Merepek

Attempting something new is never easy. As much as it excites, it can also strike fear; ya, fear of the unknown and fear of failure. We want to explore, discover and learn and along the way we may trip, fall and get hurt. Crossroads abound and we may take the wrong road and find ourselves lost. Many people chose to take the safer well-trodden path with equally many taking the road less travelled. Well, we are actually free to the point of choice, henceforth, the choice controls the choser.

I have chosen to start a blog - something totally new to me. What do I know about blogging? Nothing much, I would say. Other than knowing how to string together some words to make a coherent sentence, I know nuts about the technical part and all the blogsphere jargon are lost on me. But I am game to learn, slowly but surely and if the need arises, just shout for help. Eazy pizzy, ya? And I got my sons to help me set up this simple site. Thank you boys. Mama love you lots.

It's not a mansion, but nonetheless I am equally happy and contented in this small but new kampung house in the blogging community. When I got the first visitor, I was actually thrilled - that the ever busy Dato' has time to drop-by my kampung house. Then this big-hearted towkay came along and has been a regular since. I am truly touched that such a big-timer would spare his time to teach and guide a clueless nyonya. And what's more, he has brought and introduce new friends to me. To these new friends, I'd like to extend a warm welcome to my humble abode. Please feel free to visit and offer yor comments on how to make a house a home. To Ah Pek, a big thank you.

The saying 'No Man Is An Island' - how true! We are never alone. Who we are and what we have achieved today is the result of someone at some point in time having extended their gracious hand to gently guide us along.

Have been reminding myself the past few days to re-stock the green tea sachets. So after seeing to my appointment this afternoon, thought I'd just pop by 1U to get them.

Instead of going straight to the outlet that sells teas, I decided to take a walk around the mall and landed myself in a store which is having a sale. Great. Now maybe I can get a nice T-shirt or something as I find the pre-sale/regular prices at this store to be beyond what I can afford. But oh boy, you must see those shoppers; they have pieces piled on their arms and over their shoulders, they queued first to try them out and then into another queue to whip out their Gold/Platinum/Titanium and what-have-you cards at the cashiers. Wah, they really know how to use their credit cards lah. Me? I found a white T that I like and it costs RM79.90 and I walked around for quite a while, taking it and putting it back. I was trying to justify the purchase - RM80 for a simple T, am I throwing away good money? In the end, I joined the queue at the cahiers'.

Oh yes, I have to get the teas. On the way to the tea outlet, I de-toured to the pharmacy and spent another RM100 or so on some toileteries, and then I remembered I need some detergents too. At the hypermarket, I ended up with a few extra items and the register rang RM86.28. And lastly, the tea - it costs RM20.

You see lah, wanna go and buy tea only, and ended spending so much. Simply spend lah like money grow on trees. That is why I don't like going to the mall. I think next time I should just put the exact amount of money in my wallet whenever I want to buy an item.

My friend Az is thinking of getting a new car. So off she went to the showroom the other day to a find out more about the intended model and also go for a test drive. She is happy with the car and told the salesman of her intention to trade-in her 4-year old car. However, when told of the trade-in value, Az almost fainted. Az had taken a 90% loan payable over 7 years and if she decides on the new car offer, she still has quite an amount to settle with the finance company. The old car has depreciated soooo much - the trade-in value is lesser than the outstanding loan. Dielah, like that, got to to pay the outstanding amount and also the 10% downpayment for the new car. You see, Az is actually thinking that she can save some money if she buys a smaller new car because the hire purchase interest rate is so much lower(the new car will get something like 3.5% or so) now compared the one she is currently servicing @5.8% and the new car comes with something like 2 years free maintenance. And can save on petrol and road tax too.

Save money with a car? Joking ah? I made a quick calculation on how much I have lost buying cars(3 used models and 2 new registrations)over 15 years and it freaked me out - it's close to RM200K! This figure covers cut-throat finance charges but not maintenance/running costs. I wanna cry! Seriously, I believe I was mad when I signed those order forms. How else can I explain throwing away my hard-earned money this way? Make me wanna kick myself hard. Pull own ears and repeat self-talk - "A car is a liability. No more new cars for me." So PAINFUL and so SAD lah.....

Then I heard a familiar voice say "Hey, that's not a bad thing altogether. It shows that you are doing fine to be able to pay for it." I hear this inner voice every time I write a cheque to our dear Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri. Self-consolation. But it will always put a smile back on my face.

My friend is of the opinion that people who read blogs are nosey, have no life and wasting time doing unproductive work. Instead of reading mostly garbage on the blogs, she'd rather have a go at say, some motivational, inspirational or self-improvement books. Of course she is entitled to her viewpoints and her own master to decide how to spend her time.

