I like this quote a lot.
Let me ask you something.
If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?
If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous?
If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?
– God (Morgan Freeman) from the movie – Evan Almighty
Okay, people.
I’ve been very busy, driving around, transporting the whole family to get things done. I took UNPAID leave yesterday to spend more time with Iris who just flew back to UK this afternoon. I also took half day today to send her to the airport, together with Mummy and Pappy.
Surprisingly, I didn’t cry. I think she’s going do just fine and I know she’s in good hands…so I’m not too worried about that. My little sister is all grown up. Thanks to the exposure she gets while she’s studying overseas, I think she will slowly morph into one fine lady. Of course, the comparison did set in, when I look at myself and I look at her. I don’t know how to put it into words but it’s a feeling like your little sister has grown up but you are still the same.
Went to watch Malaysia International Fireworks Competition 2007 in Putrajaya last Saturday. It wasn’t a very good choice to be driving to Putrajaya to watch the fireworks because there is just way too many cars. Going was still fine. It was the leaving Putrajaya part which is torturing. It actually took me 3 hours to get home from Putrajaya, which normally only take an hour.
Can you imagine watching the fireworks which ended at 10:20pm and you leave immediately after that (I wasn’t even close to Putrajaya International Convention Centre – PICC – they blocked the road, which they re-opened after that, but I couldn’t get in already because I parked somewhere else (I don’t know where it is also)) . And yet, at 12 midnight, you are still stuck in Putrajaya because the traffic came to a complete STANDSTILL.
I would suggest to park somewhere other than Putrajaya. Cyberjaya would be a better option. And you somehow need to know which are the good spots so that you can see fireworks coming out from two firing zones. I only got to see the left hand side one and only the high ones. The low firing fireworks (I’m not sure if I got that grammatically correct but I cannot think now because I’m too tired) weren’t really visible.
My Internet died again last night due to my itchy hands. Iris bought a new laptop and wanted to connect to the wireless network I have at home. The thing is I don’t remember the password to this wireless network of mine….so I cleverly reset the Wireless Broadband Router, even knowing that I don’t know how to set it back again. Sometimes, you just happen to do things you know you shouldn’t do. Happens, no?
Called a friend just now which helped me to reset everything but without the wireless broadband router. I don’t really need it now since I’m the only one using the Internet. Thank you Nathan. You’re a genius and I’m going to spend you lunch.
It’s time for bed. I hope I get to blog again tomorrow, if time permits.
P/S: If you have a mini Malaysian flag glued on your car and if you drive about 120 kph to KLIA, the flag will come off, which happened to mine. I’m now flagless. *sigh*
If you have a passenger that you drive to and back from work, or just having a passenger in your car, do you tune in to your favourite radio station or you tune in to something you think your passenger would love to listen to?
it’s eleven o clock and thirteen minutes on a tuesday night and i suddenly have this sudden surge of emotion.
i want to love him. 
Today is not a very good day at work for me. I don’t know if I am morphing into a less loveable creature because lately I noticed that my temper is getting shorter. I don’t roar or clench my fist. I would still try to appear calm but inside me, it feels like my blood is boiling. My face can be an open-book sometimes when I’m really annoyed, it shows. No matter how I try to cover it, it still shows somehow. Best described as “it looks like shit”.
And it’s during times like these that I need to talk/rant/express about it in an instant. So, I go hunting for victims that are online on Windows Live Messenger and pour it all out to them. Coming to think of it, having at least one friend to listen to your cries and unhappiness is something to be happy about. I was then half-cured.
Went to watch Ratatouille with pretty sis and super mom after work, which then cured me fully. Remy, the mouse below, is very cute!
I went to watch badminton over the weekend with Mummy and Iris. The Proton-BWF World Championships Kuala Lumpur 2007 was held at Bukit Jalil. We were there to watch the semi-finals and finals. There was only one remaining Malaysian doubles team (Choong Tan Fook- Lee Wan Wah) left , which didn’t make it to the finals. But at least, there was still a Malaysian team to watch.
