jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-01T08:32:00.002+08:00

Happy New Year 2011 to all. I'm sure many would have made their new year resolutions by now. Well, I hope that whatever resolutions we've made, we'll be able to honour them. Or at least try to. I'm saying this more to myself because I'm one who will always manage to do the total opposite of what I've pledged to do. May I be strong to the end... ;-)

Here's a video that I would like to share with everyone. All my heartfelt wishes are there. Indeed, may we all be blessed with lots of happiness, peace, joy and love the whole year through. Happy new year 2011. Cheers! :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

A Blessed Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T22:08:00.001+08:00

It's the time of the year again...simply the most wonderful time of the year. This song, I'll be home for Christmas' by Amy Grant has been a favourite of mine ever since I first heard it. It's more so now that I'm an adult and working away from home. It just evokes this special feeling in me each Christmas. So nostalgic.

I've haven't been updating my blog for some time now due to the heavy workload. I'm not going to say much here, just want to take this time to wish all my family members, loved ones and friends, near and far 'A very blessed Christmas 2010' and a happy new year. What a joy to the world

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy Malaysia Day

2010-09-16T09:06:00.003+08:00

To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia...how very true it is. Though the words are few, I'm sure we, as Malaysians understand what they really mean. So, Happy Malaysia Day to one and all. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Happy Holidays

2010-09-09T11:14:00.003+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all and may each and everyone of us enjoy a meaningful and joyous celebration. For those who are travelling, either to balik kampung or visit friends and family, berhati-hati di jalan raya.

As for me, I'll be having a quiet and relaxing time at home. I have not brought back any work to do this hols. Just want to relax and relax and relax and enjoy the time with my loved ones. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

2010-09-08T12:49:00.002+08:00

A blessed Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all who are celebrating and maaf zahir dan batin. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy Merdeka

2010-08-30T19:37:00.003+08:00

Tanggal tiga puluh satu, bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh...yes it's here again. Independence day and it's tomorrow. Though it is the fasting month, many programmes have been lined up for this auspicious day.

When I was a child, I had always looked forward to this day. I would wake up early in the morning and sit in front of the tv for the live telecast of the celebration. Those wonderful years...

Few years back we would see people draping and decorating their vehicles with the Jalur Gemilang, to the extent of overdoing it. At times I wondered if their view was ever obstructed with all those tiny flags flapping in the wind as the vehicle moved. Today, I hardly see it anymore and I think it is wise of them not to put their lives in danger.

Some might say it is patriotism. To me, I stand by my belief, that is, it is not in the number of Jalur Gemilang you fly that qualify you to be patriotic. Patriotism comes from within us, a genuine love for the country that is not forced unto us.

A Happy 53rd Merdeka to everyone out there. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Philosophy Politics Economics: Racist Headmaster, Muhyiddin Silent

2010-08-22T10:27:00.002+08:00

I read with much regret the post by Tony Pua regarding some racist remarks made by a principal of a school in Johore and I wonder what the authorities are going to do about it.

I am really shocked by the remarks, coming from the mouth of an educator. Can you imagine what type of future generation we are churning out if this is allowed? I hereby share this post with everyone out there.

Philosophy Politics Economics: Racist Headmaster, Muhyiddin Silent: "Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is again proving to fail “1Malaysia” with inept handling of the racist remarks by the principal of SMK Tunku Abdul ..."

jennyiyan's recollections...

World Cup 2010 update 4

2010-07-10T13:18:00.003+08:00

Finally, World Cup 2010's coming to an end. Many of us will be asking ourselves, 'what am I going to do after this? There's nothing to look forward to anymore'. Of course, there are others who are glad cos they can get back to their normal routine and do not have to turn up for work with puffy eyes for lack of sleep.

Whatever it is, I still can't believe that football giants like Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, Italy and even Portugal are not in the finals. Also, I was hoping to see players like Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney or some other famous and talented players either in the semis or finals, but, alas! it was not to be.

Instead, we get to watch players like Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and David Villa, among others in the finals and many are predicting that Spain will lift the cup. But, I will go for the underdogs, Netherlands. I hope to see Sneijder (the playmaker) or Robben perform though they will be heavily guarded.

Finally, no matter which team lifts the World Cup, I hope that it will be a final that will give us memories that will last until the next world cup. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

The goal that never was...

2010-06-28T19:32:00.003+08:00

jennyiyan's recollections...

World Cup 2010 update 3

2010-06-28T19:12:00.003+08:00

What luck to befall the England team! First, they allowed an easy goal. Then, they were denied a goal and worst of all, they were thrashed by the German team. Sigh... :-(

Now, not only is it time to say goodbye to World Cup 2010, it is also time for them to think where they had gone wrong and well, there's always the next World Cup to look forward to and hopefully, they will perform better then.

Meanwhile, for the rest of us there are many more matches to watch and I can't wait to see which team will be the champion this time around. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

World Cup 2010 update 2

2010-06-14T12:08:00.004+08:00

I need to share this with everyone. Look at David Beckham's reaction to Clint Dempsey's goal in the match between England and USA.

On a personal note, though I don't get to see him in action this time around, at least I can still see him on the sidelines. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

World Cup 2010 update

2010-06-13T11:27:00.002+08:00

Oh no...this should not have happened! What a blunder. I can imagine everyone's reaction. Horrified! No matter how terrible we all felt, imagine what Robert Green must be feeling...if only he could turn things around...if only he could rewind everything...if only he could have a replay.

I know many people will be pointing their fingers at him for what had happened. But we should also be thankful that it was a draw. There's still hope for England yet. :-)

No matter what others say about England, about it not being able to win the World Cup, well for me I'm still and will always be loyal to England. I'm a die-hard fan of England. It's all right if they don't win. What is important is they try their best.

Yes! Go England! :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

World Cup 2010

2010-06-11T08:57:00.003+08:00

Finally, the 2010 World Cup Finals kicks off today! This means more sleepless nights ahead for football fans and it just shows how crazy we all are as we are willing to give up on our sleep just to watch football matches. ;-)

I'm sure the people who are happiest at this time of the year are those selling coffee as most of us will be high on caffeine to get us through the day. Also, not forgetting the mamak stalls with the big screen tvs beckoning us there in the middle of the night...

I can't remember when I actually started watching the World Cup Finals but I do remember waking up in the middle of the night with my sister to watch the matches. The both of us were still studying and I remember the both of us going for the same team, England!

Today, as an adult I'm still an ardent fan of the England team, though there is no more David Beckham. However, we still have talented players like Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney (to name a few), besides their other teammates in the England team. Too bad we can't see Rio Ferdinand in action this time around.

Of course, there are many other players who I like to watch. Among them are Christiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres, Kaka and others who I will not name here. I'm sure many will agree with me that this is the moment we've all been waiting and looking forward to and there goes my beauty sleep. ;-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Just an update 2

2010-05-28T13:40:00.003+08:00

Today is Wesak Day and this means it's a public holiday here in Malaysia. This year we get to enjoy a long weekend as Wesak Day falls on a Friday and I've been looking forward to this day.

I've just returned from a four-day course at a hotel away from home and this long weekend means I get to 'recuperate' after the hectic four days. Bliss... Still there is a lot of work waiting for me to complete. Work which was put on hold because of this course and this weekend would be a good time to try to complete them. Sigh...

Anyway, I won't be writing a long one today; just want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy weekend and for those celebrating Wesak Day, happy Wesak. :)

jenyiyan's recollections ...

Iyan

2010-03-17T09:02:00.002+08:00

It's the school holidays again and Iyan has embarked on a different hobby. Tennis. He has been attending tennis lessons for nearly a month now and he seems to love it very much. If possible, he wants to play it every day. But it's not so with his other 'projects'. He did not like taekwondo. Neither was he this crazy over football.

I asked him if his tennis coaches ever scolded him and he said no. I remembered his taekwondo's so-called master scolding the children and one of the words was 'stupid', which I will never forget. I guess that is why he is finding so much joy in playing tennis.

I personally feel that if we can't be patient with children, then we should not be teaching or coaching them. They are sent to us by their parents to learn something and if we keep scolding them with such harsh words, it would be very demoralising to them.

Children learn through example. They are young and still need nurturing, so if we were to use such harsh and demoralising words, they will lose their self-confidence. How do we expect the child to learn?

So, for those who aspire to be coaches (in whatever field) to children, do learn to be a little more patient and hold your tongue. Keep your temper in check and you will be able to produce world champions.

jennyiyan's recollections...

An update

2010-03-15T09:57:00.002+08:00

It's been a while now (a long while, in fact) since I last shared my thoughts. Well, I've been very busy with work. You would think I'm a very hardworking person. To be truthful, I don't think I'm one. It's only that there's so much work to be done that I just can't find the time to write. When I eventually have the time, I would be too tired to write.

I am stealing a few minutes now just to update this blog and I'm afraid I have to say goodbye now. So, until the next update, God Bless everyone and have a nice day.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A Blessed Christmas

2009-12-24T17:55:00.002+08:00

I'll be home for Christmas ... this song never fails to bring out the nostalgic feeling in me. At times, tears even. However, I don't intend to write much, but am just taking this time to wish everyone a very blessed Christmas 2009. Yes, it's the time again. Lots of celebrating and merrymaking. Yet, for me work starts on 26th December. What luck! But I will not let work dampen this Christmas spirit around me. I'll enjoy this day surrounded by family members and loved ones. No one can take that away.

Well, as I said this will be a short one. So, once again a blessed Christmas to one and all. God bless everyone.

jennyiyan's recollections...

It's Christmas again...(2)

2009-12-04T15:03:00.009+08:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year... Yes, to me, December is the best month and time of the year because it's Christmas time. I have always loved Christmas. But for the past few years, I have not had the chance to really celebrate it because of work.

This year will still be the same. On the evening of Christmas day, I'll be travelling up north for work which starts on Boxing Day right through the weekend and the New Year. Sigh...

However, I will still find time to shop for Christmas gifts, especially for the children. I love going to the malls at this time of the year because of the decor. Really, really beautiful and very nostalgic.

I will not be writing much here this time around but just share some photos that I have snapped of the decor at the malls that I have visited so far.

In case I don't get the chance to write on Christmas Eve or the day after, I take this opportunity to wish everyone who celebrates A Very Blessed Christmas 2009. :)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Just me

2009-11-24T14:15:00.008+08:00

A few days ago I read an article on bribery by one famous writer. Then it got me wondering to the times when I was younger and flouted a few traffic rules.

I have always loved to drive fast and still do. I even wanted to be a race car driver when I was younger. But of course, it did not materialise because my studies took precedence.

Being the daredevil, you can imagine how fast I had driven when I got my hands on my first set of wheels. Many a times it was a near miss for me. But God has preserved my life all these while.

