World's Best Bosses and Coworkers

I found this interesting article from BNET and would like to share will my readers.

World's Best Bosses and Coworkers

1) Creative collaborators

• A creative collaborator has realized that success doesn’t have to entail only individual accomplishment but can be more rewarding when it includes working together. With this awareness, creative collaborators redefine that emotionally packed word “success” so that wealth, position, and fame are no longer the only purpose for defining what really matters in designing one’s life. Creative collaboration is consistent with even the greatest individual accomplishment.

2) Community Builders

• Some things are worth fighting for, yet most the time there’s a better way. While rebels thrive on the negative attention they receive from their opposition to almost anything, community builders are capable of transcending opposition when appropriate, respecting other viewpoints and exploring areas of potential unity. They learn to embrace the notion that we’re all connected and that no one wins unless we all do.

3) Realizers

• What’s it like when you’re in the presence of someone who really makes things happen? Most people report having a feeling of effervescence, as if they’d just taken the first sip of a good champagne.  Realizers help open doors that seemed nonexistent minutes before.  There’s a sense that all things are possible.

4) Humorists

• Humorists are not the office clowns who make inappropriate jokes, or try to use humor to distract people from real problems.  Humorists put our comfort and worries into perspective, so that we can laugh at ourselves and the situation and pause before tackling difficulties. Humorists don’t push us to avoid conflict but instead handle it in a balance, healthy way.

5) Visionarists

• Visionary leaders have learned the art and craft of conflict transformation. Their core aim is to unite rather than divide people.  They are sensitive to the desires and needs of others and often have internalized the feeling of what it’s like to be judged and told that they’re wrong. Out of that comes an ability to listen to others and imagine a better future.

6) Explorers

• Explorers find out everything there is to know about a subject. They read books, browse the Internet, go to lectures and talk to just about everyone they can to find the right information. They take interest in a vast array of subjects and have a willingness to learn and an optimistic daring that is infectious. Explorers volunteer for projects and love to collaborate. While everyone else is dreading ambiguity, they will challenge all who seem unsure and hold them accountable for their words and actions. They inspire people to try new things and are always willing to be part of the first test to make sure that a project will succeed.

7) Mentors

• Mentors know how to listen and give good advice at just the right time. They know how to stand in the background and applaud without needing credit. They’re willing to let go when you’re competent to make your own decisions without them. The best mentors are not those who sailed through life without setbacks but rather those who have had to go through their own intense training and overcome obstacles and challenges.

8) Storytellers

• Storytelling has played a fundamental role in all societies to help human beings make sense of their world. Storytellers the world over establish a sense of credibility, authenticity, and wholeness in their communities. Rather than retreating from conflict, storytellers help communities understand how problems can be, and should be, solved.  They help communicate company values, share important business knowledge, and limit office politics. They take a firm’s agenda and communicate it to all stakeholders, helping them feel comfortable and motivated even during periods of wrenching change.

9) Integrators

• Integrators base their success on the ability to see all sides of a situation and allow conflicting parties to not only be heard but acknowledged. They have the ability to gather a group and find ways that individuals can work together and upwards.

10) Truth Tellers

• Truth tellers have a firm grasp on what they want to say and have given deep thought as to the possible outcomes of their discourse. They will not change their mind just to pacify someone, although they are not averse to adjusting their opinions if that will enable a conflict to push towards resolution. They do not beat around the bush, and people in their audiences generally listen.

11) Initiators

• Initiators are willing to start work on a project before all the questions have been answered. They take charge and become full participants in situations where creativity is especially important. The initiator can tolerate and moderate the conflicts that inevitably show up before creative process comes into full bloom. The initiator takes joy in the creative process and shows a willingness to let in all who wish to be included. Initiator like to get involved in the thick of arguments, thus allowing them to be resolved more quickly so that the creative process can move forward.

