Dear Diary....

Wow, never realized that my last post was more than a year ago. Saying I have been busy is an understatement or I could say it's a lousy excuse I guess. Lots have happened for the past 17 months. I have a new status, a new job role (though I'm still in IBM), know much more people, doing more stuff, the list goes on and on.

First things first, on my personal life, I'm engaged! Yes, I'm married to my princess whom I've been together with for the past 12 years. We got engaged on the 20th of December 2012 (20-12-2012), not bad huh? Can't believe that it's been 12 years since we've been together. That fairy-tale-like story of us meeting in a Scout/Girl Guide gathering, meeting on just based on pure luck, was the best thing that happened to me. I was just a small town kid and she was an "uptown girl" (mind me, I'm from Batu Gajah, small town south of Ipoh, while she really IS from Ipoh). It took some teenage anxiety to really ask her out, and the rest was history. 12 years later, we got engaged in Ipoh with our family by our side. The wedding ceremony should be in next year (2014). So stay tuned for that :)

Next, we have a new addition to our family (and no, my princess is not pregnant yet...), back in 2011, we got another girl after we had our beagle Rei. The black girl below is Provence, she's half Great Dane, half mongrel, which makes her a......mongrel? Hehe, reason of getting her was because I wanted a tall dog, just like a real Dane, however, she did not meet my expectation of height, but she is smart still. And she has become my long distance walking companion.
Rei has finished her basic obedience class and also completed Pre-Novice as well. But due to lack of time, I've not been able to train her for higher levels. But I did venture in the Dancing With Dogs (DWD) abit, took part in a competition, dancing to Michael Buble's version of Spiderman. I was sweating like crazy in the ring, but it was lots of fun, though at the end I failed. Guess there's always a first time for everything right?
And in conjunction with our training group Pawsitive Friends, I've opened up another blog on discussion on our canine companions, which you can find here: Pawsitive Enforcer

Speaking of family, I forgot to mention before, that my brother got two kids, two really great looking boys, which makes me an......uncle (crap, still sad saying it :(, sigh getting old d...). Always had my doubts on whether I really wanted kids, but after having these two boys in my life, really had me thinking that having kids might not be such a bad idea afterall?

As for work, after spending two and a half grueling years under the IBM Greater China Group (GCG) finance team, I've been transferred to support the ASEAN Finance team, which means I've been assigned to a totally new team, which most of the team members are new to me. To be honest, I wasn't really too keen on it at first, being a guy that is terrible in new environments. But today, I feel that it has been for the best. I was lucky enough to have great bosses, a very energetic and active group of teammates (as friends more than teammates). There's been a large change in my lifestyle, as my last team was more into eats, this team is more to drinks, as in both coffee and alcohol (LOL). However, this team that I love, will be having some changes due to management decisions, sigh.... hope our relationship will always stay the same or go for the better in the future :)

As I step into adulthood (and also my last few years of being in my 20's and stepping into my...... 30's, that was not easy to spit out), me and the princess bought our first car and our first home. We decided on a Nissan Almera, for it's kinda low price and good fuel consumption (so called). We've been comparing prices with the locally made Proton and based on our requirements, Perodua really wasn't one of our choices. Proton's price was really attractive, as it was around RM50K to RM80K, depending on which model, the Saga, Persona or Preve. But it was just that urge that I don't want to choose Proton for it's bad feedback on customers on it's quality. At the end, another friend suggested to me on the Almera, test drove it, and felt that it was a foreign version of the Proton brand: Cheaper than the Sylphy or the Teana, quality is lower compared to them too, but feel of it was much better than a Proton car. Hence, we decided to get the Almera.

As for home, I'm proud to say, we bought a place in Setia Alam and targeting to move in around the end of the year. To those who don't know, Setia Alam is a newly developed area (it's been developed for the past 5 to 7 years, hence still considered new compared to Petaling Jaya), the developer is SP Setia, one of the big players in Malaysia's construction development industry. The place is based on an eco-friendly environment, giving it a green like place. To me, it's a good place to start a family. And as an added bonus, there's a dog-allowed park in it too. As far as I know, only the Central Park in Bandar Utama and the park in Desa Park City allows dogs, this would make the third, yay!

