plenty of mosquitoes. I'm now stuck with plenty of pink marks all over my arms and legs. Cursed creatures.

I was supposed to meet up with an old friend (whom I knew in Dundee) during the CNY holidays. Due to a change in plans, I had to cancel. It was such a pity too, cos I was looking forward to catching up and all that, plus he would be leaving for Australia on Friday. Shucks. Oh well, another time then.

Came back on Wednesday. Went out for dinner with 11 of my old friends from school. One of my dearest friends is getting married soon. Can't believe that one of us is getting married already! Where has the time gone? Looking at the wedding photographs (which were absolutely gorgeous, by the way), a small part of me can't help but envy her, and to wish that I'd get some of that action *grin*. All jokes aside, yeah, I wish I have someone too. I guess it's a seesaw kinda thing - one day, I'd love being single; the next, I'd be brooding for someone. Crazy, innit? After all, I'm only human.

Anyways, it's been a great deal of fun, the entire week away from work. Played a lot of mahjong, and a lot of blackjack. Won RM4 in blackjack too, which wasn't too bad (my maximum bet was 50 cents. Shut up). Cousins dahlinks, it's been great fun. Do it all again sometime soon, ya? ;)

It's back to work for me on Friday. Yay. Somehow I think it's going to be very difficult dragging my ass to work after a 6-day hiatus. Still, come Saturday, it's the weekend again. Whoopdedoo ;)