Online Savings Account

Maybank's m2u Savers account is an online savings account that allows you to earn higher interest rates (2.1% - 2.3% per annum) compared to the conventional savings account (0.15% - 1.4% per annum).

It's easy to open an m2u Savers account if you're already a maybank2u user. You open the m2u Savers account through your existing maybank2u.com account. It took me no more than 3 minutes to set up my account (honest!) and you will see your new account in your next log in on the maybank2u.com website which is great! (Yes, I actually logged out and back in again to check that (1) the new m2u Savers account had been created and (2) that the amount that I transferred from my existing savings account is registered on my new m2u Savers account).

The new m2u Savers account that you set up is linked to your other existing savings/ current/ credit cards maybank accounts. It is also linked to your existing ATM card. 

The minimum deposit amount to open a m2u Savers account is RM250. RM250 is also the minimum amount of money that you must have in your account to keep it going.

In order to earn high interest rates, you need to have at least RM2000 in your m2u Savers account. The interest rates that you will earn is as follows:

RM2000 - RM 50000     2.1% per annum

Above RM50000            2.3% per annum

The interest is calculated on a daily basis and is credited into your account on a monthly basis. I'll be looking out for my first interest credit at the end of the month.

Keep in mind that Maybank is offering this high interest rate as this is an online banking account which means that you are not supposed to utilise the bank's over the counter services as all of your banking will be conducted via their ATM/ Check Deposit/ Cash Deposit machines. 

Maybank will impose a RM5.00  fee for the following over the counter services:

Withdrawals of less that RM5000

GIRO transactions of less than RM5000

Fund transfers of less than RM5000

In short, any transaction shy of RM5000 DON'T do it over the counter at the bank! Go use the machines!

The RM5 fee, however, will be waived if the transaction that you need to conduct amounts to RM5000 or more.

Should you not be impressed with the m2u Savers account after you have opened the account, keep in mind that a RM20.00 charge will be imposed should you want to close the account within 3 months of opening it.

Ayah

Happy Father's Day Ayah... I miss you terribly. I wish I had told you "I love you" more often when I could. You are always in my thoughts.

No more clothes and shoes shopping!!!

I've discovered many new things in my wardrobe that I haven't worn, some even have price tags on them still. So this is what I plan to do --- I'm going to put a hold on clothes and shoes shopping for awhile until I have exhausted my current supply or until I feel like giving some of my present stuff away to charity. There is no point in having an abundance of clothes and shoes and not using them. I figured that I could save a lot of money by just chilling and not going shopping as I had normally done in the past.

I am also, at the same time, weeding through my clothes and putting away the clothes that I no longer use away to be donated to charity.

Enter Half Naked and Leave Fully Dressed

As much as I simply love clothes and shopping for them, I'm not this is something I'd ever do ...

The Desigual stores in London, Stockholm and Berlin offered the first 100 customers today who arrived at their store half naked in their underwear free outfits of their choice to walk out with. The same promo is going to take place in Madrid on June 21st and Prague on June 24th. Would you dare to bare for fashion?

Or Rau by Kuan Guat Choo

This is another one of my BookCrossing finds.

This story was set in Penang. Or Rau, a girl who came from China with her family, worked for a Chinese family which consisted of only women. The Chinese family members treated her badly to the point of her wanting to commit suicide with her two young children. Lucky for her, she was saved by a teacher as she was walking into the sea with her children.  The portrayal of the first Chinese family is believable as there are still Chinese families today who abuse their maids.

I personally found this book depressing. Although I know that there are people out there who treat others badly, and that the writer's portrayal is accurate, I just feel that it's not right for any one of us to treat others so badly. What right have we got to treat others so badly that their only choice of finding freedom is in committing suicide? 

Aroma Thai

I went to Aroma Thai located in Damansara Perdana for early dins yesterday evening (as I didn't have lunch) to redeem my WeBuy voucher which I purchased (I paid RM10 for a RM25 voucher). It was quiet when I arrived at around 6 PM. In fact, I was the only customer there. People did start coming in at around 6:30 PM though.

I ordered Seafood Tom Yum (since I read many great reviews about it on the net), Fried Beef in Red Chilies, steamed rice and Lemongrass Juice. The lemongrass juice was refreshing. Unfortunately I found the beef tough and the tom yum was alright but not brilliant --- I guess that is what happens when you've been to Thailand and had the real McCoy!

The bill came up to RM35 and I topped up the RM10 at the cashier. As I was leaving the restaurant, I spotted a roach (a small one) on the floor!

Decluttering Shoes

I just watched Enough Already! With Peter Walsh on decluttering footware. Watch the video.



The woman in the video had 42 pairs of shoes to begin with and in comparison, I hate to admit this, but I have waaayyy more pairs than she does (I don't even want to count!). Yes, I'm a shoeaholic!

Inspired by Walsh's video clip, I immediately got down to decluttering my shoes (not all, but some...hey, that's a start, isn't it?) and I'm proud to say that I managed to toss out 16 pairs so far. My aim is to toss out 24 pairs...got to be more discerning when deciding which pairs to keep and which should go into the donation bin. Will keep you updated on how I get on with that goal of mine.