I remember overtaking vehicles dangerously and speeding, among others. I can't recall the number of summonses I had gotten those days, either for speeding or overtaking at double lines and it did not occur to me to offer any bribes at all. All I knew was I had to pay the fine. And I am really glad that I did.

Today I am not that fast and furious anymore. Age is catching up, I guess and I have learnt to value my life. Of course at times, when I'm travelling home from out station, I do exceed the stipulated speed limit because I want to arrive home earlier. But that does not make it right, I was still flouting the traffic rules.

I have mellowed a lot when I compare myself to those days. I try my best to follow the speed limit, not to overtake dangerously and not to tailgate other drivers but it's very difficult at times. ;P

jennyiyan's recollections...

Just an update

2009-11-21T11:13:00.003+08:00

I've been away for some time and now I'm back. Phew! I've been so busy lately that surfing the internet for just half an hour is considered a luxury.

I'm back but not for long. Starting December 6th, I'll be busy again right till the middle of January next year. Work work work and work. Sigh! :-(

What to do, that's life. Have to work to earn some dough. There are so many things on my mind that I would like to share but I do not know where to start. So, this is all for now. Just wanted to update my status. :-)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy Diwali

2009-10-16T10:48:00.003+08:00

Today is the eve of Deepvali and I am sure all those who are celebrating this festival are busy preparing for this special day.

At the same time, many have balik kampung while a big number are only travelling today. No matter what, I hope that those who are driving will drive safely.

I remember those days when mobile phones were a luxury, I would buy greeting cards a month earlier and send them via snail mail to my friends who celebrated Deepavali.

Today, when mobile phones have become a necessity, I don't have to do that anymore. I just send text messages a day or two before the occasion or just call them to wish them a Happy Deepavali. After all, it's the thought that counts, right?

Finally, to all my friends who celebrate Deepavali, I wish you all a very Happy and meaningful Diwali. To those of us who are enjoying the day off, have a wonderful weekend.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A Happy Mid-Autumn Celebration

2009-10-03T13:21:00.004+08:00

I have forgotten that today is the Mid-Autumn Festival (or simply The Mooncake Festival) for the Chinese until I saw the wishes on twitter and facebook.

I've been very busy the past few days and am now feeling very tired. I just want to get lots of rest this weekend and get ready to face more busy days, weeks and months ahead, right till the end of this year. What luck...sigh!

However, I can't help reminiscing those days when I was very young. My siblings and I loved this festival not so much for the mooncakes, but for the lanterns.

A few days before the festival, we would buy our lanterns and when night came, we would light our lanterns and walk round the neighbourhood. Children from the whole neighbourhood would join in and it was like a procession of lanterns.

Those were such carefree days and it was so safe then. Today, we don't get to see this anymore. Nobody dares to allow their children out of the house in case they are kidnapped or robbed. What a pity!

We also see a wide variety of mooncakes in the market today. Tiramisu-flavoured mooncakes anyone? Chocolate? I am not a fan of mooncakes. They are too sweet for me but I really admire people who love mooncakes and can eat a whole mooncake at one go.

No matter what, I just want to wish everyone who celebrates this festival a Happy Mooncake Festival. :)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Not all politicians are corrupt

2009-09-24T12:08:00.009+08:00

I read YB Hannah Yeoh's blog on 'Not all politicians are corrupt' which was published in a Chinese Daily a few days back with interest.

I know there are actually many politicians who really work for the rakyat and not succumb to the corrputed ways of a large number of them but I will not name them here.

We can't blame the people for losing their trust in the politicians anymore because of the number of corrupted ones around and the best part of it all is that they get away with it. Instead, the honest ones are the ones who get into trouble with the MACC, for example.

To all these honest politicians who have worked and are working very hard for us, I salute you guys and do keep up the good work!

jennyiyan's recollections...

Hari Raya Feast

2009-09-22T12:50:00.003+08:00

Rendang for breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper?? Nasi briyani too??? Well, that's what I've been having ever since the raya started. I can imagine my cholesterol level at the moment. My stomach is sending me warning signals too...no, no, no, no more!!!

Due to the long weekend, the roads in and around KL are quiet. No traffic jams and all that but not in the area near and around 1U. Traffic is as heavy as normal days. I always wonder why people like to go to 1U so much.

I live in TTDI, just a stone's throw away from there. Every weekend we face this problem whenever we need to go out. There will be a massive jam heading to and from 1U.

Yesterday Iyan wanted to get something from 1U, so I took him there. Imagine my horror when I saw the number of cars waiting to enter the parking lot. But because I had promised to take him there, I had to brave the jam and when I finally got to enter the parking lot I had to drive round and round just to get a parking bay. Phew!

I always wonder why people like to go there. What is the pull there? There are so many other shopping complexes in and around KL. Why 1U? I'm perplexed.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Hawaii

2009-09-21T11:40:00.006+08:00

Bliss, isn't it? Aahhh...mmmm. I've been using the word a lot lately. But then I really feel it. For the first time this year I do not have to oops, I mean do not want to worry about work. Just want to enjoy the holiday doing only the things I like... :)

jennyiyan's recollections...

After the ice rain in China

2009-09-21T11:36:00.004+08:00

Interesting, isn't it? ;)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Summer in Hokkaido

2009-09-21T11:03:00.007+08:00

Enjoy summer in Hokkaido

jennyiyan's recollections... ;)

Cakes, cakes and more cakes...

2009-09-20T15:09:00.007+08:00

Mmmmm...yummy!!! But not too much...fattening... :)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Flower Festival

2009-09-20T14:43:00.004+08:00

Wow...can't believe it!!! I am so free that I get to do this. Bliss... :)

jennyiyan's recollections...

Waves

2009-09-20T14:03:00.007+08:00

So beautiful...so spectacular

jennyiyan's recollections...

Bora-bora Island

2009-09-20T12:37:00.010+08:00

Something light and easy for all to enjoy.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

2009-09-19T08:04:00.003+08:00

I'm enjoying another long weekend because of the Hari Raya celebration which most probably starts tomorrow and ends on Tuesday. Most probably because moon sighting will only be this evening.

I've always enjoyed this celebration due to the fact that many of my friends celebrate it. I also like to listen to the Hari Raya songs being played on the radio and at the shopping complexes which just adds to the Raya mood. At times I would just sing along to them.

I'm sure most of them who are celebrating Hari Raya would have done with their shopping and many of them would have joined the crawl back to their kampungs.

At the same time, many like me are looking forward to an enriching and precious time spent with family members and loved ones.

Here, I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Malay friends and those celebrating Hari Raya a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and may you all be blessed with loads and loads of joy and happiness. To the rest of us a very happy holiday!

jennyiyan's recollections...

Hard Rock Hotel and Hard Rock Cafe Penang

2009-09-15T19:15:00.005+08:00

The Hard Rock Hotel

The Beatles adorning the pillar at the entrance
to the Hard Rock Cafe from the hotel

The Beatles at the entrance to the Hard Rock
Hotel (on the right as you enter)

The main entrance

MJ at the entrance to Hard Rock Cafe

I had the privilege of checking out the hotel as I drove to Batu Ferringhi on Sunday. What caught my attention initially was because it was the Hard Rock Hotel which will officially open on Saturday, 19th September 2009. I wouldn't deny that I was actually impressed with the concept.

While there I managed to enquire about the rates for the rooms. I was told that they start from RM366. What I like about it is that there are rooms on the ground floor which face the swimming pool and you can practically jump into the pool from the balcony without having to leave the privacy of your room. Sort of private pool, eh? And deck chairs are placed on the balcony too, if you just wish to enjoy the sea breeze from your room.

I took quite a number of photos there, specially for Iyan since he is a fan of the late MJ, but thought I would share a few here. All these photos were taken on my N97 phone

jennyiyan's recollections...

Family, friends and holidays

2009-09-06T14:17:00.008+08:00

I guess I consider myself one of those lucky people in Malaysia at this moment, as I get to enjoy two long weekends in a row. Last Monday was independence day and tomorrow will be Nuzul Quran.

No matter what, I always carry my work home during the weekends and the best part is, more often than not, they will stay in the car boot throughout the weekend and will only get to come out on Monday at the workplace.

This is because holidays are precious for me. I get to spend quality time with my family members and friends. Also, I need some time for myself to unwind after the hectic week at work. A time to catch up on my reading, for instance (not that I get to do it often), watching movies or just lazing around.

Family members are very important as I know they are the ones who will stand by me no matter how bad a situation I might get myself into. They accept me and love me unconditionally with all my imperfection. That's why I love to spend what little time I have with them.

Friends are also very important to me. I have many wonderful friends. There are things that I don't tell my siblings but I can trust my friends with them. So, holidays are also reserved for these wonderful friends of mine.

In this sense, I consider myself very blessed. First, for having a family that loves me unconditionally and some very wonderful friends, besides enjoying a healthy life and a steady job. What more can I ask for?

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy Merdeka

2009-08-28T17:59:00.003+08:00

In two days, we will be celebrating our independence day. So. I'm taking this opportunity to wish every Malaysian a very Happy 52nd Merdeka.

Well, will it really be a happy one? Malaysia is a peaceful country, then everyone should be a happy citizen, right? There's no war or suicide bombers here to blast people to pieces.

But, if we look closely, we see that it is actually not that peaceful after all. Many things have happened and are happening to put fear in the people. Many have grabbed the headlines but I do not want to talk about them.

What I want to mention here are those that did not reach the media. For example, snatch thefts and kidnapping, which are rampant these days and which are really frightening.

I take for example the place where I live -TTDI. Snatch thefts happen nearly everyday. It is not safe for a person to be walking alone. Even cars parked by the roadside are not spared.

We might think that it is not safe to get down from the car to open the gate manually before we drive in when we reach home. So, we have automatic gates installed. This is also not safe as proven by one incident that happened recently to one of the residents in my neighourhood.

As he was waiting for the gate to open some men appeared with guns. They forced him to open the door and they then grabbed the poor child sitting behind. A ransom of one million was made to have the child back.

All these have not been reported. Why is that so? Don't we trust the police anymore? Well. I think we all know the answer.

We just have to sit back and think and we will see that there are many things that are not right in the country. Not so peaceful, after all. So, since merdeka is just around the corner, we can take this time to ponder and seek what merdeka means to us.

Once again, Happy Merdeka to all.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy Eighth Birthday, Iyan

2009-08-15T11:08:00.005+08:00

In a few days, Iyan will be celebrating his 8th birthday. Eight years! How time flies! I can't help but remember the first time I held him in my hands. The lovely baby has now grown into a fine young boy.

In these eight years, I've seen him mature by leaps and bounds. He has learnt so much. I just love to listen to him telling me things that he had read from books or magazines and also the newspaper, or even from the internet and the television. I really marvel at the amount of information stored in that young brain of his.

