For the past two hours or so I've been alternating between updating my Instrument Design Criteria, looking up Industry standards and reading other people's blogs. I am beginning to get very bored with my own blog's look and am in the hunt for a new, free, Blogger-friendly skin. An online personality quiz I took earlier said my blog should be teal (or was it purple?).
I am also getting very bored with work. This morning I half-heartedly told my husband that I didn't feel like going to work, and he said simply "Then stay home. You can take Emergency Leave or something like that." But workaholic, perasan responsible me gave him a funny look that said 'Be serious'. I should have just listened to him like any good Muslim wife would and took his advice.
As it is, I'm leaving the office early tomorrow to send Mak off for her umrah. I wish I was in her position to just take off and leave whenever and wherever I feel like it. This year alone, I think she's already been to Egypt, Moscow, St Petersburg and Surabaya. South Africa's on the list for next year. Of course, she gets a special deal from the travel agent for helping to organise the group of 20-30 middle-aged ladies who go on these trips, which is not a situation I'd like to be in. I'd enjoy the places they go to, but I'd want to go at my own pace, and I'm terrible at travelling with company. The last real holiday I went to was with my sister Ain to Bali back in 2001, and that was because the planned package to Spain, Portugal and Moscow got cancelled (the middle-aged ladies panicked from the Sept 11 incident, hence my current apprehension for joining them on any other holiday). My honeymoon doesn't really count because there was no sightseeing involved.
Hubby and I were talking about flying off to see Angkor Wat for the weekend, or a jaunt in Vietnam. Anywhere we can get to on a cheap Air Asia ticket. But in my condition now it doesn't seem very favourable. So I'll just have to look forward to Hari Raya in Alor Setar.
And get off my lazy bum to do my Zuhur prayers now.
Tuesday, 11 October 2005
Monday, 10 October 2005
Technologically impaired
I really need to get myself a supergadget - one that can make and receive phone calls, organise my life, remind me where I put my house keys and allow me to blog from whenever wherever. I keep mentally composing blog entries in the car, in bed, when I'm playing with Nuaim, sometimes even in the lift. Unfortunately I don't have a Wifi-Bluetooth PDA with a full QWERTY keyboard that would make mobile blogging a reality for me. Heck, I don't even have a mobile phone now!
Hubby's trusty 3310 finally went dead on him, and because I received a bigger bonus than he did this year he's taken ownership of my 3315 and left me phoneless. I've been going on about getting the 3G A1000 for ages, but I just haven't found an outlet that actually sells one (I haven't really been looking, I know). Besides, no one else I know uses 3G, so who can I actually have a teleconference with? And the one time I attended a Maxis 3G demo on live traffic video, the camera feed didn't come through.
So my supergadget would have all these features:
Hubby's trusty 3310 finally went dead on him, and because I received a bigger bonus than he did this year he's taken ownership of my 3315 and left me phoneless. I've been going on about getting the 3G A1000 for ages, but I just haven't found an outlet that actually sells one (I haven't really been looking, I know). Besides, no one else I know uses 3G, so who can I actually have a teleconference with? And the one time I attended a Maxis 3G demo on live traffic video, the camera feed didn't come through.
So my supergadget would have all these features:
- Access to my documents, spreadsheets and pdf files (really handy when I need to attend FAT)
- Web access for blogging
- Bluetooth connectivity so I can sync to my laptop wirelessly
- IrDA so I can sync to my other laptop wirelessly (I've never tried this myself actually)
- Camera - optional
- Full QWERTY keyboard - or a foldable Bluetooth one that I can connect to wirelessly
Mp3s, radio and all that stuff I don't really need.
Now, is someone kind enough to read this and buy it for me as a pre-Hari Raya gift?
Friday, 7 October 2005
Marhaban Ya Ramadhan...
It's the fasting month again, and I'm trying very hard to stay focused at work. Obviously I'm not because I'm blogging right now, but I deserve a break after facing the PC for almost 5 hours non-stop, right?
As usual every Ramadhan I plan to attend the Terawih prayers and read the whole Qur'an. I think I'm already on the road to failure on both counts. The first time I attended Terawih at the mosque on the eve of Ramadhan, I was so sleepy that the patterns on the sejadah in front of me were dancing around and taking different shapes altogether. It's even possible that I was asleep with my eyes open! I could barely finish the 20 rakaat prayer that night. The second night I skipped due to a headache, and last night I only did 8 and waited for my family to complete the full set. And I haven't even started the Qur'an yet - my youngest sister has already read 4 juzuk!