Kitsch Cupcakes

super yummy cupcakes

I mentioned about Kitsch Cupcakes in my earlier blog post. My very first encounter with Kitsch Cupcakes was on my first visit to Dubai last year. I happened to be in the Dubai Mall and saw this cupcake counter within one of the stores (Candylicious) and decided to buy a few to try them out. They were so pretty to look at and I was sorry to have to eat them (but I did!). Let me tell you this...It was love at first bite! The cupcakes tasted as good as they looked. The frosting tasted just the way I like it --- not too sweet.

Ever since then, whenever I am in Dubai, I make it a point to have Kitsch cupcakes. No visit to Dubai is complete without a visit to Kitsch Cupcakes.

So imagine my disappointment on my latest visit to Dubai when I discovered that they were no longer in the Dubai Mall and I had made that visit to the Dubai Mall just to buy the cupcakes!!!  Not willing to give up, I goggled them up and discovered that they had moved to new premises and are now located in their own store on Jumeirah Beach Road. I only managed to go down there a day before I was to leave Dubai but it made it wait even more worthwhile when I bit into the cupcake... ahhh...it was simply divine.....mmmm....

If you're ever in Dubai, this is a MUST have! They cost AED12 each but believe me, they are worth every Dirham that you pay for them! Yum... just writing about them is making my mouth water! Can't wait to have them again.

Tea Republic

Remember the WeBuy voucher I bought for Tea Republic in BSC (Click here if you missed it earlier)? Anyway,  I went there to redeem it today.

The Tea Republic is nicely tucked away somewhere in the back corner on the second floor of BSC's new wing  making it a nice and quiet spot. When I arrived (it was around 3:30 PM), there was only one other customer there.  I sat outside on the balcony as it was raining and the air condition inside was pretty chilly.

The quiet balcony

I had the Starfruit Tropicalitea Blend and two chicken mushroom pies for tea.

A Starfruit Tropicalitea and two Chicken Mushroom Pies for tea!

They were supposed to give me a RM5 voucher for my next visit but I think they ran out of it. The waiter suggested that I take something away worth RM5 and I chose to try the cupcake. The cupcake was not too highly exciting (not after having discovered Kitsch in Dubai!) though it did look pretty. The cupcake was packed in an eco-friendly cardboard  box for me to takeaway.

The cupcake was packed in an eco-friendly cardboard box

The takeaway cupcake

Like I said in my earlier post when I purchased the voucher, it is a good way to experience new places without having to fork out too much money. Would I go back there again? Sure! I like it because it's quiet and the Starfruit Tropicalitea concoction is great!

The best part of the deal today? I didn't even have to part with a cent. Everything was already paid for and I even found a space outside BSC to park (yup, couldn't believe my good luck coz that area is always pretty busy and the carpark in BSC was quite busy at that time as well) and so, I didn't even part with a cent today! :)

Dancing at Midnight by Julia Quinn

I haven't been blogging recently and I'm a little bit behind with blogging about the books that I've read so you can rest assured that I'll be playing catch up in my next few blog posts.

I happened to chance upon this book while I was in the bookcrossing zone in 1-Utama. I've never read any book by Julia Quinn before this though I'm aware that she has written several.

I enjoyed reading this book. It's a romantic comedy set in Jane Austen times but with present day chic litt humour. 

Make Money Not Excuses by Jean Chatzky

This is another book which I picked up at the last Big Bad Wolf warehouse sale.

This is a personal finance book written by a woman for women. Most women make excuses as to why they are not actively involved in the management of their money and what this book does is tell women to stop being passive and start taking an active interest in managing their money.

This book is full of financial advice that are do-able. She gives a breakdown on how you should funnel your expenses according to the various expense categories:
Housing               35%
Saving                 10%
Living                  25%
Transportation     15%
Debt Repayment   15%

Housing includes not just the mortgage payment for your home but also the cost of living there such as taxes, insurance, utilities and repairs.

Living expenses include things like clothing, food, donations, entertainment, gifts, travel, etc.

Transportation includes not just payment for your wheels but also gas, insurance and maintenance.

Debt Repayment are payments for debt which don't include payment for your home or your car.

There are also maps to a million throughout this book that illustrates how much you'd earn if you put in a certain amount of money away to invest each month and shows what the amount will be in 10, 20, 30 and 40 years' time.

For example, if you could save $10 a day, which is $70 a week, and you put it away to invest at 8 percent, it would be 55,615 in 10 years, 179,062 in 20 years, $453,069 in 30 years and $1,061,266 in 40 years. Amazing, huh?

I'm inspired to save!!!

And oh, by the way, she has a website (click on the link) where you'll be able to find more money advice.

I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi

To be honest, I had absolutely NO idea who Ramit Sethi was when I purchased this book. I only discovered that he's big in the US when I visited his website and youtube and found a bunch of his video clips which were aired on TV in the US.

This is a book which I stumbled upon in the last Big Bad Wolf Warehouse sale. I'm really glad I purchased it.

Okay, the title of the book is kinda corny, but the RICH in the title has more to do about having enough $$$ to lead a rich life doing what you love instead to being RICH in just the monetary sense.

