Ohai

23-going-on-24

Bit later than the usual but I'm on leave!

• The want and determination will be the fuel to get you going
• There is always an easier, faster way
• Multi-tasking does no one favours. Focusing on one task at a time still works best
• Passion is the ultimate thing that keeps you going, even when you're on the verge of giving up
• Love, love the work you're doing, it will never feel like work
• Do the things that make you feel most alive
• Rewards will come, after hard work (increment/recognition as Snr + company award)
• Always find ways to grow and improve self
• Never be content for too long
• Make new friends, get to know other life adventures
• Have patience.....
• It never gets easier. You just get better

hello there

22-going-23.

Wow. I've been in the workforce for a year already. So much learnt lessons, many ups and downs.

• Always take time to chill out and take a breather.
• There is always work to be done. You can only be done for the day. 
• A workplace's environment and culture and colleagues can affect you in many, many ways. 
• A boss will either hinder or nurture your growth in the team and company. 
• A good boss and supervisor will give praise and encouragement. 
• You know you've got a good one when you want to work with them, not for them. 
• Whatsapp will make you all-accessible. Does not mean you have to answer on weekends. 
• Same goes for emails.
• If it's urgent, they will call. Otherwise, go enjoy the weekend. 
• When one door shuts, another will open. Enjoy the blessing in disguise. 
• Learn to differentiate between urgent and important. 
• It may be urgent, but not important.
• It may be important, but not urgent.
• It's okay to say no. 
• It's okay to turn down tasks if your current load is full. 
• It's okay to make mistakes. That way you know how to deal with it the second time around. 
• Believe in yourself and what you have to say. 
• Speak up, make your voice heard. 

Lectures start tomorrow boohoo

Hey, what do you know it's the end of February already. What have I done in the past 2 months? Let's see.. Bummed around for a month after that experience in Lavender, then spent February in Papier.

By far it's the best part-time job :D Considering it's probably my last part-time job ever -since student life is ending- it had better be :P Although it wasn't my cup of tea at first, what being it's a scrapbooking shop and my 2 co-workers are the creative sort. And my sister got me in on recommendation. And she got a full-time offer from them. And I had to get to know the niche market and the products the community used and recommend them...

Some days it's hair-pulling with 'what-am-I-doing-here' thoughts. Also we're not allowed to read during shift hours, that killed me a bit ;P So...I started experimenting with making cards since I've made some before and don't think I'm that bad, but not particularly good at it either.

I surprised myself :) It's good to get creative sometimes.

These were what I came up during the last 2 weeks :) The middle one isn't a card, but white cardstock covered with stamps I found in folders the night before :D That's when I had more inspiration. 

Scrapbooking style (judging from those found in the store and the magazines they stock) commonly seems to must have many layers for an effect. That's when the lost feeling multiplied when I thought I had to do something like that. Quite depressing, especially when I found that style to be messy ;P 

But I churned out something simple and I've stuck with that. Simple is what I'll always be. I honestly cannot stand stuff everywhere on a surface or embellished with buttons. I hate buttons :P

It has been a good month :) and the paycheck's due in a few days, making it even better teehee. Okay, I grudgingly went for the interview my sister set up for me, unknowingly loving the job after 4 weeks :) When I'm not servicing customers, I get to dig around for scraps and papers to make cards with while getting paid a good amount per hour :)

It's awesome that they have samples I can play around with; stamps (rubber and clear), dies, plenty of paper, inks/inkpads, and scissors. I kid you not about scissors! I found out that I really liked using the Martha Stewart pair.

I nearly dropped them when my supervisor told me they cost RM82 and is the most expensive in the shop *gulp* 

BUT IT'S REALLY NICE TO USE!! My other co-worker likes EK's Bumblebee, but hey, to each her own. But..but..but...EIGHTY TWO BUCKS FOR A PAIR OF SCISSORS!! Fair enough it's imported from the US...but hell...

CT asked if I'd hit him over the head if he bought me MS scissors.

Of course I said yes! Also said I'm doomed with expensive taste and he asked doomed for him or me *stares*.