The good thing about the fasting month is that we're allowed to leave the office by 4 pm. Of course, we're encouraged come in early and work through lunch, but who really checks? Besides, I still have last month's hours to make up for, the days when I sauntered in at 8.45 and still had the gall to leave at 5 pm sharp. Since Ramadhan started I've managed to make it here by 7.30 a.m. so that should more or less cover up for the lost time.
I really need to go to the shops and run some errands for Mak right now. She's going for Umrah on the 12th - that's a day before my sister's 21st birthday - and she asked me to get a battery for her free-issue Tabung Haji watch and a thermos flask. I bought the flask a couple of days ago at Parkson Grand, then discovered in their in-store magazine that I'm entitled to a free pouch and the flask should've cost about RM 14 less, so I plan to assert my consumer rights and politely demand that they provide me with said items.
Maybe I should buy a small Qur'an at Kinokuniya as well, so I can start reading at the office during my 'lunch' breaks. I've got a lot of catching up to do.
To all Muslim readers, Have a Blessed Ramadhan!
As usual every Ramadhan I plan to attend the Terawih prayers and read the whole Qur'an. I think I'm already on the road to failure on both counts. The first time I attended Terawih at the mosque on the eve of Ramadhan, I was so sleepy that the patterns on the sejadah in front of me were dancing around and taking different shapes altogether. It's even possible that I was asleep with my eyes open! I could barely finish the 20 rakaat prayer that night. The second night I skipped due to a headache, and last night I only did 8 and waited for my family to complete the full set. And I haven't even started the Qur'an yet - my youngest sister has already read 4 juzuk!
The good thing about the fasting month is that we're allowed to leave the office by 4 pm. Of course, we're encouraged come in early and work through lunch, but who really checks? Besides, I still have last month's hours to make up for, the days when I sauntered in at 8.45 and still had the gall to leave at 5 pm sharp. Since Ramadhan started I've managed to make it here by 7.30 a.m. so that should more or less cover up for the lost time.
I really need to go to the shops and run some errands for Mak right now. She's going for Umrah on the 12th - that's a day before my sister's 21st birthday - and she asked me to get a battery for her free-issue Tabung Haji watch and a thermos flask. I bought the flask a couple of days ago at Parkson Grand, then discovered in their in-store magazine that I'm entitled to a free pouch and the flask should've cost about RM 14 less, so I plan to assert my consumer rights and politely demand that they provide me with said items.
Maybe I should buy a small Qur'an at Kinokuniya as well, so I can start reading at the office during my 'lunch' breaks. I've got a lot of catching up to do.
To all Muslim readers, Have a Blessed Ramadhan!
The World's Shortest Personality test
| Your Personality Profile |
 You are pure, moral, and adaptable. You tend to blend into your surroundings. Shy on the outside, you're outspoken to your friends. You believe that you live a virtuous life... And you tend to judge others with a harsh eye. As a result, people tend to crave your approval. |
Got here from browsing through other people's blogs. Lots of interesting stuff, some familiar and some new. Try it out for yourself.
I don't quite agree with the description though.
Monday, 26 September 2005
Na nana nana 'Ganu Kite!
For the next three days I have to attend a technical course on Instrument Installation and Maintenance in Kuala Terengganu. Everytime I tell my Principal Engineer I still have this course (and two more) to attend before I can be considered for a promotion, I do it with a wry smile. He thinks these courses are a joke, I tell him I don't know what three days can teach me that three years at site can't. But it's still compulsory for me to go, and I'm not complaining of the break it's given me off my current project.
I'm typing this from the KLIA Departure Hall, which I found out from Hubby has free wireless internet. My flight isn't till 4.30 pm, so I have a good 15-20 minutes before I have to make dash for it. I'd already checked in at KL CAT, so when I got here at 3.00 pm all I had to do was have lunch at McDonald's. A Filet-O-Fish, Mcnuggets and milkshake set me back RM17.20! Scandalous!!
I had planned to leave the office earlier, but those demmed CTR's held me back. That's the problem with doing a good job as an underling in the first place - when something needs changing or fixing, your superiors just refuse to do it themselves! And it's not so difficult to do. A Cost-Time-Resource sheet isn't exactly Rocket Science.
Anyway, there's a bloke sitting across from me who looks suspiciously like Zahid from AF2 (remember him? His moment of glory may have been shortlived, swallowed by the force that's Tsumawi). I can't be too sure cos he's got his sunnies on (only celebrities trying to evade the public wear sunnies in shady spots like the KLIA Post office). There's another bloke with him (no sunnies this one) and they're both wearing these matching white sneakers with cartoon graffiti all over. I was so tempted to go over and ask for his autograph so I can give it to one of the girls back at the office who is a self-confessed Zahid fan, but I guess I'll respect his attempt at privacy and pretend not to notice the bright loud t-shirt. Oh, he's just walked off, so that's it then.