This personal finance book explains in simple terms many things I didn't know before reading the book --- the difference between mutual funds, index funds, lifecycle funds, stocks and bonds, the importance of diversification, asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, etc.

He also offers a lot of common sense advice (but as you and I both know, common sense is not so common anymore) such as why you should have a credit card (it's not all bad, as many people think), the importance of having your investment portfolio diversified and typical asset allocations by age.

He even gives you a script for what to say when you call up your credit card company to negotiate with them for a late fee waiver (note: this is only if you've been paying your bills on time and have missed a due date once and not for repeat offenders!).

He also asks, "How you're going to spend your next $100?" --- now that's a question that forces me to think about how I've been spending my money and how I would like to change my spending habits to include my plans for my future.

I particularly loved the way all the information was presented in the book which made it enjoyable to read and not dry like most of the other personal finance books out there. This is a must have personal finance book if you're clueless.

Here's the first chapter of this book which is entitled Optimize Your Credit Cards (click on the link) which you can download FREE!!! My guess is that you'll be hooked once you've read the first chapter and will want to purchase the book.

Have you really SAVED anything lately???

Here's an interesting thought --- a savings in not a savings until you actually SAVE it!!!

You know how most people say they saved X dollars when they purchased something during a sale? Well, here's an interesting thought --- it isn't a savings until you actually put the money that you "saved" away into a savings/ investment/ retirement account.

Otherwise, you didn't save anything. You only paid less for the item!

With that thought in mind, I'm putting the RM180 that I would have otherwise paid towards my annual fee credit card into my investment account (for those of you who are unaware read this post).

So... have you really saved anything lately???

Free Annual Fee Credit Cards

Remember my earlier post about the Maybankard 2 credit cards (click on the link if you haven't read it --- What do you mean you haven't read it yet??? Just kidding!) which are free from annual fees and which, at the moment, are offering the lowest APR (annual percentage rate --- fancy term for what is otherwise known as yearly interest rate)? Well, I just received a phone call yesterday afternoon informing me that my credit cards are ready for collection.

Now I'm going to cancel my annual fee card credit card and that saves me RM180 a year (yes, that's the insane amount of money I have been paying my bank for generating business for them by using my credit card!!!).

What have you done to reduce your expenses?

Budgeting: The Envelope System

Here's something that I used to do many, many years ago. I learned this from a friend who I saw practised it (that was how I learned --- by watching).

In the beginning of every month, I would label a few recycled envelopes (earth friendly!) the categories of money in my budget such as travel, fuel, food, clothes, etc. Then, in each envelope, I would put in the amount of money that I had budgeted for each category for the month.

Each time I wanted to buy or had to pay for something, I would take out the required amount from the envelope. When I had extras in the envelope at the end of the month, I would take that money out and save it.

It's a wonderful simple system that puts you in touch with reality if you want to keep track of your spending because when the money's gone in the envelope, it's gone. It gives you an honest reality check about your spending habits.

Dealing out cash makes it more intimate as opposed using credit cards which tend to feel like nothing much when you're paying at the point of sales and not only that, you tend to overspend with credit cards because there isn't a reminder of what the limit for your spending is for the month unlike the cash in envelope where you can see your depleting money levels.

Try it, and you'll be surprised at how much more careful you are with your cash.

   

The Song of Silver Frond by Catherine Lim

This is yet another one of the books that I finished reading weeks ago but am a little behind in chronicling about it here. 

This is a rare and different sort of love story but it's a love story nonetheless. 

The story is set in Singapore and it is about a wealthy old man (who already has 3 wives, many children and grand children) who falls in love with a child-woman egg seller. He is old enough to be her grandfather and she was playing with homemade dolls when he met her.

This couple has hurdles to overcome, hurdles set by tradition, religion and society.   

Tracking my daily expenses

I've recently downloaded a free personal budget template from Google docs and have been tracking my spending habits since the beginning of April.

I'm curious to see what I have been spending my money on and I'd like to see if there are areas that I can cut back on (I'm sure there are!!!). Many times we think that we spent x when in reality, we spent x+30. It's easy to fool ourselves when we don't really know what our outgoings are.

I've set myself a daily budget and try to stick to it as best as I can (I'm not always successful I must admit!).

So far, since I began tracking my expenses, there have been two occasions that I have impulse shopped --- something that I am guilty of time and time again. I just can't resist the four-letter-word --- SALE!!!

I don't know why I buy more of the same things that I KNOW I already have... While there are days that I cave in the minute I see something I want on sale, most other days I am pretty good and am able to walk away from a sale, telling myself that if I really want it, can't get it out of my head 3 days down the road, I'll go back to the store and make the purchase. I'm happy to say that on most occasions, I'd have forgotten about the "must have" item by the time I get home :) 

a great bargain site

i love bargain hunting and am always looking out for a good deal.

WeBUY is great group buying website that lets you enjoy services and experiences without having to spend too much money. In fact the prices offered on the site are 50% - 90% off the normal retail prices.

The bargains include restaurants, fashion, hotels, spas, travel packages, go karting lessons, entertainment, etc.

