Another weekend came and gone

After 5 working days, weekends are the moments that I always longing for. My weekend is almost over, what have I done?

Catching up with friends, shopping, sleeping, cleaning & surfing net are my most common activities of my weekends.

How many weekends do I have? It’s just like a cycle! Work – Rest – continue working again!

I m just getting bored of it! Perhaps, this weekend I am just too free … or perhaps I m starting to feel sick of running in the circle …

I was talking to a Taiwanese friend that I met during my NZ time couple of days ago, she told me that I should go to Australia for another backpacker trip… I am tempted to go but I’m not ready to hit the road again so soon. Backpacker life has a mission but without direction, north, south, east & west can be my home.

There are too many things I wanted to achieve in Malaysia before I step out from my homeland. Perhaps it is time to saving money for a bigger backpacker plan!

It’s time to wake up and make a bang in my life again! Let me think what will my next life destination…

YOU get to choose what you want to do with your life, how YOU want to live it and decide what kind of emotion YOU want to live in!

Miley Cyrus - The Climb

This song was played quite often lately at OneFM in the morning. It is really an encouraging song to welcome the day! No matter how bad the day is, just let this song keeps playing ...

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside
my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's
always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the
other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances
I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna
remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make
it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody's gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the
other side
It's the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa
TO LISTEN

~ Sometimes, happiness can be very simple but sometimes happiness is just out of reach no matter how hard we try ~

Huka Fall still in my memory?

Today, when I was cleaning some of the photos in my camera I found

this video. Looks like I still unable to remove the ‘NZ memory’, the

video was taken a year ago but it is still in my camera.

Huka Fall, New Zealand, another awesome waterfall in North Island.

Nice blue water flowing …

Love the tranquility at the highway.

The speed of the car passing through the green palm oil plantation and hill were great. The rush of calmness and the surge of inspiration gave me some quiet and peaceful moment. Moreover, going back to Ipoh is always a moment I longing for. It has becomes a routine for me to go back once a month and usually I never fail to do it.

Whenever I am at home, I lost my 'mission bible'. I can't think clearly and all I want is to enjoy and I definitely not in working mode no matter how hard I tried.

Perhaps, it is good that I stay away from my family and it's the only place I can think clearly about my goal and future.

“Runaway” was the song in my head

It was almost a year since I came back from NZ, I still bombarded with questions when friends found my adventures at NZ. My story telling moments never ends. Some were stunned by my action while some just envied on what I did. I have answered this question many times, I lost count of it. “What’s make u want to runaway from Malaysia became a solo backpacker for 6 months?” Just imagine if I continue to stay in the comfort zone for another 6 months, doing the same thing and living in the same environment, maybe I will have a greater height in my career. While my short 6 months life in NZ, I encountered and experienced so much; happiness, sadness, loneliness and hopelessness. I have seen through so much and stretch myself to the maximum limit by throwing myself in a place full of stranger and taking step by step to live like them, eat like them and work like them. I can never be one of them but I can at least try to experience to be just one of them.

There were times, I walked past the breezy cold streets every single thing was a stranger to me. I knew no one and I had no one there. It was the tiny yet strong will that made me to move on and embraced the moments.

In the end, I lost something and I gain something. It's hard to make a decision that goes against what everyone else in my life wants me to be, but everyone is entitled to make their own decisions. This decision had made me to become a better person.

The greatest side achievement is to be able to encourage friends to do the same, if I can do it they can do it too. I feel proud to have another friend is following my footstep.

welcome to the uncertain backpacker life! Life was like a roller coaster, no planning, no idea how long u will stay at that place, uncertain on when will be your next destination ..

Gosh .. Talking to her makes me so tempted to do it again!

It’s hot and spicy time!

My Weekend Project – Simple Seafood curry


Ingredients:
60g Spargo Mills Mamak Seafood Curry Premix + 1 teaspoon of chili powder
200g long beans
1 tomato
1 onion
100 ml milk
100 ml water
200g fish
200g prawns

Work and Holiday visa in Australia for Malaysian

Finally in Feb 2009, Australia has allowed Malaysian to apply for Work and Holiday visa. If they have implemented this a year earlier, most likely that I had landed in Australia instead of New Zealand.

http://www.imi.gov.my/eng/perkhidmatan/im_WorknHoliday.asp

http://www.australia.org.my/klpr/visa_462.html

The requirement is stricter than the holiday working visa for New Zealand, but it is still worth to give a shot if you never live as a backpacker life before. It will be very interesting life journey by making every corner to be your temporary home.