Besides football, his craze at the moment is the late Michael Jackson. I would listen with wonder each time he sings MJ's songs and he remembers every dance step too.

I simply love spending time with him and I know I will always cherish it. Last week, when we were out together, he said this again, "You are the best aunty in the whole wide world. This is the second time I'm telling you this." I was on cloud nine that day.

So, Iyan, here's wishing you a very happy eighth birthday, from the best aunty in the whole wide world! :))

jennyiyan's recollections...

My BELOVED country...2

2009-08-08T12:20:00.003+08:00

It's been some time since I last updated my blog. I just couldn't find the time to do so. Sometimes I marvel at those who can write daily no matter how busy they are. I always wonder how they do it.

Anyway, being busy does not mean that I have lost touch with whatever is happening in the country. We will be celebrating our independence day in less than a month and ever since 31 August 2008 till now, many incidents had happened. I've been pondering about them and wondering where our country is heading to under the present government.

The most recent one had been the anti-ISA march. The authorities claimed that the protesters were disrupting the peace by taking part in the march. From what I (someone who is ignorant where politics is concerned) see, it was a peaceful one until they started firing tear gas and spraying water cannons at the people. All hell broke loose then.

It could have been a peaceful march if only the authorities had allowed them to march and it could have taken only a few hours. Why do they always have to disrupt such gatherings? Even the candle vigil for the late Teoh Beng Hock had to be disrupted. Also, we should not turn up at police stations wearing a certain colour or we'll all have to spend the night at a police lock-up and enjoy free meals, that is, if they decide to allow us some food.

What has happened to the freedom of speech in this country? Does voicing out an opinion which happens to be against what the government wants to hear equate terrorism?

When I look back to last week's incident, I don't deny that I am proud of those who took part in the march. They know what their right is and they are brave enough to show it and the number of people who turned up does imply something. The cowards are those hiding behind the tear gas and water cannons.

Ooopsie...I think I have to stop or else I'll be the next one detained under the ISA for voicing my one cent thoughts and opinions.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Gone Too Soon

2009-07-26T13:24:00.007+08:00

Last night, I read on Twitter that filmmaker, Yasmin Ahmad's condition had deteriorated but I was hoping that with all the prayers from people who knew her, a miracle would happen and she would pull through.

I don't know her personally and I've never watched any of her films but I have always followed her progress via her blogs, The Storyteller, Part 1 and later, The Storyteller, Part 2. In her blog posted on July 22, a few days before her passing, she mentioned that she had chosen the song she was hoping to use for the ending of Wasurenagusa, her next project.

Though I have never watched any of her films, I have always loved all the Petronas ads that she had made. In fact, I've been looking forward to her next ad since merdeka is around the corner, followed by Hari Raya. Well, I guess that was never meant to be.

Finally, goodbye Storyteller. RIP

jennyiyan's recollections...

My BELOVED country...

2009-07-18T09:29:00.007+08:00

Barely had the issue of the reversal of the PPSMI died down, the nation is once again shocked by the death of a young man with a bright future ahead of him. Many of us are saddened by the death of Teoh Beng Hock. I was very busy last week and did not have the time to read about the mysteries surrounding his death. I only managed to glance at the photos in the newspaper and of course, there were many questions that I would like answered.

I only had the chance to do so early this morning and it is horrifying when I think of all the unimaginable things that have been happening in my beloved country. People get blasted away, deaths happening in supposedly very safe places like the police station, corruption, etc etc etc. You name it and we have it. My God! And it's such a small country compared to all the giants in the world! Unbelievable! Learn more at here and here.

I remember when I was in the primary school, my teachers used to drum into my classmates and I the importance of loving our country and that we were so fortunate to be living in such a peaceful country. So, in my growing up years, I would not hear of people talking bad about the leaders of my beloved country. Such a naive little girl.

But as I ventured into the working world, I started to see the other side of things. I started to learn more about all the things that the people in power had done, the corruption, etc etc and it's like I was looking at a whole new Malaysia and it really saddens me that as the country is being developed, corruption is also developing, but at a faster rate. What is happening? Where is their conscience? Where is the oath that they had taken?

No wonder Malaysia is being called Bolehland where everything is 'boleh'! To the point of taking the lives of innocent people. Memang Malaysia Boleh! I shudder to think what is in store for us and the future generations in the future.

jennyiyan's recollections...

PPSMI reversal

2009-07-09T20:51:00.006+08:00

The talk these two days has been centred on the government's decision to reverse the teaching of Math and Science in English. Why am I not surprised with the decision? I wonder if they have really considered everything before making the decision. Oops...who am I to question them or their decision?

Or maybe the decision made was just to please certain quarters, though it has been stressed that it has nothing to do with the upcoming election at a certain state. Oopsie...here I go again, naughty me!

I don't see any reason why we have to reverse the teaching of the two subjects. If a person really wants to do well in something, I'm sure he or she would find all means to go for it and for the matter at hand, not just rely on the school and the government to spoon feed them. Sacrifices have to be made to attain success. If we don't have the initiative to better ourselves, then no amount of assistance can help us succeed. It all boils down to the attitude of the indivdual. As the Malay saying goes, kalau hendak seribu daya, kalau tak hendak seribu dalih.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Murphy's Law?

2009-07-06T16:38:00.003+08:00

This morning at work, a colleague of mine commented, 'I marvel at your strength and energy. After your journey, you are still so energetic. You can still run around and get things done.' I just said, 'Thank God for good health.'

I really felt very strong then but I don't feel good now. I'm feeling very tired and I know that I'm falling sick. The symptoms are there already and I've taken some medication not too long ago.

Each time someone says such things, I'll fall sick. I remember late last year, a friend said that I was invincible. I could do anything and nothing could stop me. Know what? I fell sick right after that and had to take medical leave. Murphy's Law?

jennyiyan's recollections...

MJ vs Elvis

2009-06-30T18:36:00.003+08:00

On Saturday Iyan asked me to get him Michael Jackson's DVD because he had missed the concert which was aired on television. He especially requested the one with Smooth Criminal. Why? He wanted to learn to moonwalk. So, on Sunday I was practically hopping from one shopping centre to the other looking for his DVD and at each stop, the reply was a disappointing, 'Sold Out'. I have to wait for the new ones to arrive somewhere next week.

Iyan asked me a question just now. 'Taiyee, who is better? Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley?' I couldn't give him an answer. I just told him that they sing different types of songs and both are very good. Iyan said, 'I think Elvis is better.' LOL! He also said that he wants to visit Neverland!

Michael is indeed an icon and a legend. Within days of his passing, all his albums and DVDs were sold out. How often do we see this scenario? I am glad I have his albums, even though not many. I am not an avid fan of his but I just love his songs and music. I wonder if there will be any other singer who could replace him?

As for Elvis, I don't know much about him. Could the atmosphere at the time of his death be the same as the one now? All I know is I also like many of Elvis' songs and I have a collection of them. Not bad eh?

jennyiyan's recollections...

King of Pop

2009-06-26T20:32:00.007+08:00

This afternoon at work, I received a phone call from my seven-year-old nephew, Iyan. He said, 'Taiyee you must throw away your King of Pop t-shirt.' 'Why?' I asked. 'Because he is dead.' He said he heard it on the radio.

I heard the news this morning when a few colleagues of mine mentioned of his demise. I did not and could not believe it initially. Then this feeling of utter sadness crept all over me when I realised that I could not pretend that it did not happen anymore.

Whenever I saw clips of his videos on tv, I had to hold back the tears that were threatening to flow. The King of Pop is dead. It's a reality.

Indeed, he is an icon. When I look back, the entertainment world has not only lost a sensational singer but an icon who cannot be replaced. Practically everyone in this world knows who Michael Jackson is. His fast moves and dances on stage and his signature moonwalking and crotch-grabbing moves will definitely live in everyone's heart.

His first few songs that I heard as a young girl were songs like Beat It, Thriller and Billie Jean. Later on, I learnt more about him and knew about the Jackson Five and his other songs which he recorded when he was younger. My all-time favourite is Ben. I fell in love with the song the moment I heard it.

He might be gone but I believe his name and songs will live for generations to come. Hence, it is very apt that the title King of Pop be given to him. He is even called a legend by many and as proof, most of the radio stations are paying tribute to him by playing his songs throughout the weekend.

I will not throw away my King of Pop t-shirt as requested by Iyan. I will not even wear it anymore but will keep it to remind me of the existence of such a great singer. RIP Michael Jackson.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A Tribute To A Wonderful Dad

2009-06-20T23:12:00.007+08:00

Tomorrow is Father's Day. I'm sure most of us would have already thought of how to celebrate this day with our fathers. Some might even have celebrated it today because there is a possiblity that tomorrow evening all the restaurants would be packed. Most people would be having dinner as a family to celebrate this day.

As for me, I will not be celebrating it because my dad passed away four years ago after he succumbed to an illness. However, there are many memories that my siblings and I had with him.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my dad for his farsightedness. Why do I say so? Well, he saw English as a very important language to master and he wanted all his children to be able to converse in the language well. Hence, he made sure that we took the subject seriously.

Besides that, he together with my mum had influenced my siblings and I in such a way that we have all grown up to be independent and successful adults. He played a great part in moulding us into what we are today.

What I am doing today is also partly his influence. I remember receiving a letter informing me that I was offered a place at a certain college. I had made up my mind not to go initially. When dad got to know about it, he was very unhappy. He told me that it was not easy securing that place. Many people would have killed for it.

With the economical situation in our country today, I am truly glad for his advice. If it wasn't for his farsightedness, I would be worrying about being retrenched today. Now I do not have to worry each night when I go to bed that I would not have an office to go to when I wake up the next morning.

My dad was a disciplinarian and he made sure that we followed every rule he had set for us, like taking our studies seriously and for us girls, no dating or going out when our exams were near.

He was also a man of few words. I wouldn't deny that we were a little fearful of him when we were young as he would never think twice in rebuking or punishing us if we did wrong. However, we respected him for what he did because he believed in not sparing the rod and spoiling us.

As a father, he made sure that we were never in want. He worked very hard to provide for us and whatever we needed, he would go all out to get it for us.

On the other hand, he was not someone who was all work. He would take the whole family away for holidays and I am proud of the fact that I have learnt a lot of things and gained a lot of knowledge from all these trips.

On days when he was busy and could not be away from work for a long period of time, he would take us to the nearest beach during the weekend just so we could spend time together as a family. I truly value his effort in trying to keep the family together and as a result, we, his children grew up in a very loving and close knit family.

These are just a few of the instances that I am sharing here. There is so much more to talk about him and I know I won't be able to finish it in one sitting. So, I'll just leave the rest to some other time.