There is a time limit for each bargain offered (there is a clock on the page below the bargain which will tell you how much time is left for you to act to buy the bargain). When you see something you like, just click on the "buy" button. The bargain will only be activated if the minimum numbers of buyers is reached.

Buyers will only be charged if the deal is activated. You will not be charged for deals that aren't activated due to insufficient responses from other buyers.

I just purchased a full set of high tea with pastry lunch which comes with a further RM5 voucher for the next visit at The Tea Republic for only RM11 (yup, hard to believe considering that it is located in the Bangsar Shopping Centre).

I've never been to The Tea Republic and I figured that RM11 is a small price to pay to sample the food, atmosphere and services offered there.

WeBuy is currently running The RM203,000 WeBUY Community Giveaway Project  where every person matters as they are offering cash giveaways to be credited into your cash wallets if the number people who buy the deal (which is on 100% discount --- yes, it costs you ABSOLUTELY NOTHING --- it's FREE!!!). This system is based on breaking a number of tiers in order to activate the cash giveaways as more and more people "buy" the deal.

At the present moment as I'm writing, 1572 people have bought the deal which means that the RM5 tier has already been unlocked. As more and more people buy the deal, more money monetary tiers will be unlocked resulting in more money in our respective cash wallets. The number of people targetted to sign up for the deal is 10, 000 which will unlock the maximum tier which will get us all RM20 credited in our cash wallets. There are still 57 days 16 hours 29 minutes and 13 seconds to go as I write this post.

Do yourself a favour and sign up today!

the best credit card deal in town at the moment

I've got a Maybank credit card account that charges me a annual fee which I'm not too happy about. Although I've got nothing on it, i don't want to close the account.  However, I'd rather not pay the annual fee charges (it's bad enough that we have to pay the RM50 service tax on each of our credit cards as required by the goverment).

I've been doing some research on credit card deals and found that the Maybankard 2 cards gives you the best deal at the moment.

These cards come in platinum as well as gold. You get two cards when you sign up : an American Express and a choice of a Mastercard or Visa.

These are offer a lifetime free waiver of annual fees and the current finance charge is only 8.88% per annum which is the lowest finance charged offered in the current market.

You pay only RM50 service tax for BOTH cards instead of RM50 for each card.

On top of that, you get 5% cash back when use your American Express card during the weekends.  There is a limit to the cash back that you can earn though --- it's only up to RM50, but still, it is still savings and it all adds up.

If you're into point collecting, the Maybankard 2 American Express card rewards you with 5X the retail purchase amount spent on the card.

I'm all for saving money and if i can get the same services from the same bank for less money, why not?

I'm kissing my annual fee credit card goodbye and hello, Maybankard 2 cards!!!

hanging up by delia ephron

i found this book (which i had already finished reading) under a pile of other book which i have yet to read on my bed (yes, there is a pile of books on one side of my bed).  it's another one of my bookcrossing finds.    

this is another book which i purchased at the last big bad wolf warehouse sale.  it's another werewolf/ human love story (kinda along the same lines as the twilight series).

EVERYBODY has a facebook account!

and so everybody, and i mean EVERYBODY i know has a facebook account (my non-happening sis in Perth included!!!).  i guess i must be one of the very few without a facebook account in this day and age!!!

Nitro PDF Reader

have you ever had to fill out a form you got online that was in PDF format?  what i've been doing in the past was printing out the PDF file and then filling the form in by hand which was a hassle since i didn't have the full blown Adobe PDF program.

i just discovered this really cool program, Nitro PDF Reader, that allows you to do a lot of things that Adobe's PDF Reader doesn't.

The Nitro PDF reader allows you to not only read PDF files but also to fill in forms (i really need that), use your own handwritten signature on those forms (so you no longer have to print out the forms and then have to sign on them with a pen the old fashioned way), allows you to make notes on PDF documents, highlight points as you read and even make notes on them!  these are not only great as collaboration tools but also great studying tools for students (i know i would have appreciated having a program like this when i was doing my masters).

it also lets you convert files of other formats into PDF (according to the website, you can convert from 300 different formats).  it also allows you to copy information from a PDF document and place it onto any other document.

it's compatible with Adobe PDF and best of all, it's FREE!!!  :) 

a beautiful quote

i found this on the net:

"Work like you don't need the money
Dance like no one is watching
Love like you've never been hurt
Sing as if no one is listening
And live every day as if it were your last"

learning

if it weren't for the recent turn of events, i wouldn't have:

1. learned to use photoshop (no kidding!!!)
2. learned to use illustrator(ditto!)
3. spent much time thinking about design
4. leaned about vimeo and the great movies that people out there are making
5. had time to design my own logo, blog heading and lots of other things
6. had time (and energy) to rediscover yoga
7. had time (and energy) to do workouts
8. discovered audio books library

i have to thank the people who have generously contributed tutorials on youtube for the first two items on my list. i have been enlightened because of them.  thank God for social media!  :)

something new

i learned how vehicle wraps are done. totally enlightening for someone so clueless about such things!  thanks youtube!

the heart of success by rob parsons

this is another book that i purchased in the latest big bag wolf's warehouse sale last year. this book keeps you grounded on what's REALLY important and how to be a human being in business.