I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get to the training site from my hotel tomorrow. The lst time I attended a course there was like 5 years ago, and then they provided a bus that actually picked us up from the hotel. I'd have to call up the course coordinator to ask him. I'd need the site address too if I have to make my own travel arrangements.
I'm really sleepy right now. My brain is not quite functioning. Zahid's back (?)
This post is going to read like rubbish.
I'm typing this from the KLIA Departure Hall, which I found out from Hubby has free wireless internet. My flight isn't till 4.30 pm, so I have a good 15-20 minutes before I have to make dash for it. I'd already checked in at KL CAT, so when I got here at 3.00 pm all I had to do was have lunch at McDonald's. A Filet-O-Fish, Mcnuggets and milkshake set me back RM17.20! Scandalous!!
I had planned to leave the office earlier, but those demmed CTR's held me back. That's the problem with doing a good job as an underling in the first place - when something needs changing or fixing, your superiors just refuse to do it themselves! And it's not so difficult to do. A Cost-Time-Resource sheet isn't exactly Rocket Science.
Anyway, there's a bloke sitting across from me who looks suspiciously like Zahid from AF2 (remember him? His moment of glory may have been shortlived, swallowed by the force that's Tsumawi). I can't be too sure cos he's got his sunnies on (only celebrities trying to evade the public wear sunnies in shady spots like the KLIA Post office). There's another bloke with him (no sunnies this one) and they're both wearing these matching white sneakers with cartoon graffiti all over. I was so tempted to go over and ask for his autograph so I can give it to one of the girls back at the office who is a self-confessed Zahid fan, but I guess I'll respect his attempt at privacy and pretend not to notice the bright loud t-shirt. Oh, he's just walked off, so that's it then.
I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get to the training site from my hotel tomorrow. The lst time I attended a course there was like 5 years ago, and then they provided a bus that actually picked us up from the hotel. I'd have to call up the course coordinator to ask him. I'd need the site address too if I have to make my own travel arrangements.
I'm really sleepy right now. My brain is not quite functioning. Zahid's back (?)
This post is going to read like rubbish.
Friday, 23 September 2005
Api! Api!
Can you imagine what it is like to walk down 31 flights in a narrow, low ventilation stairwell?
Well, neither can I. Fortunately enough, since I'm about 3 months pregnant, I'm a 'special case' and was allowed to take the service lift, accompanied by one of the floor safety officers, straight to the ground floor in this morning's fire drill. The rest of the office had to go all the way down to level 42 before taking the express lift to the main lobby.
But it didn't end there. Our mustering area was in front of the mosque, a good 10 minutes' walk through the park (and at 9.30 in the morning on a sunny day, that was not very pleasant). Since I took the faster route down, my colleagues, including the guy with the placard designating our floor hadn't arrived yet. My companion and I were wandering quite aimlessly in the general vicinity near the mosque for a few more minutes before the rest of the crew showed up.
There was almost a carnival feel in the atmosphere. Picture two of the tallest office buildings in the world spewing forth all its human contents onto the surrounding grounds. There were ambulances and Rescue 991 vehicles stationed near the mosque, in the event that a few of the stairclimbers turned out to be 'special cases' too.
And they were certainly kept busy. We saw a lady rushed by on a stretcher, and a few on wheelchairs. Sirens blared once in a while. Bottles of mineral water were being distributed - or rather, grabbed before they could be properly distributed as per the marking on the box. A group of women nearby started screaming and shrieking - one of the resident lizards in the park decided to gatecrash their party.
It was about 11 o'clock before the masses started moving back in the direction of the towers. By then a few of us were feeling quite hungry (I swear I can tell the time by my stomach) and decided to go for a quick snack. Masitah, our project secretary, hadn't even had breakfast yet so she was dying for a morsel of food. We decided to make a stop at the second floor food court in Suria KLCC and have nasi ayam.
Masitah, as it turns out, looks so much younger than her years. Very slim and stylish, her eldest daughter is already attending university. She was telling me how my lead engineer was trying to make a pass at her, playing the chivalrous knight by holding her arm on the way down when she very obviously did not need his help and even told him so. We had a good laugh about how he even managed to make new acquaintances at the interim floor while waiting for the lift. Gosh, I really shouldn't be gossipping on a Friday afternoon, but juicy stories about expatriate colleagues (any colleague, for that matter) are always irresistable.
Hmmm... I know I've already had an early lunch, but I know I'll get hungry again by 2.00 pm. So maybe I'll stick around for a couple more minutes, do my prayers, then work up an appetite at the Isetan sale.