12) Trust Builders

• Building trust means peeling away the defenses that have built over lifetimes. In the workplace, leaders build trust by considering all aspects of the business, from a successful bottom line to creative and engaged employees.

13) Peacemakers

• Peacemakers cannot be swayed to side with one group or individual against another.What they care about is the fight to preserve the integrity of the whole system.Peacemakers teach us that peace is a state of mind and that it’s still possible to be happy in the midst of turmoil and chaos.

Thanks to author - Geoffrey James for the wonderful post. To read the complete article, please visit BNET.com =)

*Cheers*

Fine Dining @ Blue Elephant Thai Restaurant

This is the entrance of Blue Elephant Restaurant

On one fine evening, my colleagues and I decided to pamper ourselves with a good meal (very sick of the typical fried rice and fried noodle). We relied on T's new GPS to direct us to this famous Royal Thai restaurant located in Sathorn - Blue Elephant Restaurant.

I have first read about its good review from some travel forums. According to TravelFish, this is a chain restaurant which had branches elsewhere in the world for many years before finally opening a branch in Bangkok. It's other branches are locating in Jakarta, Dubai, Paris, London, Malta, Lyon and a few other cities.

Besides the restaurant, there is also a Blue Bar and Blue Elephant Cooking School in the same building. If you are interested to learn Thai traditional cooking, you can join their cooking classes. From their brochures, they are offering traditional Thai cooking classes on a daily basis.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted by the a waiter and waitress. The waitress told us that their restaurant was fully booked and we were only limited to dine for an hour before their next group of customers arrives. We accepted the offer and she brought us to a round table with 3 seats.


Firstly, we were served with a set of complimentary starter consists of a crispy fried dumpling, yummy chicken soup in shot glass and a beautiful orchid (of course the flower was not edible).

Complimentary starter - very nice presentation

That was my very first time drinking soup from a shot glass. Haha! When I first saw the glass, I looked at it curiously. Then, the waiter told me that was actually chicken soup. LOL! *thumbs up* I enjoyed it very much.

The chicken soup in shot glass taste great!

The romantic restaurant environment - perfect for couples

Organic brown jasmine rice

After the starter dish, our main dishes were presented to us one-by-one. We may select between the normal white rice or the organic brown jasmine rice. I had chosen the brown rice while both greedy T and L took both types of rice. XD The brown rice was black in colour and I felt it's lighter than the normal white rice. Something new and worth trying. =)

We ordered 3 main dishes - 2 pork dishes and an omelette. They were all very yummy. Check out my pictures below...

(1) Grilled spare ribs with honey - THB 380 (Approximately RM 38)

(2) Sweet and sour pork with longans - THB 380 (Approximately RM 38)

The last dish was the highlight of that night!! The Royal Omelette, which was the most expensive omelette that we ever had in our life! Hahaha! It cost THB 380 (approximately RM 38).

(3) The Royal Omelette - THB 380 (Approximately RM 38)

 

 

You must be wondering why was it so expensive. Well, lets check out the descriptions from the menu. 

It says 'Thai omelette stuffed with stir-fried minced pork and vegetables. His Majesty King Rama V (King Chulalongkorn) created this dish himself and it was recorded in Thai history when it was served during his second visit to Europe. It became His Majesty’s favourite dish and very popular with Thai and foreigners.' 

Sounds very 'royal' right? To me, its just an omelette with pork and vegetables. I did not find it very special and it was hard for me to justify the price. So, I think the previous 2 dishes were more value for money. Haha!

Overall we were very satisfied with the food and services. The restaurant ambiance was very nice and comfortable. I think it is perfect for couples too. 

Guess what! On our way out, I received an orchid (for females only) from the waiter!! Aww... So sweet... Hehe!!

*Cheers*

Pray for Japan

For the time being, lets all pray for the victims of Japan earthquake and tsunami waves. May god bless all of you.