Finally, I take this opportunity to wish all fathers out there A Very Happy Father's Day.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A Tale from Wonder Land 2

2009-06-20T17:40:00.005+08:00

It looks like everything in Wonder School is settled, according to reliable sources. The saga has ended. How is it settled? Well, apparently Number 1 (N1) has been transferred to another school and the principal (P) from the school that she's going to would be coming to Wonder School as principal. Actually P was formerly a senior assistant at Wonder School and was the Board of Directors' (BOD's) choice to replace N1. Fortunately their request was deemed appropriate and finally approved by the authorities.

When Small Fry (SF) and gang heard rumours that P would be coming back to the school, they scrambled to get in touch with her and tell her about everything that was happening in Wonder School. Sigh. Obviously they have not learnt their lesson. Why can't they just let matters be and work together as one for the betterment of the students and school? We wonder what would happen to Wonder School. Will peace and harmony ever be restored?

No matter what, let's just hope that P will use her intelligence and discretion when dealing with things and not easily be swayed by what they have been telling her. Most importantly, she would be fair in dealing with matters pertaining to the students' and teachers' welfare. Only then will there be peace and harmony in Wonder School.

jennyiyan's recollections...

That's life 3 ...

2009-06-18T16:30:00.005+08:00

Yesterday at work, a colleague of mine told me that another colleague (A) was on medical leave for one day. Without thinking, I asked, 'Only one day?' 'Yeah, he said one day only.' I couldn't believe my ears. Did I hear right? Then I thought, people may change.

This morning at work, the same colleague told me that A was on medical leave for another day. Yay! I wasn't wrong. Old habits die hard. Another colleague who sits next to me said, 'We know him too well.' I couldn't agree more.

This type of people will find all ways to be absent from work and these are also the people who would get away with things with their smooth talks. They will shirk their responsiblities and others would have to help complete their unfinished work.

Then there is another type who will out of the blue tell you that they are not feeling well and want to go to the clinic or hospital during office hours and would disappear for the whole day. At times I wonder why action is never taken on this type of people. It's unfair when the rest of us have to cover for them.

Of course there are many others who are worse than what I've mentioned and I guess we can't really get rid of all of them. Come to think of it, I think the world that we live in wouldn't be as colourful as it is now without them, right? They do spice up our lives and at least give us something to gossip about. ;P

jennyiyan's recollections...

English and the SPM 2

2009-06-11T16:40:00.003+08:00

I'm sure we all remember the issue which was brought up by our DPM a few days ago regarding English being made a must pass paper for the SPM. From the feedback, many quarters are against making the subject compulsory. I'm positive most of them are parents who feel that it is not a necessity. I wonder if they know what their children would be losing out and have they asked their children's opinion about it in the first place?

It might not be important for them but what about their children's future? Will they be able to compete with others at the international level? From what I see English will still be the international language for many years to come unless of course, everyone starts speaking Mandarin or any other language overnight and English is deemed not important anymore.

Furthermore, books and all other printed materials for colleges and higher learning institutions in Malaysia are printed in English, especially the imported ones. So, if children do not start taking English seriously from young, they will be having a hard time in future when they further their studies at higher learning institutions. The only way to help them will be by making English a must pass subject. It will be difficult initially, but if they realize the importance of the subject, I am sure they will put in the extra effort to learn and master the language.

The same thing happened with the learning of Maths and Science in English. After the initial glitches, we see the results. The first batch of students have done relatively well in these two subjects. They preferred to answer their exam questions in English even though the Bahasa Malaysia version was given. This shows something, doesn't it? Here, we have our previous PM to thank for his insight and farsightedness.

However, if there is going to be a change in the teaching of English in this country, then a lot of research and planning have to be done first. It will take time. It's all right as long as we see positive results for our children's future. We want our future leaders to be at par, if not better than other leaders internationally.

Learning grammar is important. We need to know how the language works, so we need to start from the basics. The same goes when learning Bahasa Malaysia or any other language. We need to learn the grammar part of it too. Once we get the hang of it, everything falls into place. We just need to have the right attitude and approach. So, no matter what others might say, I personally feel that we should take English seriously and that it should be made compulsory in the SPM to entitle one to a certificate.

jennyiyan's recollections...

English and the SPM

2009-06-08T19:10:00.000+08:00

Should English be made a compulsory paper to pass in the SPM? For me it's definitely a Yes! Yes! and a Yes!! I first saw it posted on Twitter just now and then I read about it on the NST online. Our DPM, who is also the Education Minister is asking the public to give their views on this matter and he said that he was surprised that it is not compulsory to gain a pass in the subject to be given the certificate. I feel that it is time the government and education ministry look seriously into this matter. I'm sure they would have come to the realisation that many of our students in schools and graduates from the higher learning institutions cannot really converse well in the language. At the same time, there are some parties who are trying to ask the government to abolish the teaching of Maths and Science in English (PPSMI) and to revert to the old system. Excuse me, are they in their right mind? Can't they see the disaster that would happen if they abolished the present system? As it is, the students are not doing very well in English and by abolishing it ... I dare not imagine. With PPSMI, we see that our children are at least putting an effort into learning the language because they know that if they do not learn it, they will be at the losing end. How are they going to compete with others at the international level? There are times when I went to the shopping mall and I needed information on certain products and had to ask for assistance from the promoters, more often than not I would end up being disappointed because these people would fail to give me the information that I needed. So, should we abolish PPSMI? Should English be made a compulsory subject in the SPM? I still stand firm by my opinion.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Best Aunty Award

2009-06-05T19:38:00.000+08:00

It's the school holidays again and I get to spend a lot of time with Iyan and Ilynne, especially Iyan. Though it's the holidays, he has to attend a holiday programme for writing and today is the last day. He happily announced to me, 'Finally, my holidays begin'. Now he is so into football and for a seven going on eight-year old, he knows a lot about the game. You can mention a name, and he'll tell you which team the player is from. I'm amazed at his knowledge. In fact, I've learnt a lot about football from him. His favourite team is Chelsea and his favourite player is Frank Lampard. Besides this, his command of Bahasa Malaysia, which he had zero knowledge until he went to school last year is also improving. It's funny listening to him speak the language. He would say, 'Popo, ada orang di outside .' Yesterday, he told me, 'Taiyee, you are the best aunty in the whole wide world.' Imagine my pride at that moment. If only there was an award for that category, I think I would have beaten all the other contestants flat. That made my day

jennyiyan's recollections...

A Tale from Wonder Land

2009-05-27T21:52:00.000+08:00

What you are going to read is a sad tale from the land I call the land of wonders, Wonder Land. Most of the 'wonders' that I am going to mention happened in a school, which I will call Wonder School. Before the present principal took over, Wonder School was a very peaceful place where the teachers and students work and learn together and had a wonderful time. But all these disappeared when the new principal (Number 1/N1) took over late last year. She actually started off very well. She introduced new ideas for the betterment of the school. At the same time, however, she did something not so good regarding the purchase of certain things (a very sensitive topic indeed). Tsk, tsk, tsk naughty her. Since she was still new she had to get approval from the senior assisstant (Number 2/N2). So, N2 being an honest person naturally did not want to release payment because things were not done according to procedure. N2 was unhappy with the way N1 did things, and all these eventually came to the knowledge of the Board of Directors (BOD) and PTA. N1, under the advice and guidance from her twin (small fry - SF) - a viscious teacher of Wonder School - started a 'war' with N2. So begins the saga...

The BOD and PTA are all on the side that is doing the correct thing, N2 because they are the ones who will be coming out with whatever monetary aid for the school. Naturally, they went and appealed to the people who are of higher authority (HA) at the state level but HA who are supposed to be neutral chose to side N1 knowing very well that what she did was wrong. Why? To save their reputation (face) and all because of their arrogance. They refused to admit that they had actually promoted the wrong person to be principal. So, BOD and PTA had to fight their case at the national level with the people from the ministry. All the evidence of wrongdoing by N1 were submitted to them. While they were waiting for word from the people there, things were happening at Wonder School.

SF wanted an amount of money (RM) to finance her Dance Club as they had made some new dance clothes for the members. Where to get the RM? Since the PTA AGM was coming up, N1 and SF came up with a plan, that was, to get some innocent people to sit on the board so that they could manipulate them. They even threatened some new teachers (verbally-face to face or through the telephone and even tried calling them till the middle of the night) and asked them to vote for their candidates. Otherwise ... Well, when it is not something that is good, God sees. Immediately, the BOD and PTA came up with a strategy to counter N1 and SF's plan. N1 said that there shouldn't be any politicking involved but she was the one who started it all. Of course, all the teachers are adults and can think for themselves. So you can guess the outcome of the AGM.

Their next plan was to get the RM through the teacher's day concert. Once again God intervenes. Some of the students refused to pay for the concert and some parents telephoned N1 for explanation. Their fingers started pointing in the wrong direction. They blamed N2 and some other teachers for instigating the students. Therefore, to punish everyone concerned N1 cancelled the teacher's day celebration for the school. Needless to say, the students were devastated and tried to appeal. Alas!

A meeting was set up and all parties concerned were to meet at the ministry to trash things out and to find a solution to all these mess. While awaiting the outcome, HA got N2 transferred out followed by two other teachers. Rumours were that a few more would follow suit and eventually the whole staff would be gone and be replaced by new ones. Well, who can take things lying down.

Things have happened and some parties have gone to the press and even the TV station. The last I heard was the fight was not over yet for all parties. As I see it, the victims from this outcome would be the innocent students and teachers as when two giants fight...

All these would not have happened if N1 had admitted to her mistake. Also if she had not listened to SF, things would have been different. As I see it, SF and her greed is the cause of N1's downfall. If only they were not so selfish, if only they had put the needs of the students of the whole school ahead of everything, if only...

jennyiyan's recollections...

Something to ponder

2009-05-24T15:22:00.000+08:00

This morning I listened to two testimonies from two men who were drug addicts once, they had been in jail and drug rehabilitation centres before. They have been clean for more than twenty years now. One have gone on and started a centre not only helping drug but also computer addicts to those with HIV. The other is a successful businessman. They have shown that it is not the end of the road after the downfall. As I listened to them, I couldn't help thinking of those who are still addicts. Don't they want to be free from this addiction? And to think that it is so easy to catch hold of drugs today, I fear for my nephews and nieces. They are still young and what if they do not try to resist such temptation, what would happen to them? Drugs are so easily available nowadays and last month there was an e-mail being circulated which stated that one of the latest type of drugs come in the form of sweets whereby it can easily be bought anywhere. Their target is school children. They will first offer the sweets for free to the children and children, especially girls love sweets and I can see where this is heading. I truly, truly fear for these children. We wonder what the authorities are doing in allowing such things to happen. Some say that they are busy doing what they are not supposed to do while some others say that they are busy concocting ideas on how to topple the people who have been elected by the people to represent them in the country. They seem to have got their priority all mixed up. Well what more can I say.

jennyiyan's recollections...

