I remember I was walking away from office, presumably after work. There was a downward slope, exactly like the one at my previous place I lived. I saw a brown-furred lioness laying on the other sidewalk and alerted of my presence. As I saw it in a “ready” stance, I slowly turned around and head the opposite direction. I turned my head around and saw it started walking. Startled by its action, I quicken my pace and eventually, I started running. The next part was a little fuzzy but I remember seeing a tree and realising that I’m not able to run away from it, I climbed onto the bald tree.

There is a boy trying to make the lioness away but surprisingly. They were like playing with each other and no harm was done to the boy by the lioness. Crowds began to gather around the tree and they didn’t look like being threaten by the presence of the lioness nor the lioness realise the presence of the crowd. It started to circling around the tree accompanied by 2 more lions, or some animals that resembles a lion.

I wanted to grab my phone to make an emergency call but a look onto the ground, my mobile and other possessions were on the ground. I saw a girl with a phone on her ears. I shouted at her to dial for emergency. I was not sure if she heard me and do as I said or did she ignored me. Then, I saw the brown-furred lioness on its two hind legs, picked up my mobile and started dialling a number.

And that was when my alarm rang.

Waiting for what? For this, of course!

I have been waiting for the next iPhone but honestly, I was quite disappointed when they announced iPhone 4S instead of the speculated iPhone 5. Nevertheless, I’ll still get it because I can’t stand my old-trustworthy iPhone 3GS. It’s becoming sluggish and the camera is not working as it should.

For the past weeks, the 3 major telcos had announced that they will be offering iPhone 4S soon. Few days later, they revealed the date of launch – 16 December 2011. Everyone is waiting impatiently of their respective plans, until few days ago. We saw DiGi revealed their plans and followed by Maxis. I have no idea about Celcom as I’m not a very big fan of them.

Last week, I received a booking invitation from Maxis to their launches — midnight pre-launch starting tonight and day launches on 16 & 17 December. I have registered for the 17 Dec launch. Hopefully I can get the phone on the spot unlike when I got my iPhone 3GS which I had to wait for around a month.

OMG! Please, Saturday come quick!

A week long holiday is gonna end soon and tomorrow will be another new beginning. I’m not sure if this is how I felt before my first day with HP (although I was employed under an agency). I remembered vaguely that I did feel excited because my previous employer was a bastard.

My feeling now? It’s like a flat line with few up-hike occasionally. It’s not that I’m not happy with this new job or feel excited. I’m able to relax perhaps I know that I have somebody I know in there and there will always be help in case I need it. Unless they don’t want to help me.. People often feel excited when they are about to enter a new, unfamiliar environment. They should be scared or nervous but I’d guess the excitement covered it all.

Someone once hinted at me, not to mind if people are saying that I go there because I want to be with them. Of course, she knew that it was not the reason why I applied and accepted the offer. Or it’s because that I am desperate to get a new job. Maybe a little but thinking back, if I was desperate I would have accepted the previous offers instead but I know what are my priorities. Thus, I never did until this offer.

I do not have obligation to explain my actions to anyone else except myself and perhaps my family. If I’m able to brush things off just like that.

Wishing myself all the best and a smooth sailing ahead with a new beginning!

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.

Yesterday was my last day with HP. Alright, it was not as joyful as I would want it to be. I wanted it to be very low-profile as it could be. My closer bunch of colleagues planned for a farewell lunch, with Jacky came into office 3 hours before his shift started. We could never guess that Boss suggested the same thing. She wanted to go early, at 12pm so that they can make it back for a 2pm meeting. I was seriously hoping Jacky will come in after 1pm but unfortunately, he came in super early. We asked him to go hide somewhere so that the boss won’t see him and still believing that we are waiting for Jacky. It was too late when the boss came back from morning meeting and saw him. “Let’s go”, she said.

Okay, lunch with her was not that bad actually. This made it bad. Before going, she stood in front of my desk (Raymond’s actually), while looking on my left (Gan’s and Jacky’s direction), she said “Today’s your last day ya. So you gotta decide where and what to eat.”

“Anything will do,” I responded. While trying to act cute and looking at Jacky, “Is there any shops called ‘Anything’? No, right?”

“Yes, there is.. in Singapore, I’d believed.” No idea why Jacky answered. She pissed me off and I think I blew it a little by raising my tone telling her ‘hey, seriously, just go anywhere and eat!’, in my head of course. Lai was beside me and he sensed the anger from my face.

I prayed that she do nothing to piss me off again, else I’m gonna blow up for real. Sadly, she did it again. We went to Restoran 228 at Dengkil for ala-carte. To everyone, “She has to order everything today. So later pass the menu to her ya.” Okay loh.. I’ll play along. There were photos of 6 dishes on the main page of the menu. I looked at the waiter and told her, “Everything on this page, please!” I was not sure if she sense it or not or she was just playing dumb with me. At the end, I ordered 2 dishes and the rest kaotim by Lai. It was an awkward lunch.

Back in the office, I was busy clearing the stuffs in my laptop, uninstalling non-HP programs and applications and drafting farewell e-mail I packed my bag at 4:30pm as I have to pass my laptop and stuffs to Helen and I got Lai to tag along as I need an escort. Out of formality, I think it’s better to just tell her that I’ll be going and a last goodbye. Bad decision. The usual stuffs, ‘all the best’ and ‘good luck’. Kit, while typing on his keyboard, says “Sure not going to think about it?” and smirked. She asked, “Taken photo already?” Shit, I said in my head. “No, I don’t have camera,” I said. “Oh, I brought mine and it’s with Lai.” I was standing next to Bryan and when Lai came with her camera, took one with Bryan. Then she said she want one too. I had an awkward smile. Lastly, one with Lai. She said I can go around and take photo with anyone. Seriously, that was the reason why I want to leave quietly. I’m not some kinda big shot in the team and I don’t like to go around and announcing my last day.

I went down to my car to pack my laptop into a box; parking sticker, transponder, ActivKey and tag into an envelope. Then both Lai and I headed to 5th floor to pass these to Helen. I think I’ve startled her. Before this, she came to our floor with the boss and she asked, “When are you planning to come up and see me? Or you are planning to leave just like that?” She surprised me although she was just kidding. I told her that I will see her after 4:30pm. Because of the boss, it was almost 5pm when I see Helen. Again, the usual stuffs but from Helen, I sensed sincerity. Before going, she gave me a hug *aww* and offered to get me downstair (I have returned my access card) but I told her that I’ve brought an escort, pointing at Lai.

Goodbye HP! Hope I’ll be back one day!

His birthday was on Friday, 4th November and we decided to treat him dinner. Surprisingly, he wanted western food. Dad doesn’t really fancy western food because he doesn’t dine on beef and choices are limited for him. We brought him to Tony Roma’s at eCurve.

Maybe it was due to his rare visits to diners like these, he was kinda anxious. Mom read him the menu. He observed the surrounding, awed at mat salleh who can finished the entire course of dinner — appetizer + starter + main course + desserts. But he was not losing to them too by helping us clearing our plates!

The whole dining experience was great but it did not have a good start. I called to make a reservation soon after we parked our car. The person on line did not let me finish my sentence and missed that “… and a child”. Thus, they gave us a side table. He promised to change us to a bigger round table as soon as it’s available. We patiently waited but turned out to be a disappointment because the manager forgot his promised and gave the table to someone else. We had to wait for another table, which was about 15 minutes later.

My last visit to Tony Roma’s at Sunway Pyramid was way better than here. The staffs, maybe.

Forget about the unhappy details.. Wishing Dad a happy birthday and may all his wishes all come true but most important of all, a pink bill of health!