Lalala. In the weekly timetable in my head, days seem pretty full with me working weekends, weekday classes, now trying to make a regular badminton game weekly. These are the things I WANT to do, changing my mind about the club thing. Which seems pretty dead end now.

How? See how lah. Hehehe, 

21

In places no one will find,
All your feelings go deep inside. 
It was there when I realized, 
That forever was in your eyes.
The moment I saw you cry. 

Alrite, my 21st had no bangs, whizzes, booms or alcohol (haha) but I liked it all the same :) It might have been a touch dull, but heck, work left me no mind space to plan..or to be bothered too ;p

Yesss, I got my "wish" to work again in F&B. Always, always be careful what you wish for. I made a hasty decision to work in Lavender teeheehee. Sometimes I'd knock myself on the head for agreeing to take the job, but I'd think back and it was what I wanted at that time. Oh well. It was, somewhat, in a way. Bwahahaha.

After cancelled dinner plans (one thing I dislike my birthday being in Dec, especially at the end. People no around wan. Sien dao). he suggested takei plans and I jumped as much as my hurt feet let me :D Two Tats, CY and I went to Blitz bwahahaha. It's been sooooo longggg sinceeeee.

Came back and he gave me his three surprises :) Another night came another box, and Zhi's gift too :) Sure beats getting hungover ;p Considering circumstances, I wasn't much in the mood to have a big celebration either. Another year has passed, and more PKs have widened their distance, so I didn't expect much anyway. I'm still hunting for a watch for my biggest 21st present, wonder where else if left to look at..

So hmm, my 20th year.. I survived two more uni semesters, both which stretched my endurance capabilities to its very length. The first I did regret for not doing my absolute best, but the 2nd one I did what I could do, and accepted the results. My absolute best.

Most of 2011 revolved around uni and work. I got by on a day-by-day basis. Money was tight, stretching out whatever I made the previous month for my expenses. It was hard saying no to outings, but I made it :) The few social exceptions I had were girly meet-ups, the rare PK meeting and yeaaaaah teh BEAST concert woot woot. Probably the most thrifty year :p

And..there was you :) Dec marks 4 and 7 hehe. It was a pretty good journey, with its occasional bumps and holes along the way. Discovered places and food in PJ and KL. Always going back to our tried-and-tested fav places when finances allow.

You were a pretty good friend, even more so as a boyfriend :) I like that we can come to a compromise or agree to disagree. Last NYE we spent it messaging across town, this year we'll spend it together :)

So as of this time, I resigned from F&B and resigned myself to another retail job. One that has regular hours, won't bore my socks off me and not overly hectic either. With a reasonable wage per hour too. Possible? I think so. Just gotta keep looking, again :p

During and After Semester face

The next person who says an assignment-based course is easier compared to the usual course with final exams is going to get stabbed. I see the same face everyday in the mirror but it's evident to some people. I am still very tired...how long to recover I'm not sure.

Dance, definitely dance

Oh yessssssss lah.
Korean month just stepped on the accelerator pedal :D

Going through "Their Rooms" and "Mission" is enough to get me dancing if it wasn't 1.34am. Dance, definitely some dance beats and ballads that DBSK/TVXQ was famous for.

"Mission" was more pleasurable to listen to than "Keep Your Head Down".

It's going to be another late night heee.

---

And here I was, thinking I would be camping at home on my day off. Haha. Absolutely not. Without me knowing, tomorrow's plans sort of fell into place :D

Places to go, people to see, stuff to inquire.
Chop chop!

Guest star

I never really liked being in noisy places for too long. Working 12 hours in one spot gets stressful and I started the day in a funk. Not againnnnn ran through my head.

But then, I ran into you this morning. You were never one for much conversation; I didn't feel obliged to do so. It was easy to be in your presence, I could listen and chill at the same time. Some things that tumble out of your mouth are unexpected and most of the time you make me laugh.

That was just what I needed. To stop taking life and work so seriously. So easygoing you were that we had another cup of coffee, making me slightly late for work hahaha.