Since confirming on the purchase on the house, I've been drowning myself with information on house renovations, security doors, kitchen designs, sofas, electrical appliances etc.... Stuff that you'd only come about when you buy a place, I've got to admit, it's a lot of work, you have to research and understand as you can get a reasonable quotation, quality, price, package, workmanship, budget, design etc.But I gotta say, it has been lots of fun and one of the biggest things that I'm looking forward to this year :).

Well that's most of the updates I got so far. Hope that I can update my blog more frequently from now onwards, got so much to look forward this year.... So till next time.... :)

The Definition of Happiness

Happy 2012 New Year peeps, I have not been blogging for the past year, mainly due to having a boring life and also working for the IBM China team does not help. Still working the longest hours, hence, making my life a boring hellhole...

With 2012 just starting, I suddenly had a question in my mind, what defines happiness?

I've always been happy with what I've had, I have:-
1. a 10 year relationship with someone I love
2. a job that satisfy my desire for a good pay
3. an opportunity to be a dog trainer, which I have aimed for years
4. a family that makes me a family man
5. Friends that I can share my feelings with, without doubting that they will run their mouths.

But still, sometimes I just don't feel happy. Am I just being pathetic or just being an ungrateful ass? My mind is screwed up I guess.

I hated alcohol and clubbing 3 years ago, now I'd like to make it part of my life
I was just someone's boyfriend a year ago, now I'm a family man
I was enthusiastic to have a business of my own, now I'm freaked out by the idea
I was always planning to get married at the age of 29, again, I'm freaked out by it

Am I being ungrateful?

Some people can't get full meals, can't get jobs they want or find the ones they love, yet I'm still unhappy...

But after getting all that, I crave for more, more things to see, more places to go, more friends to meet, to get to know, but by doing so, I might not be the same anymore.

Perhaps, the Dark Prince in me just came back, and eating me alive... Welcome again to Las Noches...

Change

Haven't been blogging for a while, last time I blogged was 4 months ago. It's been one and a half year's since I started working. These are the changes that I've seen so far:

I've gained a tremendous amount of weight, I've grown my hair longer than ever (though it's legal from HR view, my manager and some colleagues don't like it though).




I've changed from the new dumb kid on the block to being part of the team (although I can't say I'm good at my job yet).




I started off being the new guy who would take up any simple but annoying job possible to the "complaining of all the work" type.







I was never close with anyone in the company and now the team I'm in is like my family outside of home.



I was trained to be an investor back in Uni, but I have no knowledge in investments anymore

I used to want to invest in shares, but I'm into properties and Forex nowadays (though I know not much yet)

I guess that's how life really is about, change, we tend to try our best to fit into life, how to satisfy others, how to satisfy our needs, our basic ones at least. I guess that's when you realize that you aren't who you set out to be, but who you should be, and you'll be surprised, you might just like who you turned out to be.

Life As It Is

Haven't been blogging for quite some while, I've been busy with work, life, friends, colleagues etc etc etc... Just realized that I've been working for IBM for nine months now, and I've finally gotten comfortable in working. During the first few months, it was a struggle, being unfamiliar with what I do plus the barricade between me and my colleagues, it really was terrible. But for the past one or two months, it has been a terrific ride. First, going to Tioman Island with colleagues helped alot, then after that I felt I was growing close to them. Now, I finally feel that I'm part of this team, or in my words, this family.

I've gotten myself a beagle too, as part of my big plan for my life, I'll be having another blog for that in the future, after I finish this quarter's closing. Can you believe it? This is my third quarter closing already. Plus, I'm starting to think of alternative roles to take on after I complete my 2 years in the Sectors team. Well, let's see how it goes I guess...