"The US Geological Survey has upgraded the magnitude of Friday's deadly earthquake in Japan to 9.0

The move came after Japan's Meteorological Agency did the same. It's not unusual for scientists to tweak the magnitude of a giant quake after some number-crunching.

US government scientists originally put the Japan quake at 8.9. The change to 9.0 means that the quake was about 1.5 times stronger than initially thought.
The Japan quake is now the fourth largest in the world since 1900 behind the 2004 magnitude 9.1 Sumatra quake"

Source: The Star

Why It’s Smart To Be Optimistic

I found a useful article from Reader's Digest. After reading this article, I know what is the importance of being an optimistic person. =)

Expecting good things can make you healthier and might even lengthen your life, says researcher Suzanne Segerstrom, PhD, author of Breaking Murphy’s Law. Segerstrom is coauthor of a recent review of studies on the benefits of a positive attitude—and has experienced them herself. We asked her about optimism’s principles and payoffs.

1) Feeling well helps when you’re not well
“When researchers look at people who have similar medical conditions, they can predict who’s likely to live longer: the one who feels his health is better. There’s something about that feeling of wellness that’s important, even—maybe especially—if you’re ill. Optimism also seems to help buffer you against stress. I’ve been studying first-year law students for 16 years. That’s a very stressed group, but in my most recent study, each time a student’s optimism increased one point on a five-point scale, his immune response to an injected virus or yeast improved by 20 percent.”

2) Optimism is something you do
“Anxiety and other negative emotions are known to be detri-mental to the body, especially to your cardiovascular and immune systems, and having an optimistic nature seems to protect against those effects.

In addition, research shows that people who are optimistic about their future behave differently. They exercise more, are less likely to smoke, and follow a better diet. And if they get sick, they’re more apt to actively participate in their treatment. I’ve seen that myself—I have back pain from arthritis, but I think my willingness to do whatever it takes has helped a lot.”

3) Not happy? Don’t worry
“Happiness is a feeling; optimism is a belief that aspects of your future will turn out well. Happiness can fluctuate a lot, but an optimistic disposition is usually pretty stable. If you’re not optimistic, you can try creating a ‘positive events’ log. Good things happen to everyone, but pessimists often don’t take notice; spending a few minutes every day writing about at least three positive things may help you expect them more often. Or instead of trying to be optimistic, do what optimists do: Work hard to reach your goals. Each accomplishment should make it easier to be hopeful about the next one.”

Depending on which study you read, optimists …

…are 9 percent less likely to develop heart disease.

…are only 77 percent as likely to be rehospitalized after some types of major surgery.

…have blood pressure that’s five points lower, on average.

…live an average of 9.5 years longer.

So, start from now, let's be optimistic!!

*Cheers*

What to do when your shoes are wet in the office?

This afternoon I had my lunch at a nearby food stall. When T and I were half way eating our bakmi goreng (fried noodle), the sky turned dark in a sudden. A few minutes later, it was raining cats and dogs!! 

OMG! We had no umbrella at that time!! When we finished lunch, the rain was still very heavy and it didn't seem to be getting slower. We stood in front of the stall and looked for a 'water boy' (kids who rent you their umbrellas during rainy days). We thought of renting an umbrella from one of the kids. However, the demand was higher than the supply and we couldn't get any umbrella.

Luckily, the stall owner offered his umbrella to us. He sent his staff to follow us back to the office and we returned the umbrella to him upon reaching our destination. On the way back, we walked pass tonnes of potholes on the road! On top of that, the passing-by vehicles were splashing water onto the pedestrian pathway. Even though T and I were sharing a huge umbrella, we still got wet, especially my leg.

I even stepped into a puddle of water and got my shoes totally wet! *Sniff* I thought this pair of shoes might be a total loss! I was thinking of shoes shopping already. :p

When I reached the office, I immediately wiped myself dry. I was trying to wipe my shoes also, but it was just too wet. Guess what happened after that...