the outcast by sadie jones

i bought this book in the last big bad wolf warehouse sale (last year).  it's a sad story about a boy who grew up in a small town being the outcast.  it is about perception that people have of each other and how they don't want to see things for what they are as the truth is often not pretty.  

podionovels

i just discovered this really great site for FREE podionovels.  

i'm currently listening to Shadowmagic by John Lenahan. give it a go, you might find a book on the site that you will enjoy.

the money secret by rob parsons

i purchased this book in the last big bad wolf sale (last year --- yup, i'm still plowing through my purchases from that sale and fishing out something to read from that lot when i feel like something of a certain genre to read).

it's a simple enough book to read about money management. 

reflections

there was a time when i used to be so nervous about work, not because i didn't know that i was good at it, but because the guy who owned the business was into looking for faults in all of us who worked there.  he would take a harmless comment from a student and misconstrue it and turn it into a witch hunt.

it's hard to relax, when you're constantly worrying that you're going to get into trouble just because a student doesn't like you and complains about you to him.  i have spent time worrying about things that i shouldn't even be thinking about.

i used to wonder why the only other staff who had been working there before i joined the company had only been there for a year longer than me.  "what happened to the rest", i wondered.  i saw a long list of phone numbers belonging to staff who used to work there (and who have since left) on the wall of his office.  many on the list, didn't last more than 6 months.

since i joined that place, i had seen many come and go and yes, true to form, many didn't last more than 6 months.  now, i know for a fact that if many people come and go and can't stick around for even 6 months, it's not them, it's the school that's making it impossible for them to work.  

the owner of the business, who in the beginning came across as a nice guy, started growing fangs by the day.  there were a lot of fault finding but never any real staff development was offered (which is strange for the trade that i am in).

he also cheated the customers --- something that i wasn't comfortable with.  they would sign up for a 6 month program and in the fourth month, the owner would inform the customer that they couldn't deliver the program as promised due to lack of student numbers for that level.  he would then go on to offer then a lesser program.  the customer has no choice but to accept what is offered as they have paid the school 6 months in advance when they signed up with the school.  

programs have also been known to be terminated mid session due to lack in student numbers.  

the owner engages the services of instructors based on their sex factor (yes, you read it right) and not on their ability to guide and facilitate learning.  he says that this is what the customers want.  word has it that in the evenings, he takes the sexy ones out for "drinks" (keep in mind that the man in question is 50 years old and comes with a wife and two kids).

here are a few things about the owner:

1. he doesn't come to work before lunch.

2. even when that happens, he leaves around 2pm for lunch.

3. his lunches are normally very long (usually more than an hour long).

4. he makes his appointments wait for him (and we're talking HOURS here and not minutes).

5. he is indecisive.

6. because he is indecisive, when he does finally get around to making a decision, he does it last minute which complicates the work situation as the session is already in progress and the students are not told ahead of time about the "new" rules of the game.

7. he comes in to work late to avoid having to deal with the students' complaints.

8. he doesn't know anything about the trade that he is in.

9. he holds grudges (you don't want to step on his tail!!!)

10. he micro manages when he should be macro managing.

11. he believes in working the teachers to the ground.

12. he makes teachers go in to work on saturdays (not half day but full day!) even when it is clear that there is nothing for them to do.

13. he has a thing for sweet sexy young things.

14. he takes very long tea breaks.

15. he often makes promises to the students which he doesn't deliver (100 contact hours have been reduced to a mere 30 contact hours).

16. when the students sign up with the school, they are not given a copy of the contract that they signed.

17. he is quick to blame the teachers when the students complain about the quality of teaching (and not the non-existent teacher development programs offered by the school).

18. he has favourites, his pets, who can do no wrong.

19. he just luurvveesss gossip.

20. he says things (not nice things) about you behind your back.

21. his meetings drag on and on and on for hours (no kidding).

22. his meetings have no agenda (which explains why they drag on for hours).

23. when he calls for a meeting, he is NEVER on time.

24. sometimes, staff have to wait for HOURS for him to appear.

carolyn 101 by carolyn kepcher

this is a book which i purchased in popular's warehouse clearance in ikano recently.  i bought this book for RM 3!  

it offers some pretty useful advice for the corporate world.

new moon by stephenie meyer

this is yet another book that i finished reading weeks ago but didn't update on my blog (which i am only doing so now!).

i found this book in the bookcrossing zone in 1-utama.  in fact, i found three of the books in stephanie meyer's twilight series (new moon, eclipse and breaking dawn) at the same time at the bookcrossing zone so i'm not complaining. :)  i haven't read all three books yet and they were on my wish list.  i guess, someone was listening to me!

casper the commuting cat by susan finden

casper waiting to alight the bus

casper with a bus driver

i haven't been chronicling the books that i've read recently and thought that i'd play catch up now.

i picked this up in the popular book sale in 1-utama.  casper is such an adorable cat!  he loves to travel on the bus --- something that the bus drivers knew but his owner didn't, until much later.  the thing about this cat is that he knew which bus to take and he would only ride on the first bus even though other buses would stop at the bus stop and get this, he queues up to get onto the bus!  the bus driver would say, "human, human, cat, human....." lol.  this book was written posthumously with much love.  casper is now in kitty heaven.  it's a must read if you're a cat lover.