Well, neither can I. Fortunately enough, since I'm about 3 months pregnant, I'm a 'special case' and was allowed to take the service lift, accompanied by one of the floor safety officers, straight to the ground floor in this morning's fire drill. The rest of the office had to go all the way down to level 42 before taking the express lift to the main lobby.
But it didn't end there. Our mustering area was in front of the mosque, a good 10 minutes' walk through the park (and at 9.30 in the morning on a sunny day, that was not very pleasant). Since I took the faster route down, my colleagues, including the guy with the placard designating our floor hadn't arrived yet. My companion and I were wandering quite aimlessly in the general vicinity near the mosque for a few more minutes before the rest of the crew showed up.
There was almost a carnival feel in the atmosphere. Picture two of the tallest office buildings in the world spewing forth all its human contents onto the surrounding grounds. There were ambulances and Rescue 991 vehicles stationed near the mosque, in the event that a few of the stairclimbers turned out to be 'special cases' too.
And they were certainly kept busy. We saw a lady rushed by on a stretcher, and a few on wheelchairs. Sirens blared once in a while. Bottles of mineral water were being distributed - or rather, grabbed before they could be properly distributed as per the marking on the box. A group of women nearby started screaming and shrieking - one of the resident lizards in the park decided to gatecrash their party.
It was about 11 o'clock before the masses started moving back in the direction of the towers. By then a few of us were feeling quite hungry (I swear I can tell the time by my stomach) and decided to go for a quick snack. Masitah, our project secretary, hadn't even had breakfast yet so she was dying for a morsel of food. We decided to make a stop at the second floor food court in Suria KLCC and have nasi ayam.
Masitah, as it turns out, looks so much younger than her years. Very slim and stylish, her eldest daughter is already attending university. She was telling me how my lead engineer was trying to make a pass at her, playing the chivalrous knight by holding her arm on the way down when she very obviously did not need his help and even told him so. We had a good laugh about how he even managed to make new acquaintances at the interim floor while waiting for the lift. Gosh, I really shouldn't be gossipping on a Friday afternoon, but juicy stories about expatriate colleagues (any colleague, for that matter) are always irresistable.
Hmmm... I know I've already had an early lunch, but I know I'll get hungry again by 2.00 pm. So maybe I'll stick around for a couple more minutes, do my prayers, then work up an appetite at the Isetan sale.
Wednesday, 14 September 2005
Movin' On Up
I'm up in the clouds.
There are four different parties involved in this new project - the Client, the PMC, my company and our Consortium partner from the UK. We've rented office space up on the 73rd floor of Tower 2. It takes me about 2 1/2 minutes to get up here, and involves two separate lifts. Even at the transit level 42 I'm already higher up than most of the surrounding buildings, so being up on level 73 gives me quite a good view of the Klang valley. It's also the first floor where the outer beams start tapering to form the pinnacle 15 storeys above.
Everything in this office is spanking new, albeit on loan for two years. The cubicle dividers are bright yellow (priming us to work for Shell in the future, as one of my colleagues observed), the desks a pleasing beech colour with ergonomic semicircular cutouts (so much better on the eyes than my old grey table downstairs) and everyone's got those LCD monitors with sleek black-and-silver CPU's.
We've been getting 'visitors' from the old office who wish to check out the new surroundings on quite a regular basis. And we've been swapping CD's and mp3 files to listen on the headsets that come with the PC's. The headsets have nifty little microphones attached as well, so maybe one day we'll have a Karaoke competition, or our very own version of Malaysian Idol.
AFUNDI Dian, anyone?
There are four different parties involved in this new project - the Client, the PMC, my company and our Consortium partner from the UK. We've rented office space up on the 73rd floor of Tower 2. It takes me about 2 1/2 minutes to get up here, and involves two separate lifts. Even at the transit level 42 I'm already higher up than most of the surrounding buildings, so being up on level 73 gives me quite a good view of the Klang valley. It's also the first floor where the outer beams start tapering to form the pinnacle 15 storeys above.
Everything in this office is spanking new, albeit on loan for two years. The cubicle dividers are bright yellow (priming us to work for Shell in the future, as one of my colleagues observed), the desks a pleasing beech colour with ergonomic semicircular cutouts (so much better on the eyes than my old grey table downstairs) and everyone's got those LCD monitors with sleek black-and-silver CPU's.
We've been getting 'visitors' from the old office who wish to check out the new surroundings on quite a regular basis. And we've been swapping CD's and mp3 files to listen on the headsets that come with the PC's. The headsets have nifty little microphones attached as well, so maybe one day we'll have a Karaoke competition, or our very own version of Malaysian Idol.
AFUNDI Dian, anyone?