When I was told by a friend that the visa is available to Malaysian, I can’t hide the fact that I was a bit tempted to do it again.

Will I do it again? I can’t.. and I won’t at the moment ..
Now, I just want to pick up what I had left a year ago and concentrate on my career.

Promote yourself to get promoted

It's time of the year to do self evaluation performance review. This time, this performance review is important for me because it will impact on my probation confirmation. So, eat porridge or eat rice (chinese proverb) also depends on it.

I just hate doing this. Same goes to writing resume. First, need to list down all the accomplishments and deliverables. Got to be proud in giving compliment to myself on the achievements and even if I was not able to meet timeline, I still have to dig out some reasons for that.

Writing performance review is like digging the past and planning the future..

Moreover, have to write about something outstanding to highlight the achievements.

I am never good in writing, I just cant do it but still have to do it!

When are they going to abolish performance review process? I know it is never going to happen. I can only wish that in my dream..... good night

No point dying young

Found this article from TheStar. Most of us are blind when we are too focus in searching for our dream life and neglected our health.

Beautiful Queenstown from top, NZ

Relax and chill out. There is no point in dying young because you neglect your health in trying to earn more and more to match your desired lifestyle.

Perhaps it is time to stop and think awhile before it is too late. Life is too precious and short and yet there are so many things you wanted to achieve ...

It’s almost 2009..

This will be my last blog entry of year 2008. New year, a lot of dreams, hope and plans.

My work
Cannot do, also must do
Don’t know how to do, also must do
Insufficient information, also must do
Just do it, that’s the motto ..

If I can’t change it, I will learn to love it.

My life
Everything always has a solution..
Will spend more time for myself
I want to blog more, I want to continue to write and make blogging part of life. Blogging is an art, the space where I can put all my feelings, sentiments, wishes, desires and everything.

Life is short, enjoy the every moment of it!

Seeing each day flies, makes me feel that life is short ...

2008 is going to an end soon, last year this time I was in NZ, celebrating my Christmas there. There were no white xmas in NZ but still it was a splendid moment. Tonight, chatted with Taiwanese friend whom I got to know when I was in NZ brought back the memories of NZ.

2008, the year of challenges, it was roller coaster year for me. So many things happened in my life. I put my career castle building to a halt and I had overcome the fear to backpack solo to NZ. I ended my first job since I graduated. Now, I am working as a technical consultant. I had a more challenging work life. Only times will tell whether I like this new challenge or not. I never thought that I will return to Penang when I decided to leave this place.

2008, There were happiness and sadness.

Time passed so fast, I just hope December never comes.

In search for light

I am tired yet I am awaked. Completing my task is like swimming in the deep ocean and finding my way back to the shore… Each time I reach to the shore, the fulfillment was great and I achieved the goal to complete on time but I have no idea that I am doing the right thing ..

What do I know?

I think I know, but I don't know

I think I don't know, I really don't know

What do I know?

Nothing!

带我走 - Take me away

I am not a big fan of Rainie but I like this song 带我走 (take me away) by Rainie from her album called Not Yet a Woman (半熟宣言).