You might never read this, but, thank you :)

Do what makes you happy

Nowa yongwonhi hagirul somanghe
jogon obshi norul nomu saranghe
sesang modun hengboggwa
bigyohal su obso nomankhumun jolde anya

Pure, pure vocals. Why you did you ever break up? :(

---

Some things you'll never get, some things I'll never understand. Whether I'm the one going too fast or you're the one taking your own sweet time.

Meh.

---

20 days on the edge. Walao.
Roughly 10 long more days.
Here we go...

The look of love

Even the best of intentions backfire sometimes. You meant well, I know..

I wonder if I should try harder or let this go. It has been a long time; I'm not sure whether it's both sides to blame. I'm starting to dislike coming in last or as a last resort. Should I continue to be bothered? My loyalty says I should, but eating away at me on the inside. Don't you care?

Today today today I made a personal record of RM800 in sales :) Happyyyy. I skipped into the shop, plonked the bag down on the counter and announced that I had good sales today.

She told me that my version of sales wasn't good enough.
"RM800 wor..."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise hahahaha.

Was elated when I got onto the bus, I suppose some of the adrenaline has worn off. Home, shower, I feel myself winding down and the tiredness sets in. PMS has set in these past few weeks, leaving me tireder than usual.

Will need a lot of patience tomorrow, will pray for some tonight.

I'm starting to like my job, I really do.
But anything in excess is poisonous.
Life as we know it.
Even if I have sever some ties.

Neoreul mannan chut sungan

Slowly spreading the love ;)

Yesterday my bro asked for some new songs, so I tossed in two decades' worth, in a few languages :D He can sing along to some parts of Bonamana now. I am so proud :')

Hahahahaha.

Also played DBSK and SuJu in the shop, Boss E doesn't seem to mind :P Only the noisy songs she lowers the volume a little haha. Awesome (Y).

Ladies and Gentlemen, the SHINee meteor has landed :D It has only been 31 days. Sheer shiny power :P

4 Minutes

As predicted, working with the Snake King is entertaining hahah :D We both learnt new stuff today too.

Sometime earlier today, BY knew he had to replace the receipt and credit card machine paper roll. What he didn't predict that it ran out faster than he thought. Some customers went without receipts while we figured out how to change the roll, hahahaha. 

First of all, we had to lift up the top part to change the roll and thread the paper through it. But couldn't find out how to lift it. He finally phoned Boss E when I figured out how to open it lol. Had a heck of a time threading the paper through. Old, old machine.

For the credit card machine, it ran out while printing a slip halfway. We both stunned awhile. "How now?" I asked him. "Void ah?"

He grew quiet. "I don't know how to void credit card.."

*cricket chirp*

I started jabbing at the machine, experimenting. Suddenly remembering Kah Wai telling me the password to do settlement. Jab, jab, jab. Purchase void.

Yay!

He also showed me what's what and what goes where on the machine. So many suppliers @@ Aiyaya. Roughly figured out the store now :) 

BY brought along a CD of songs that he burned and popped it in the player. Business slowed down noticeably and Boss E messaged us both at the same time. "How's business?"

I said okay. BY said bad. 

He got a reply mentioning customer service :P A few minutes later, "Oh, play music too." Haha! Debated on whether business would pick up. He reluctantly removed his CD and played the CNY songs one. Immediately, really immediately, a customer picked up a lot of items and ran a bill of hundreds!

Hahahahahahahahahahaaa!!! 

Boss E again messaged to ask whether I could work until 10pm. She said she would be back late, so I decided to stay on. BY cheered and immediately switched back to his CD, HAHAHA. 

Wasn't a bad night after that :) 

A korean couple walked into the store, too. We were quite fascinated :P

---

Looks like I won't be seeing much sunlight for the next three weeks. The cloudy weather ain't helping much either. I wake up each morning shivering. Tonight was a first when I couldn't stop shivering when I got out of the shower earlier. Cold aaaaaaaah. I guess my body can't handle anymore cold.

Hot water tomorrow morning! (Yea I've been showering in cold water.)