American Idol

2009-05-21T16:52:00.000+08:00

Finally, the American Idol result is out. I know many of us have been waiting for this moment. Some in Malaysia got up early just to watch the show and wait for the result. I couldn't as I was at work. So I only got the results not too long ago on twitter. To be truthful, I'm glad that Kris Allen won. It's not that I do not like Adam Lambert. He's young and good looking. It's just that I don't like all those loud songs that he had been performing. I know many out there would not agree with me but I really dislike rock and heavy metal stuff. They are very noisy and at times I feel that the singers are just screaming and not singing. Sometimes the lyrics of the song are drowned by the noise from the instruments. I know Adam Lambert's fans and rock music fans would not agree but that's only my opinion and I don't deny that I actually like certain slow rock songs by Queen and Scorpion.

jennyiyan's recollections...

That's life 2 ...

2009-05-20T20:08:00.000+08:00

It's madness at the workplace today. I just couldn't get into the flow. I attended a briefing yesterday and was away from work for the whole day. When I went to work this morning I was greeted with piles of work lying on my desk. Sigh! I had to sort out everything according to priority but I just could not get going because many other things cropped up in between. Early in the morning I was greeted by my colleague, 'Welcome back to hell'! It was indeed hell as I had a wonderful day before. You see the briefing was held at a hotel and the food was good. I had a nice time meeting some old friends and also making some new friends. It was indeed heaven there. However, I managed to survive today and hopefully, with the rest tonight I'll be ready to face tomorrow.

jennyiyan's recollections...

The world today as I see it...

2009-05-17T13:33:00.001+08:00

I don't know about others, but I dislike being cheated. You see, last night I was at a shopping mall and there was a roadshow by a few telecommunication companies promoting their wireless broadband services. Besides that, they were also promoting their wireless broadband modems. I have been using a mobile wireless broadband modem for one and a half years now and I find that the service is getting from bad to worse lately. When I'm at home in KL I just can't log on to the internet anymore. I've made a few phone calls and even visited the said telecommunication centre but no one could help me rectify the problem and they couldn't even provide me with a good reason as to why I couldn't surf the internet anymore. The first thing they did when I made the complaint was to check whether I had any outstanding payment. Ridiculous, isn't it? If I had, I wouldn't have been so stupid to waste my precious time queueing up at the centre waiting for my turn only to be told that I had some outstanding payment!!! Since then I have been thinking of changing to another telecommunication company and have been scouting around for some time now. So when I found the modem last night, a supposedly upgraded version of the one I am using now and with a speed doubled it, and after so many sweet promises, I finally signed up for a service which is supposed to be RM50 less than what I am paying now. The salesman even told me that if I found that it was not the upgraded version of the modem I could always return it to them and will be a given a new one. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that it was the older version. Naturally, I went back and requested for a new and upgraded one today. There was actually no problem in getting a replacement, but what made me lost my cool was when he said this, "When you install this, if it is still the non-upgraded one, then you'll have to bring it to the centre to exchange for a new one." I asked him, "Don't you have any way at all to check whether the modem is an upgraded one?" "No!" Can you believe that? Of course, I got really upset and gave him a piece of my mind. I felt so cheated. Imagine, the hassle that I had to go through in driving to the shopping mall and driving round and round looking for a parking bay? And now he is telling me that if that is not the newer version, I would have to drive all the way to the telecommunication centre tomorrow to get a new one and go through all the hassle again. I mean, can't they all be more transparent and more truthful in conducting their business? Why do they need to cheat their customers just for a few hundred ringgit? Don't they know that the truth would be out eventually? Have they no integrity at all just to gain that small sum of money? I don't blame the salesman actually, but his employer because I know he is only taking orders from his employer. All these just made me wonder what is becoming of the world today.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Millionaire in the making...

2009-05-14T20:23:00.000+08:00

I had dinner at the McDonalds restaurant just now. I don't go there very often now more for health reasons. The last visit was a few months back. So imagine my surprise when I got my food. I had mc chicken and some fries. The mc chicken tasted horrible. It was so dry and hard. I felt like I was chewing on a piece of wood. The patty has shrunk in size and had an odd shape. The fries did not fare any better. The lettuce was simply thrown onto the bun and there was only a tiny drop of mayonaise and imagine the price I had to pay for such food. I wonder what have happened to this giant company. It is definitely much cheaper eating a burger sold by the roadside and the taste would be so much better than the one I had. I can imagine chewing on the rich and succulent patty with lettuce and a slice of cheese for topping...yummy! For the price I had to pay for the mc chicken, I could easily have bought three burgers from the stall by the roadside and that would be dinner for at least three nights. Hmm...I think I should just boycott mc donalds and give my business to those guys selling burgers by the roadside and at the same time save some money. After all, we are facing an economic downturn now. I have to learn to save as much as possible. Let's see, if I were to have burgers every night for dinner...I guess I'll be a millionaire in no time. Mmm...I might do just that!

jennyiyan's recollections...

1 Black Perak...

2009-05-12T20:51:00.000+08:00

When we heard that the High Court ruled that YB Nizar was the legitimate Menteri Besar of Perak yesterday, we all rejoiced with the people of Perak. Though I was not in Perak, I could feel the relief and joy the people of Perak felt at the time. However, deep down inside, I knew that something was going to happen to deny them the happiness. True enough, the joy was a shortlived one, both for the rakyat and the PR. Today the table was turned. The appeal which was scheduled for 2.30pm was brought forward and the ruling was made known by 1.30. No matter what, to me YB Nizar is a true leader. He did things the right way and tried to uphold the law, unlike some people who use threats and other means to gain power. The way he handled things today made me admire him more. Indeed, to me he is a true leader. If only there are more leaders like him, then the world would be a better place. It's all right to be sad. We all know that he did not lose the position to a better person and it might take another three years for him to be MB, yet YB Nizar, we are all behind you and we will wait patiently for the day you become the MB. We salute you!!

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T15:29:00.000+08:00

Today everyone all over the world celebrates Mother's Day. Well, I often ask myself what this day means to me? This is a day to specially remember my mum and all the things she has done in bringing me up. I know it wasn't easy bringing such a playful rascal like me up, what with four others in tow, all craving for her attention. We were especially close to her as our father was always away because of his nature of work. I remember when we were younger, we would pool together our pocket money and would secretly get something for mum. It wasn't much, but I know she was touched by our gesture. When I say that today is a day for me to specially remember my mum, it doesn't mean that I don't remember and think of her every other day. It is actually good to have such a day where we really stop doing other things and take time to specially remember our mums in a very fond manner. Of course, I know my mum would not want my siblings and I to spend much just for this day. For her, as long as her children are happy and doing well in life, she's a happy and contented woman. I'm sure all mums share this feeling. So, mum, Happy Mother's Day to you and to all mothers Happy Mother's Day to you all too!

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy weekend

2009-05-09T15:57:00.000+08:00

Today is Wesak Day. To all who celebrate this day, Happy Wesak Day. As for me, I'm enjoying my weekend by watching The Little Nyonya at home. It's a very interesting chinese series and I'm not even half way through. Half the time I do not understand it as it's in Mandarin, a language I have never learnt formally but am learning it from colleagues and friends. However, thanks to the English subtitles, I'm able to follow the story well. I've learnt a lot about the lifestyle of the Babas and Nyonyas in just two days. Very interesting and enlightening indeed. Now, back to the show.

jennyiyan's recollections...

TGIF

2009-05-08T13:47:00.000+08:00

Thank God it's Friday again. Have been looking forward to this day. Finally, I can relax from the chaos at the workplace. Lately, I've been looking forward to holidays and weekends as I cannot stand the political scene at the workplace anymore. Just want to get away from all these and have some peace. I wore black to work today and one of my colleagues asked if I was mourning for what had happened yesterday in Perak at the State Assembly. One Black day. I jokingly said yes. That is one lesson to be learnt. Because of one person's act and decision we see the people of Perak being subjected to such a situation. If only it had been conducted in a different manner, then things would have been much different. A minor decision, no matter how simple or small it is, is able to change the whole life history of someone or a state or country. So, if we are chosen as leaders we should not just think and make decisions for our own benefit but to look at the bigger picture, the workplace in particular or the state or country in general.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A selfless act...

2009-05-04T18:35:00.000+08:00

I received a phone call from my sister an hour ago informing me that Iyan has hand foot and mouth disease. It broke my heart knowing that he has it as this has been one of my greatest fear for him ever since he started going to school. He told me yesterday that he had a sore throat but I thought little of it. Told myself it could just be a minor one. My sister took him to the doctor this afternoon and it's confirmed. Yet what I'm proud of is that despite his pain he still thinks for others, especially his popo. He told his popo to stay in the room and don't come out in case she gets infected by him. Then a few minutes ago he called me on the phone to especially inform me that there's a flu in Penang and he wanted me to take care of myself and make sure I did not get it. Such a selfless boy... I'm so proud of you, my beloved Iyan.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A political scene (2) ...

2009-04-25T11:29:00.000+08:00

I am back after a long absence. I have been very busy and just could not find the time to pen my thoughts. Also, lots of things have happened, especially at my workplace, ever since we had a new boss (X) which makes me very disappointed. I am sick and tired of all the charades that's been going on. I do not understand why we who are working in the same department can't work together peacefully. After all, we are all working for one goal. Why must there be two factions in one department? In all these I would say that X is at fault because X is listening to only one party's advice, a party which has their own agenda. After so many incidents, which I thank God did not work out for them, X still can't see that X is being manipulated by them. As a leader, X should be neutral, instead of choosing sides and in this case, the wrong side. They have even named themselves Team A and all the rest Team B. They have accused some of my colleagues of playing politics but they are the ones who are doing that. I don't understand why X can't see all these and put a stop to it. All these have caused rifts among colleagues and I don't find joy anymore in going to work. There's no more peace among colleagues. We have to be very careful with what we say because everything will be recorded as proof to get us into trouble. We can't voice our opinions anymore. But then, I'm praying that things will be back to normal one day and that the peace that we had enjoyed before this be restored and we can have unity once more, by God's grace.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A personal view...

2009-02-28T12:01:00.000+08:00

I find that there are people who disallow girls to talk to boys and for me, this is bad and not right. A girl talking to a boy is a normal and healthy thing. After all, we are created male and female. If a girl is not allowed to talk to a boy, then there should only be one gender in this world. Why am I so disturbed by this? Well, I know of certain girl schools that do not allow their students to talk to boys outside the school compund when they are waiting for their transport to arrive after dismissal. If they do, they'll be given a demerit. Come on, it's not like they are committing any crime. They are not kissing or hugging or doing anything that is wrong in public. It's merely a short conversation. And it's in public! Are we trying to tell these young girls that they can only talk to girls? No wonder, cases of lesbianism are on the rise and this type of relationship is against the order of nature. I find this very unhealthy. Girls and boys should be allowed to interact in a healthy manner and they should be taught what is right and what is wrong. Parents and teachers have the responsibilities to guide these young minds, help lead them to have healthy relationships with the opposite sex and not the other way round.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A political scene...