earth hour

i observed earth hour.  i switched off all the lights.  for one hour, i sat in the dark and worked on my computer (does that count???).

candy pink

i just changed the background colour (also known as theme) of my email account.  it's now in  candy pink!!!  :)

enlightenment

i learned something new today --- RGB & CMYK.  i also learned a new word --- "gamut".  these are all new and interesting things for me.

learning

i am now learning to use photoshop and illustrator, two programmes that i have always wanted to learn but never got around to doing so.   now is the perfect time to learn.

i'm pleased to say that i am capable of a lot more than i thought i was.  thanks to the tutorials on youtube.com, i can now do some work using those programs!!!  

You Call the Shots by Cameron Johnson

i picked up this book at popular 1-utama's book clearance sale for 70% its original price.  i remember seeing cameron on oprah's show called the big give.

i found this book certainly easy to read and inspiring.  he made 50 million selling beanie babies at 12 years of age!  

certainly a recommended read (and that coming from me, someone who hardly reads any business books because i find that they are mostly difficult to read!).

Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz

i must admit that this is my first REAL Dean Koontz book.  okay, i know that i've just read a big little life also by Koontz but that was a memoir about his dog.

i have always associated Koontz's books with the more masculine gender thinking that it was more of a "boy's book", as i would refer to them.

i was pleasantly surprised that i actually enjoyed this book.  thanks mph (yup, it's another bookcrossing  find!)

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

i purchased this book in the latest big bad wolf warehouse sale.  it's also about how perception changes as you grow up and how you see relationships in your life in a different perspective.  

blessed

syukur alhamdulillah... i have Allah to thank over and over again... i still can't get over it  :)

ruin

strange how "messages" are sent to you and you need time to digest them.  now i get it --- for something new to happen, something has to end.  it's not a good feeling, it was unexpected, but i've got to keep my chin up and pray.

the housekeeper and the professor by yoko ogawa

this book was originally written in japanese and later translated into english.  i liked this book.  it's a simple story that runs deep. it asks philosophical questions along the way.  i purchased this book in the most recent big bad wolf warehouse sale. 

everyone worth knowing by lauren weisberger

my fifth holiday read and another bookcrossing.com find --- thank you mph!  i absolutely loved the devil wears prada (read it a number of years ago) and i got totally immersed in this book in record time.

a big little life by dean koontz

my fourth holiday read, another one of my bookcrossing finds thanks to mph.  

anyone who has ever loved a pet would get dean koontz's sentiment as he writes about trixie koontz, his daughter (as he refers to her).  that's trixie on the cover of the book, by the way.  every new chapter has a snapshot of trixie.  i particularly love the one where she wears ribbons in her hair --- sooooo cute! a MUST read if you're a pet lover.

brutal by michael harmon

my third holiday read purchased while on holiday for only 10 AED (approx RM8) in a book sale at borders.  it's a hard cover edition and normally retails for around 80 AED.

everyone worth knowing by lauren weisberger

my fifth holiday read and another bookcrossing.com find --- thank you mph!  i absolutely loved the devil wears prada (read it a number of years ago) and i got totally immersed in this book in record time.

a big little life by dean koontz

my fourth holiday read, another one of my bookcrossing finds thanks to mph.  

anyone who has ever loved a pet would get dean koontz's sentiment as he writes about trixie koontz, his daughter (as he refers to her).  that's trixie on the cover of the book, by the way.  every new chapter has a snapshot of trixie.  i particularly love the one where she wears ribbons in her hair --- sooooo cute! a MUST read if you're a pet lover.

retire young retire rich by robert kiyosaki

i came across this book in the bookcrossing zone in 1-utama just before going on holiday.  i found a lot of things in this book that made A LOT of sense.  is someone trying to tell me something???

born bad by josephine cox

another one of my bookcrossing finds.  the second read on my holidays :)

zen thoughts

for something new to begin, something must end.  endings need not be a bad thing.  ruin precedes development (think of rome).

i'm in Dubai now.  i was shopping in Carrefour in the Mall of the Emirates two days ago when i got shortchanged 100 AED.  my purchases came up to 82 AED, i gave the cashier (a Filipino girl) 200 AED and she gave me only 18 AED change. Now, because this is Dubai and i am not familiar with the currency here, i quickly took the change she handed me, put it in my handbag and packed up my purchases. it was only after i left the counter that i felt that something was amiss, took out the change from my bag and realised that i was 100 AED short. now thinking that maybe i was mistaken (my bag is like a big black hole sometimes), and not wanting to make an unnecessary scene, i went to the ladies room, got into a cubicle and emptied out the contents of my bag (thank God the loo cubicles here are big and clean). i was 100 AED short, that was for sure (i checked my bag twice to be sure).

i went down to Carrefour again, and asked the cashier. She had to call her line supervisor, they closed her line and instantly did a cash point check.       

about making amends

is this just nostalgia that i'm feeling?  i've been thinking about j since that dream that i had.