Bed time while some new songs :) They're magical heehee.

One week

I'll be pulling up the small roots I've planted over the last 5 months :(

Sigh...

May

May marks my 5th month at Integricity. When Eugene offered to let me extend my internship, I decided to resign at the end of May. And...May's already here.

I have learned so much; from brilliant minds to social media. Social media ranks next to design, which is probably one of the toughest to keep up with because it is ever-changing. To swallow new terms and acronyms each day is hard. DNS, CMS, and CSS are just only a few that is thrown around the office. In the office, Twitter and MSN is the main means of communication, apart from plain yelling.

Learning design to me, was like jumping into a pool of icy water, not knowing how to swim except with some encouragements and how-tos along the way. I'm struggling and it's cold, but the encouragements keep me going :) That's the awesome design team.

Five months. And I have helped with projects that people on the Web can view. Such an awesome feeling to see something live, knowing that you played a part in making it :D For me, that feeling rarely comes.

The Digi Smartphone banners :)

On The Star 

Calling and bugging people to come to Integricity Talks  5

And hey! That's my name!

Icing on the cake: Writing a slogan (with some help for edits)
for TravelMole Awardsfor ZestPJ.com and
it won Best Web 2.0 Mashup

Maybe it was announced during Friday updates, but I wouldn't know because I went out early :P

May oh May. What do you have installed for me for my last month? I now know the basics of Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver with all its brain-aching HTML and CSS codes. It takes awhile. 

Things I look forward to:

• Integricity Family cookout
• (hopefully) The revamped Integricity.com

Can't wait :D

Starbucks

This was supposed to be for last Monday, but the overload in my head got the better of me. First things first, why the coffee cup? Good question.

Last Monday, Kenny Sia came to Integricity for a video shoot. He is as he is in the pictures lah :) Unique accent though.. Anyway, Sonia asked me whether I was busy at the moment. I said no, she asked if I could run down to Starbucks to get our guest a latte. I don't know what I found so funny; I started laughing. Maybe cuz I was somehow expecting it. They warned me it would, when I first stepped into Integricity.

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the hot low-fat latte.

Though in the midst of giggles, I forgot to mention to the barrista that I wanted the latte to be low-fat. Only when she poured milk out into the container it jolted my brain. Oops. Sorry Kenny xD

After 4 months, I delivered my first cup of coffee. I graduated from water glasses. Hurray!

Monday Madness

Yinyee says:
sleepy

anna says:
go to sleep

Yinyee says:
cannot

anna says:
can

Yinyee says:
how?

anna says:
open eyes and sleep

Yinyee says:
"alex, your PA is a terrible influence"

anna says:
tsk tsk

Yinyee says:
:D
terrible influences of the best kind

anna says:
you la terrible influence
eh http://twitpic.com/1g1u7e

Yinyee says:
what did i do :(
omy so cuteeeeee


Seriously, look at the twitpic :D

Iyaz - Solo

Some Monday it was.

Got to know Dreamweaver, was about to go out for lunch when was asked to sit in for the Calvary meeting. Fulamak. They do not want a simple new website. Phew. Everything you could possibly cram into a website. Iz going to be massive :O

The new intern is called Su Yen :D The moment Sean came in and plonked her stuff on the desk, Mike started shooting her lol. He is getting no chicken skin xD They ate KFC for lunch again. Urgh.

Lunch with Chun Tat and Jack at Wong Kok in SS2. Both so freeee :) This time warned Jack to just order for himself haha. Sort of worked. Still ended up with some leftovers. Upside, I got me milk tea :) Been wanting it for sometime; OTWC's one is pricey for a small cup.

Back to the office, work timeeeeeeeee. Assigned to work with Su Yen to come up with a concept for wireframes with Ser Young. Bombarded with links and briefs to read up and wireframe programs to try out. Couldn't start on that yet; had to finish masking the PE pics for Lianne. Took me a good frustrating 2 hours to sort out =/ Have to work on mouse and brush control.