2009-02-24T20:41:00.000+08:00

It's been some time now since my last blog. I have been very busy with work and just can't find the time to write. I work very hard and yet I don't seem to be able to complete my work and it is still piling up. At times I feel so tired after work that I just wish I could go straight to bed. I've been missing my exercise sessions too. Sigh! Ever since the general election on March 8 last year, the political scene in the country has been in a turmoil. The same thing is happening at my work place. Well, people say once you have a new head then there will be changes. But some of the changes are too drastic. It's alrite for me because I know I'll adapt eventually but I do not like it when there are two factions at the workplace. I have to be careful with what I say just in case I say the wrong thing to the wrong people which might get me into hot soup. I like an atmosphere where I can say anything and whatever I say will be taken with an open mind. I dislike people who love to carry tales. Yet...we can't get rid of this type of people. Come to think of it, these people actually add colour to our already dull life. Sometimes I wonder where they get the energy to do such a thing. I know I definitely don't have it.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Chinese New Year

2009-01-25T09:17:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year, marking the first day of the new year in the Chinese calendar. Every Chinese is busy preparing for this auspicious day. Tonight everyone in the family will be home to celebrate the reunion dinner together. No matter where a person is, he or she will make it a point to be home for this dinner. When I was younger, it was always mum and dad and we, the children. We never celebrated this day with our grandparents. I would say it was quite a lonely affair if I compare it to now. Ever since my parents became grandparents, the reunion dinner has become a very noisy affair. All my siblings and my nephews and nieces will be home. Then, there will be lots of eating, drinking and merrymaking. Of course, prior to the dinner, we have a lot to do. Running around getting everything that's needed. It is very tiring but in the end, looking at all the happy faces, it is worth it. I remember, when I was younger, my siblings and I would always look forward to getting ang pows and we would be counting the number of ang pows that we would get. But now that we are adults, it is our turn to give out these ang pows. It's still the tradition that those who are not married do not give ang pows but I would give ang pows to my nephews and nieces, just so that they can have an extra collection of them. This year we are having barbecue again. We have added something new, that's steamboat. Everything's prepared and we are waiting for everyone to be here to start the merrymaking. Finally, a very Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year to one and all! May the year of the ox bring us good health.

jennyiyan's recollections...

That's life...

2009-01-11T14:13:00.000+08:00

It's Sunday again. Tomorrow the madness will begin, again. The first week at work was really hectic. The moment I stepped foot into my workplace, everything started to zoom and at the end of the day, I was practically drained out. Sigh. What a way to begin 2009! All these happen because we have a new head. With a head who is very ambitious, someone who wants changes to be done instantly, all we who are working with her are pushed to the limit. We had to attend meeting after meeting and all these meetings would last a few hours! And there are still meetings for the coming week! Complaints can be heard everywhere. Of course, no matter how unlikeable a head is, there will definitely be people on her side, though very few. People who love to be seen with the head and these are also the people who would get away with things. If they are unhappy with a certain task given to them, they just have to go to her and come up with some nonsensical excuses and they get away with it. They are also the ones who will carry tales. I anticipate a very difficult year ahead because she has laid out all her guidelines and her expectation is very high. However, I have made up my mind to continue to work as I have always done, to do my best in everything and if she is still not satisfied, so be it. One thing that I'm looking forward to at this moment is the Chinese New Year which will be celebrated in two weeks' time. It will not only be a time to be with my beloved Iyan, Ilynne and family but a time where I can really forget about work and just enjoy the holiday. I think it's still not too late to wish everyone a Happy New Year 2009 and for those who celebrate the Chinese New Year, a very Happy Chinese New Year and may you all be blessed abubdantly with all the good things in life.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Happy New Year 2009

2008-12-31T18:36:00.000+08:00

Only less than five hours till the countdown. Yes, another year is about to end and a new year waiting to begin. Everyone has a different perception of the meaning of new year. Many of us are waiting impatiently for the countdown and I heard that many roads in the cities where the celebration will be held are closed. I can imagine the number of people who will throng these places. I went to one such celebration few years back when Iyan was just a one-year old toddler. We had a very nice time there. We had dinner and danced and swayed to 'the ketchup song' which was a hit at that time. When the countdown came, Iyan slept through all the noise and fireworks display. To many, the new year is just another year but to others, it means a year full of promises, especially to those who have experienced a bad or not so good year. It's something new to look forward to. Those who are involved in business hope that their business will continue to flourish. Many are hoping that they will continue to be blessed with the health and wealth that they are enjoying. Yet there are those who are waiting in anticipation of what the new year will hold for them. For students who will be sitting for their major exams, they hope that they will be able to pass them with flying colours. Well, practically everyone is waiting. Some will make resolutions for the new year. I used to follow the trend. Tried to make resolutions only to find that I could not keep up with them. Then, there was a time when I wanted to keep a diary to record everything that I did but that lasted only three days. Not even a week! Now I just take one day at a time. I've seen too many things, been involved in too many incidents and met so many people with all kinds of attitudes that the new year is just another year in my life. I just thank God for the good health that I enjoy. Of course, I love to watch the countdown. The atmosphere there is different from just watching it on tv. But I can't take all the jostling and pushing and the heat at these places anymore. Well, I guess I've really aged and mellowed. No matter what, I wish everyone A Very Happy New Year 2009! May all of us be blessed abundantly this coming year.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Iyan and Ilynne 2...

2008-12-27T10:38:00.000+08:00

Iyan at four...

See how loving they are...

Its Deepavali...

Its halloween. Ilynne is not in pix coz she's afraid of ghosties...

Princess Ilynne...

Iyan's 7th birthday...

Iyan and Ilynne...

jennyiyan's recollections...

Iyan and Ilynne...

2008-12-27T09:57:00.000+08:00

Iyan with baby Ilynne

I have always been very proud of my nephews and nieces and Iyan and Ilynne are the closest to me. Here are some photographs to show how adorable they are.

The ever loyal fans of Mr Bean

Iyan at his yamaha graduation

jennyiyan's recollections...

Joy to the world ...

2008-12-26T09:53:00.001+08:00

Today is boxing day. Boy, am I tired! Had a wonderful day yesterday. I have always loved Christmas. In fact, I love it more than Chinese New Year which I also celebrate as a Chinese. Maybe it's because of all the preparation before the day. All the shopping for gifts and also, all the malls are so beautifully decorated. It's like a competition out there. Everyone wants to outdo the other. I just love to go to all the malls and check out their Christmas decoration. Besides, I also love the look on the children's faces when they open their presents. Each Christmas eve, Iyan will tell me he wants to wait up for Santa and I will have to tell him that 'if you don't go to bed Santa won't come'. A few days before Christmas, he'd tell me, 'I wonder what Santa will be giving me this year' or 'I can't wait for Christmas to come'. Children! So innocent! Ilynne is still too young to understand all these but she is always happy when she gets presents. We had barbecue again this year. Well, it has been an annual affair for years now. Ever since all of us are grown up and can help around. We will also have it for Chinese New Year. So, it's a twice a year affair! I find that this is a healthier way of eating. Less fat in the food. I love it when everyone can come together and have a nice time, especially on Chinese New Year eve. Lots of noise and merrymaking. All the sharing, laughter and joy. Whatever misunderstanding is forgotten. Family ties! Bind us stronger than the strongest glue can ever do. Finally, A Blessed Christmas to all.

jennyiyan's recollection...

It's Christmas again...

2008-11-24T12:37:00.000+08:00

It's the time of the year again. Halloween, then Thanksgiving and finally Christmas! I love Christmas. It's the time for sharing and giving. Of course, it doesn't mean that I only give once a year. It's only that giving at Christmas means a totally different thing altogether. I just love to see the happy faces of the children and loved ones when they open their gifts. It's so special and so very different from birthdays, anniversaries or any other occasions. It's also interesting when you go shopping for Christmas gifts. The malls are all decorated and you see Christmas trees all over the place. It's like the malls have suddenly come alive and the seas of people shopping for Christmas gifts add to the lively atmosphere. Then we also hear Christmas carols which add to the nostalgia. All these set the mood for me to shop. Previously, I had to crack my head thinking of what to get for Iyan. Now that he is older, he'll list his 'orders' for santa. So, there's no problem for me in this area. But for Ilynne, I really don't know what to get her. She just wants anything Barbie and she has lots of them. At times I just worry that I would get her something that she already has. Sometimes, I would rather take her along so she can choose what she wants. But then, there wouldn't be any surprise anymore. Now, when I take her shopping, she will ask me, 'Taiyee, do you have money?' Iyan used to ask me the same question when he was younger. If I said I did not have money, he would say, 'Let's go to the ATM to get more money'. Sometimes he would want something, and after buying what he wanted, he would tell me, 'Oh no, Taiyee. I've spent a lot of money, let's go get more money'. Children are so innocent and it's such a joy being them! To all who celebrate Christmas, happy shopping and a blessed Christmas!

jennyiyan's recollections...

Malaysian Drivers 3

2008-11-16T11:56:00.000+08:00

I was using the highway again two days ago. As usual, you will find irritating drivers who think they are the only ones who are entitled to use the highway. You see, as I was overtaking a lorry at 110km/h, out of nowhere came a motorist flashing madly at me demanding me to move over. Come on, I was overtaking another vehicle, ok! There are also lorries and tankers going above the mandatory speed limit as if they are rushing for something. Then there are also buses plying the highway at above the speed limit allowed. The Malaysian Highway Authority has fixed 90km/h for heavy vehicles on the highway but the way the buses are going, the drivers are either oblivious to the rules or are just plain dumb. They have forgotten that there are about 40 lives entrusted in their hands and they act as if they are taking part in an F1 race. Can you imagine how fast a bus is travelling if it overtakes you who are going at 110km/h and disappears from sight within minutes of overtaking you? Where are the authorities, you would ask. At times when accidents do happen, many innocent lives are lost. The best thing is when investigations have been carried out, we find that the drivers actually had many unsettled summonses for numerous traffic offenses. Something is not right here. How can a driver with so many unsettled traffic summonses be allowed to drive a public transport vehicle? Why aren't the necessary actions taken against them? Why do transport companies still employ them? We hear of warrants of arrest being issued against traffic offenders who have yet to settle their summonses but why aren't these errant bus drivers remanded? If you are knocking on people's doors to serve them their warrants of arrest, how come these people manage to get away with it? Another thing is, if we make a survey, we'll find that the buses involved in accidents are from the same companies. Why are they still allowed to operate? Why aren't their licenses revoked? I am indeed mesmerized!

jennyiyan's recollections...