Goals and Dreams

As I've been exposed to the actual working society for the past 6 months, I've realized a few things in me:
1. I'm a workaholic. Doesn't matter if it's in me or I'm forced to be, It's just that I'd rather spend time doing my work so that at least I do my role as perfect as possible and there are no opportunities for others to doubt me.
2. I kinda have no life. Other than work, I spend most of my time either at home or a shopping mall nearby (either 1U or Ikano). When I get there, I usually just hang out at either Ikea, Pets Safari or Popular. Rarely go to other shops.
3. I want improvements in life. The main reason I'm moving out from my current house, no more housemates, no more sharing bills, no more needing to seek approvals for having my own interests, no more judgments. One house with my princess, simple and nice. We found a single story house nearby, cheap rental, simple house, 3R2B, considered renovated kitchen (I can cook again!), overall perfect house for me and my princess.

I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't go to parties, I don't join clubs, I'm not into voluntary work, I'm not socially active in any way, I don't play games. So basically what I have is my work, my sparkling personality and my interests, which I have not spent any effort on. Which is where I have to a conclusion that I feel much better of: since I have been working my ass of in work, I need to use the money which I have rightfully earned in something that I will enjoy myself in. Some spend on food, some on dancing, I do it for the thing I love the most: pets. I have a rabbit now, but I've always wanted to go back to the pet I've always loved the most, dogs. And now I've set my eyes on a beagle. After I move, I've decided to buy one. It makes me feel comfortable actually, picturing myself sitting in the house while the dog comes on over, trying to convince me to play with it etc...

Then secondly would be to get enough cash to get a guitar, some who know me actually know I have the hidden skills of a pianist (let's face it, I'm a bulky guy, not many can guess). But I'd really like to learn how to play a guitar, It's been something I've hoped to learn for years but just hadn't the time.

In years to come, hope to get my own house, have the garden I've always wanted, maybe even have one of those aquatic aquariums... sigh~~~ dreams eh? Just of course before the dreams come true, it's all about the hardwork first. First labor then the fruit...

Recognition

Little did I realize that I've been working for almost 9 months now, my internship plus my first job. I've been so far lucky that I'm financially stable, my exposure is large due to the different people I support, but what I lack is recognition. It's not that the people don't give me the recognition, it's that I haven't earned them yet. I can't really expect recognition based on the small little things right? That'll be just too harsh, I guess. Just sometimes I don't know how much effort I should put in order to get the recognition I deserve. Sometimes I put effort, but I feel tired, frustrated... My relations with the people I support aren't getting better, sometimes I feel that they're getting worse, sometimes I tend to find that my relationships with my colleagues are not going well (not their fault, sometimes I just don't feel like I'm fitting in...). Well, I can't really bitch much about it, I can't change the world, so I might as well change for it right?

Never back down, Never quit...

Routine Life

My current life is kinda boring sometimes, this has been my weekdays' daily routine for the past few weeks usually:
1. Wake up at 6, either on my laptop and start work or go out for a jog
2. Get prepared for work and leave the house by 8
3. Reach office around 8.30, start work
4. Lunch time between 12.30 to 1.30
5. Continue work from 2pm onwards
6. Finish work around 8pm
7. Reach home, online (usually FB)
8. Sleep around 10.30.

Usually spend most of time during weekends at home, cleaning up the room, watching series...

So, my life's a boring one right? Yeah, I think so too. Don't party out with friends, I know some who do, but I'm just not into that kind of life. I LOVE pets, but can't afford the money or time to have a dog, so I have a rabbit, which doesn't require much of both. I love games, but can't afford the money to really get a kick-ass gaming system. It's not that my job doesn't pay good, it's just that my money are obligated to other stuff (Savings in particular), I gotta save up, gotta build a family soon right? But just that, when you look at it, just feel that my life's kinda boring sometimes.

These are few dreams that I hope to achieve:
1. Get a semi-pro camera (cause I love taking pics, just don't have the equipment)
2. Travel to beautiful natural sites (beaches, forests & mountains) and see other cultural stuff (greek, roman, chinese).
3. Dogs (Always been a dog lover, I even dream to have a dog farm one day).

Not that hard to achieve right? But easier said than done I guess...