Click here to listen

☆杨丞琳☆ Rainie Yang Cheng Lin
☆词 曲:苏打绿☆


Pinyin Lyrics

dài wŏ zŏu
带我走

mĕi cì wŏ zŏng yī gè rén zŏu
每次我总一个人走
jiāo chā lù kŏu zì jĭ shēng huó
交叉路口自己生活
zhè cì nĭ què shuō dài wŏ zŏu
这次你却说带我走
mŏu gè jiăo luò jiù nĭ hè wŏ
某个角落就你和我
xiàng tŭ răng zhuā jĭn huā de mí huo
像土壤抓紧花的迷惑
xiàng tiān kōng chán mián yŭ de xiōng yŏng
像天空缠绵雨的汹涌
zài nĭ de shēn hòu jì suàn de bù fá mĕi gè bèi yĭng mĕi gè chăng jĭng
在你的身后 计算的步伐每个背影每个场景
dū yŏu fà guò de mèng
都有 发过的梦
dài wŏ zŏu
带我走
dào yáo yuăn de yĭ hòu
到遥远的以后
dài zŏu wŏ
带走我
yī gè rén zì zhuàn dì jì mò
一个人自转的寂寞
dài wŏ zŏu
带我走
jiù suàn wŏ de ài nĭ de zì yóu dū jiàng chéng wéi pào mò
就算我的爱你的自由都将成为泡沫
wŏ bù pà dài wŏ zŏu
我不怕 带我走
mĕi cì wŏ zŏng dú zì yuăn zŏu
每次我总独自远走
băo chí jiān mò bù zhòu méi tóu
保持缄默不皱眉头
zhè cì nĭ què shuō yī qĭ zŏu
这次你却说一起走
bĭ cĭ wēn róu cóng cĭ yĭ hòu
彼此温柔 从此以后
xiàng tŭ răng zhuā jĭn huā dì mí huo
像土壤抓紧花的迷惑
xiàng tiān kōng chán mián yŭ dì xiōng yŏng
像天空缠绵雨的汹涌
zài nĭ de shēn hòu jì suàn dì bù fá mĕi gè bèi yĭng mĕi gè chăng jĭng
在你的身后 计算的步伐每个背影每个场景
dū yŏu fà guò dì mèng
都有 发过的梦
dài wŏ zŏu
带我走
dào yáo yuăn dì yĭ hòu
到遥远的以后
dài zŏu wŏ
带走我
yī gè rén zì zhuàn dì jì mò
一个人自转的寂寞

dài wŏ zŏu
带我走
jiù suàn wŏ de ài nĭ de zì yóu dū jiàng chéng wéi pào mò
就算我的爱你的自由都将成为泡沫
wŏ bù pà dài wŏ zŏu
我不怕 带我走 wo```
bái Mă liū guò qī hēi jìn tóu
白马溜过漆黑尽头
cháo xì xí lái làng huā zhàn dòng
潮汐袭来浪花颤动
níng zài hăi àn jié chéng liào mò
凝在海岸结成了墨 wo~~
qiáng wēi cháo xiàng căo yuán qì qiú
蔷薇朝向草原气球
yóu chāi chuán lái yī dì căi hóng
邮差传来一地彩虹
kè zài xīn zhōng pāi dă zháo mài bó
刻在心中拍打着脉搏...
dài wŏ zŏu
带我走
dào yáo yuăn dì yĭ hòu
到遥远的以后
dài zŏu wŏ
带走我

yī gè rén zì zhuàn dì jì mò
一个人自转的寂寞

dài wŏ zŏu
带我走
jiù suàn wŏ de ài nĭ de zì yóu dū jiàng chéng wéi pào mò
就算我的爱你的自由都将成为泡沫
wŏ bù pà dài wŏ zŏu
我不怕 带我走
dài wŏ zŏu
带我走
jiù suàn wŏ de ài nĭ de zì yóu dū jiàng chéng wéi pào mò
就算我的爱你的自由都将成为泡沫 wo~~
dài wŏ zŏu
带我走


Selected Translations
场景 – scene
泡沫 - foam

Monkey Beach, Penang

Nowadays, you can hardly find unpolluted beaches in Penang, Monkey Beach is one of the treasures that we should protect it. Journey began at Teluk Bahang National Park and ended at Monkey Beach. It was an easy hike and it took about 1 and 1/2 hour hike to reach Monkey Beach. There is a sign board showing trails to take. Alternatively there is an easy way to go to Monkey Beach is by boat. No hike and no sweat. By the name of the beach, it should have a lot of monkeys but I didn’t see any monkey on that day. :)

The way of life

My lifestyle has been downgraded. Previously I stayed at apartment, now moved to stay at flat. I chose this place because it is a very strategic place for me to go to my working place. I pay almost the same amount of money to rent a room in the apartment and in flat.

The experience of staying at flat is total different from apartment. It’s good for me in a way that I am able to see the “real” kind of living lifestyle for low-income community. In the beginning it was a bit scary, but then I keep telling myself it’s going to be fine, trying to apply the “Law of Attraction” ..haha

Most of the people here (but not all) are uncivilized, love to throw ‘anything’ from everywhere even from the windows of the flat. This is a very irresponsible act, they might kill someone from the things they throw from the top!

Everyday, I will see new things on top of my car… rubbish, tissue, coffee, leftover food

On a “lucky day”, I found a packet of curry together with potatoes lying on top of my car that I had just washed it yesterday. Curry was splashed over my car. I was not extremely upset about it, I just told myself “that’s the way of their life”. How is it possible everything goes in my way?

Love it or leave it! .. For sure, I will not love this place but I will not leave too because now is not the right timing. I am waiting and it needs patience... :-)