That was what happened

Hahaha! I put my shoes in front of the fan! I fanned it from 1pm to 5pm. In between, I also changed the position of the shoes so that it can get dry from all angles. Hahaha!! During that 4 hours, one of my colleagues, W was kind enough to lend me her slippers.

W's 'fishy' slippers and my wet high heels

Her slippers were way too cute!! I was so shy to wear it to the toilet. Hahaha! Bottom line, it really works when you are drying your wet shoes under the fan for a couple of hours! My shoes are now dry and wearable. So, next time if you have the same problem, why not try out this way?

*Cheers*

Beautiful purple flowers

I love these pretty little purple flowers :-)

*Cheers*

20 Ways to Create More Time

I saw an interesting post by nimmy78, who is one of the Citizen Blog bloggers. She found 20 tips on how to create more time from a Christian publication magazine. I thought the tips are very useful, especially for those who are living in the fast pace and competitive city.

A print screen of Citizen blog by The Star Online

20 Ways to Create More Time

1. Keep a daily to-do-list
• I do keep my daily or sometimes weekly to-do-list (it depends on my workload)
  
2. Synchronise your calendar
• I don't think I have so many appointments to manage yet
  
3. Write an "Action Plan"
• This is one of my tasks at work
  
4. Generally schedule your most important tasks
5. Set goals over which you have a large degree of control
6. Acknowledge that you will not have time for everything
• Prioritisation is very important
  
7. Keep a time log
8. Schedule less
9. Minimise interruptions
• I have temporary stopped using my MSN for quite some times
  
10. Schedule the most challenging work for the time of day when you are most energetic and alert
11. Do the most unpleasant task as soon as possible
12. Allow time for the unexpected
13. Use transition time
• I do have lots of transition time every fortnightly when I am waiting for my flight (AirAsia always delay for at least 30 minutes!!) 
14. Apply the 80/20 rule of thumb
• One of the McKinsey ways, which I learned during work assignments 2.5 years ago
  
15. When you feel overwhelmed with work, write each task on an index card
16. Periodically, take time off to 'recharge' your batteries
• Holidays!! Cameron Highlands will be my next trip! =) 
  
17. Think on paper
• Scribble/ brainstorm your thoughts on paper 
  
18. Don't be a perfectionist
19. Work like a professional
20. Be flexible

Source: Citizen Blog, The Star 

Many of us find it difficult to manage our limited time. Very often we would wish to have more time in order to meet our project deadlines/ more free time for leisure/ relaxations, friends and family. However, if we successfully pick up some of the above 20 tips, we may be able to work more efficiently and effectively. Then, we will have more time for others! Let's start with keeping a daily to-do-list first. =)

*Cheers*

Company outing @ Pantai Anyer

Last month, I traveled to Pantai Anyer with my Indo colleagues. Pantai Anyer is located in the west coast of Java about 120km from Jakarta. That was the first time I traveled to an island in Indonesia. Although I was very excited before the trip, I was praying hard not to get sunburn again. LOL!!

A group of 50++ of us gathered near our office building early in the morning. Some of us were busy transferring the presents (for lucky draws) and other goods from the office to the bus, while others were busy distributing breakfast boxes. It was quite tiring as we had to carry down boxes of stuffs from the 12th floor to the bus, which was parked quite far away. *Sweat*...

When I got onto the bus, I was quite surprised that the bus has 5 seats in a row!! Altogether it can fit more than 50 passengers! If I am not wrong, Malaysia's express bus can fit a maximum of 48 passengers only. This is seriously something uncommon to us - Malaysian. On top of that, this air-conditioned bus was fitted with an LCD flat screen TV!! Its for our karaoke session. However, we forgot to bring some English CDs... So, there were Indonesian songs all the way. I enjoyed the songs but I can't sing along. How sad.