Enjoyed watching Lin Dan and Sony Dwi Kuncoro. Sony has got this undying spirit and Lin Dan has the magic of returning every shot thrown to him. He goes the extra mile, even if he has to dive towards the ground to lift the shuttle cock back to his opponent. In the event that he misses a shot after doing the dive, he lies down on the court, with all four arms and legs, before picking himself up again.
Cannot write further because it is past bedtime…so I’ll just show you some photos.
Click to enlarge images!
The management of the place that I’m staying has decided to change the current security guards to that of another company. So, from today onwards, all the familiar faces that I get to see everyday will be replaced with new ones.
It feels a little strange.
There are a few guards that recognises me even though I’ve never spoken to them before. They recognise me by my car and my face. And each time I go in and out of the apartment, I’ll just put my hand up, just as a gesture to say hello or greet. A few of them always respond with a smile and it’s nice.
There is one particular guard who would sometimes pass me The Sun newspaper if it’s still available in the morning when I leave for work. One day he stood in front of the guard house so I didn’t see him sitting inside the guard house. As I pass through the gate and was having my car window winded up, he shouted a hearty “Good Morning”. It was funny because my car has already passed the guard house and my car window half winded up, but because he shouted so loud, I was still able to hear him.
It was a good morning for me.
It feels a little strange…because I think I will miss them.
Sleeping with two ducks. One on your left arm. The other on your right arm.
And the best part is, I get to do it again tonight!
muahaha
22 July 2007
After taking the steam train (the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Steam Railway) and steam boat across Lake Windermere, we stopped by Grasmere for lunch before we proveed to Glasgow, Scotland. We didn’t know which place to eat. If there was a choice, we’d always go for Chinese or Asian food because having too much Western food doesn’t make us happy.
You should look at our faces whenever we discover a Chinese restaurant! And the way our eyes lit up when we eat!
Anyway, we decided to go into Grasmere Garden Centre where there is a cafe in it. It wasn’t Chinese of course but the food was quite good. We then hang around the shop where I bumped across a toy duck which reminded me of Ducky. Its fur and beak colour is somewhat similar to that of Ducky’s.
I went in search for Iris who was looking at something else at the other corner of the shop to show her that duck. After we had a good look and admiration of the duck, Iris and I went out to the garden to snap some pictures with the flowers.
“Grace, Pappy is looking for you.”
“Why?”
“He’s holding a duck and he wants to show you.” Mummy said.
“Oh…I think I know which duck and I’ve seen it already.”
What’s funny is when I see Pappy holding the duck, came out of the shop, walk towards the garden and showing me the duck from where he stood, his facial expression was depicting that he’s very excited that he found a duck.
I just laughed from where I stood and said “I know!!”
We had to go back to the coach to meet with the tour members before continuing our journey to Glasgow city. As we were walking out, guess what I saw? Pappy holding a plastic bag with a duck in it.
O.H.M.Y.G.O.D!
Pappy then handed me the plastic bag and said, “Okay, I bought this for the both of you.”
But I know it is for me!
This is how the duck looks like. There is a few other selection of toys comprising of different animals but there was only a limited selection of it at Grasmere Garden Centre and the duck was among the cuter ones. Or the cutest.
So what’s so special about this duck?
I’ve decided to name it Bebeki as suggested by Iris. Bebek means duck in Bahasa Indonesia. So to rhyme it with Ducky, it’s Bebeki.
What’s so special about Bebeki? First, she’s an English duck and has flown in from far. So, that itself makes her one hell of a duck I would say. At the back of the box where she stood, are some wordings which read:
Just heat up my easily removable tummy in a microwave for 1 minutes, pop it back inside and let me give you a lovely warm cuddle. I'm scented with calming lavender and camomile pure essential oil perfect for helping you get a really good sleep at bedtime.
The only problem now is…I don’t have a microwave.
She’s going to bed with me tonight anyway so I’ll have two ducks. I need them both because I’m not feeling really happy today. It’s an issue of self-esteem and being comfortable under my own skin. A disease which I’ve been trying to fight and conquer since the day I was born. Insecurity and lack of self-confidence to sum it all.
I don’t really know how these two ducks will be able to help me with that…but they’ll help me get through the night.
Good night and sleep tight!