As for me, I enjoy reading blogs and I especially like those that are light and easy and can put a smile on my face. I have treaded into blogs that have strong and sometimes controversial views, blogs that appear to me to be like some quarrelsome forum, blogs that are crass and also those that seem to challenge everything and anything under the sun. These sometimes make very interesting reading too but personally I'd rather not go into it. You see, unawares, I can sometimes get very 'in' into something and it may eat into me. Not doing me any good but potentially damaging. Very well, everybody is entitled to their two sens worth and if I think that I don't like it, just stay away. No need to be so uptight and angst-filled and curse and scold. I am actually quite amused with some 'anonymous' comments whereby they literally @#&%@ the blogger. Why visit the blog and then act foul say how much he hated the blog and blogger? And I can just imagine probably, his blood pressure shooting up as he ranted.

I don't always comment on the blogs I read. Sometimes, saying nothing is actually the best thing. This I believe to hold true not only in blogsphere but also during face to face interaction. The person may feel that he needs to get something out of his chest and that is the reason he is pouring it out. He may not be seeking answers for he may already have them and blogging/sharing his problems is thereupatic for him. Any well-meaning comments may sound condescending. We do not need to breath a word. Silence speaks volumes and sincerity is the key word here.

I do not share my friend's opinions on blogging and I won't go into a debate with her. As far as I am concern, I actually learnt alot from peeking into the laypersons' (the young and not-so-young) thoughts and views and at the same time getting to know a new friend or two. This is enriching.

Since the beginning of last month until now, I have visited 4 friends who have given birth and the fifth friend is due anytime now.

As the norm, we bring gifts for the new born and sometimes some foodstuffs(usually suitable for confinement diet) for the Mom. I am really hopeless in buying gifts and don't fancy walking round the stores searching out suitable and meaningful items. More often than not, I end up doing impulse buying - buying things for myself which I do not really need and still no presents for the intended. So, I took the easy and safe way out and present an angpow, usually between RM50 to RM100. A few of the parents actually told me that as much as they appreciate all the gifts, an angpow would be preferred. Some of the newborns receive clothings by the dozens that they outgrew them before the got to wear them; or so much toys that the parents can consider setting up a small store; or 3 prams; or 4 bouncinets; or 8 musical mobiles; or baby toiletries to last 3 years, etc. etc. All these sure make the baby specialty stores very rich.

A few of my friends did comment that I am an old-fashioned Ah Soh - everything (birthdays, weddings, reward to a nephew/niece) also give angpow; funeral also give cash contribution. Eh.., not creative at all lah, they say. Say, to send a reasonably presentable bouquet of flowers or wreath costs something like RM250-RM300 and it's discarded after a few days. What a waste. Ya, I sure need work on the creativity department, but I always believe in being practical.

CASH is KING!

Tagged by AhPek to do a meme? Aiyoh, I am totally new to all these, dunno whether can write beyond 4 lines or not. Nonetheless, I will try - belum cuba, belum tau.

4 jobs that I would really stink at:-
Singer - can't hum a tune to safe my life
Dancer - got two left foot
Mama San - not enough 'ginger'
Bootlicker - don't have Bachelor of Bodek degree

4 nicknames I made for myself:-
nyonyapenang
taikah cheh
mei yan
chan siew cheh

4 movies I can watch over and over again:-
Little Mermaid
Jungle Boy
Alladin
Pocahontas

4 alcoholic drinks I enjoy:-
Barcardi Coke
Tia Maria
Vodka Lime
Dunno liao - actually don't know how to drink lah

4 destinations I wanna go before I go see GOD:-
Disneyworld Florida
Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Tokyo
Disneyland Johor Bahru

4 things I do on weekends:-
Eat More
Sleep More
Read More
Contemplate More

4 celebrities I wanna go on a big date:-
Ananda Krishnan
Robert Kuok
Lim Goh Tong
Quek Leng Chan

4 gadgets I would like to have:-
money-printing machine
robot to cook and clean for me
spy camera in the toilet, so can know who pee all over the toilet bowl
laser cutter to slice all the tyres of the cars haphazardly/illegally parked along the road in front of my house

4 Tags to ...? Soli, I veli new, not many frens yet, so not TAGGING anyone.

Money! Money! Money! I think everyone knows what money is, right? You pay out money in exchange for goods and services received. So money is meant to be used; if you just keep and keep, then it actually are pieces of paper and metal only but has value once you are able to use it to pay for something else.

