Last Day of Year 2008

O' well...how time flies... No more regrets of the past. Let bygones be bygones. I do have some lessons learnt but it will be kept in my memory chest for future references and remininces if need be, merely for betterment but not to mourn...

Listed below are some of the things that have affected my well being in year 2008...

1. My contract for service as the Corporate Communications Consultant expired in January and I was then offered to head a new department known as the Knowledge Resource Centre. Like it or not, I took the challenge or else I will be jobless. And I truly am thankful to Allah swt for this opportunity. Being an avid reader, I feel like a fish in water, I blended well with library matters and learning the management of library/resource centre based on the job training. I love what I am doing now, seriously am, though my forte is Corporate Communications. Never before I look highly at librarians as I am now. Thinking back, I should have taken Library or Information Science instead of Mass Communications during my degree days... but again, everything happened for a reason and only Allah swt knows whats best for us, right? Whatever, I am a happy person now.

2. Due to my tight work schedule, I did not manage to give part time lectures to college students like I used to do before, thrice a week for evening classes. Soru miss sikit laa... Anyhow, I am so touched when two of my previous students came to see me prior to them departing to pursue studies abroad. They said, "Miss, we need to see you. We need to get your blessings." I am so touched. Indeed teaching/lecturing profession is something great. Now one of them is in the US and another in New Zealand. Both doing Corporate Communications. Btw fyi subjects that I used to teach are Corporate Communications, Brand Management, Contemporary Advertising, Customer Relations and Mass Media & Society.

3. My application to pursue Phd was successful when my proposal was accepted in July and I am now a doctorate student of UTM. Just settled my formal registration last week. Got my own student matric card, library access card, etc. It definitely is going to be a hectic year ahead, I know for sure. Actually its funny to think of my studying path. I had my degree in Mass Communications majoring in Public Relations. Then I continued with a Masters in Business Administration and now am pursuing Doctorate in Computer Science - focusing in Information Security. Three different areas altogother. May Allah swt provides me a smooth path in learning and completing my research. Amin.

4. I went to Bali for holidays with four of my colleagues and later called ourselves 'Geng Lulur' simply because we merrily went for spa together excitedly since some of us had never been to a spa before. Also because our hotel was next to a mini mart which sells very cheap lulur and every night we went there to 'borong' them till the shelves were empty and the shop owner did not manage to replenish them timely. Bali was great, beautiful, serene and so natural. I love everything about Bali. I will definitely go there again.

5. Went to Cherating a few times and got so hooked with Hai Peng Kopitiam in Kemaman. Had a bliss with my niece and nephews on the beach. I want to note here that Impiana Cherating is one great hotel with spacious room and an ambience so cozy and homely. The beach front is beautiful too. I love the satar, the keropok lekor and the nasi dagang there in Kemaman. An evening in Kuala Kemaman with the sweet and salty breeze from the sea and smells of freshly boiled keropok lekor, grilled satar and otak-otak really entice me and makes me longed to go there again soonest possible.

6. Escaped to Tioman Island with an ex-colleague, just the two of us, and had what I called a real holiday, without any disturbance from office. Why? Because of no coverage, thus no emails received via my blackberry and so no worries at all of office matters. The island hopping was great, the snorkeling was fun and satisfying, the water was crystal clear, the underwater world was magnificent and so magical, I was mesmerised. I spent most of my time in the sea than in the chalet. Indeed I felt so relief, fresh and anew after this escapade. I am really a water person (is there such statement eh?)!

7. Office politics, resignation of top guns, arrival of newcomers, bragging of their past achievements and success stories elsewhere, noviceness of some superiors on certain matters, lackadaisical attitude of some staff, backbitting, ass licking and all the likes, really created a momentum at work. Some times we were so pissed off and other times we were accepting and learning to shut off. Whatever, its all part and parcel of a workplace situational analysis and organisational behaviour. Anywhere, its the same. There is a choice, take it or leave it. Not standing on the fence and be a hypocrite. My only plea is that hopefully no talking or complaining or gossiping about matters like these anymore. Or rather, do not share with me. I do not want to know, do not want to hear. It gets nowhere. It just gets me wanna vomit. I just want to do my work and achieve my departmental KPI. Period.

8. Took my mum and sisters for a holiday in Langkawi. Had a wonderful time shopping. Yes, shopping. That was indeed the plan. Apart from visiting some historical places, of course. But, still the main agenda then was shopping. We, or rather my mum, really shopped till she dropped tired. Poor mum, did a lot of walking in Langkawi than in her lifetime, I guess. Bought some Corelle crockeries (to add to our existing collection of European Herbs), some Corningware caseroles of the same theme, about two dozens of batik sarong, a Scholl sandal for me, a Clark sandal for adik, lots of chocolates and three perfumes; J'dore by CD, Princess by Vera Wang and Incredible Me by Escada. Adik was the happiest. She bought the Clark sandal on her own and she ate chocolates there like drinking water... seriously she had chocolates for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also during morning break, tea break and supper... in fact, she only stopped when shes asleep! She was so hyperactive then. Not like when shes at home... We really had a bliss in Langkawi and I am glad that I managed to make this vacation in Langkawi a reality. We went with just two luggage but came back with seven. Thank God that it was MAS and not AirAsia or else we will have so much to pay for the check-in bags/boxes.

9. I had the opportunity to meet Tun Mahathir and Tun Siti Hasmah during the recent Workshop on Leadership for Librarians and Information Professionals, held at the Perdana Leadership Foundation. I also had a chance to ask Tun Mahathir a question during 0ne of the sessions and put my company's name in the limelight. The best was when I managed to speak one-to-one and face-to-face with both Tun Mahathir and Tun Siti Hasmah. Plus, had my pictures taken just the two of us, with each of them and later with both of them. Also, got both of them to sign my caricature book of them (written by Eu Yu) which I brought all the way from home and received a personalised wishes from both Tuns written nicely. Am contented. Am impressed with Tun Mahathir's ideas, opinions and reading habits. Am amazed with Tun Siti Hasmah's gracefulness, an etiquette to master by all ladies. Such a lovely intellectual couple. Great idols. It made me think... how I wish I will grow old being brilliant and articulate and able to think well like them...

10. I thought I have found love again in 2008. Now I guess it was just infatuation. I was never lucky in love. There were times when you felt you were needed but there were also times when you felt that you were being ignored. I felt both, at one point. Now I just couldn't be bothered anymore. Enough is enough. Having all those feelings made me become a dreamer. I tend to put aside many things that I needed to do and I spent most of my time by just lying down and let myself float. Float, float and away...! (I actually fell asleep dreaming!) It was indeed not healthy. It was my sheer imaginations and self created feelings. I became lazy. I was in my own world. World full of fantasy. No promises and no future. Its just me and the knight in shining armour. The one that touched my heart then. Huh! Thank God, I came to realization fast. The knight was not actually the Prince Charming. May be not yet. I quickly came back to reality. I will never let myself into this again. No, no, no... this is utterly ridiculous. I am not a teenager anymore. Thinking back, that experience really evoke my senses, make me realized certain things and most of all, it made me more mature and a much better person.

Ok, I guess my 10 points is sufficient to end year 2008. A chapter is about to be closed. Many more things did happened but let it be my self-kept stories. A new chapter is about to begin in less than half an hour. Goodbye 2008! Lets embark into year 2009 with big great strides...

Kalambicara is rushing to watch the countdown of the new year on tv... till we meet again in 2009... Cheers!