Blank

My mind is a piece of emptiness. I seem to understand what I'm reading yet there's also so much that I don't! So much to memorize but I am not sure if I'm capable of doing it.

Then, there's the difference between reading, understanding, and memorizing; and actually applying it.

Haiz... another round of stress...

Farewell...

Good friends, good food, good ambiance, good conversations - that's the description for today's gathering to bid farewell to Poh Lan, a dear ex-colleague and friend, who will relocate with her husband to KB.

It was indeed a rare occasion to gather just the five of us as everyone has been so busy with work but we made it nevertheless.

It was back to our regular hangout at Hana.

I was tasked to order from the menu since the ladies trusted my tastebud =D We ate more than the food shown here because I was too preoccupied with eating :)

We chatted and updated on each others' news. Time passed by quickly when we were having a good time. The waitress had to deliver the bill to our table as they were closing. They were kindly 'shooing' us away :)

We continued our conversation while standing outside the establishment before snapping some pics for remembrance.

Poh Lan had to leave early but the rest of us went to have a cuppa over at Starbucks.

My delicious Choc Cream

Good luck, Poh Lan. Thanks for being such a kind colleague. Thanks for your partnership and friendship all these years! I'll miss you!

Serendipity - not!

My joy was actually short-lived and I only realize it more than a month later - yesterday. I decided to call up KL to check the status of my study leave seeing that it has been quite some time and I have yet to receive any letter from them.

After calling Mr ZY, the person-in-charge, he put me on hold for awhile to check on my file.

"Cik, kita belum dapat fax dari cik lagi. Cik dah fax ke ni?"

Haiz...

In about 15 minutes, after digging through my files (and that was after some venting of steam and kepanasan and whining and complaining to myself), I find myself at the same photostatting shop to fax the said letter again. There was some problem getting through initially but it was done when I heard the familiar sharp-pitched sound generated by the fax machine.

Upon reaching home, I called Mr ZY to inform him that the letter had been faxed. After some (feigned helplessness) questions on when I should call again to check if he has received the fax, he obligingly went to the machine to look for it and said that he has got it. Phew. At least I'm spared of making another call to the gov dept just to check whether they have got my fax.

I did not stop there. I further inquired when I should be expecting the official letter (if I could get it within two weeks' time) from them now that all my documents are intact and they could proceed to process my application. Mr ZY said he would process it immediately BUT it all depends on the pegawai yang meluluskan.

"Kalau dia cepat, tak de masalah, rasanya cepatlah tu surat cik dikeluarkan. Cik bolehlah call balik saya untuk check status surat cik nanti."

Haiz... so I'd have to call again...

***

The reason why I'm so frustrated about this whole thing is that my coursemate who is also on the same study leave as me has got his letter in September. His application was processed without the need of extra letters of verification of our uni whereas they required that I get the letter.

We are doing the same course in the same uni, registered at the same time, offered the same study leave by the same gov dept in KL which is handled by the same people and yet one needs verification and the other need not. And yes, once I found out that my coursemate had received his letter already without needing any extra verification, I did inform them and Mr ZY was surprised but... they still want the extra doc from me.

Where is the logic in this?

Why, oh, why, DD?

Having grumbled and all, I'm still grateful for the liaison man, the patient, soft-spoken and polite Mr ZY. I can assume that he is a nice man, at least based on our few phone conversations.

Lesson:
If you want things to get done at gov dept (if you are too far away to be there physically), don't forget to call, call, and call - just to remind them of your existence and to 'help' them to keep track of your stuff coz they can't really keep track of so many things, can they?

Grit your teeth and speak nicely, gently and politely though you are steaming and boiling inwardly and outwardly.

Try to push them to process your stuff a lil quicker without them knowing that you are pushing them by asking more questions; feigning cluelessness and helplessness.

***

I will only know if the above really works only AFTER I have the black-and-white safely in my hands.

Oh, please, oh, please, DD...

Anyway

I came across this lovely poem by Mother Teresa, who borrowed from Kent M. Keith's The Paradoxical Commandments. There are just so many real life lessons to be gleaned from the experiences of great people like her; those who 'walk the talk'.

Anyway

~ Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered; Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

The Paradoxical Commandments

~ Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

Nobody

Gosh, I really love this song! It's my current favourite. I first heard it on Monday when Jojo, my dance instructor, introduced a new line dance routine to the English version of this song. I just could not get the tune and rhythm off my head for these five days.

So today, I googled and found that it is originally sung by Wonder Girls, a 5-piece Korean SYT (sweet young things) band. I have no idea what they are singing. I only like the melody and rhythm.

(Youtube uploaded by mnet, Nov 18, 2008)

I have also just discovered that the line dance routines posted on Youtube are quite comprehensive. Here's the dance steps to Nobody performed by Nancy (a dance instructor in KL, I think) and her team. The steps and styling are slightly different from Jojo's, more feminine and gentle. Love it!

(Youtube uploaded by senipadu, September 11, 2009)