I snapped a picture of the bus (Actually the aisle was very narrow due to the extra seat)

On the way to Pantai Anyer, we passed by a lot of small and bumpy roads. We were like sitting on a rocky boat instead of a bus. I was quite dizzy at times *(>_<)* After a few hours (I cant remember exactly how long it took to reach our destination), we finally arrived at Caritas Resort. *Phew!!* 

After some group activities and lunch, we proceed to our respective chalets. It was an attap roof chalet (a house built with attap leaves) with 4 rooms. I shared the chalet with another 7 colleagues, while M was my room mate. We were lucky enough to get a room with an attached-bathroom (It was assigned to us, we didn't choose). Hahah!

While we were waiting for the next activity, we entertained ourselves with the camera. *snap snap snap* We kept snapping pictures like nobody business...

B is the thorn among the pretty roses XD

Later, all of us were grouped into 5 teams and the games had began. Firstly, it was just some light warm up exercises. Then, it follows by other games that required more energy.

I participated in a game where we tied up our legs as shown in the picture below. Then, we had to 'run' to the other end, picked up a ping pong and ran back to the starting point. Although my team ended to be the second last team to arrive the finishing line, we did not fall down like one of the groups. We were slow and steady. Hahaha!! After the game, my legs were hurt. Probably, the rope that tied our legs was tied too tight. =(

I was busy discussing our so called strategies with my team. Why do we still lose? Blame my short legs. LOL!

There were another game that required us to make the longest human-bridge. We tried our best to connect ourselves with everything we can find at that time. For example, I took out my slippers and hair band, while one of my team mates took out her shoe laces and belt! Some of them even took out their shirts and pants in order to win the game!! Awww... On top of that, we continued with this game even though it was drizzling. Therefore, all of us were dirty and stinky. Hehehee!

The longest human-bridge... Amazing...

On the following day, we carried out some in-door activities instead of the dirty outdoor games. Some of us didn't bring enough clothes for change! Hahah! In this game, everyone took turn to dance in front of the rest, while the rest followed the leader's movements. Emmm... I ran out of ideas so I was doing some stupid movements.

Waka waka ehh ehhh....

After the fun and tiring games, we proceeded to the seaside for banana boat!! When I was sitting on the banana boat, I couldn't see much as I wasn't wearing my spectacles. However, I did feel the cooling breeze and heard the loud sound from the speed-boat's engine. Few minutes later, we were tossed into the middle of the deep blue sea. Although it was not my first time got tossed out from a banana boat, I still felt panicky as I can't swim. Besides panicky, I immediately held my Finance Manager, S with all my strengths since he was the nearest to me. I thought I probably made him panicky too. Hahaha!

Then, for the second round when we got tossed into the sea, the banana boat operator immediately rushed towards me. LOL!! He knew that I will probably scream out loud, so he saved me before others. I felt quite embarrassed at that time. Kekekeek!

My colleagues were so happy after got tossed into the sea

I got a little sunburned and a bit tanned after the trip. However, my skin got less irritated after I applied almost half a bottle of the aloe vera gel recommended by M. The gel is working!! I could feel and see the difference after applying the gel generously on my burnt skin. I am going to standby more of the gel if I am planning for more outdoor outings in the future.

I bought this gel from Watson for around RM12 only. Do try it if you have sunburn problem too! =)

 *Cheers*

Quote of the Day

I came across a meaningful motivational quote by Greg Anderson.

"Let us be about setting high standards for life, love, creativity, and wisdom. If our expectations in these areas are low, we are not likely to experience wellness. Setting high standards makes every day and every decade worth looking forward to" by, Greg Anderson

According to motivationalquotes, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1984 and given 30 days to live. But instead of killing him, the cancer motivated him to begin living. He shares the simple yet profound lessons he learned in The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness. 

I have not read this book yet but from the online book reviews, it looks like an excellent overall philosophy on how to lead a good life. I will check out this book in the future. =)

*Cheers*

Surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams...