Social issues

2008-10-19T11:00:00.000+08:00

Melamine in food. It's frightening, isn't it? I thought it was only found in foodstuff produced in China. Now, I know Malaysia is not exempted. For the past few days we have been reading about food tainted with melamine made in Malaysia. Not only are they sold in Malaysia, they are also being sold in other countries. All these made me think. Are these food producers so unethical that they are willing to poison others just so they can make some easy money? If we look at all the food that go into our bodies, we will see that nothing we consume is safe anymore. Vegetables are being sprayed with pesticides which are poisonous for us, foods are being preserved so that they can be kept for a longer time and artificial colouring and flavour are used in place of natural ingredients. Fresh food like noodles, for example contains high levels of boric acid which is detrimental to our health. Of course, all these do not take effect immediately. They accumulate in our bodies and the effects will only be seen or felt later on. By then, can you imagine how much toxins there are in our bodies? Coming back to melamine, my colleagues and I were just talking about it a few days back. We all couldn't imagine how much melamine there are in our bodies as we have been consuming the 'white rabbit' sweets for so long, besides other types of tainted food. Everybody agreed that the sweets are very good, especially the wrappers which dissolve in our mouths. One of my colleagues even joked that when we fall sick and if the doctor removes the melamine from our bodies, they can produce a melamine plate with it. On a more serious note, I feel that such people should not be allowed to produce any more food and their license be revoked. Only people who are genuinely interested in producing good healthy food for consumption and not looking for instant profits be allowed to do so. Also, the authorities should play a more prominent role in ensuring these people abide by the rules set and also be more selective in awarding licenses to them. They should be honest and firm when dealing with such people. Only then can we be assured that we will be able to lead a healthy life. Only then can we be assured that we would not die of kidney or liver failure.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Aging gracefully 2

2008-10-18T18:11:00.001+08:00

Some people can be very nasty, regardless of their age. They become worse as they age. Is it because they are miserable so they want others to be miserable too? The older ones especially like to find fault with people who are younger than them. Are they jealous of them because they are more youthful and healthier than them? We all know the older one gets, the more sickly he or she will be. So minor things can irritate them easily and they will lash out at the innocent ones. Sometimes for no apparent reasons. An old woman who's already in her eighties, whom I know does that very often. She's plagued with diabetes and an itch all over her body that wouldn't go away. At times she would scratch her hands until they bleed when she sleeps. She takes lots of pills for these. Sometimes, for no reason, she would be nasty to people who are nice to her. I think she is so unhappy that she needs to see others unhappy too. But, what about the younger ones? Could they be having marital problems? Or are they being bullied at home by their spouses? I know of someone who bossess over others at the workplace but is the total opposite at home. At work, she can't see others free or not doing anything, she will make them feel guilty for doing nothing though they deserve the break because she is being treated the same way at home. I hope that I do not do the same to others. I want to grow old gracefully, be consistent in everything that I do and be fair to everyone.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Friends

2008-10-18T11:36:00.000+08:00

I remember writing about someone who does not trust in her friends anymore and that her family members are the only ones she trusts. Well, after some observation, I realise that the problem doesn't lie in her friends at all. The problem is with her. I see one of her friends being so nice to her. Once in a while this particular friend would think of her and take the trouble to prepare something nutritious for her to consume. Yet, at times she would tell me that this friend is sulking or is angry with her because of certain things. I feel that the problem actually lies with her. She should learn to give and take and learn to forgive others. Don't be too quick to judge others and think that she is always the one who is right. We can't expect others to always 'kowtow' to us. Instead we should learn to understand others. To me, she is plain selfish. Always wanting people to give in to her. Always craving for attention and not thinking of doing otherwise. Maybe being the youngest in the family also affects the way she thinks because at home everyone gives in to her and she has become a spoilt brat. The way she speaks and the things she say always imply that she is right and everyone else is wrong and stupid. She thinks too highly of herself. For a relationship and friendship to work, we have to learn to understand the other party. It takes two to tango, doesn't it? She's already in her fifties but she's behaving like a little kid. She always never fails to remind others that she is the youngest in the family and expects others to give in to her. It is alright if its once or twice, but if she's always saying that, people get fed up with that. If we behave this way, I'm sure we can't make friends easily.

jennyiyan's recollections...

A recollection...

2008-10-03T17:53:00.000+08:00

It is raining again. Whenever it rains, I wish that I would be snuggled in bed reading my novel. It's been difficult to get the chance to enjoy it these days because more often than not, I'll be at my workplace. Many things crop up and I do not even have the time to think of such luxury, what more enjoy it. I remember when I was a young and naive girl with no worries in me, a rainy day was something I loved, and actually looked forward to. I would snuggle in bed and listen to the rain feeling happy that I did not have to be out there getting all wet, especially when there's thunder and lightning. At times I would sit by the window and look at the raindrops. Sometimes I would see children running around happily in the rain. I had wished that I was among them. But of course, my mum would never hear of that. At that time I did not understand why she did not allow us to join those children. Neither did we understand why we had to take a shower once we reached home, if any of us were to get caught in the rain. Now, as an adult I understand. My siblings and I are fortunate that we have a mum who was and is always there for us. Looking at all the children out there whose parents are busy working and only manage to spend a little time with them, I am truly thankful for my mum for being there for us all the time.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Being Malaysian

2008-10-01T21:34:00.000+08:00

Today is Hari Raya Aidilfitri and it is also a public holiday. A much-awaited one for me. I will have five days off, including Saturday and Sunday. Such a luxury, eh? For this holiday, I have planned to just laze around doing the things that I like - reading, watching tv, surfing the net and most important of all, spending time with Iyan. I'm sure many of those who celebrate Hari Raya held open houses today because this is the tradition and culture that we, Malaysians practise, no matter what race and religion we belong to. Even the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers held open houses. As usual, we see droves of people thronging these open houses especially the ministers' on this auspicious day. It is not so much for the wide array of food. It is more for the solidarity among friends. Everyone can visit each other without being worried about anything because we live in a peaceful country. We know that we can go out safely and return safely. The same can't be said for some countries where there is violence. I know I would never know how fearful the people in these countries are each time they had to leave their homes to go somewhere. That makes me appreciate this peaceful country more. Ever since young, my siblings and I have been taught not to look at skin colour or race, we all live in Malaysia and we are all Malaysians. Hence, we have learnt to treat everyone the same. We played and laughed together. I remember that my sister would bring her friend of another race home after school and this friend would have lunch with my family. She would stay, take her shower and study at our house. My parents did not treat her differently and I hope that I will be able to emulate that and treat every Malaysian the same. To all my Muslim friends out there, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and have a wonderful weekend.

jennyiyan's recollections...

An Untimely Death

2008-09-27T14:30:00.001+08:00

I was surfing the internet just now and found out that one of my favourite novelists, Andrew Britton had passed away on March 18, 2008. He was only 27. I could not believe what I had read. A young talent is gone. He had such a bright future ahead, but, who can stop God's will. I can imagine how his family members had felt at that moment. I have actually been looking forward to many more novels from him. It seems that he was working on his fourth novel when he passed away due to an undiagnosed heart problem. I first stumbled upon his novel while browsing for books at the Borders. It was The Assassin, which was his second novel. I fell in love with his writing straightaway and now I am reading his first novel, The American. Meanwhile, I have been looking out for his third novel, The Invisible. Only the hardcover version is being sold. I have to wait till 2009 to get the paperback version according to the sales personnel at the Borders. He had his first novel published at a young age of 21. His untimely death reminds me of Heath Ledger's death, also at a very young age. Both had so much going for them.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Insight

2008-09-27T11:47:00.000+08:00

I'm back after a long absence. I just couldn't find the time to write as I've been very busy with work. I don't even have the time to indulge in my favourite activity - reading. Finally, I have the time to do all the things that I like - reading, surfing the net and blogging among others before I'm busy again. Speaking of work, well, we recently had a new boss. As always with a new boss, everyone will scramble to get into the good books of the boss. Well, not everyone of course, I was exaggerating. Numerous things will be speculated by those who claim to know or have heard about the new boss. He or she is like this or that. He or she likes this or that and he or she dislikes this and that. Phew! What an earful! I can't help but marvel at these gossipmongers, if this is the apt word to describe them. Where do they get all these info? Even before the new boss reported for duty, word had been going round about the boss. By the time the boss reported for duty, we sort of had an image of him or her, which, of course was unfair! We had managed to turn the boss into a monster rather than someone who was sent there to help manage the institution. I acknowledge, there are many types of people out there who are capable of doing anything. I personally feel that some of them have the wrong profession. Some of them should have been spies or working with the CIA. As for me, I don't care much about what they do or say as long as they do not include me. I will listen to all these, well gossips are always juicy, right? But I would rather take my time to get to know the boss. For me, I'll continue working the way I have been doing and I don't care about the rest. It's not in me to butter up my boss. I just don't have such talent. Some would bring back gifts for the boss when they go off on a holiday. Some would enter the boss' office and voice their dissatisfaction for others just to show the boss that they are doing their job. Some just love to be seen in the company of the boss, lapping up everything that comes out of the boss' mouth. Then there are those who are appointed heads of certain department who would just delegate their work to their subordinates while they brag to the boss that they have done this and that. They have gotten their heads too big and have forgotten that without the subordinates who have been slogging for them, they would be nowhere near where they are now. Everyone has his or her limit. One day he or she will just burst and there goes the friendship. What profit is there? For me, I believe in democracy. I believe in discussing things and taking into consideration others' opinions before we come to a conclusion. I dislike people who delegate their work to others while they just sit aound gossiping about others. Some who have their heads too big just lose their humanity and love and care for mankind. In a recent incident whereby one of my fellow colleague's loved one passed away, the immediate head telephoned her at home to remind her that she had not completed her work and that she had a deadline to honour. Excuse me! She had just lost a loved one and the funeral had not even been conducted. Can't it wait until after the funeral? Or can't you just help her complete it since you are so free? Or better, since you are so good at delegating your job, why don't you just take the task and delegate it to the others? It's not that she's having a gala time at home. Where is the love and care for fellow colleagues? What has become of humanity?

jennyiyan's recollections...