Studio's work is challenging and hair-pulling. It's a hate and love thing since if I can't go home til it's done. I love it cuz it keeps me busy and lets me discover plenty on my own. Needless to say, I came home rather drained and scrapped my initial plan to go for a run. Sigh. Went for a bike ride, not that hyped up for a ride either.

Gahh I sound like such a depressed soul. But was feeling rather shaky =/ overdoing it? I would practice masking tonight, but seeing as my mouse is malfunctioning I guess not. Might end up throwing it across the room.

Breathe.

Despite it all, today I got to know Dreamweaver and masking :) No telling what's coming tomorrow, but when I get in I better start reading up the links and client brief. Wireframes to tackle tomorrow....

Sounds like building blocks of news and heat bending all over again.

Hahahahaha.

Confessions of the Mad and Terrifically Insane

Or, I could name this post "Sick". Wouldn't be as interesting, would it?

So yes, I am Mad and Terrifically Insane. A little tired too. Hello, I am the Mad, Tired and Terrifically Insane, and have been for a week now. Rawr.

Is there a point to this? I think so.

My tale begins with one too many nights out in a row. Wednesday, Thursday then Friday. Heat overload too. Tonsils, feverish during work, horrible flu, stuffed nose and cough. In that order. Goway stuffy dose. I 'ate you :( After 3 days of tahan-ing, I finally took the day off on Thursday. Bless room temperature air!

Cough cough. Week 2 in the Studio begins tomorrow. Week 1 consisted of being sick, learning basic tools of Illustrator (so much that Photoshop feels weird to use now :P) and tutorials. Tomorrow, Studio will have a new intern :D If what Anna says is true, then I remain the only 9-series person in the office.

Ramble ramble. Sleeping late and waking up early yesterday didn't help. Meh. Rainy mornings *clings to headboard in refusal to wake up* Ching Ming in KL with family. One good thing that it was rainy was the smoke didn't affect my throat as much. Breakfast at McD's, then to Tesco Extra for some shopping. Reached home early afternoon, showered. For all the hate of hairdryers, I didn't get to nap in the afternoon.

When I finally did, had to play chauffeur. Roar roar roar. Night time, mom wanted to go to Tesco again, since she didn't get all she wanted earlier. Lol. Tagged along, went for 9.30pm noodles after. Rushed home, Boon Yen was already waiting outside my house. Leaped into the car.

"Sorry sorry sorry!!"

Vroooom to Tbun cuz I had itchy fingers. L4D2 woooooo! :D As always, we warmed up by logging into Facebook first -.-'' Played Hard Rain and Parish. Somehow managed to get through the 2 maps with not much problem. To help others escape, I died in both the last two maps. Sigh ._. So closeeee.

---

This was last week, but

 I have gots the powah!

Standby for my dear Adidas which is reaching the end of its lifespan

I think after getting this pair, I have somehow become infatuated with red and pink *eyebrow twitch* Like, where-have-these-two-colours-been-my entire-life kinda thing.

Roar. 

That led me to a frenzy to contemplate getting future gadgets in said pink and red...


Signing off,
The Mad, Tired and Terrifically Insane.
(Yinyee is on a vacation)

Ready to fly

To celebrate my last day over at Suits (lol), some female colleagues and I went for a movie after work :D Ninja Joe's for dinner and How To Train Your Dragon for entertainment. Again, I know. But it's kiuttttt.

April 1st I moved over to the other side of the office. The only person who tried to con me was Sim -.- Then I dived into the icy cold pool of Studio. Hehehehe... Lunchtime, I had fortune cookie for kicks. It told me I would have a "pleasant surprise".

KNS pleasant surprise Ai crashed on me T_T I can only work on one file at a time now. Grrrrr. Besides that, I think I could have finished it. So, it crashed. By 4plus I was panicking cuz I had Integricity Talks to attend, was doing registration for them. Ben I. and Sonia went there early, the rest of us going later. Mike was troubleshooting on my comp, I grabbed my stuff and out the door with Anna, Serene, Alex and Warren. Fly car to Hilton PJ!