Its March!! CNY celebrations had just over. So, I have taken down my CNY decorations from my monitor. Now, my little monkey is sitting on the monitor. He was given to me as a gift by one of my company's business partner in Langkawi island. Then, I flew him back to KL and he became our permanent resident of Happy Room.

He told me that, "Surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams"!!! People... Please support my dreams... =) I believe I can fly... I believe I can reach the sky.... I believe.....

*Cheers*

How to write an effective emails?

 I was reading some online business articles and I thought of sharing some information with you. The articles were about email etiquette and good practices. Since most of use are using emails daily or we can't live without emails, so I think these tips are pretty useful to us.

According to Dave Johnson, there are 5 Dos and 5 Don'ts for writing an effective email.

Top 5 Dos

1. Put important information in bold, so it’s easier to see. Likewise, if you’ve addressed an e-mail to several people and there’s an action for a certain person, bold his or her name when you address the issue. Use bold sparingly, though.
2. If action is required, say so at the start of the e-mail. Don’t tell a long story with the requested action at the bottom. This is called the BLUF method, but I also tend to call it “getting to the verb.” - BLUF stands for 'Bottom Line Up Front'. So, be straight to the point.
3. Keep your signature short and professional. Lose the pithy quote and just include your title and phone number.
4. Keep the subject line relevant. If the topic changes over the course of a long thread, update the subject so it’s relevant. - Totally agree with this! It will be much easier when I need to retrieve some old emails.
5. Proof your e-mail before you send it. And make sure your spell checker is running.

Top 5 Don’ts

1. Don’t ever type anything in ALL CAPS, even to get someone’s attention. If you need to catch someone’s eye with something important, put it in bold. - Frankly speaking, I don't like receiving emails with ALL CAPS. It sounds like I was scolded by the sender.
2. Don’t include your entire team or your boss on every e-mail you send. Be selective.
3. Don’t send large attachments unless absolutely necessary, especially to a mailing list or distribution list. If possible, upload your files to the cloud, such as DropBox or MemoPal and provide a link. - I don't have these 2 softwares at the moment. Maybe I will research more on DropBox and MemoPal for my future posts.
4. Don’t send e-mail when you’re emotional. If you’re responding to someone that has made you angry, save the message in your drafts folder until you can proof-read it more objectively, and then send the e-mail.
5. Don’t try to be funny, especially to a mixed audience. The chances of being misunderstood are astronomical.

I hope this will help us to write a more effective email. =)

Source: Bnet

*Cheers*

February - Live boldly, laugh loudly, love truly...

Its February 2010!! Time to flip the Motivation Calendar, which is sitting on my office monitor... My calendar says 'Live boldly, laugh loudly, love truly'. So, what are you waiting for? Let's do the necessaries that can change your life... Spend time with your friends & family and laugh loudly a.k.a be happy!! Last but not least, love everyone around you with the bottom of your heart... Love you! XD

Also, I would like to wish you Happy Lunar New Year!!! Rooooarrrr!!! (Yea! I am celebrating CNY, thats why you can see some CNY decorations on my monitor)

*Cheers*

Happy Year of Tiger 2010!!

I would like to wish all of you a happy and prosperous year of Tiger... Roooaaarrrr....!!

According to Wayangtimes, Libran Ox will do quite well this year! Hahaha!

The Ox

Those born under the influence of the Ox are fortunate to be stable and persevering. The typical Ox is a tolerant person with strong character. Not many people could equal the resolution and fearlessness the Ox exhibits when deciding to accomplish a task or an objective. As we used this great creature long ago to plow the soil day after day, so do Ox people labor through their daily responsibilities either at work or at home without complaint or gripe. Oxen know they will succeed through hard work and sustained effort and find no truth or benefit in concocting get-rich-quick schemes.

Sturdy, earthy, no-nonsense – that’s the Ox. Affectionate and easy-going, the Ox can show a fierce temper when agitated. He is neat, tidy, quiet and studious, with a great love of his home. Music can be a great love. Family life and a loving partner are high on the Ox’s priorities. A wonderful loyal friend.