that got me around to thinking that it's high time i made amends with the past.  time to let bygones be bygones.

thing is, i keep asking myself if it is really amends that i want to make or am i looking for more?  and if so, why?

j broke my heart many, many years ago.  thanks to j, i lost faith in all men of my race.  i purposely went out with men who weren't of the same race with me as i figured that life must have been trying to tell me something if i just couldn't get it right with men of my race.

fact was, i was deeply hurt.  i waited for forever but it never happened.

there were simply way too many things in our way --- neither his family nor his friends approved of me.  to make things worse, i discovered that j was seeing prostitutes behind my back.

after discovering about j and the prostitutes, i stayed with him for another year thinking that i could find it in myself to forgive him but what i discovered was that i couldn't forgive him and whenever there was an argument, they would always crop up.  i failed to forget them for i am only human.

i loved him with all my heart, i really did, but i guess, it was never meant to be.

if anyone had told the me then that we would never ever be together, i would have been devastated but looking back, i understand why we didn't happen --- because i deserve better.  still, i wish that he knew that.

it was i who walked away because his non-action was in itself a decision.

strangely enough, i hear you ask why i'd want to make amends after all that has happened.  why not just let sleeping dogs lie?

well, life is too short to hold onto regrets.  it is, after all, a new year... perhaps time to let go of past pains and to instead embrace good memories?

is this the law of attraction?

when i was a child, i used to tell my family that i would live next to a shopping mall.  not only that, i would be in walking distance to mc d's and kfc and i that i wouldn't need to cook.

guess what, fast forward a few years later (okay, okay, many years later), guess who's living within walking distance to mc d's and kfc and guess what opened up recently down the road from where i live now --- yup, you guessed that one right --- a shopping mall!!!

i couldn't help but think of what i used to tell my family when i saw that shopping mall open recently.

wishes do come true to those who wait... 

dream

i had the strangest dream --- someone i was with for quite sometime before said to me in the dream that he loves me still... is it all just a dream?

i haven't thought of him for the longest time...

memories

iranian invasion

i was in debenhams today, minding my own business, trying on shoes when this elderly iranian woman  materialized with what appeared like her sister and daughter in tow.

They were loud, and oblivious to the fact that i was there.  they took their own sweet time being in my way while i looked on.

i gave up in the end and moved to another section.  i later saw them making a mess on the shop floor taking down all the shoes possible (and not putting them back on the hangers).

the daughter kept asking the sales assistant for "other sizes" not getting it that it was a sale and everything was already out on the racks and if it wasn't there, it's NOT AVAILABLE!!!

i find them difficult to co-exist with as i find them rude, ugly (not in how they look but how they act), demanding, in your face.... and yes, i find their speech annoying as well!

determined

i have to learn it... Insya Allah.

secrets of a shoe addict by beth harbison

this book presents an interesting way of getting out of debt --- phone sex!!! this is another one of my big bad wolf warehouse sale purchases. 

passport renewal

i went to renew my passport today.  it was ready within an hour!!!  i was amazed!!!

the last time i renewed my passport, 5 years ago, it was ready in a day and i was thankful for that.  who would have thought that 5 years later, i could get my passport renewed in an hour!  yes, impressed, i am!

unlike what people have been telling me, there is no need for your passport pic to show your ears (how geeky can that get!!!) and yes, you can smile in the pic (you want to look pleasant in the picture, don't you?).

thumbs up to the malaysian immigration department!!!  :)

a fantastic baby sitter

isn't this dog so adorable?

what's your vice?

mine's shoes.  i don't know why but i keep buying them even though i already have MANY pairs at home... but this pair's a different colour and this pair's too pretty to pass up and this pair's just soooo sexy and this pair's really cute and would look nice with my skinny jeans and this pair's great for work... you get the idea.  before i know it, i have bought like 10 pairs in a week!!!

do you think there's such a thing as a "shoe buying gene"???

passport mug shot

it's dat time again... my passport is due for a renewal.

i've been putting it off.  let's face it, who looks forward to take passport shots???  certainly not i!!!  the experience is traumatising.

just think of it, you're gonna be stuck with this mug shot of you for the next 5 years when you'll once again have to go thru with the dread of having to take another snap shot of yourself for your next passport.... just think of all the immigration officers in all the countries that you will travel to who will be looking (and perhaps sniggering) at your passport pic.

as if trying to get a nice pic of yourself isn't bad enough, you've got to also make sure that your ears show in the picture.  now, how dorky can that be???  ears sticking out and trying to look nice (forget drop dead gorgeous!) at the same time... how does one achieve that???

the pic's gotta look right... it's gotta look at least pleasantly presentable... is that even possible???

call of the mall: why we buy by paco underhill

i  just finished reading this book.  i bought this book in a book sale a few years ago.  don't know why i never got around to reading it until now.  okay, it appeared to be a very "factual" (= boring) sort of book.  that was until i picked it up and started reading it.

it's an eye opener with regards to how malls and retailers get you to shop.  it also explains why people go to malls.  not everything is new information for me though as i spent quite a number of years as a store designer so i am aware of some of the stuff that this book presents.  still, i enjoyed reading this book.  even though it presents facts based on years of research, it's written in an entertaining manner which makes it very easy to read.  i am thinking of look out for the other two books by paco underhill why we buy and what women want.  wonder if i might find those in bookxcess...