Reached a minute to 5pm hahaha. Still not much activity going on. Plonked myself down at the table and took names. After registration closed, we headed in to hear the talk for ourselves. Alex, Ben I. and TJ presented, along with John Lim from The Edge.

Talk ended around 7pm, we only left the place about 8pm. Reached back Centrepoint 8.30pm, Anna grabbed her car keys from her table then she dropped me home.

(My sentences are very fragmented I know.)

Got home, plonk on bed. Snoreeee.

Friday oh Friday, morning was okay. Rushed some Suits work then continued on Ai. Jack messaged to say that he and Chun Tat would be coming over for lunch. Happy :D cuz Ai was encouraging me to cheesat. I think it showed on my face when we had Friday Updates Meeting when Eugene asked how was I surviving.

Hopped out for lunch at KFC, cheered up soon :) Finished eating at 1pm, I said I could stay out until 2 so we hopped over to OU :D Walked all over OU just for a bottle. Meh. Back to Centrepoint at 2plus :P They came into the office for the fun of it.

They said they would be back at 6pm to pick me up, woohoo! Bounced back into the office to tackle Ai. Finally completed around 5ish, saved JPGs for Mike and I spent the time playing Bejeweled xD

Hi ho crazy night. That will be another post :D

Faith;

I announced last Friday that this week would be my last week of interning.

Today, they offered to let me extend my internship. Because Suits team was under-utilizing me (lol), they would transfer me over to Studio if I wanted.

1. I know nuts about design
2. They are willing to teach me from scratch

Yes, it sounds like cheap labour (paying me a few hundred to intern). But. The people are great, that pretty much makes me want to do it. Learn something new :D Got PS pros to learn from.

Tick tick tick. 

I didn't know they were going to offer; my mom called to say she was bringing over the stuff she baked to give them, sort of a farewell gift :')

http://twitpic.com/1bwdov

http://twitpic.com/1bwdqi

That farewell gift of tuna tarts and choc muffins turned out to be for Suits haha. The tuna tarts were a hit; Chui asked me have a farewell every week. Siao.

I have something to do til August. Teehee ^^

Hot Air Balloons @ Putrajaya

Rushed back home Saturday afternoon after accompanying Zhi to eat her very late lunch. Hopped into the car again cuz Mom wanted to visit Putrajaya for the event. I slept most of the way. Tired out.

As the car passed familiar sights I couldn't help smiling. It's funny now xD Then, walking 20+km was tiring. Hey, at least the company was good. Wen Hong learned a good lesson that night too xD!

Cars cars cars and more cars

What do you see?

Inflated Levi's and Darth Vader's head

Levi's says hello. And I see a lot of airheads :D

More people. It was crowded max. Meh.

Funny ballooney

Now you see people

Now you don't! Alrighttttt, not that many

Hot air balloon barsket

That bridge looks familiarrrrr~

Main main air

Boys and their toys

This is now my background

Bigger toy, more power!

Bebola dalam air 

Unfortunately, doesn't taste as good as it looks

Putrajaya Pasar Taniii

In between taking pictures, I was replying smses from Jack, Sim and CT. All mostly the same thing. Yumcha yumcha yumcha. Since I got back late, dad dropped me off at McD Centrepoint.

Jack, Seng Tat and I were feeling left out among Boon Yen's high school friends, we anti-social in a corner playing cards. Decided to shift to Starbucks where Jack could get an Internet connection. Pricey drinks too.

After a few rounds of CDT, moved on to Digimon World 3 and CT was falling asleep. Kesian.

Weird combo that night. Didn't really mix.

---

Went Kitchen Creatures for lunch today. Had the Chicken Cabonara :D All was good except the chicken pieces =/ So dry... Nyeh. Then I wished I had ordered bacon :P Lianne and I accompanied Serene to get her Starbucks Green Tea Frap. So tempted to get one toooo. 

Nevermind, payday coming. Sabar, sabar. No, the one on Saturday night doesn't count because it's tea :( Dark Mocha is back on the menu! Or maybe it never went anywhere *abashed smile* Sabar, sabar. 

Island, anybody? ;P