I think everyone wants to own money, loads of it, but not everyone is a good master. Instead of being the master and controlling the money, they become the slave. All the woes that plague them, I believe, started from poor and careless spending habits - pocket got RM1 but spent RM2. Advances and credit are quite easily available I think; just flip through the day's paper. You have all kinds of schemes to entice you to spend, spend and spend. Before you know it, you're probably up to your eyeballs in debt. The debts keep snowballing but unfortunately your income can't keep up - nett gaji RM3000 but debts to be paid amounts to RM4000 per month. So how? Try interest-free soft loans from relatives, frens and acquaintances and also must bet religiously on KUDA, TOTO, MAGNUM and what-have-you. And must bet reasonably big lah, so that strike only meaningful mah. Digging more holes and deeper each time.

How come it never go to their numbskull and lazy bones that they need to work harder to earn more to settle their debts and not to spend if you don't have the money in your wallet. If you don't earn enough from one job, get another one and another one lah. Sitting there on your arse, thinking of who to call next to borrow some more and dreaming of MAGicNUMbers, sheesh!

Weak bones, doctor can cure; LAZY BONES - it's beyond medical help.

Read a few Father's Day posts already and some are truly hard-warming and I especially like what Wingz wrote.

Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Teacher's Day, and What-Have-You Day; I am not really into it. Thinking back, the only "Day" I was aware of while growing up are those that are highlighted (CNY, Hari Raya, Deepavali, Thaipusam, Wesak, Christmas, Labour Day, Prophet's birthday) on the 'kuda-typed' calendar hung on the wall of the family home. Holiday mah, no need to attend school. Yippee! I however looked forward going to school and celebrate Children's Day because there will be no classes but plenty of games to play and free food. As for Teacher's Day, there will be no classes too and we were free to run around the school and enjoy the songs and dances performed by students and teachers. I don't recall though, my children's eagerness to attend school on Teacher's Day; in fact they look forward to staying home and no need to be like many others stepping on each other to present gifts to their Cikgus.

As for all the other-types of Days, I personally find it overhyped and commercialised.; eg. a RM3000 bouquet of roses; buy a ginseng and bird's nest for your folks lah, buy massage chair lah; buy Ah Yat Abalone dinner and whatnots. What's the point of spending lavishly and indulging your love ones only on a particular day a year and for the other 364 days you are forever busy with everything else and don't seem to notice their existence. Worst, if the 364 days you have been a complete jerk to do and say things that offend and hurt and jeopardise their safety.

Everyone is given 24 hrs a day and how you use it is only for you to decide - how much to allocate for say, professional and personal development, spiritual development and also not forgetting building relationships. What goes round comes round. Invest little, returns little lah. Don't gripe and blame everyone and everything when your teenage kid turns out wild and wayward. What you don't look after will turn rotten.

Have a blessed day, everyday.

There are many good reads in blosphere; I particularly enjoy lighthearted and heartwarming ones as they lift the spirits, give hope and are great stress-relievers and avoid those that appear to fan a 'bonfire'. Got enough stress already, so no need to add on.

So, I thought I wanna blog too. My son actually asked "Sure ah? What you going to blog about? You got time meh?" Aiyah, anything lah, as long as it won't hurt or kill someone and as long as I am happy doing it. Time? Ah, that's a good question. You see, my work comes in spurts. Sometimes, my day is so packed that by the time I reach home, my brain just shut down and I can't think properly and can only recognise the bed. Other times, I am so free, then I visit blogs.

Well, these bloggers really got plenty to write, paragraph after paragraph of flowing prose day after day. When I'm free, I attempt to write but how come nothing comes to mind? Not a wordsmith, huh? It's OK lah, this blog was created for me to fill my free time and relax only.

I hate it when the other party does not keep to their side of the bargain. Suppose to settle it today but today has come and I waited and waited. Finally, towards the end of the day I was told that it can only be done on the following Monday because of blah, blah and blah.

I am upset, disappointed and fed-up. Why ah, no shame one ah? No integrity and no sense of responsibility. He needed help and I helped. He promised to settle it on a certain day, then should keep to his word lah. Now what?. I am mad he took me for a 'lulu'.

This is not the first time and I've told myself 'no more next time' but each time some of the relatives asked for help, I always cave in and everytime I will have to literally chase them to fulfill their part. My son says I'm a sucker for sob stories. I always believe that if I can help, then help lor. These people are selfish, irresponsible and stupid.

SELFISH and IRRESPONSIBLE as in thinking about themselves only.

STUPID as in not taking care of own reputation, credit-worthiness.


Grow up lah.