my splurge

i was at 1-utama today and as i was walking into the mall, i saw the sale sign in marks and sparks.  went in thinking that i was not going to find anything --- boy, was i wrong!

i ended up buying two bras, two tank tops (it was a set, RM 39, normal RM 59), a pair of per una pants (really nice for RM 69, normal RM 299!!!). one of the bras that i purchased was in nude, a colour that i almost never buy but it was on sale (dirt cheap at RM 29, normal RM 89,  in  fact both bras were going for the same price. the other bra is in blue and really pretty and it normally retails for RM 109) and it fit really well (push up), so i guess, i made a colour compromise.

Himglish & Femalese by Jean Hannah Edelstein

i forgot to blog about these two books which i finished reading BEFORE i started on the Secret Shopper's Revenge.

Beyond Words by John Humphrys (can't seem to find the book cover online --- got to take a pic of it myself when i get the chance) gives an interesting take on how we currently use language and what they REALLY mean. i purchased this book in big bad wolf warehouse sale last year (yes, it has been sitting in a pile of yet to be read books in the corner of my living room!!!).

i purchased this book (from the latest big bad wolf warehouse sale, where else???) thinking that it is a book about how men and women use language. it turned out to be a about relationship. 

The Secret Shopper's Revenge by Kate Harrison

just finished reading this book.  i bought this book in the most recent big bad wolf warehouse sale.

i simply love the book cover --- it's got pink glitter on the cover!!!

you fancy me :)

you saw me in centrepoint.

i was walking towards the lift, smiling to myself (hey, it was the end of my day and i was sure glad to be on my way home!). you were with a colleague and you were waiting to be beeped into the office near the elevators.  you kept looking at me as you waited for the door to be opened.  you just couldn't keep your eyes off me.

i noticed you looking at me but i was too shy to look back at you.  i did manage to steal a few peeks at you when i thought you weren't looking but you were looking back at me whenever i stole a quick peek at you.

i went downstairs to put my extra heavy bag into the car and then went back upstairs to use the ladies room as it is the cleanest in the building.

as i left the ladies room on my way to the lift again, i passed by the office that you went into and you were by the door and looking out!!!  you saw me pass by and quickly came out of the office to look at me as i once again waited for the lift.  sadly though, my lift arrived too soon and i stepped into it and like cinderella, i was lost to you... sob, sob...

why did you come out of the office to look at me again and yet not say anything to me???  did you want to say something but felt unsure of how you would be received?  you must have been interested because otherwise you wouldn't have been so bold as to have kept looking at me in a manner that you wanted me to know that you were looking at me.

you fancy me and from the little peeks that i stole of you, you were not so bad looking yourself.  thanks for making me feel attractive and for making my day!!!  :)

how we see

interesting stuff... the colours that we see may not be what they really are.  proof that what our brains interpret may not be what is real.

Changing Education Paradigms

in my quest to learn something new each day... something to think about.

Happy Birthday Ayah

it's your birthday and i just wanted to wish you happy birthday and tell you just how much i love you. i miss you so much...

you are always in my thoughts.

i wonder if you can hear me when i talk to you but i would like to believe that you do.  i think that you are close by and are always watching over me.

Why is God Laughing by Deepak Chopra & 50 Ways to Find a Lover by Lucy-Anne Holmes

deepak chopra has written many books but i never got around to reading any before this.  i borrowed this book from a colleague after seeing her reading the book at work. this is one of those "zen" books that you'd pick up if you're into finding the meaning of life.

i bought this book in the recent recent big bad wolf warehouse sale. 

character assassination

i was warned that the viper and the tarantula have teamed up together and they are joining forces against me.  me???  :O

don't know what their issue with me is really.  i may have an idea though....

the viper wants to be boss but she's really just a marketing person for the office.  she's in her mid-thirties with a wobbly behind that oozes out of her granny knickers which shows through the fabric of her pants.  the skin around her eyes are thinning and she has crows feet.  of late, she has been wearing new clothes (must be from all her 15% sales commissions) and killer heels.  i am happy to note that happening heels look totally out of place on her   :D  proof that it is not what you wear but how you wear it.

the viper has control issues and badly wants to be seen as "the boss".  problem is, i think that she is just blond on many things.  blondly clueless (and useless), throws her weigh around (and believe you me, there is A LOT of that!!!) but wants to be seen to be in control... go figure!

the tarantula and i have crossed paths in my last job.  she hasn't changed one bit --- she still back stabs people.  she has back stabbed T and E by telling the owner of the business tales about them.  she is supposed to be designing the new syllabus for the school (it would be interesting to see what she produces...or doesn't!).  the tarantula's greatest achievement to date is marrying a crazy brit man whose personal hygiene practices are suspect (in short, he smells....eeewwww).

the viper and the tarantula have become good buddies with one another because nobody else wants to be buddies with them... and so they are left to be friends with each other.

their character assassinations of the teachers are only going to backfire on the business as it will only result in more people leaving the company.