Forecast for 2010
The Ox loves methodical planning and everything working out in the correct time (Agree!! Agree!! XD). The Year of the Tiger will throw all this to the wind with it’s fast pace and unexpected developments! People born under this sign may find 2010 a challenge but in a good way. The Ox will have to adapt to new routines, delays and obtacles thrown in his way, but he will be well able for any task and may find new hidden talents and personal power he didn’t know existed. Hobbies, relaxing pursuits and friendships will all be beautifully highlighted during the Year of the Tiger and will provide a welcome relief to any stresses he may face. Home improvements and redecorating plans will move forward smoothly with excellent results. Career opportunities will present themselves from April to June, while exciting, intense romantic encounters are likely in July, August and December (Interesting..... LOL!!!). An important aspect for those under this sign in 2010 is to be mindful and caring of loved ones. It will be crucial to listen to them and also to accept any help they may offer during this changeable year.

Interesting Ox Facts:
Zodiac Stone: Aquamarine
Special Flower: Carnation
Best Hours: 1-3 am --> I will be sleeping away my best hours all the time... =/
Season: Winter --> There's no winter season in Malaysia!!! Horoscope Colors: Green, Yellow, Black

Chinese Zodiac Meets Western Astrology Horoscope

LIBRAN OX

These Oxen are good employers and employees because they are easy to get along with and listen to what you have to say. They like to keep the peace and don’t like to rock the boat. They are always trying to achieve perfection personally and romantically.

Check out yours at Wayangtimes.com

*Cheers*

10 litres of water to produce 1 sheet of A4 paper

I was reading the online news this morning and the following advertisement caught my attention!

Check out the fact that we need 10 litres of water to produce 1 sheet of A4 paper!!! OMG! I wonder how many trees we killed and how much water we consumed/ wasted daily...


Lets put our hands together and be more environmental-friendly. Let see what we can do to reduce the usage of papers and save our earth.

1. Think before you print
2. Print on both side of paper
   
3. Do not throw away your newspapers/ magazines, recycle them
4. Submit income tax online - fast, easy, and you do not need to worry that your forms will be missing in transit through snail mail
5. Bring your own eco-bags during your shopping trips - this will help in eliminating the usage of paper bags and plastic bags

I'm sure there are a lot more ways. No matter what, just do our best, k? =)

*Cheers*

Brand new tyres for my car

My car has finally installed with two brand new tyres...

About two weeks ago, AO spotted my bald and scratched front left tyre. OMG!! I didn't know my tyre was in bad condition before this! On the next day, I went to a tyre shop and consulted the mechanic. This uncle mechanic shook his head and scolded me for driving with the bad condition tyre. He told me that the tyre might just burst on the road if I drive too fast.

After he settled with his earlier customer, he carefully checked all my tyres. He asked when was my last time changing the tyres... Emm... So far, I changed only 1 tyre which was punctured a few years back. Other than that, the rest of the tyres were already 6 years old. He nagged me a little... I was adviced to purchase at least 2 more new tyres for replacement. However, he didn't have stock for my model. So, he took out my spare tyre and changed the spoiled tyre. Then, I will need to come back again when the new tyres arrived.

When I told my colleagues about this incident, they were laughing at me! TY said 'You mean 6 years? Hahaha! Even those new tyres on the rack also expired already!' *Blush* Yea... I know nuts when it comes to car maintenance stuff. Now I know, I am supposed to rotate my car tyres every 2 years or so, in order to drag the life span of the tyres. Besides, I should check my car and the conditions of tyres every so often... Yes, yes!! I remember now... =)

Finally, the tyres have arrived and I changed them today! Initially, I thought the process of changing tyre is very easy. Buy a new tyre, take out the old tyre and install the new tyre, right?... NO! In fact, they got to go through a lot of testing before installing the tyres. What I observed was, the mechanic put the tyres on 3 different machines to do some testing... I am not sure what sort of testing are those... But for sure, changing tyre is not as easy as what I thought. In the end, it costs me RM225 including some car alignment and etc.