Aging gracefully

2008-09-09T17:39:00.000+08:00

I'm once again at the computer while waiting to go for my exercise. It's been five days now since I last went as it has been raining every evening. Yesterday as I put on my shoes the rain started to pour. Once again I had to put off my plan. Today the weather has been fine so far. I remember before the rainy season started, I've been going for my exercises diligently, to the extent of being called a 'fitness freak'. Well, why do I care so much about exercising? People say that as you age you tend to think more of being healthy and eating healthy food. How true it is. I find that I value good health now more than before. When I was younger, I always said I did not have time for exercise. Why? Because I would rather hang out with friends at my favourite spots, like the shopping complexes or the cineplexes. Now, even the food that I eat reflects my age. No ice, no soft drinks or no oily and spicy food. Eat lots of vegetables and fruit, etc, etc. In short, my food must be healthy food which have lots of fibre. I'm very afraid of falling sick. Whenever I hear of so and so being ill, I feel very sad and think of my own condition. When you are young, all these do not matter at all. Ah, we only live once. So, enjoy life to the fullest. But it's not so these days. I have started to value my life more and this is definitely a sign of growing old. I am so afraid that I would not be able to see Iyan and Mei-mei grow up. I hope to live long enough to see them grow up and be successful in life. However, I know all these lie in God's hands. If my time is up, then I'll have to return to my maker. Meanwhile, I'll just enjoy this life that God has bestowed me.

jennyiyan's recollections...

51st Merdeka

2008-08-30T23:24:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow we will be celebrating our country's 51st merdeka or independence day. Many individulas and agencies have made the necessary preparation for this auspicious event. As usual, there will be parades by the public and private sectors and many school children will also be taking part. Now, what does merdeka actually mean to each and everyone of us? How do we show that we are loyal citizens and that we love our country? What is patriotism? Does draping as many jalur gemilang as possible across the width of our cars show patriotism? Or does flying the flag in our house compound or sticking many tiny jalur gemilang on our vehicles show that we are citizens who love our country dearly? Does criticising the government at times mean that we are not loyal and good citizens? I don't fly the jalur gemilang or drape it across the bonnet of my car but that doesn't mean that I am not patriotic or a loyal citizen and don't love my country. I love the peace in my country and the beautiful people there regardless of their race and religion. I love the fact that I don't have to worry that I might be blown to pieces by a suicide bomber each time I leave my house to go to a shopping complex or an entertainment outlet. I love this peace loving nation. I love to sing the national anthem and all the rest of the patriotic songs. For me, patriotism comes from within the heart. It is a way of life. Patriotism and loyalty to the country cannot be forced onto every individual. He or she needs to understand the true meaning and do it willingly. For example, we can't force a child to stand in attention and respect the raising of the flag when singing the national anthem. He or she should automatically know what he or she should do in such a situation without having to be told to do so. A few days back, my colleagues and I were talking about this. We were pointing out that children nowadays do not love their school as we did when we were in school. If we do not love our school, the institution where we first learn about the history of our country, then how are we going to love and be patriotic and loyal to our country? I remember when we sang the national anthem and all the other patriotic songs including our school song, it was with much pride and admiration that we stood in attention during the singing and the raising of the flag. We took the trouble to memorise the songs and sang with all our hearts. This is what patriotism means to me. Only with this can we learn to love and be loyal to our country. However, everyone is entitled to his or her interpretation of patriotism and loyalty to the country. We might differ in thoughts and opinions but we are one, that is Malaysians. Happy 51st Merdeka!

jennyiyan's recollections...

Family and friends

2008-08-25T16:36:00.000+08:00

I had to leave Iyan again yesterday to return to Penang because I work there. How I dread the moment I had to leave. One of my colleagues told me to just apply for a transfer back to KL where my family members, including my beloved Iyan are since I'm always missing him so much. It's not that I don't want to work near home. It's just that staying away from home has its good points too. I find that by staying on my own, I have grown to love my family more and not take them for granted. I not only cherish the time that I spent with them but also each other and there's also less bickering among us siblings. I have learnt to appreciate mum's cooking more as I don't get such good and healthy food when I eat out. I have actually been staying away from home ever since my school days and this has taught me to be more independent. Of course, when I was in school, my parents would take me home from the hostel at the end of each semester and send me back when the hols were over. But over time, I grew to be independent and could take the bus home during the weekends when I missed home too much and once every fortnight, my friends and I would take the bus to town just to unwind. There were curfew hours and we had to be back at the hostel by 6pm but that did not stop us having fun. When I went to college, my parents did not have to worry about taking or sending me back to the hostel anymore. By then, I was more matured and could take the public transport. When I began to work, my first posting was to a small town in Terengganu, at the border of Kelantan. There was no shopping centre or even a cinema for me to go to. The nearest city was about 50 km away. I couldn't imagine myself surviving in such a condition. I remember missing my family tremendously, but with the help of friends I managed to overcome my loneliness. We would gather after work each day and exchange news of our workplaces. We had a lot of fun just sitting around chitchatting. Sometimes, during certain festivals where we couldn't be home, we would gather and celebrate together with the little means that we had. It could have been a simple gathering like a barbecue, or someone's birthday, yet we had lots of fun being together. That is why I treasure all my friends. One of my colleagues told me that she does not trust anyone anymore because one of her so-called friends has hurt her. Well, maybe she has not been in a situation like mine. In my situation, we have to learn to give and take. Yes, a friend might have hurt our feelings, but we need to learn to forgive him or her if we want to have a happy life far away from our loved ones. I wouldn't say that I have put friends before family but I wouldn't deny that there are things that I share with a close friend and not with my sister. Yet, that doesn't mean that I don't share things with my family members. For me, my family members still and will always occupy the number one spot in my heart. Ultimately, family members are the ones who will stick by us. Their love for us is unconditional.

jennyiyan's recollections...

Iyan

2008-08-22T18:58:00.000+08:00

I remember the first time I set my eyes on a cute little baby the day he was born. I never knew I had so much love to share until then. The moment I saw him, I just wanted to hold him closely and protect him always. I vowed never to allow anyone hurt him physically. He's the apple of my eye, the love of my life and that special someone who will cause me to break all rules. Each time I have to leave him brings me heartache and I'll be counting the days till I next see him. And each time I go to a shopping complex, I will think of what to get him when I return home to see him. At times, I miss him so much that I just could not hold back the tears. When I talk about him, it is always with pride. For him, I will do many things that I do not normally do, like I've learnt to cook his favourite food - salmon teriyaki, minestrone soup and mushroom soup, just to name a few. It's a joy to see him grow from a baby to a toddler, and now he is already in the primary school. How time flies. He celebrated his seventh birthday last week, on the eighteenth. He is none other than my favourite nephew, Iyan. I think it is still not too late to wish him a happy belated birthday. We were out together just now at the shopping complex and we always have fun when we go out. I remember many a time he would be rushing to the washroom right after eating to answer nature's call and I would have to help clean him up. He would make me wait for him outside while he does his 'business' and only when he says, 'I'm done' will he allow me in to help him clean up. Sometimes we would just laze on the sofa at home watching his favourite shows or he would be playing games on his psp or ps3 and I would be reading. For me, these are very special moments. Spending the little time that I have with him. How I wish I could spend more time with him. I just want him to know that he is very much loved by all his family members. Iyan, Taiyee wish and pray that you will grow up to be a fine, young man. An individual who is not only confident, wise and successful but respects and loves his mum, dad and mei-mei dearly, not forgetting popo. Taiyee will always cherish the time spent with you. Indeed, you are very special, not only to Taiyee but also your mum, dad, mei-mei and popo. 'Happy belated birthday, Iyan'.

jennyiyan's recollections...

the dark knight

2008-08-02T16:25:00.000+08:00

two days ago i went for the dark knight. i would say it was a very good movie. the character of the joker played by heath ledger was excellent. he should be awarded the best actor at the grammys. however, its a sad thing that he is no longer here. such a young and talented actor who is at the prime of his career. if we look back, how many of these young people have died prematurely. take for example the hong kong singer and actor, leslie cheung kok weng who jumped to his death due to depression and anita mui who died of cervical cancer. if we go even further back, we read about bruce lee's death and not loo long ago his son. before that, it was elvis presley and james dean, just to name a few. we hear of artistes and youngsters taking drugs today. some take the easy way out by committing suicide. what are the reasons for them doing that? is life that bad that they have to find a way out of it? is it due to peer pressure? or are parents placing undue stress on their children? it is a competitive world out there and i won't deny that this is one of the reasons. children want to impress their parents by doing well in life because it has been drummed into them that to do well in life they need to work real hard just as what their parents are doing now. they leave for work early in the morning and only return after their children have gone to bed. they are not there to guide their children through their growing up years. hence, children are left to fend for themselves. its a miracle if the children grow up and become good citizens but the same cannot be said for those who turn to drugs for comfort. how long can that help them? if given the choice i'm sure they would not have chosen that. there are also children from poor families who have to give up their studies and go to work to help with the family expenses. how much can they earn with their qualification, if we can call it that. so, the cycle continues and they will never be able to come out of the pot that is holding them. my heart goes out to them.

jennyiyan's recollections...

malaysian drivers 2

2008-07-20T14:18:00.000+08:00

if you are living in kl or penang, then being stuck in traffic jams is a norm as this is a daily affair, especially during peak hours. it is at these times that you see the ugly side of road users and traffic rules being broken. some think that by creating extra lanes they will arrive at their destinations earlier. if there is even a tiny space between two cars, they will conveniently fill up the space oblivious to the feelings of the other road users who have been patiently queueing up all along. if you are at a junction waiting to cross the road and you are the first car, then there will be the chance that there is an impatient driver behind who will honk at you to move as if he or she can see better from behind. in penang it is even worse because you have the problem of motorcyclists on your left and right weaving in and out of traffic. there, you will have to look out for them. if you intend to turn left and have indicated that you are doing so, you have to look back to see if there are any motorcycles on your left before you make the turn. because more often than not, they are travelling too fast and can't stop in time or they are not paying attention. or some will come honking away and telling you to let them pass first before you can make your turn. many a times accidents happen because of their carelessness. but of course, they do not admit to that. their excuse would be 'you are bullying us'. most of the motorcyclists in penang ride very fast as if they are in a race with each other. when they can't stop in time and knock into the vehicle in front, they will quickly ride away to escape confrontation. sort of a hit and run case. now, who is bullying who here? who is going to pay for the damage to the vehicle? where is justice?

jennyiyan's recollections...

malaysian drivers

2008-07-19T13:00:00.000+08:00

i am a frequent user of the malaysian highway and i have found that some malaysian drivers have a problem with their attitude or are they plain egoistic? you see, some of them like to hog the fast lane though they are travelling at 80km/h. no amount of prompting can make them move to the inner lane. then there are those speed demons who think that they are the only ones who pay road tax. if you ever decide to overtake a car in front of you, you'd better make sure that there are no cars behind you cos if there is even a car many kilometres away, the moment you signal that you are overtaking, you will look up to see it right at your tail signalling madly at you to move aside as if he is the only one who has the right to use the road. these are only two of the many incidents i have encountered.

jennyiyan's collections...