Sadly, this workshop accept only cash... Issh! I gave him all the cash in my purse already. Yea... I'm officially broke! =(

Disclaimer: Please check with your mechanic for proper car care advice.

*Cheers*

Everyday is sPeciaL!!

I got this cute table calendar from my secret santa, Alice. I like it as there is a nice quote every month. For January, its "Everyday is as special as you make it... make it great!". So, this becomes one of my new year resolutions. =) Yes! I'm trying to make everyday a special day. Perhaps I can make yours as special too!

Okay, I'm asking myself. 'What's so special about today?' Well, I was approached by one of my managers to apply for transfer to her department. Hahaha! This situation is rarely happen. However, this has proven that I still have some market/ value in the company. =p This is kind of a good news to me.

*Cheers*

Wishing you a fabulous New Year 2010!

Dear reader,

I would like to wish you a wonderful and fabulous New Year 2010. May your new year filled with peace, happiness, good luck, wealth, good health, joy and better prospect!!!


*Cheers*

New Year Resolutions

Year 2009 is ending very soon... Are you planning for your 2010 New Year Resolutions?

I found some interesting quotes from Quote Garden.

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. ~Author Unknown

I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second. ~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

LOL! So, are your new year's resolutions are the same each year too? For me, I hardly set my new year resolutions. Maybe I should set mine by January the second. =p

*Cheers*

WEIRDO NEWS: 'Ghostbusters' scholarship for British student

By METRO NEWS REPORTER - Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Source: Metro News

“A student has won the world's only 'ghostbuster' scholarship this year to study parapsychological phenomena.

Callum Cooper, 21, of Northampton University , was given £1,800 from New York 's Parapsychology Foundation to investigate phenomena like haunted sites, and even text messages from the dead.

He won out over international competition for the Eileen J. Garrett prize, which is intended to help students find possible scientific proof for uncanny happenings.

He plans to write his dissertation on 'the sense of being stared at in public spaces'.”

I heard about this news on Hitz.fm this morning and I found it very interesting!! I really can’t wait to read this guy’s dissertation on how a dead person can send text messages… Perhaps, they use the Hell Network? Or the Heaven Network? The best network coverage with broadband? LOL!!!

Anyway, I think this is a very interesting area to be researched on... Thumbs up, Callum Cooper!!!

*Cheers*

Gas mask bra among 2009 Ig Nobel Prize winners

Source: Tech.Blorge

This news really caught my attentions... =p I wonder if this invention works for the Asian women who are more conservatives... LOL! And are these bras come in all sort of sizes too?


A bra which turns into two working gas masks is among the achievements to be celebrated at the 19th annual Ig Nobel Prize awards ceremony.

The Nobel Prize is a long-running and well-established ceremony which rewards those who have achieved great feats in the fields of science, literature, and economics. But since 1991 they have been preceded by the Ig Nobel Prize, a parody of the main awards, which endeavor to “first make people laugh, and then make them think.”

According to National Geographic, the ceremony is organized by the scientific humor magazine, the Annals of Improbable Research, and this year were held at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater.

The gas mask bra won the Ig Nobel in public health. Elena Bodnar and colleagues designed a fashionable bra that can be turned into a pair of HEPA-filter gas masks within a matter of seconds. Bodnar designed the gas mask bra after being moved by her experiences as a young Ukrainian medical student helping victims of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

She demonstrated the bra on members of the judging panel, including Nobel laureates Paul Krugman and Wolfgang Ketterle. She said:

It only takes 25 seconds for any woman to use. Five seconds to convert and wear her own mask, and 20 seconds to wonder who the lucky man is to wear the second mask.

*Cheers*